Posts By: Barb Godin

Barb Godin

Barbara Godin is a graduate of Athabasca University. She writes the “”Dear Barb” and the “Women of Interest” columns. As well, Barb has written many personal interest stories and enjoys connecting with others through her writing. She has been writing for The Voice since 2003.

If you enjoy reading Dear Barb, you can also purchase her curated collection, Dear Barb: Answers to Everyday Questions at her website, http://www.barbgodin.com.

Women of Interest—Rebecca Lee Crumpler

Rebecca Lee Crumpler was born Rebecca Davies on February 8, 1831 in Christiana, Delaware and died March 9, 1895 in Hyde Park Boston, Massachusetts.  Crumpler was raised by her aunt, who cared for many of the sick in her neighbourhood. Following her graduation from school, Crumpler worked as a nurse for eight years until 1860… Read more »

Dear Barb—College Conundrum

Dear Barb: I am in my second year of university and really hating the courses I’m in.  My marks have been good, and my parents are happy that I’m doing so well.  Every time I see them they talk about how proud they are of me and what a great future I will have.  I… Read more »

Dear Barb—Moving On Too Soon?

Dear Barb: My mother passed away suddenly a couple of years ago and I miss her tremendously.  My kids miss her and my dad was devastated when she passed.  Recently, though, my dad has started seeing another woman and I am having a hard time accepting it.  She seems like a nice enough woman, but… Read more »

Dear Barb—The Next Level

Dear Barb: I am a guy in my thirties and I can’t seem to maintain a relationship with a woman.  On an intellectual level I do want to get married and have a family, but I can’t seem to commit.  Most of my relationships last about six months, and then I start to pull away. … Read more »

Dear Barb—My Neighbour is Driving me Crazy!

I don’t know what to do about my neighbor, Maria.  She is an older woman who has been divorced for many years.  Her husband of 30 years left her for a younger woman.  Maria is so bitter, every time I see her she brings up her ex and how crazy and abusive he was.  She… Read more »

Dear Barb—Things Better Not Said?

Dear Barb: I am in my twenties and have two older brothers who are 12 and 13 years older than me.  I don’t resemble my brothers, they have dark hair and eyes and I have light hair and blue eyes.  My mom raised us as a single mom.  Our dad died when I was a… Read more »

Love Beyond Tragedy

On September 15, 2018 we attended the wedding of Jenn, my brother’s granddaughter.  A few years earlier my sisters and I had been reunited with my brother Lyle and his family, following a long estrangement. When Lyle became ill, we were grateful to Jenn for contacting us and giving us the opportunity to spend some… Read more »

Dear Barb—Setting Up

Dear Barb: Most of my friends have partners, are living together, or married.  I have two friends who are single and in their mid thirties.  They don’t know each other but I think they would be perfect together.  I really want to set them up.  I talked to a few friends who know them both… Read more »

Dear Barb—Thinking about the Costs

Dear Barb: My wife is driving me crazy! She wants to get a cat and we already have two dogs.  Our dogs are both getting older and I was looking forward to being able to travel without having to find someone to take care of our animals.  We have a camper so we can take… Read more »

Women of Interest—Alice Ball

Alice Ball was a chemist who developed a treatment for leprosy involving the injection of chaulmoogra oil.  Dr. Harry T. Hollmann, who had been working with leprosy patients, sought out Ball when he discovered her thesis entitled “The Chemical Constituents of Piper Methysticum”.  Hollmann was working with chaulmoogra oil as a treatment for leprosy, and… Read more »