October

If the idea of more pumpkin-spiced anything terrifies you, focus on something else this month. I can help.   If you suffer from fear of missing out on the latest lattes, pancakes, cupcakes and seasonal beers, I’m here for you. I am positioned in the middle of this tasty conundrum. I can take it or […]

You can be anything you want. When you are scared silly, you squeal and laugh. You get to eat really good stuff that only shows up once a year. It’s a fantastic excuse to throw a party. Yes, you are falling under the annual spell of Halloween, and it feels wickedly wonderful. As children, our […]

We all have something to say, and all our voices count.   We don’t express ourselves in the same way because our voices are different. However, we need to know that we are heard. It is important that the listening is without judgement, focused, and caring. These are simple concepts, but on International Stuttering Awareness […]

Our impressions come from breathtaking photographs in magazines and fascinating online tours. We’ve seen movies set in these impossibly beautiful locations and heard news reports on their impending demise. Very few of us will ever travel through the veil of vast distance into the layers of the rainforests, but we’re enchanted by their lush mysteries. […]

When we meet someone walking with a blind cane, we often think of his condition as a disability.   However, do we consider the independence with which he travels along the sidewalk? October 15 is Blind Americans Equality Day.   It used to be known as White Cane Safety Day. It took more than 40 […]

Some like it hot. Others do not. How much heat will you dare to heap into the pot? Wherever your preference lies on the spicy scale, savor the flavor of the Bayou this October 12 and raise your spoon in a toast to Gumbo Day. Gumbo, the specialty stew of New Orleans, results from as […]

An unsteady ladder leads to a fall and a broken arm. The drive to the hospital ends with a cast and a promise to be more careful. When our bodies are hurt or sick, the cause is identified, and the treatment helps us mend. This is not so easily the case with our minds. The […]

Why does Chris get all the credit? Leif was ahead of him by almost 500 years.   As unfortunate as this may be, most people still assume that Christopher Columbus discovered America. Mention Leif Erikson, and you might get a puzzled stare. The truth is that neither man ever set foot on the shores of […]

They’re the first ones who make us feel as though the earth really is back under our feet. They move quickly, and their actions seem familiar and frightening at the same time. Even when we know there are no guarantees, we want assurance that everything will be fine.   These calm professionals give us hope. […]

We plead with them to eat their vegetables. We chase them away from the video games and out into the sunshine. They do not understand that we do this for their health, and they probably don’t know much about National Child Health Day. The first Monday of each October is the perfect opportunity to get […]

As today’s health care system grows more complex, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the process. From clinic visits to hospital stays, we see, and are seen by, more professionals than we can remember or count. Concern about the outcome of a diagnosis can be as unsettling as worries about extended treatment.   We […]

The origin of this odd observance on the calendar is unknown, but there it is. October 3 really is Virus Appreciation Day.   Just imagine being the Rodney Dangerfield of microbes, the digital world and the dictionary. Viruses get no respect, and yet they have their own day. Where, in the world, is the satisfaction […]

When the digital world crashes, she patiently puts it back together. Without judging our habits, she quietly removes malware.   She knows that we will throw out the welcome mat for spyware or bring down our systems over and over. It is her job to right our computer wrongs, and she’s happy to do it. […]