HOW TO DEVELOP A THICK SKIN
These are actually a series of comments made by different people; some of them have been in the public eye, and some haven't.  But all of them have gone through various forms of adversity--and all of us with Moebiuis Syndrome or other physical differences know something about adversity, right?  But we're not the only ones to go through it.  Others do too, even people whom you would not suspect of having gone through it.  So how have they dealt with it?  Read on:
"Be (a Little) Egotistical
For some, having a thick skin means preparing for the worst -- arming yourself for a huge battle. But that notion allows negativity to define you. Rather, I work to maintain an unwaveringly extra-positive self-image. Even when my contract wasn't renewed on Saturday Night Live last year, I remained 100 percent confident in my abilities. One decision on someone else's part, whether they're affirming or rejecting you, is ultimately minor. You are the constant, and your own opinion of yourself is what matters most.
Jenny Slate is a Brooklyn-based actress and comedian. With Dean Fleischer-Camp, she recently cowrote the book "Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: Things About Me" ($19, amazon.com).
Remember: It's Not You; It's the Situation
During a game, coaches and players can yell and scream and make very personal comments -- which is when I remind myself that they're just upset about the call. They aren't attacking me. Instead of bristling and reacting, I calmly ask, "Are you talking to me?" or "What did you say?" With those questions, I give the person a chance to back off and take stock of what he's saying. My unruffled demeanor causes the coach or player to reassess his own approach.
Bill Carollo officiated NFL games, including two Super Bowls, from 1989 to 2008. He is the current director of officiating for the Big Ten Conference, based in Park Ridge, Illinois.
Practice Selective Listening
The setup and menu at my restaurant are unorthodox. The cuisine is from a specific region in Thailand, the dishes are meant to be shared, and most of the plates should be eaten with your hands or just a spoon. Not everyone is going to enjoy the experience, but I can't always accommodate everyone's desires and expectations. If I did, I would be serving generic meals, because I would be trying to please everybody instead of doing what I do best.
Andy Ricker, the chef and owner of Pok Pok, in Portland, Oregon, was named the best chef in the Northwest by the James Beard Foundation this year.
Get Angry, Not Sad
When I first started writing, I had a very hard time getting published. Over the course of 14 years, I collected about 250 rejection slips. I could have just gotten hurt and depressed. But I chose to become defiant, saying to myself, "Someday they'll be sorry. I'll write an even better story, and I won't send it to them." To this day, each time I'm criticized, I take that negative energy and use it to go back to work and push even harder.
Lisa Alther is the author of six novels. Her most recent novel is "Washed in Blood" ($26, amazon.com). She lives in New York City and Burlington, Vermont.
Focus on Something Good About Your Criticizer
When you anticipate a hurtful comment, you relay fear or dread with your eyes and/or body language -- and that will make the critique more likely to happen. So try this: Find a positive attribute of the person criticizing you. It could be as minor as the color of her fingernail polish or the charming way she laughs. Think about that the next time you see her and your warmth will be reflected in your eyes and your demeanor. She will feel respected, and nine times out of 10, she'll reciprocate back to you.
Elayne Savage, Ph.D., is the author of "Don't Take It Personally!: The Art of Dealing With Rejection" ($17, amazon.com). Her psychotherapy and workplace-coaching practice is based in Berkeley, California. "

And now, it's time for...
FRIDAY FOOTBALL PICKS!
Last week's record:  10 wins, 8 misses.
Hey...over .500 at least!  Now on to this week's NFL picks:

NFL PICKS

Indianapolis at Baltimore.  LINE:  Ravens by 16.5.  MY PICK:  RAVENS.  Yes, yes, the Colts somehow covered the spread last week against New England.  Chalk that up to the Pats' leaky defense.  The Ravens meanwhile are a much more physical team.

