What Matters Most...

It’s so easy to complain.

When we complain, others can understand and relate. After all, no one’s life is perfect. Or sometimes, we’re just sensitive to others feelings. In the current economic disaster with so many people struggling to make ends meet, it’s easier to hide behind things that don’t go our way than to share happy and exciting news.

I want to be mad for losing half of this year to an illness that popped out of nowhere, interfered with work, and ruined my plans and friends’ visits. I want to be furious that my PC decided to die—literally sizzle—a few weeks ago, cutting me off from the universe during online holiday shopping season, keeping me from the daily drama of my Facebook friends, and losing all of my files including my novels’ marketing plans and blog posts that I’d spent hours writing in October. I want to find an extra ounce of energy and an additional hour in every day to spend more time with my family.

Hidden behind these “wants” is a need too often left unspoken. I need to remember what’s important. Happiness can’t be found when we can’t see past our shortcomings and life’s unexpected, unpleasant surprises.

During the holiday season when Toys-R-Us sells out of the only toy our kid wants for Christmas or someone cuts in front of us in the checkout line, let’s dig a little deeper and remember what matters most—the love of our family and friends. With that (and a calming breath), we have everything we need.

Top 5 Things You Didn't Know About Demons

We're continuing Halloween week with a look at demons.

The concept of a battle between good and evil is older than recorded history. Needing a way to explain the delicate balance between the two, early civilizations personified these characteristics and attributed them to both holy beings and those who worked against a higher power’s grace. We know them today as angels and demons.

5) Vengeful Fallen Angel or Misunderstood Soul?
There are three basic schools of thought. The first believes that demons are supernatural beings—cast away angels, beasts, or otherwise—that attack humans for their own pleasure or to test humans at God’s command. Think of the biblical stories of Jonah, Job, and even Jesus’ temptation in the desert. Another belief asserts that demons are nothing more than bad ghosts (human or animal); just as there are good and bad people, so too can there be spirits with good and bad intentions once they’ve crossed over. The third takes a scientific approach and believes unless you can prove their existence with scientific methodology demons do not exist and are nothing more than a figment of overactive imaginations.

4) The Demon Census
The idea of demons is not modern or specific to a certain region of the world with an uneducated populace. These characters can be traced back over thousands of years through the mythologies and religions of Mesopotamia, Arabia, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, et al. Just how many demons there are depends on who you ask.
* Judaism (Talmud) – 7,405,926 demons
* Christianity (according to Bishop of Tusculum [13th century] & Alphonso de Spina [15th century]) – 133,306,668

Read more about the history of Demons and Demonology through:
http://www.monstropedia.org/index.php?title=Demonology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon

3) Everyone Knows Demons Aren’t Real, Don’t They?
According to a survey of 36,000 Americans by Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released in 2008, most Americans believe in angels and demons, 80% believe in miracles, and 92% believe in God or universal spirit. Demons are mentioned throughout the Old and New Testaments so it’s no wonder there’s a prevalent belief of the existence of good and evil entities among God-fearing people.

2) Becoming an Expert Demonologist
No, there’s no Demon U handing out diplomas. However, there are a growing number of people interested in this field. As ghost hunters are popping up worldwide, there’s been a resurgence in the belief of demons as separate entities from ghosts—and dangerous ones at that. Book smarts won’t get you too far here. A lot of it depends on experience and knowing how to protect yourself from the evil lurking in the shadows. Skeptics and anyone who thinks they have the guts to take on demons should read this article from The Atlantic Paranormal Society.

1) How Bad Can They Be If You Can’t Even See Them?
It depends on who you ask. Skeptics say that it’s psychological. Victims insist that they’re experiences are real. Those who’ve been victimized by otherworldly entities know that demons are more than just ghostly apparitions. They taunt you mentally, abuse you spiritually, and cause physical harm. Don’t believe me or the ghost hunters on TV? That’s ok, why don’t you ask Bishop James Long, a theologian and exorcist who participated in a lockdown with the Ghost Adventures crew in Bobby Mackey’s in Wilder, Kentucky—one of the U.S.’s most haunted locations. Click here to view footage from his experience. (fast forward to about 2:45)

So, what exactly are demons? No one knows for sure. There are too many conflicting opinions—some based on religion, mythology, or experience—all claiming to be right. Some believe that ancient people used the idea of demons to explain the forces of good and bad within nature. Others think it was born from fearing the souls of those who died and worshipping them to keep them happy and at bay from the living. The interesting thing is that most ancient people—no matter where they were located—believed in demons of some sort. One thing is for certain, whether they’re real or imagined, the myth behind demons is alive and well today.

