As I approached retirement,
my number one goal was simple but profound:
to get—and stay—healthy.

That meant finding a good primary care doctor, learning to breathe again, moving my body regularly, and keeping my mind fresh. I began to think about wellness not as a race against time, but as a way to remain vibrant, present, and fully engaged in my life.

I can’t talk about health, movement, and mindset without first mentioning the GLP-1 prescription I was fortunate enough to access. I know these medications can spark polarizing conversations, but for me—at this stage of my life—they have been a true game changer.

Dear Pink Panel,
My marriage is slowly crumbling. It went from just all right to utterly boring,
verbally abusive to finally a slap across the face and a painful shoulder shake.
I don’t know what’s next. Our only child is off to college in a few months.
How long should I hang on, or should I hang on at all?
Signed,
Brooke

Regular readers of this column are no doubt familiar with my imaginary friend, The Doctor. I often call upon him to solve behavior problems of various sorts concerning young children. Well, The Doctor has done it again! This time with what many mental health professionals would call separation anxiety.

The child in question is a male, age 5. His mother attended a talk I gave recently and shared this story with me. With her permission, I am passing it along. She asked only that I change her son’s name, so for our purposes he will be Georgie.

Triumph, Obsession and Loss
Three Powerful New Films

SONG SUNG BLUE
Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson | Director: Craig Brewer

Song Sung Blue is a tender, bittersweet musical that follows a Milwaukee husband-and-wife Neil Diamond tribute act as they ride a sudden wave of success and weather devastating heartbreak. Based on a true story, the film balances showbiz with intimate domestic struggle, using Diamond’s songs to illuminate the couple’s highs and lows. Performances feel lived-in, especially Hudson’s, who did her own singing and recently was nominated for “Best Performance by a Female Actor” by Golden Globe.

Heart health deserves our attention. While heart disease remains the leading health threat for women and men—and the No. 1 cause of stroke, disability, and death—awareness gives us power. These facts remind us how meaningful it is to care for ourselves and the lives we love.

For many years, heart disease was thought of as a men’s issue. Today, we know better. Women’s heart health matters deeply and understanding the risks is one of the most loving things you can do for yourself.

David Bowie once said, “Aging is an extraordinary process whereby
you become the person you always should have been.”

I didn’t fully understand those words—until recently when I retired. Retirement, for me, has been less about slowing down and more about waking up. After decades of nine-to-five corporate work, raising children, trying to succeed as a wife, mom, friend, and co-worker—and keeping pace with the big city—I’ve stepped into what I call my Third Act. And to my surprise, it feels less like an ending and more like a brand-new beginning.

Dear Pink Panel,
I regularly meet a lot of new people both socially and in my job,
but I can’t seem to convert any of them into friends.
What am I doing wrong??
Signed, Alicia

Q: Our first child, a boy, just turned two. Per your advice, he is toilet trained and eating whatever I serve. Before he was born, we determined that we were not going to raise a picky eater. Our problem isn’t our son; it’s my sister-in-law, who has three kids, the youngest of which is four. She insists that my husband and I say “no” to our son way too much. Is that even possible? Our son is very active and determined to get his own way. Your advice would be greatly valued.

The new year often brings a sense of renewal,
motivation, fresh starts, and a chance to reflect on the past.
Whatever the past has brought, The Reel Corner wishes you
a happy, healthy New Year filled with positive energy,
much luck, joy, and great movies.

Streaming on Netflix:
JAY KELLY
George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Billy Crudup, Laura Dern
Directed by Noah Baumbach

It’s hard to feel sorry for someone who has it all—money, fame, and success. But the film everyone is talking about, Jay Kelly, takes us right into that world and shows what lurks underneath the glamour. Jay Kelly (Clooney), a handsome, aging movie star who is starting to realize that the things he gave up on his way to the top were the things that really mattered. This is a story about longing, regret, and the quiet ache of having everything except happiness.

The thyroid gland is often mentioned in conversations about energy, weight, and overall health, yet for many people its true role in the body remains unclear. Despite being a small gland located in the neck, the thyroid has a powerful influence over how the body functions, affecting everything from metabolism and heart rate to mood and temperature regulation.

It is frequently blamed when people feel tired, gain weight, or struggle to feel like themselves, but understanding how and why the thyroid works is rarely part of the discussion. To bridge the gap between common misconceptions and medical reality, we spoke with local physicians to ask the questions many people have but seldom get clear answers to. Here is what they had to tell us about the thyroid—what it does, why it matters, and how it impacts everyday health.

The myth of the first three years has it that whatever habits, traits, dysfunctions and so on that a child develops during this admittedly formative period are going to stay with him for life. This is not necessarily so. For example, Romanian orphans who had suffered severe emotional and physical neglect during infancy and toddlerhood recovered fully after being placed with American families. When put in play groups with American-born kids who were living with biological parents, they could not be identified reliably. The adoption-babblers have a difficult time explaining that, by the way.

