We all have questions about the care down there that sometimes just feels a little awkward—or maybe a lot—to talk about, even with your doctor. For some women, it’s just difficult to casually hold a conversation when words such as vagina, sex, labia and the like have to freely flow. Read on to see what our local medical experts had to say on subjects important to women’s health. Be sure to tell your doctor everything with no fear or hesitation. Your health is what’s most important, and besides, they tell us they have heard it all!

The biggest problem in the life of today’s all-too typical mother is herself. She is her own worst enemy. Them’s fightin’ words, I know, but please, hold the tomatoes and other vegetables and bear with me.

One of the doctrines of the Good Mommy Club, the evil sisterhood to which many (if not most) of today’s mommies belong, albeit unwittingly, has it that the Good Mommy does as much for her child as she possibly can, and then some. A guarantee of frustration, anxiety, stress, resentment and guilt, that.

Guys! Guys! Look, your wives, bless their hearts,
are having enough trouble putting their children and priorities into proper perspective without you adding to the muddle.
Keep it straight, please.

I’m referring to the media voices telling you to be better fathers. Three times in the last six months or so I’ve been invited on podcasts promoting fatherhood. The hosts are well-meaning, sincere, articulate fellows who apparently didn’t know they were interviewing a guy who never says what other people expect him to say.

I love people who have the spirit of adventure and those who are searching for something different to do. Life for people like this can truly be full and challenging. I have sailed many thousands of miles in the ocean, hiked difficult trails, moved into unknown situations and much more. If you think about it, we all dream of having out of the ordinary experiences and adventures. My current adventure is spending two days a week with a six-year-old. What a thrill this has been, believe it or not! 

It seems that Hollywood is very busy with its 2021 summer movies coming to theaters for June, July and August. With an ungodly amount of comic book movies from Marvel and DC alike, to the new Fast and Furious movie, this summer is jam-packed with some of the most anticipated releases to ever be announced. This is due, in part, to the fact that many of these films were originally scheduled for a sooner release, or should have been out months ago. The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic led to a great deal of rescheduling and reevaluating primary methods of distribution, with some studios taking the straight-to-streaming route. The ones who chose to uphold the tradition of going to the theater either postponed a release to later in the year, or went as far as pushing it right into the 2022 calendar, which is why you may recognize some of the titles below as films you hoped to see in 2020.

We’ve all heard that being overweight is unhealthy, and weight loss can help prevent illness and disease, but how? We asked local medical experts to weigh in on the advantages of losing weight. Looking good on the beach is just a fringe benefit!

I don't actually mean I hate any time of the year, especially spring. But, here is my situation: There are three times a year I am moved to get stuff done—a lot done! New Years Day, my birthday, and spring just get to me. On these three occasions I overwhelmingly feel everything I own has to be rearranged, repaired, organized, culled, donated to charity or thrown out. This might be hormonal, but I know that kind of thinking is out of date nowadays. Hormonal or not, I feel the uncontrollable urge to purge coming on, so I thought I would share some of the tasks I plan on tackling this spring.

The biggest problem in the life of today’s all-too typical mother is herself. She is her own worst enemy. Them’s fightin’ words, I know, but please, hold the tomatoes and other vegetables and bear with me.

One of the doctrines of the Good Mommy Club, the evil sisterhood to which many (if not most) of today’s mommies belong, albeit unwittingly, has it that the Good Mommy does as much for her child as she possibly can, and then some. A guarantee of frustration, anxiety, stress, resentment and guilt, that.

When it comes to films worth seeing, be sure not to overlook the small stuff—animated and live-action shorts, foreign films and documentaries. We are reminded, especially around award season, that there are many alternatives to feature films that should not be missed.

Here are a few to consider:

On any given day you can find John Kelsey at Lawton Stables in Sea Pines, training his fine Oldenburger horse named Sound of Music. It’s a competitive discipline that John takes very seriously—yet it’s also a form of play that has kept his life full of joy and satisfaction, rather than stress. After a long session of working difficult maneuvers, he and Sound of Music take a mental break riding through the forest preserve.

