Columns

In our culture, we learn at a very young age to make resolutions at the start of a new year. Unfortunately, the odds of breaking our goals are much higher than the odds of fulfilling what we set out to accomplish. UAB Medicine News reports that less than 8% of…

A new year is always filled with possibilities and hope. After living through 2020, most people are looking forward to what is yet to come. While I am not one to make resolutions, there is one thing I will be working on this year. It does not involve me,…

It isn’t that I can’t be alone. I am an introvert. As such, I can self-entertain for hours. I like spending time with my own company. I find many ways to occupy my time. Hobbies abound — I write, knit, research genealogy, geocache, record podcasts,…

I am someone who appreciates certain finer things. As a jeweler, I understand the value of fine metals, gems, and diamonds. As such, I can’t help but dream of owning attractive and valuable jewelry pieces that will ultimately serve as investments. I’m also drawn to fine timepieces, and admit to…

Usually, as the year comes to a close, we turn our attention to resolutions. It’s often a reflective time, when the prior year’s events and actions come under scrutiny. The most common resolution usually has something to do with health and fitness. But 2020 is far and away a different…

I taught choral music in a few local school districts in the Houston metropolitan area in a former life. One year, a friend of mine in the bleeding disorders community asked if I had a group that could provide entertainment at the hemophilia Christmas party. I told her…

Immunizations are sometimes tricky when a child has a bleeding disorder. The shots can cause bruising and swelling at the injection site, or even a muscle bleed. Each person is different, but nevertheless, precautions must be taken. When my children needed immunizations, I always gave them a dose of…

Splash! A kid’s plastic drinking cup falls to the floor, spilling water all over. “Oh, no!” a toddler exclaims, noticing the accident. She picks up a rag and runs it over the wet spot on the ground. “Wipe,” she says. This is a common scenario in our house these days now…

With all of the talk about COVID-19 vaccinations being right around the corner, I cannot help but feel like I can finally breathe. Hopefully, at this time next year the world will look back on the year past and proclaim, “We are free at last!” Life may return to normal,…

The coronavirus is turning lives upside down. A good friend recently tested positive, and when they told me, I was uncertain about how to respond. Should I say I’m sorry? That they will be OK? Not to worry? Knowing what to say isn’t easy. It reminds me of when…