DEAR SUSAN: I'm 26, attractive and well-educated. I've been with the same man for three years. Before, I'd dated arrogant men. This man was a friend I started dating on the rebound. I've stayed with him because he's loyal and treats me well. However, I feel intellectually superior and wish he had more to offer in the way of interesting conversation. Help!
—Dodie A., Indianapolis, Indiana

My wife and I were enjoying an evening out in one of our favorite restaurants when a family of three—mother, father, girl of perhaps four—were shown to a table next to ours. Immediately, the parents began asking the little one where she wanted to sit. They both stood while she went about trying each chair until she finally settled on one. Well, not really, because as soon as everyone sat, she wanted to move, so she and her father exchanged seats. This entire process took several minutes.

The scary part of clots in the blood, whether it be a pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis or aneurysm, is not only are they dangerous, they can also be sneaky. They lurk in our veins and often times offer no symptoms. When they finally reveal themselves, it can be too late. The best defense against any type of blood clots is paying attention to even little changes in your body—new aches or pains, swelling, redness, or generally not feeling well. If you have concerns, be sure to see your healthcare provider. The good news is knowledge gives you power, and understanding the risks and symptoms of blood clots may help if you ever suspect one lurking in your own veins. That’s why we asked local experts to tell us more.

If you’ve watched any franchise cinema from the past 70 years, chances are you have heard the Wilhelm Scream. Recorded for the Warner Bros. sound archives in the early 1950s, the exaggerated yowl can be heard in hundreds of films spanning all the way up to modern-day Hollywood. 

The Wilhelm Scream was first used in 1951 in a Warner Bros. film called Distant Drums. It appears in a sequence where a man is bitten by an alligator and—you guessed it—screams.

“Fight Like a Girl can mean many
different things these days!” ”
– The Uphill Skater –

Women have come a long way in just the last 50 years. Although the fight for women continues, I want to focus much more on what we have already won! There have been many victories because there have been (and are) many strong women who have fought for the future of women.

Dear Susan:

I've met a nice man via an online service and want to encourage him, but the man I've loved for the past three years is now back in my life. Both of them live thousands of miles from me, and that's part of the reason things weren't going well for man No. 1. And that's why at 39 I've decided it's time to start a man search. But am I making this too important?
— Carmela R., Long Island, New York

Q: When we reprimand our 34-month-old daughter for something, anything, she begins to wail like we’re beating her. Whether we firmly redirect or simply say, "No,” she begins to wail like a banshee. The wail is piercingly loud, like a full-blown tantrum. She has now started screaming if one of us even looks disapprovingly at her. Shouldn’t she have outgrown this by now? Why is she doing this, and what can we do to stop it?

I grew up in the “You’re Making a Mountain of a Molehill” Era, also known as the Age of “Children Are Starving in (fill in the blank with some remote place), and by golly, I’m a better person for it!

First, some historical context: I am a Baby Boomer, a child of the ‘50s. I remember the first time I heard Elvis. I was in a diner with my mother and “Don’t Be Cruel,” one of the ten greatest rock songs of all time, came on the jukebox. Mom couldn’t stand him. I was hooked before the hook.

Go Ahead and Flirt!

Flirting has disappeared. Fact, not fiction. Judging from my reader mail, it has dropped out of the romantic repertoire—with absolutely no words of regret or comeback. But why has it gone, this once-admired art? The message I'm getting is this: We've found our womanpower; tremble at the roar if you dare.

Well, I, too, favor female strength, so I'm all in for womanpower—but expressed differently.

“Yes, I have made quite a fantastic discovery
and believe it or not, it's something
I take like a medicine!”
– The Uphill Skater –

For years I have prided myself on the fact that I do not drink or smoke, and I am a vegetarian. I try to not take anything that can be called a medicine. I know this sounds a bit silly with all of the new meds out there, and yes, I have softened a bit as I have grown older. However, I believe our bodies can work toward health by what we eat and how we move. I must also say, before I share my newfound gift, I am not a doctor or medical professional, which I remind readers of often. But, my daughter, who is in fact a medical doctor, tells me one cannot stress this often enough. So, with all of that being said, here goes: 

If you are a fan of independent films,
I encourage you to search out these Indie finds.

Priscilla
Last year saw Baz Luhrmann reimagine Elvis Presley’s early years—and now, Sofia Coppola is telling his ex-wife Priscilla Presley’s side of the story. Based on the bestselling memoir, Elvis and Me, the film brings Priscilla firmly into the spotlight to compassionately explore what being married to one of the world’s most famous men really felt like. Expect Coppola’s signature hazy cinematography, plus star turns from newcomer Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla and Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi as Elvis. 

A woman’s health can be complicated, especially when it comes to the complex and intricate reproductive system. While this is the place in a woman’s body where miracles happen, it is also a place where things can go very wrong. We are addressing a few of these maladies this month, learning more about Cervical Cancer, Ovarian Cancer and Fibroid Tumors. Knowledge is power, and we encourage you to read on to learn what local experts have to teach us about these conditions.

Q: Our 22-month-old son has developed a bad habit of spitting out bites of food. The first time it happened, I had set a cup on his tray while he was still chewing. He removed the food from his mouth, set it on his tray, and took a drink. I thought nothing of it, but it’s gotten progressively worse. Sometimes he’ll chew a bite of food for a while, take it out of his mouth, put it on his tray, and take a bite of something else. Then he puts the half-chewed bite back in his mouth and begins chewing on it again. If I catch him before he spits out a bite, I can sometimes coach him into chewing and swallowing. We have tried only giving him one bite at a time once the prior bite is swallowed, but this isn’t working. What can we do?