“I always liked being around horses,” said John, who grew up in Toledo, Ohio. “I went to camp in Michigan on a 100-acre farm with hills, trails and a show ring, and a camp in Colorado where we did three-day horse-packing trips. When I was 21, I saved enough to buy my own horse, and I’ve had horses ever since.”

Living with pain is no fun. In fact, pain can take all the fun away, especially if you enjoy being active. It’s somewhat of a Catch-22, though. It seems the more active set are the ones who get sports injuries. Makes sense, afterall, doesn’t it take sports to get a sports injury? Not necessarily. Sometimes, just a simple walk to the mailbox, moving a planter in the garden, or a quick clean up of the garage can end in injury. The good news is pain does not have to be forever with many injuries, over use, or degeneration. There are new, modern and effective ways to stop the snap, crackle, pop in the knees, reduce the burn of bursitis and rejuvenate the rip of the rotator cuff. We asked our local orthopeadic experts to tell us all about sports injuries, joint replacements and knee problems. Here is what they had to say:

I don't actually mean I hate any time of the year, especially spring. But, here is my situation: There are three times a year I am moved to get stuff done—a lot done! New Years Day, my birthday, and spring just get to me. On these three occasions I overwhelmingly feel everything I own has to be rearranged, repaired, organized, culled, donated to charity or thrown out. This might be hormonal, but I know that kind of thinking is out of date nowadays. Hormonal or not, I feel the uncontrollable urge to purge coming on, so I thought I would share some of the tasks I plan on tackling this spring.

Concerning my prior use of the word “addiction” in association with smart phones
and children (including teens), some people think I am speaking figuratively.
To set the record straight: No, I am speaking quite literally.

When the addiction in question is to a substance, as in an opiate, there is both a psychological and physical component. During withdrawal from an addictive substance, both components come into play. The individual’s thoughts and emotions are in disarray and the person suffers physiologically, as well. When most people think in terms of an addiction, that is their mental picture.

NOMADLAND
Director: Chloe Zhao
Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May

Based on the popular non-fiction book by Jessica Bruder, Nomadland takes you on an adventure connecting with nature through van living. Fern, played by Frances McDormand, is grieving a life that’s been ripped away from her. It seems like she was relatively happy in Empire, Nevada, one of those many American small towns built around industry. When the gypsum plant there closed, the town of Empire literally closed with it. In six months the entire zip code was eliminated. During this nightmare state, Fern’s husband died, leaving her alone and “houseless”. (She uses this term over homeless)

Growing up in the Lowcountry of South Carolina is nothing but an amazing privilege. From seeing dolphins playing in the sound in the mornings to breath-taking sunsets on any given day, the Lowcountry is special. What makes it even more special are locals like Christiaan and Stratton Pollitzer, who care, build, and offer their stewardship to our close-knit community. With both father, Christiaan, and son, Stratton, born and raised in Beaufort County, their roots run deep here, and their love for it, even deeper.

If you feel the urge to hide your smile, now is your time to say cheese! Cosmetic dentistry has never been so accessible, or advanced. Whether a little whitening will brighten your world, or you need to wear braces as an adult, a beautiful, brilliant smile, worthy of that big screen money shot, it easy to attain. And no longer do you have to have a mouth full of metal—or head gear, for Heaven’s sake! Want whiter teeth? You can check it off your to do list in about 90 minutes. There are many new and advanced procedures your cosmetic dentist offers that can help you look younger, healthier,and happier! Find your options and watch that frown turn upside down. Now that’s something to smile about.

 “I am called by Nature
in so many different ways. Are You?” 
– The Uphill Skater –

As spring emerges, our life rhythms change and reflect the many shifts this can bring. I like to look at this time, especially now, as a challenge. Newness, even though it is recurring, is new, nonetheless. It is time to see what this year’s newness means to us at that deeply personal level where we all function. 

