Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
and Understanding African-American History
“African-American history is not somehow separate than the American story. It is not the underside of the American story. It is central to the American story.” — President Barack Obama
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Interview with Molly Spencer about her new book, If the House
I hope there’s an implicit argument in the book for all of us to value our interior lives without divorcing ourselves from the world. And I hope there’s an argument for living life with intention, for making yourself a life that feels like home to you.
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Knowing Your Value: When to Stay, When to Leave
If you don’t value yourself, you are vulnerable to staying too long in a bad situation.
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‘Grace and Frankie’ Returns This Week
In an industry in which more is more — except when it comes to age, when less is definitely considered more bankable — 'Grace and Frankie's' continued success is something to celebrate.
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Suicide Rate Increasing For Women In Middle Age
Suicide rates among U.S. women has climbed steadily over the past decade and has peaked among women age 45 to 64.
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“Anniversary Declaration,” by Amanda Moore
I had fun subverting the idea of an "Anniversary Declaration," which one might assume will be momentous and romantic, by addressing the dailiness and occasional strife that can accompany a long marriage, no matter how happy it is.
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Is Living with You a Bed of Roses?
Six Garden Analogies for Self-Improvement
What are you are like to live with? Is it a “bed of roses” to be your partner or spouse? Are there dangerous thorns lurking beneath the sheets?
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Women in Hollywood: Will 2020 Be Different?
The truth is, except for rare sleeper exceptions, awards tend to go to the biggest, loudest, most expensive, and — more importantly — most-promoted titles. And these, even today, are rarely helmed by women.
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Surgical Menopause
Dr. Pat offers advice to a woman on how to thrive in the second half of life after she had surgical menopause from a hysterectomy and removal of the ovaries in her early forties.
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“Magpies Recognize Themselves in the Mirror,”
by Kelli Russell Agodon
How do we respond to our fellow humans when they break down in front of us? Do we recognize ourselves in them? Or do we judge them for not being able to keep it together?
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Getting Healthy: Self-love and Self-care
If more of us practiced healthy self-care then a less selfish and less angry world would follow.
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A New Year and A New Decade:
Finding Hope With Change
On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day, I came of age as an activist. What happened to that activist girl? I have too often “talked the talk and not walked the walk” to save the planet.
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‘Little Women’: Greta Gerwig’s Bold New Take On A Beloved Classic
Greta Gerwig's 'Little Women' succeeds marvelously in retelling Jo March's — and Louisa May Alcott's — stories for a very fortunate new generation.
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Studies Show a Woman Diagnosed with Heart Disease is More Likely to Die Than a Man,
a Cardiologist Explains Why
A woman having a heart attack will wait longer before presenting to the emergency room. She will be less likely to have a diagnostic electrocardiogram upon arrival and she will be much less likely to be diagnosed correctly.
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“Double Helix,” by Crystal Williams
The poem was written in response to the convergence of multiple artistic endeavors, each of which spoke strongly to me about history—one was the 'Migration Series' exhibit at MoMA for which the poem was commissioned, and one was the book 'The Warmth of Other Suns.'
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The Best Christmas Party Ever!
Although I am essentially an extrovert, I am not entirely crazy about parties. My understanding of parties changed in 1979 when I did a yearlong internship at a state mental hospital in the South Bronx.
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TV Phenomenon:
Have Yourself A Hallmark Little Christmas
If you're feeling stressed, or blue, or just plain tired, watch a Hallmark Christmas movie. It's cheaper than therapy and less addictive than wine.
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Avoid Infection During Holiday Travel
Dr. Pat’s Flight Routine
As part of my training to become a board certified physician, I did a year’s fellowship in infectious disease. I tell you this to both explain and share my airline travel routine.
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Rachel Neve-Midbar’s “White Flesh, Yellow Dust” and “Memorial”
The question I found myself asking every day of my life in Israel is how can we see each other’s humanity, our mutuality, the beautiful synergies possible between our cultures? The question became a poem, a poem that is still a question and maybe a call.
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Accepting Imperfection by Embracing Flaws
We have to be aware that as 21st century women, we are especially vulnerable to the distortions of our digital culture emphasizing that a woman is only as valuable as she is pretty.
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Honey Boy’s Alma Har’el Tackles Childhood Trauma and Hollywood Sexism
"Honey Boy' is terribly sad but a beautiful film. And one that is worthy of the fine reviews it has received, as well as serious awards consideration.
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Insomnia: 12 Steps to Improve Sleep
Over half of Americans suffer from sleep problems in any given year. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to help improve your sleep.
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“Southbound Epithalamium,” by Melissa Crow
Today’s poem reveals its form in its title; an epithalamium is “a song or poem in honor of a bride and bridegroom,” and it derives from the Latin & Greek words epi- (at or near) and thalamos (room or bridal chamber).
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Intelligence: What Does it Mean to be, Like, Really Smart
Very intelligent people rarely talk about how smart they are. They are aware of it, but recognize it as a gift, one that must be cultivated. And besides, they are too busy learning new things.
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