Columns

Dear Barb – Rekindling Christmas Spirit

Dear Barb: It’s almost Christmas and I just can’t get into the spirit. I can’t find anything good about Christmas to celebrate. Everybody spends too much money, eats too much food, and drinks too much alcohol. Every year somebody in my family gets mad because somebody didn’t visit them, but instead went to visit another… Read more »

From Where I Sit – Possibilities

In the space of three days I attended two prayer services. I suspect that among the hundreds of mourners many of us had similar thoughts as the priest officiated, the cantor sang, and the families mourned. I suspect we thought about our connection to these two men and the last time we saw them. We… Read more »

Dear Barb – Balance Guidance with Independence

Dear Barb: I am a single mother of a 12-year-old daughter. We have always been really close, until recently. Melissa has changed so much over the last few months. She is hanging around with a new crowd of girls that I don’t approve of. She has always been rather modest in her dress but now… Read more »

The Mindful Bard – New World Coming: The Sixties and the Shaping of Global Consciousness

Book: New World Coming: The Sixties and the Shaping of Global Consciousness Publisher: Between the Lines Publication date: 2009 Eds. Karen Dubinsky, Catherine Krull, Susan Lord, Sean Mills, and Scott Rutherford The Other ?60s ?From Brazil to Vietnam, from the Dominican Republic to Algeria, from Mali to Indonesia, from Bolivia to Greece, US fleets, air… Read more »

From Where I Sit – I Wish

December is traditionally a time for making wishes. So even though I haven’t believed in Santa for a few years now I’m going out on a limb here and sharing my hopes with you. If there is any justice in this world some wish-granting entity will hear my plea. Read on to see if you… Read more »

Dear Barb – Friendship Isn’t an Obligation

Dear Barb: I’ve been reading your column regularly but have never read of a dilemma like mine. I have a friend that I’ve talked to from time to time through the years. We never had much in common, but I managed to maintain somewhat of a relationship with her. Problems began a few years back… Read more »