Blog Posts by Redbook

By Anna Davies, REDBOOK

"Work" is never going to be synonymous with "play"-heck, that's why they pay you. Still, you can find inspiration and purpose even in a ho-hum job. Bonnie Kelly and Teresa Walsh, cofounders of Silpada Designs, a direct-sales jewelry company with thousands of representatives around the country, offer tips to help you cultivate passion for your work.

Related: Refresh Your House in One Weekend

1. Tap into your talents: Bonnie and Teresa had always loved jewelry, but it wasn't until the duo started helping their friends pick out the perfect baubles that they realized what they were doing was not only fun-it could also be a viable business. "Uncover your own skills by noticing what tasks you love to do," says Teresa. Do you lose track of time when you're scrapbooking? Do you actually look forward to organizing your closets? Once you know your strengths, meet with your manager to figure out ways to capitalize on them-or scout out a new work environment where you can

By Ayana Byrd, REDBOOK


Wanna get to your 50th anniversary? Steal these to-do's from pairs who've been together for years (and years!).

1. Have crazy adventures: "We never wanted to be the couple that does the same thing every night. Recently, we went to the airport without a plan-and ended up in San Francisco."- Gloria and Herb Schoenfeld, married 52 years

Related: 10 Things Never to Say to the Man You Love

2. Set aside time just for you: "When we had kids, an older friend told me, 'When the kids leave, it's just you and him; don't be strangers.' So we created Friday-night dates and we still do it 30 years later. Friends call it 'Harvey-and-Delores time.'" - Delores and Harvey Brown, married 41 years

Related: 5 Dresses Every Woman Should Own

3. Wake up and fall asleep to a kiss: "We kiss every morning and night, though I've been guilty of going to bed angry. But whenever we don't kiss, I can tell the difference; the day feels incomplete. A kiss is a very powerful thing!" - Fairley and

By Aaron Traister, REDBOOK


DEAR WHYS GUY:

Good evening Aaron, fellow Philadelphian male. I actually stumbled upon your article in REDBOOK. My sister buys the magazine, and it was in the bathroom (she's my roommate). So I read your article about male friendships. I thought it was pretty funny and informative, even though I don't have kids or a wife. On February 13, 2009, I lost my best friend. His name was John Pawlowski. He was a Philly cop who was killed in the line of duty. I met John on the first day of the Philadelphia Police Academy. I am not gonna go into the details or give you the sad story. You're from Philly and probably already know it. I find myself at 30 and single, with great career as a police officer, a nice car, a motorcycle, and a good group of friends. I am a pretty positive dude considering what life has thrown at me. I am writing you about one of life's age old questions. When is it time to grow up, and when the time comes, how do you? I have been in my career of

By Aaron Traister, REDBOOK


DEAR WHYS GUY:

Whenever we walk around our neighborhood and I'm telling a story or talking about something, my guy interrupts me to point something out he wants me to see like a vintage car or a funny bumper sticker. He insists he's not being rude by interrupting and that if he waited until I was done talking, I'd miss it. Does he just think whatever I'm talking about is boring?

Related: 12 Hot New Things to Try with Your Guy

DEAR REDBOOK READER:

No, he probably believes that, "If he waited until {you} were done talking, {you'd} miss it."

However, if he's always in a position where he's interrupting you, then maybe you're not letting him get a word in edgewise.

Related: 5 Outfits Guys Secretly Hope You'll Wear

Instead of assuming the worst and deciding that he's acting rude and disinterested, really listen to one of your conversations and see whether you both need to work on how you communicate.

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Need help decoding odd male behavior? Redbook

By Anna Davies, REDBOOK

Whether you work in an office or at home, or just have an idea for a project you'd love to get going, you need to add networking to your routine. "It's really about cultivating new friendships that might open some doors for you both professionally and personally," says Cynthia Shapiro, author of What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here . Shapiro shares smart ways to effortlessly add to your career contacts.

1. Perfect the Art of Small Talk: Practice striking up conversation-make a joke to the woman standing in line with you at the bank, or share a witty observation with the guy next to you in spin class. Soon, you'll feel more comfortable having casual chats with near strangers-and networking anywhere won't feel forced.

Related: Fall in Love With Work

2. Have Your Intro Ready: Before you head to an event, practice a 10-second introduction of yourself and your goal or area of interest. Then, find someone who's also on her own or approach a large

By Jessica Press,REDBOOK

End the green guilt by plucking a few ideas from this list. They're all mini moves with major eco-impact.

1. Quiz yourself by taking the fast, free "How green am I?" test at practicallygreen.com, a site started by mompreneur Susan Hunt Stevens, 41. It will give you an overall view of how you stack up-levels include "sorta kinda green" and "wicked green" (yes, Susan is from Boston!)-and generates an individualized to-do list of simple switches you can make. Susan was motivated to green-over her own life after her son was diagnosed with a number of food and environmental allergies. "I started by making really small and easy changes, and it inspired me to help others do the same," she says. Bonus: Practically Green offers feel-good rewards such as virtual merit badges and free product samples as you adopt eco-friendly habits.

Related: 3 Lousy Ways to Apologize for a Mistake

2. Drive a bit less and walk, carpool, or ride your bike to work one day this week.

By Anna Davies, REDBOOK

Feeling like you're just another worker bee in the hive can affect more than your morale: A perceived lack of power at work may make it harder to organize your thoughts, prioritize, and make decisions, a recent study says. But before you blame "the man" for your apathy, evaluate your own attitude. "You-not your boss-are responsible for developing your skills, setting your goals, and building your résumé," say Milo and Thuy Sindell, authors of Job Spa. Here's how to master your job and your future.

Related: 5 Tricks to Get More Done in a Day

1. Set a Goal: What do you want most? A new set of responsibilities? A different job entirely? Figuring out what you want to achieve and working toward that goal will make you feel more in control of both your day-to-day duties and your overall career.

2. Stop Sabotaging Yourself: Do you habitually slide into work five minutes late? Or do you roll your eyes behind your supervisor's back? Lose the negative attitude and

By Charlotte Hilton Andersen, REDBOOK

Labor is so miserable that it is the standard by which all other pain is judged"-Did it hurt when you broke your leg?" "Yeah but it wasn't childbirth."-and having done it five times I can tell you that there are right things to say to a woman in labor ("I snuck you in a Snickers bar!") and wrong things. Lots and lots of wrong things. Here are the things I most hated to hear while trying to push out the proverbial watermelon.

Related: 5 Dresses Every Woman Should Own

1. "I can see the head! Oh never mind, he went back in." This propensity of babies to play hide-and-seek during pushing was news to me until I was in the midst of my first labor. It was both disheartening and horrifying. There should be no such thing as "back in"!

2. "Hey, I'm gonna go grab a burger-you want anything?" At any other time this would be very thoughtful, but coming back smelling like cheeseburgers when all I'm allowed to eat are ice chips and broth you might get punched.