A therapist takes a 10-year-old boy into what she calls “therapy.” The young fellow is belligerently defiant toward his parents and throws titanic tantrums when things don’t go his way. At school—virtual, going on a year—he’s distractible and doesn’t finish his work without being hovered over and harangued by his mother, a tactic that frequently precipitates more belligerence and a titanic tantrum.

If you missed the month-long Gullah Celebration, hosted by Native Island Business and Community Affairs Association, the celebration showcased the rich cultural heritage of the Gullah people and their history in the Lowcountry. It included an art exhibition, “Taste of Gullah” and Gullah gospel music.

With the yearning to have unlimited reasons to be constantly doing something and creating the inconceivable, Robert Colson found the greatest love of his life—cooking. Cooking has been on the front burner of Robby’s mind since he was 4 years old. Propped up on a stool, eager to lick the spoon, Robby nestled next to his grandmother as she baked the simple joys in life. With the first bite of her famous chocolate cream pie, he was hooked.

What’s so scary about being wrong? Will people think
you’re dumb, incompetent, less than? Perhaps being wrong will threaten your leadership skills, or diminish respect? These are valid fears because being wrong leaves us feeling vulnerable and
reveals we are not perfect.

Many people thrive on perfection and find being wrong something they can’t bear. According to author Kathryn Schultz, in her book Being Wrong, humans tend to tacitly assume (or loudly insist) they are right about almost everything. As such, she argues, that error is the fundamental human condition and should be celebrated as such. In other words, not only is it OK to be wrong, it’s human nature, though admitting it is not.

Everyone wants life to be fun, full and heart-y, which is easy when you’re healthy. But it’s hard to follow your heart when it’s sick. Heart disease is still the No.1 killer for both men and women in the US. However, with a little TLC, many risks associated with heart disease, heart attacks and strokes can be drastically reduced. The heart is our lifeline, without it we cease to be. It’s not difficult to take care of, so why not begin marching to your heart’s beat, and take the easy steps to be heart healthy? A healthy heart gives a heart-y life!

“If you cannot hear your heart song, maybe you need to pay more attention
to your surroundings.” – The Uphill Skater

Happy Feet is a movie I have watched with my grandson more than once. It is about a little penguin who has no heart song. We know, of course, that all penguins have a heart song, right? Anyway, this little guy opened his beak to sing like the other penguins and sounded like a dying toad. But, boy, could he dance! He is ostracized because he can’t sing, but in the end, he is accepted and embraced because he stuck with it and was true to himself.

Q: I teach 3- and 4-year-olds in a childcare center in Australia. I always have a few difficult children in any group and the book in which you describe Alpha Speech [The Well-Behaved Child] has been very helpful. My disciplinary options are limited to separating a misbehaving child out of the group for a few minutes and talking, but I cannot isolate or take privileges away. Besides, it seems that the worst kids’ parents undo at home what we accomplish in the classroom. Some of them even side with their children when they misbehave. Meanwhile, we walk on eggshells when it comes to discipline so that a parent doesn’t file a complaint against us with child protection. What suggestions do you have for preschool teachers?

If you recall movies like Funny Farm with Chevy Chase,  Baby Boom with Diane Keaton, The Cider House Rules, Beetlejuice, The Trouble with Harry (filmed entirely in Stowe), or Four Seasons... they were all filmed in Vermont.

Since new film releases have been few and far between during the pandemic, I thought I’d share what it’s like in the ski village of Stowe, Vermont, where these films were made.

“Habits are more about who you’re being than what you’re doing,” says NY Times bestselling author of the Badass Series, Jen Sincero in her just released Badass Habits. If that doesn’t feel like cold water thrown in your face, I don’t know what does. It’s the New Year and no resolution or goal can be met without identifying the habits that are keeping you from achieving your wants, needs and desires. In the last year, we all have developed a backbone strong enough to get real with ourselves. You can’t change your behavior to aspire to new goals if you don’t change your habits—the pesky routines on autopilot that may be holding you back from reaching your full potential. You don’t mean to be working against yourself, but your bad habits sure do.