Resources:

Picture: Ghost Adventures crew investigating at Bobby Mackey’s – Travel Channel

Washington Post

www.ghostweb.com/demon.html

www.angelsghosts.com/demons_what_are_they.html

www.religioustolerance.org/dem_bibl.htm

http://paranormalpython.com/paranormal-articles/bishop-james-long
www.paranormalclergy.com/paranormalclergy/Welcome.html
www.bibletruths.net/Archives/BTAR134.htm
www.occultopedia.com/d/demonology.htm

Top 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Werewolves

It’s my favorite time of the year and I’m counting down the days to Halloween by celebrating the season’s favorite characters and topics with fun facts and trivia. Today’s monster du jour: werewolves!

5) Jacob Black’s Long Lost Ancestor
Nearly 100 years before Stephenie Meyer introduced werewolf hunk Jacob Black, “The Werewolf” featured film’s very first. The silent movie from 1913 was based on a short story of the same name by Henry Beaugrand. Don’t bother looking for the film on Netflix. All copies of it were apparently destroyed by fire in 1924.

4) Werewolf: Human, Animal, or Both?
Rising in popularity as characters in Gothic horror tales of the 19th century, werewolves symbolized the internal struggle between humanity’s socially expected proper behavior and its raw, animalistic urges and innate dark tendencies. These creatures represented the human clash between good and evil. Interestingly, the werewolf wasn’t the only monster making waves in the Victorian era. Also collecting fans at this time were Mary Shelley’s monster of Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Both were similar in nature to the dual personality of the werewolf.

3) The Hollywood Obsession
Making headlines throughout the 19th century, it’s no surprise that werewolves made the jump from literature to the big screen with the dawn of motion pictures. According to werewolf-movies.com, about 265 movies were released between 1913 and 2010 which include werewolves of one kind or another. Check out one or two of these flicks for Halloween. (Werewolf-movies.com List or Wikipedia Werewolf Movie List)

2) The Father of Werewolves
They had to come from somewhere. One of the earliest stories of werewolves comes from a Greek tale of a man named Lycaon who angered Zeus. Apparently everyone but Lycaon knew that you don’t pick a fight with the head god who ended up changing him and his sons into wolves. Whether legend or supernatural mystery, lycanthropy, the transformation of a human into a wolf, has been reported by many cultures worldwide for thousands of years.

1) Fact or Fiction: Are Werewolves Real?
Yes, they are! Well, sort of. Werewolf Syndrome, also known as hypertrichosis, is an extremely rare condition which causes hair to grow all over the body. I’m not talking about your average guy with a hairy back or a Santa Claus-like beard. Hypertrichosis causes excessive hair growth over parts of one’s body and sometimes all over. There are four types of hypertrichosis, none of which are contagious.
· Localized Congenital Hypertrichosis – Excess hair is typically restricted to specific sites on the body and is sometimes caused by neural abnormalities, diabetes, or AIDS.
· Localized Acquired Hypertrichosis – Injuries such as irritation, inflammation, or trauma can result in hypertrichosis over an affected area.
· Generalized Congenital Hypertrichosis – This type is both rare and inherited. Typically, a baby never loses the fine hairs which grow all over his/her body in utero. Over time, the hair growth tends to affect the face, ears, and shoulders.
· Generalized Acquired Hypertrichosis – The intake of certain drugs such as phenytoin, cyclosporine A, and minoxidil lead to the onset of this version of hypertrichosis. Usually, the condition disappears if an individual stops taking these drugs. In other instances, some individuals suffering from one of the strains of Porphyria may develop hypertrichosis after exposure to/treatment with hexachlorobenzene. Imagine suffering from both Werewolf & Vampire Syndromes! (More on vampires in Friday’s article…)

While the acquired forms of this disease are treatable, solutions such as shaving, laser removal and electrolysis provide only temporary relief to those suffering from congenital hypertrichosis.

