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.
Dear Barb: Well, I got through Christmas okay, and now everybody is asking me what my New Year’s Resolution is. It’s the topic of conversation at work and at gatherings with my friends. Some are serious about it and really intend to keep their resolutions; others are kind of like me, nonchalant. In past years… Read more »
I still remember the feeling when I came home to Grandmas? house after an evening out with friends. The kitchen was softly lit with an under-the-counter fluorescent bulb, displaying a neat and orderly the kitchen. I could hear the low murmur of the television in the next room and I knew Grandma and Grandpa were… Read more »
Dear Barb: I grew up in a farming family, three previous generations of farmers. So it was always expected that me and my brother would become farmers. My brother is heading in that direction, but I chose to go to university instead. My parents are heartbroken that I did not choose farming. I can tell… Read more »
As my husband and I decorated our Christmas tree, my mind trailed off to past years, especially one particular Christmas with my mom. Although I didn’t know it at the time, this would be the last Christmas day that I ever remember spending with my mom. I was a young girl, maybe eight or nine… Read more »
Dear Barb: I went to our company Christmas party last week and I haven’t been back to work since. I drank too much and really screwed up. A co-worker and I ended up dancing and flirting all night. We were one of the last to leave the party and, since we live near each other,… Read more »
Melitta Bentz was born January 31, 1879, in Dresden, Germany and died June 29, 1950, in Porta Westfalica, West Germany. She is credited with inventing the coffee filter, in 1908. Bentz was unhappy with the coffee makers of her day, which included percolators and expresso-type apparatuses, that always left grounds in the coffee. After testing… Read more »
Dear Barb: Hi, I am the mother of three children, ages fourteen, twelve, and eight. My husband and I both work full time and I take courses at AU. My daughter takes piano lessons and my son is in hockey. I am feelings so stressed out that I am yelling at my kids and my… Read more »
Mary Eileen Travis was born on March 16, 1931, in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and died on December 21, 2005, in Rothsay, New Brunswick. In 1983 Travis became the first woman to head the Saint John Board of Trade. After receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree and her Library Science degree at McGill University, Travis… Read more »
Dear Barb: I have hosted Christmas at my house for the last twenty years and I really wish someone else would do it for a change. It is not only expensive but it is a lot of work. I have four adult children and two grandchildren. They all have homes of their own, except the… Read more »
Dear Barb: Christmas is just weeks away and I can feel anxiety building in me! I’m one of the middle girls out of six in my family, and when we get together it is chaos! Some of us live halfway across the country, and the only time we all get together is Christmas at my… Read more »