Dear Pink Panel,
My sister-in-law gets mad if you buy her a Christmas gift that’s not on her list. I like to do what I call ‘free shop’, meaning if I see something that reminds me of a person or that I think they’ll love, I get it, even if it’s not on the list. So, here is my question: Is it rude or insensitive to veer off the list?
Signed, Allison

When it comes to Christmas movies, contemporary films like Elf, Love Actually,
Charlie Brown’s Christmas, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation may immediately spring to mind. But if you really want to embody holiday cheer, nothing beats a nostalgic, old-school, Christmas movie.

Something about the charm of Old Hollywood stars, combined with a vintage sound track, immediately creates a cozy and enchanting holiday vibe. When The Reel Corner asked friends to recall their favorite old holiday films, here’s their picks: It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, The Bells of Saint Mary’s, Miracle on 34th Street, Christmas in Connecticut, and White Christmas.

OK Ladies, it’s time to get real about the health of your man’s package. It’s up front and center when it comes to sex and intimacy, but often neglected otherwise, as a part of men’s overall wellness. While men commonly invest time in fitness and strengthening, far fewer give the same care to the part of their bodies that plays a major role in confidence, intimacy, and daily function. A healthy package involves good circulation, skin health, and awareness of changes that may signal deeper concerns. Conditions such as incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and issues related to prostate health can all directly impact how your man feels and functions.

Dear Pink Panel-

I know this is a difficult question, but I need help. When you feel a friendship ending, and we all know that feeling I think, how do you decide if it is worth the effort of reaching out and risking getting hurt, or just letting things play out?

Signed,
Pam

Q: We have a 5-year-old who obsesses about dying. This has been going on for six months, ever since a child in the neighborhood died of a congenital genetic condition. Our son knew the boy and has been fearful of dying ever since. This is causing him lots of anxiety during the day, and he is unable to go to sleep at night unless one of us is with him. We took him to a therapist but after four sessions we saw no improvement so we stopped that. We have explained, over and over again, the difference between himself—very healthy—and the child who passed away, but nothing we say makes a difference. We’re hoping you have some good advice for us.

The holidays are a wonderful time to go to the movies.
It’s so much fun gathering up the family and going
to watch a movie on the big screen.

As nearly everyone knows, October is breast cancer awareness month, which simply means to educate yourself in regard to your own breast health by learning everything you can in order to reduce symptoms, know your risks, detect early, understand the importance of mammograms, and know when to seek medical attention. The absolute best defense against breast cancer is early detection, which means be aware—know your body, and do not ignore mammograms or symptoms. There are great strides being made every day in fighting and
beating breast cancer, but your awareness and actions are the largest part of the equation for success. Because of this, we went to the experts to ask some questions we had, and it’s a perfect start to becoming more aware!

Dear Pink Panel,
I have a terrible habit of rushing to judgments. I know judging people and situations too quickly can cost friendships and block interacting with new people. What are some thoughts and tips for avoiding making snap judgements? What are your suggestions to slow myself down and let things ride a little?
Signed,
Theresa

Q:  In certain of your books, you have written that children as young as 3 years old should be doing daily chores around the home. Exactly what chores are reasonable for that age child?

A: First, a personal anecdote: My mother kept a scrapbook of my early years that contained photos, notes, and other such memorabilia. Browsing through it one day, I found a photograph she had taken with her Brownie camera of me washing the kitchen floor in our tiny apartment on Church Street in Charleston, South Carolina. On the reverse side of the photo, Mom had written a date indicating that I was 3 years and 6 months old at the time.

Fungal infections are more common than many realize—and often more stubborn. While they may not always pose a serious threat to overall health, conditions like toenail fungus, ringworm, jock itch, and athlete’s foot can cause persistent discomfort, embarrassment, and frustration.

That’s why we asked members of our local medical community to explain the key differences and similarities between these fungal culprits, what causes them, why they spread so easily, and why they’re so predominant in the Lowcountry. Don’t let these common infections take control—knowledge is the first step toward clear skin and nails.

Over the past 20 years, The Reel Corner has focused on films, both on the big screen and streaming platforms, highlighting actors, directors, major productions, and independent films. While we have covered film festivals and film events, we have not delved into the development of Hollywood as we know it today.

I recently watched a Netflix docudrama, Titans: The Rise of Hollywood, about the history and power of Hollywood and wanted to share some key insights: The story of Hollywood’s evolution into the world’s premier film industry is one shaped by innovation, migration, and transformation. In the early 1900s, the film industry was primarily controlled on the East Coast, notably in New York and New Jersey. 

Dear Pink Panel,
My husband recently retired, and he has been in front of the TV ever since.
PINK ladies, I need some help with how to approach “household job sharing” without seeming to be a nag! Based on your experiences, any ideas?
Signed,
Pamela G.

Q: My 3-year-old son tends to react physically when he's mad at a preschool classmate instead of talking it out and letting the teachers intervene. We have encouraged him to use words when he’s angry, but he doesn’t seem to get it. Today he bit a classmate (the second time in a year this has happened), and got sent home. I fed him lunch and then confined him for the rest of the day to his bedroom. From now on, I plan on sending him to school every day with a “behavior report card.” He’ll get a mark for hitting, not obeying, and snatching toys from other kids. If he gets three marks in a day (morning, actually), I’ll confine him to his room at home. Your thoughts?