So, if you see a “werewolf,” be kind, don’t stare or judge. They’re normal people. The full moon’s affect on them is no different than its impact on the rest of us. We’re all a little crazy and different sometimes.

Resources:
1) “The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead” by J. Gordon Melton
2) Hypertrichosis / Werewolf Syndrome - a) Telegraph.co.uk b) http://www.hypertrichosis.com/

3) Hypertrichosis / Porphyrias
4) Pictures from top: a) Twilight "New Moon" picture - http://twilight-the-movie-new-moon-cast.blogspot.com b) Lon Chaney as "The Wolf Man" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034398/ c) Michael J. Fox in "Teen Wolf" - http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00025147.html d) "Werewolf Boy" article at Telegraph.co.uk

Made in America?

I’ve seen it so many times before and today’s was no different. A well-meaning e-mail, it urged us to buy U.S.-made products. It’s a message I agree with and one I’ve supported over the years. After all, purchasing produce from local farmers and items made in America supports our citizens and stimulates our economy.

Then the e-mail took an unexpected turn.

The message focused on products that my company manufactures—-my American family-owned business born from two men who made their American dream come true. You see, I already buy local produce and clothes with “Made in the U.S.A.” tags. It’s as ingrained in me as baseball and apple pie. But this e-mail attacked the products that support my livelihood and that of our employees throughout the U.S.

The author urged people to buy products labeled “Made in the U.S.A.” because she found that they were cheaper than those imported and labeled “Made in China” and they promoted American business. On the surface, this seems like a reasonable assumption. The problem is that some companies, like mine, choose to manufacture products overseas to maintain the brand quality and technology their consumers expect at prices they’re willing to pay. Producing these same products on U.S. soil would mean an increase in production costs which would be passed onto consumers. Think about it. Would you honestly pay $20 for a t-shirt or an energy-efficient light bulb that you can get at Wal*Mart or Target today for $5 each?

The truth is that items made in the Far East might very well support American-based companies trying to balance staying afloat in an unsteady economy while providing low-cost products their consumers are willing to buy.

Another angle that rarely gets noticed is that something labeled as “Made in the U.S.A.” might be assembled here, but its components might be imported. Chances are that many American products are sourced one way or another from international businesses. If you’re a die-hard, ‘only-buy-American’ kind of consumer, you might want to do a little research before blacklisting certain products or companies based solely on their labels.

So, the next time you decide to buy something “Made in the U.S.A.” to show support for American businesses, consider that you just might be putting Americans out of work—and adding to the U.S. jobless rate, which burdens the system of unemployment payouts funded by you, our U.S. tax payers.

Top 5 Days that Changed the Course of US History

September 11th found me reminiscing about America before and after this tragedy. The top five days listed below are integral events which shaped the United States of today. Of course these selections are highly debatable, but I’m not out to write a history book. In my opinion these moments altered US culture, opinion, and history irrevocably.

#1) Declaration of Independence – July 4, 1776, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The men signing this document knew they were essentially signing their own death warrants by placing their names on his document. To challenge and revolt against King George III and England was treason. Thanks to their courage, determination, and foresight, the United States is one of the fortunate places in the world where our freedoms are protected.

• “…We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness…” – excerpt from the Declaration of Independence. To read the whole passage, click here.

#2) Assassination of Abraham Lincoln – April 14, 1865, Washington, DC
A simple man from simple beginnings, Honest Abe was a president of and for the people of America. In historical retrospect it’s really no surprise that he endorsed the Emancipation Proclamation granting freedom to slaves. An unpopular decision with the southern states of the union, Lincoln’s brave move to secure freedom for all was repaid with his murder. Still, his courage in making such a difficult political decision resulted in the Civil War which emphasized the country’s factions and diverse opinions. Ultimately however, his first steps to grant all Americans freedom laid the foundation for civil rights.

