Demanding Relatives May Raise Heart Risks

As a symptom of coronary artery disease, angina is chest pain or discomfort when the heart doesn't get enough blood.

Dealing with worries or demands from family members can increase a person's risk of developing the painful symptoms of angina.

In a 6-year Danish study of 4,500 men and women in their forties and fifties, 9.5% of the men and 9.1% of the women suffered from angina. Most of these participants were in their 50's, less affluent, more depressed and endured the most demanding relationships with their relatives.

When You Can't Get Together For The Holidays

You think it's easy getting together for the holidays, right?

Wrong.

For some, "step" is the optimal word.  Besides "real," "half," "adopted," there are more steps than the Empire State Building: Step-parents, step-siblings, step-children, step-grandparents, step-grandchildren, to name a few.  

Seeing all of them at one time of year often feels overwhelming if not impossible.

So how can you make this holiday season easier on everyone whose allegiances and distance separate them?

With Skype, you can talk with anyone, anywhere in 28 languages and if everyone is registered with Skype (it's free!!!!), then your calls cost bupkes (frei, libre, nothing).  Your calls originate and take place at your computer and you can chat with up to 100 people or conference call with up to 9 others.

Once you've mastered the simplicity of Skype, move on to free video conversations (you can even watch baby Levi or Ilana take their first steps!). In order to view your family and friends far away, however, you need to purchase a webcam.  Count on tech reviewer CNET to base their ratings on whatever your priority:  price, popularity, manufacturer, editors picks, user ratings, and product features.  Just make sure one of their recommendations  (at $52.76 after a $20. rebate) is compatible with your PC or Mac.   

Now is your opportunity to show off your creativity.  YouTube helps you make and broadcast videos around the world.  Go to CNET to compare camcorders but be aware that the costs widely vary. 

Who knows?  Maybe there's another Steven Spielberg budding inside one of you right now. (If so, don't forget to give me honorable mention in your credits!!!). 

Friends During The Holidays

Mom says that there should be friends and acquaintances in your life for every occasion. Some you want by your side when you're in crisis. Some provide great comic relief. Some will share the brutal truth about those extra bulges. Others can be counted on for vital statistics like what's number one at the box office this weekend (and accompany you to the movie!) or how many years OJ is being sentenced to prison (finally). Some can even talk politics or religion and not get too heated. Still others can teach or inform, maybe even provide a scrumptious recipe for a special event. And don't forget the ones who've known you the longest (and still like you!)--these ones you can reminisce with.

This holiday season I hope you celebrate all the different people in your life for what they bring to your life--diversity, humor, continuity, gratitude, and love.

Best Websites of 2008 Continued Again and Again

If you wonder how mentally stable you are (this is easy for me--I'm not), try out Psych Central. Here you can take a "Do I Need Therapy" quiz. Find out the strength of your relationships and what kind of personality you have.

Desperate people take desperate measures to come up with gadgets to solve everyday problems.  Check out African ingenuity.  

Lay your gift-giving anxiety to rest for your grandchildren.  Check out picture books for the little ones and fun stuff and beautiful stuff for your discriminating pre-teen or teen.  

Are you always looking for ways to entertain mom and dad while you attend to other things?  University of California at Santa Barbara has come to your rescue with its collection of some of the oldest music and sound recordings, including vaudeville.

Best Websites of 2008 Continued Again

Think Colourlovers, The Nest, and Apartmenttherapy if you want to redecorate your digs.  

If you're into healthy, find out how other people are rating foods and save big bucks at the supermarket.

Extra cash on hand (Yeah, right," some of you are saying) and you want to help someone out? Make a loan to an entrepreneur in a developing country for as little as $25.

Are you one of those people who doesn't share recipes?  Then Open Source Food isn't for you--except that you can peek at someone else's private stash.

Dumbfound your guests with photos, documents, and film clips taken straight from the National Archives. 

 

Are Mars and Venus that different?  AskMen.com, a free men's online magazine, not only gives advice on dating and the secrets of love, it also delves into health, mental fitness,  loss,  and gadgetry, among others. 

The Surprise Friend

After 2 daughters Mom hoped that her last pregnancy would yield a son. Instead she got me.

I was a chubby baby, an escape stepstool from our mutual playpen for my slightly older, more agile cousin Bobby.  I was also a real-life replacement for my 7 year old sister's doll, Susie-Q.

"Happy," "easy-going," "confident" were some of the words used to describe me as a youngster.  I gravitated more to Dad than to Mom and it remained that way until Dad died 6 years ago.

Sometime during my adult life (I can't pinpoint when), my role with my parents reversed.  I became more the parent, appearing when important decisions demanded my attention.  So I am surprised that our roles have changed once again.

Mom emptied her house (a huge job for which I am immensely grateful), closed all her accounts, and moved 1 1/2 hours away from everything and everybody familiar to her for the last 65 years. She's an active new member of a retirement community near me.  She is facing situations she hasn't encountered since her school days--which clique do you fall into, who do you eat with at mealtime, can you play the game respectably, should you get into a relationship, how vocal should you be about your views.  And she is handling each issue with grace, intelligence, and courage.

She is mastering new gadgets as well--a DVD player, a cell phone, a new tv, an Apple computer (versus her old PC).

Mom is modeling some significant character traits that I look for in a good friend.

She is not only my mother now--she is turning into a close friend.