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Ask a Health Blogger: Static Electricity

When winter comes, I notice that I’m a lot more static-y. The worst is getting out of the car — I always get a shock when I’m closing the door! What’s behind the “shocking” change? I have the same problem — winter seems to be my time to give and receive a lot of those little static jolts. Basically, static electricity is caused by an imbalance in positive and negative charges in electrons, which are part of every single atom that makes up the universe. The cause for the personal shocks is deceptively simple: dryness. Winter tends to be a … Continue reading →

Author Interview – Sandra Worth, on Writing and Lecturing

Thank you for joining us for part two of our conversation with author Sandra Worth, who wrote “Lady of the Roses.” If you missed part one, click here to catch up. Sandra, may I compliment you on your writing — your tone is smooth, your descriptions are beautiful. Yet I notice your education is in economics and political science. You’ve obviously developed both the right and left sides of your brain. Do they ever war with each other? First, thank you for the compliment! I’m delighted you feel this way. I think my right-side has atrophied over the years from … Continue reading →

Computing Blog: May 19th through May 25th

Have you caught all of the latest computing blogs? From iTunes to fun websites, to news you can use, it is all here. If you haven’t read them all, yet, I forgive you. After all, I am playing catch up myself, at least with the weekly reviews. So here you are, for your perusal: the Computing Blog review for May 19th through May 25th. May 19th Ask Dr. Universe Want to know why the sky is blue? Ask Dr. Universe, who has the answers to this and many other questions that come from kids. May 21st Create Bands Have you … Continue reading →

Ask Dr. Universe

Want to know why the sky is blue? Ask Dr. Universe, who has the answers to this and many other questions that come from kids. We have been watching the progress of a frequent visitor in our house, a seven-legged spider that seems to have an affinity for the space between the screen and storm window in our dining room. No matter how many times I free this spider, it comes back, sometimes reappearing in that screen-storm window space in the kitchen window just for variety. We know it is the same spider for the fact that it only has … Continue reading →

Hope for Our Children

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I had a critical illness when I was a baby. I had to have a tracheotomy; I see the scar in the mirror every morning. But the real problem was fever. It stayed too high day after day. This occurred in the late forties when the medicine available was not nearly as effective as it is today. There were three nurses that worked eight hour shifts in my hospital room. When they went off duty, one of them left her cap and the other two took their caps with them. My mother asked one of them about this and found … Continue reading →

Joss Whedon to Direct “Avengers” Sequel

Beyond reviewing the movies, I try not to report on too much Marvel news around here. I’m a big comics geek, so I could easily talk for ages about the company. Marvel’s only owned by Disney; the news isn’t directly related to the House of Mouse, even if it is technically a member now. Yet, I just can’t resist this latest piece of news about the Marvel movie franchise. “Avengers” director/co-writer Joss Whedon is back to take up both of the same mantels for the sequel, due in 2015. For the average movie or Disney fan, this might not seem … Continue reading →

Preschool Primer Part 1 – Is Your Child Ready?

Recently, it dawned on me that at some point in the future Dylan will not be spending all of his days at home with me. Preschool is a topic that I have not yet given much thought, so it is time for me to learn what it is all about. Today I decided to start at the beginning, with the question of determining when a child is ready to begin preschool. Dylan will be two and a half years old this month. That is the age at which many preschools begin accepting children into their programs. For some reason, I … Continue reading →

Ready for Springtime

I’m sure that I am not the only parent out there who is eager for the snow to melt away and the temperatures to rise. While there are many wonderful things to do indoors during the colder months, I am looking forward to being able to go outside with Dylan more often. Today, we got a taste of springtime and it has me ready for more. Throughout the winter I have tried to ensure that Dylan gets to spend time outdoors on a regular basis. He loves to be outside, especially if it involves digging in the snow. Of course, … Continue reading →

A Good Pediatrician Can Make All The Difference

Have you ever noticed how much advice there is for parents, and how much that advice increases when you are a single parent? It’s almost as if because you couldn’t make your marriage work you really can’t raise this child without all this helpful advice. I don’t mind advice, really I don’t, I just wish people would remember that my child is not their child and what works for one doesn’t always work for another. For the most part I’ve always felt like a good mother. When Hailey was an infant I had a pediatrician who was very old school, … Continue reading →

Winnie the Pooh

One of the favorite stories my father likes to tell about my childhood relates to Winnie the Pooh. When I was young I loved that silly old bear and watched all of my relevant VHS tapes diligently. My father loves to recall how one of my favorite moments was as the narrator was performing his task, Pooh inquires as to the mysterious voice he’s overhearing. “That,” Tigger proclaims with gusto, “is the narrator!” I collapsed into a fit of giggles every time I viewed this scene, according to my father. For whatever reason he loves to tell it, perhaps because … Continue reading →