#3) Woodstock – August 15 – 18, 1969, Bethel, New York
It was a time of change in America—political unrest and a clash between old thinking and new in social norms. Aside from the sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll which were taking hold, this time marked a mass movement toward questioning what was and what had to be. A decade of political events (Bay of Pigs Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, Malcolm X/Martin Luther King/John F. Kennedy/Robert F. Kennedy assassinations, Gay Rights Movement, Vietnam War, and more) culminated in this inevitable moment. With so much political strife, it’s no wonder people were craving peace and a summer of love, which of course brought its own ramifications. (Click here to see Jimi Hendrix’s famed take on the Star Spangled Banner.)

#4) Challenger Space Shuttle – January 28, 1986, Cape Canaveral, Florida
This is a childhood memory I’ll never forget. My class was tuned into the TV ready to watch the first teacher take off into space. The excitement in the room was almost tangible. Going into outer space was an adventure of enormous proportions. As the tragedy unfolded, we sat in silence--dumbfounded, confused, and terribly aware of what just happened on live TV. Our teacher turned off the set and led us in a Hail Mary. This event marked the first realization for me that mankind is fallible. Our best intentions, the smartest people, and choices we make are still at the mercy of fate. It was a scary moment and one that will always remind me that every adventure has its costs. As a dominating, international political presence, this tragedy showed the world that even the US had vulnerabilities.

#5) September 11, 2001, New York, NY
Like the assassination of President Kennedy for the generation before us, September 11th is a day generation X-ers / Y-ers (and everyone else) will never forget. Sitting in front of my computer in my company’s Philadelphia headquarters, it was just another late summer day—sunny, warm, and uncomfortable as I was eight months pregnant. Around 8:50 am a coworker ran into my office announcing that one of the twin towers was hit. Confusion and curiosity flooded our department. About ten minutes later, I headed to the cafeteria for a drink where a TV had been set up so we could follow the news. Drink in hand and eyes transfixed on the smoking tower #1, I watched in horror as Flight 175 crashed into tower 2. At that moment it became clear this wasn’t a random accident, but America was under attack. There was work to be done that day, but everyone was preoccupied by the twin towers, then the hit on the Pentagon, and finally Flight 93’s crash near Shanksville, PA.

Many of us knew people in New York and were trying to reach them, but the phone circuits were busy or dead. My thoughts were with my best friend who was working in downtown Manhattan and her boyfriend who worked in the tower plaza. (They were a couple of the lucky ones to escape that day.)

With the horrors unfolding in New York and Washington, Philadelphia was on lockdown. It’s the birthplace of the US and a major hub for business on the east coast; we were scared that we were next. As the day’s tragedies faded into the days and weeks following, America changed. Innocence was lost in this new wave of terrorism on our home turf. Republicans, Democrats, and Independents stood united, side-by-side. Our ideological differences took a back seat to the protection of our ideals of democracy and freedom.

Terrorists can never destroy our conviction “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Our country protects these rights. Our soldiers fight to guarantee these rights for us. It’s the reason why my family, like so many others before us, wanted to come here. The US was and is a land of opportunity and freedom—two vital components of life that so many around the world lack.

Although the political-socio-economic repercussions from this day will be felt for decades, we are still united in our stance against extremist groups who will do whatever it takes to destroy our freedoms. Like their own beliefs, ours are so ingrained in us that we will fight for our rights no matter what.

Where were you on September 11th?

With a history spanning over 234 years, the United States’ rich past is filled with many significant events like the 1849 gold rush, the Wright Brothers, Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Rights Movement, invention of the atomic bomb, Apollo 11 Moonwalk, Industrial Revolution, Wall Street Crash of 1929, Attack on Pearl Harbor, the first black president, and so much more. Like all histories, it’s filled with good and bad and everything in between, but these events created the world, country, and people we are today.

Sources:

The links contained in this article are provided as a means to access additional information. They do not represent an endorsement of these sites or other contents contained therein.

• Declaration of Independence
• Lincoln History
• Lincoln Photo
• Woodstock
• Jimi Hendrix Photo
• Challenger History
• Challenger Photo
• September 11th Photo

The Problem with Healthcare

Who am I kidding? Healthcare is completely broken. Without a major overhaul, the fixes that the president presents and congress negotiates are merely band-aids on a fatally hemorrhaging wound. However, there is one healthcare problem which wouldn’t take an act of God to fix. It’s actually a rather simple issue to handle if anyone cared enough to do so.

What’s broken? Customer service.