Houston at Cincinnati.  LINE:  Bengals by 3.  MY PICK:  TEXANS.  T.J. Yates, despite being Houston's 3rd string QB, showed last week that he can get some things done.  But even more importantly are the unsung heroes of the Texans--their run game, and their very aggressive, tough defense.  I think they can ride these to another low-scoring victory.

Oakland at Green Bay.  LINE:  Packers by 11.5.  MY PICK:  PACKERS.  At home, vs a Raider team that laid a big egg in Miami?  You have to go with Aaron Rodgers.

Kansas City at NY Jets.  LINE:  Jets by 10.5.  MY PICK:  JETS.  Yes, Kansas City did well last week against a Jay Cutler-less and then Matt Forte-less Bears team.  But the Jets have most of their weapons, and Tyler Palko for the Chiefs still has a ways to go.

Minnesota at Detroit.  LINE:  Lions by 10.  MY PICK:  LIONS.  Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder both are dinged up; so, importantly, is the Vikings' secondary, which should allow Calvin Johnson to have a big day.

New Orleans at Tennessee.  LINE:  Saints by 3.5.  MY PICK:  SAINTS.  Yes, Tennessee and Chris Johnson are playing better lately, and are at home.  But speaking of playing better--so are the Saints, and I predict playing on the road won't be the issue for them many think it will be, at least this week.

Philadelphia at Miami.  LINE:  Dolphins by 3.  MY PICK:  DOLPHINS.  Some this week are pointing to Michael Vick's return, or, historically, to how well Andy Reid's teams do after a bye (or in giving Reid plenty of time to prepare, as he has this week since the Eagles played last Thursday).  Me?  I see this:  the Eagles have not played well at all for several weeks, and there's been little sign of a change.  The Dolphins ARE playing well.  Stick with the fish.

New England at Washington.  LINE:  Patriots by 8.  MY PICK:  PATRIOTS.  Too many weapons for New England; too many injuries for the Redskins.

Atlanta at Carolina.  LINE:  Falcons by 3.  MY PICK:  FALCONS.  A tricky one; the Falcons had a poor showing last week, while Carolina had fun against the fading Buccaneers.  But the Falcons remain the more solid and talented team, and have their playoff lives on the line.  Look for all that to show this week.

Tampa Bay at Jacksonville.  LINE:  Buccaneers by 2.  MY PICK:  BUCS.  Two teams spiraling downwards...but look for Josh Freeman to have a good day against a depleted Jags' secondary.

San Francisco at Arizona.  LINE:  49ers by 4.  MY PICK:  NINERS.  Again, this is a trickier one than many might think; Arizona has improved in recent weeks, especially defensively (they had something like 5 sacks last week against the Cowboys).  But again, San Francisco's very stout, consistent defense will be the difference here.

Chicago at Denver.  LINE:  Broncos by 3.5.  MY PICK:  BRONCOS.  This will not be an easy game.  Look for Brian Urlacher and the Bears' defense to come to play, and to try and create turnovers to give their struggling offense a boost.  But the Bears are without Cutler and Forte, and have to go with Caleb Hanie; and the Broncos have Tim Tebow, who knows how to win.  It's still Tebow Time in Denver.

Buffalo at San Diego.  LINE:  Chargers by 7.  MY PICK:  CHARGERS.  The Chargers have gotten healthier.  Philip Rivers Monday night appeared to come out of his funk.  Meanwhile the Bills have crumbled; doesn't look like it will stop any time soon.

NY Giants at Dallas.  LINE:  Cowboys by 3.5.  MY PICK:  COWBOYS.  Very tough game to call.  The Giants, especially offensively, played very well in losing to Green Bay.  The Cowboys lost to Arizona, but then they always play down to the level of their competition.  You just have the feeling, in the end, that the Cowboys will certainly not look past this game (as they may have done at Arizona) and that Tony Romo will find a way to win this one.

St. Louis at Seattle.  LINE:  Seahawks by 10.  MY PICK:  SEAHAWKS.  Because the Rams have been horrible, and show no sign of improvement.

"I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying." - Michael Jordan