Oakland Press columns
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Social Skills 101
“Talk to someone about themselves and they’ll listen for hours.” ~Dale Carnegie Years before Oprah made “life coach” a household term, my father followed the work of Dale Carnegie, one of America’s most prolific authors of self-improvement guides. Dad kept a well-thumbed copy of How to Win Friends and Influence People next to the wingback chair where he read nightly. Whenever I misbehaved, he’d wave his copy of the book under my nose and urge me to read it …. To read the rest of this column in The Oakland Press, please click here. Photo by Cindy La Ferle for MediaNews Group
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NEW article: “Ten tips for caregivers”
“Caregiving is a marathon and not a sprint. Equipping yourself for the long haul is essential. You shouldn’t walk the caregiving journey alone.” ~ Lisa Mayfield Doug and I could share dozens of sad stories about losing a parent to a progressive memory loss disease. While his father and my mother each struggled with a different type of dementia, we know how painful it can be to face changes in your relationship with a beloved elderly parent — and to make difficult lifestyle decisions on their behalf. Ever since my mom died, it’s been one of my missions to share my caregiving experiences — things I learned the hard way…
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Memoir Writing for Mental Health
“Each of us is a book waiting to be written, and that book, if written, results in a person explained.” ~Thomas M. Cirignano If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of writing a memoir, now is the ideal time to gather your journals, photos, and memories — and get started. Did you know that writing about your experiences can boost your mental health? I’ve always believed in the healing power of writing about our lives — and one of my missions is to encourage others to write their stories. To learn more, please look for my new feature story in the “Things to Do” section of today’s Oakland Press. To…
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Holiday spirit throughout the year?
“As for me, I like to take my Christmas a little at a time, all through the year.” ~David Grayson Peace on earth, goodwill to all. Lately I’ve been wishing these winter holiday sentiments weren’t limited to specific dates on the calendar. Last month, for instance, we counted our blessings before slicing the Thanksgiving turkey, but resumed the habit of complaining about everything from corrupt politics to football teams as soon as the good china was cleared from the table….To read the rest of my new holiday essay, click here.
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Be kind to your server
“A person who is nice to you but isn’t nice to the waiter is not a nice person.” ~Dave Barry This column was originally published in the June 13 print editions of the Sunday Oakland Press and Macomb Daily. Click here to see it online in the Macomb Daily. Now that we’re vaccinated, my husband and I have started dining out in restaurants again. The change of scenery and the break from my home cooking have done wonders for our mental outlook – and helped us regain a sense of normalcy after a long year of sheltering in place. We also want to support our local economy. At the same time, however,…
