Paranoia

par·a·noi·a (perƏ'noiƏ)

noun

a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a serious condition such as schizophrenia in which the person loses touch with reality.

synonyms:           persecution complex, delusions, obsession, psychosis

“Sharon’s paranoia prevented her from trusting the motives of Sam’s compliments.”

Sensationalism

sen·sa·tion·al·ism /sen'sa,SHehnl,izm/

noun

1. (especially in journalism) the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy, in order to provoke public interest or excitement."media sensationalism"

2. [PHILOSOPHY] another term for phenomenalism.

Confirmation Bias

"A confirmation bias is a type of cognitive bias that involves favoring information that confirms previously existing beliefs or biases. For example, imagine that a person holds a belief that left-handed people are more creative than right-handed people. Whenever this person encounters a person that is both left-handed and creative, they place greater importance on this "evidence" supporting their already existing belief. This individual might even seek out "proof" that further backs up this belief, while discounting examples that do not support this idea."~ What Is a Confirmation Bias?     about.com        http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/fl/What-Is-a-Confirmation-Bias.htm

Ridicule

rid·i·cule /'ridi,kyool/

noun
1. the subjection of someone or something to contemptuous and dismissive language or behavior.
"he is held up as an object of ridicule"
synonyms: contempt, derision, jeering, jibes, laughter, mockery, sarcasm, satire, scorn, scoffing, sneering, sneers, teasing, taunts, taunting; More...
antonyms: respect

verb
1. to subject (someone or something) to contemptuous and dismissive language or behavior.
"his theory was ridiculed and dismissed"
synonyms: burlesque, caricature, deride, heap scorn on/upon, jeer at, jibe at, lampoon, laugh at, mock, parody, satirize, sneer at, taunt, tease, treat with contempt; More...

Greetings From Frost Lake

March comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb.
~ English Proverb

…By Any Other Name…

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
 By any other name would smell as sweet."

 ~ Juliet

 (From Romeo & Juliet, Act II, Scene 2)

"Average!?"

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

~ Inigo Montoya

(From The Princess Bride)

Greetings From Frost Lake!

Second Verse – Same As The First

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

 ~ Albert Einstein

(Attributed)

Greetings From Frost Lake!

Happy New Year From Frost Lake!

Winter Wonderland

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?

The Bergquists At Christmas

There are a few things that are more-or-less given at the holiday season. One is that you will get socks and underwear from your grandparents (if you are lucky enough to still have them around to give you gifts), another is that someone is bound to wax nostalgic for the movie A Christmas Story, and one is that every theater guild in the world, and television station will insist on totting out the Dickens in one or more of its incarnations. To that short, but inevitable, list I wish to add the perennial return of The Bergquist Christmas Eve Story. Perhaps one day this will be as loved/reviled (take your pick) as any other holiday classic. 

I have told this story to friends and family for years and even posted it on my blog a few times. Every year, someone asks me to tell the story again, and every year I get emails asking if I am going to post the story again to my blog. The answer to both questions is "yes." So, here it is. 

Greetings From Frost Lake!