Somewhere between seeing countless patients, running around a hospital, and haggling with insurance companies, medical office personnel have forgotten that every patient is also a customer.

We no longer have to fear being black listed in the medical community for stating our opinions a la Elaine from Seinfeld. Thanks to the internet and sites like Angie’s list, we can share our experiences anonymously and hopefully save other people from horrible encounters with difficult doctors and staff.

Due to a virus that circulated through my family this summer, I spent more time in doctors’ offices in the past two months for sick visits than I have over the past two decades. What we saw and experienced:

• Staff shopping on the internet
• Staff naming and discussing patient health issues in the patient’s absence
• Staff eating while speaking to patients over the phone and getting upset when they had to repeat themselves
• Staff speaking disrespectfully and rudely to patients
• Describing severe symptoms and being told the doctor’s earliest appointment is two days later
• Staff’s tone and choice of words were belittling.
• Doctors telling us what we’re feeling and not hearing what we’re saying
• Doctors not telling us our diagnosis, just prescribing medication without offering alternative options or discussing what we can do to ease our symptoms
• Being misdiagnosed
• Practices not having contingency plans to see sick patients when primary doctors are on vacation

I don’t care if the office staff is having a bad day or if the doctor is overbooked. Yes, they are real considerations, but when patients are seriously ill, they need attention. This is why we have doctors. It’s not like we’re at the doctor’s office every week. Most of us avoid the place like the plague. And, since our visits are so infrequent, if we happen to catch the medical staff on a bad day, chances are that impression will taint our overall opinion of the entire medical practice.

The repercussions? Word of mouth marketing spreads like wildfire. Most of us will likely vent about our bad experiences to our closest friends who will remember our stories. And, when they’re looking for new doctors, they’ll ask us about our “bad” doctors to make sure they don’t sign up with them. They in turn tell others. Based on personal experience, this is especially true when it comes to pediatrics.

I’m sure dealing with cranky people who are sick all day can wear on even the toughest employees in the medical field. However, showing an ounce of care and concern can go a long way and dial back the cranky scale on anyone. The fact is that medical practices are businesses. They provide services and care to their customers. The thing they often forget is the choice they make to be a Wal-Mart or Saks 5th Avenue in the medical field. What kind of quality healthcare do you want?

It’s important to note that not everyone we encountered was mean or inconsiderate. In fact, two bright spots were a nurse and lab technician whose bedside manners were thoughtful and kind despite the revolving door of patients circling around them.

A little professionalism and kindness can go a long way. Perhaps it’s something we should all keep in mind no matter where we work or what we do.

Check out what others are saying about your doctors:
http://www.doctor-report.net/
http://www.physicianreports.com/?yaid=pr
http://www.angieslist.com/angieslist/

Image: Stethoscope

The Sunny Side of Marketing

Honey Sunshine.

‘Happiness,’ ‘nature,’ ‘organic,’ and ‘health’ pop into mind.

After studying and working in marketing for almost a decade and a half, I’ve grown fairly jaded to brand messaging. Whether it’s coming from a noteworthy manufacturer or Washington’s political spin masters, successful marketing boils down to the people who can craft the most convincing message and sell it.

As a mom, I’m wary of the ads shoved down our kids’ throats in between cartoons, at the store, and even at school. If anyone is marketing anything to my kids, it should be me. Then again, when you have stubborn children, no amount of positive messaging will sway them.

Those of you with kids who are picky eaters know that getting kids to eat is all about presentation. The concepts ‘It’s good for you,’ ‘There are starving children in Africa,’ and ‘Just try it; you’ll like it’ are like super-glue on our kids’ lips the minute they’re uttered.

Honey Sunshine.

Two words spoken in an excited and energetic tone were all it took to get my four-year-old to try a healthy breakfast cereal. He knows honey is sweet and sunshine makes him happy. I didn’t have to explain what the food was, how it would benefit him, or why he couldn’t have cookies for breakfast instead. He even ended up asking for two extra bowlfuls of an adult cereal made from organic whole grains.

Honey Sunshine™ was able to do something I’ve been fighting four years to accomplish. They got my picky kid to eat without a fight.

Thanks, Kashi, for your brilliant marketing tactic. You just won yourself a repeat customer.