Go Ahead and Flirt!

Flirting has disappeared. Fact, not fiction. Judging from my reader mail, it has dropped out of the romantic repertoire—with absolutely no words of regret or comeback. But why has it gone, this once-admired art? The message I'm getting is this: We've found our womanpower; tremble at the roar if you dare.

Well, I, too, favor female strength, so I'm all in for womanpower—but expressed differently.

I like Tom Cruise as well as the next person, and I love the Mission Impossible movies, but I really don’t believe it is a true statement, especially where women are concerned. I hate to use the term “kept down” but sometimes it really fits, doesn’t it? Check it out…not just on the news or even in Pink, check it out in this month’s issue and all around you. Just look at where we are compared to where we were, and best of all, look at where we are going. 

The Reel Corner was recently at a barbecue where a sweet woman, age 76, was lamenting that she was denied being godmother to her grandchild by her pastor for being too old. Too old really?

Our current president is 80, a past president running again at age 77, and the Pope is 86. Twenty-five percent of our Congress is over 70 years old, and if you remember, George Bush celebrated his 85th birthday with a skydive in 2009.

When it comes to your urinary tract, it is important to stay on the right track! Not only can urinary issues cause pain, infection, and the breakdown of tissue, they can also cause unwanted leaking and diminish your quality of life. Fortunately, there are ground-breaking, new and exciting treatments that can put incontinence and recurring infections in their place and put your urinary tract back on the right track! We asked two local physicians, who help patients resolve these issues every day, to share their knowledge with us. Be prepared to learn something new; we sure did. The best news, though, there is help…and it can work!

In 1993, President Clinton signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, an international treaty that extends to children the rights to associate with whom they please and have access to all forms of media, among other head-scratchers. Thankfully, as of March, 2023, the U.S. Senate has not ratified this nefarious document.

I subsequently channeled my indignation into a counter-document titled “Rosemond’s Bill of Rights for Children.” Recently, numerous folks have requested that I reprint the “Bill of Rights.”

So, in tribute to civilized behavior, I give you the short list of a child’s rights:

Skip today’s column if you’re looking for startling new techniques guaranteed to benefit the children of mateless mothers like you. As much as I feel a special tenderness for young people who grow up with a single parent (my own son Scott was only 4 when he became part of a two-person family), what we’re interested in right now is you. Resilient, resourceful and valued, those children will grow up and leave home to follow their own destinies. And the adult they leave behind, you, will only be as self-reliant and contented as the connections you formed while they were still in the nest. That’s the challenge: Giving enough to your family while giving to yourself. And no one (including me) is saying it can be accomplished without plenty of inner conflict.

“Creative Minds are great, but sometimes
the search for something new or different can
be a pain in the bee-hind!”
– The Uphill Skater –

 
One of the most impactful aspects of creativity is doing something new with something old. However, something new can sometimes be nothing more than discovering new pieces of an already completed puzzle. Learning new tidbits or deeper layers can often be a game changer.

Here’s an example: I am a pescatarian (a vegetarian who eats fish and shellfish). I had been a full vegetarian but started eating fish when I moved from California to Hilton Head Island. The fresh fish, shrimp right off the boats, and mussels were too delicious and healthy to pass up. I felt that if I was a vegetarian for health reasons, then I was quite the hypocrite by not eating the freshest food indigenous to the Lowcountry.

First let’s define AI.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an advanced technology, typically run by a series of algorithms, computers, or robots, that uses real-time data to simulate human intelligence. AI can replicate human discernment and make real-time decisions.

Artificial Intelligence is a technology that allows machines and computer applications to mimic human intelligence, learning from experience via iterative processing and algorithmic training.

You can think of AI as being a form of intelligence used to solve problems, create solutions, answer questions, make predictions, or offer strategic suggestions.

Most of us treasure that time of the night when we crawl into bed, pull up the covers, turn off the lights and snooze into dreamland. Unfortunately for some, bedtime is battling time. A full-on fight begins to try to get comfortable, stop tossing and turning, and finally doze off. For those who have trouble sleeping, bedtime can be dreadful, and morning even worse. Sleep is imperative for good health. While sleeping, the body performs a number of repairing and maintaining processes that affect nearly every part of the body. So, when your sleep becomes deprived, truly your whole body—and mind—suffer. Because of its importance, we had questions about sleep. That’s why we asked the professionals to help us get a good night’s rest.

Q: “What have I done to cause my 18-month-old son to reject me?” asks a new dad. Whenever he tries to hold his son, feed, dress, or change him, the child puts up great resistance and screams hysterically for his mother.

A: Actually, Dad is describing behavior that is not at all unusual for this age child. It has its roots in the fact that with rare exception, the parent who has been at the child’s beck-and-call until now has been the mother. During infancy and early toddlerhood, even the most well-intentioned father is considerably less involved with his child than is his wife.

Dear Susan:

I have sexual feelings for my boyfriend, but it's usually when we're apart. I get that rush of lovey feelings when I'm at work or driving to the store; I think of him and how he makes me feel good about myself. More than that, I love that he complements me so well. Still, as soon as I see him in person, all I need is a hug or a quick kiss; all those feelings leave.

So tell me: How weird am I? I come from a non-affectionate family, though we love one another. I married at 19, had a wonderful son and, after I got divorced, vowed never to repeat the mistake of not being true to myself.

“Eat This, Not That Again!””
– The Uphill Skater –

 
The weather is here and it’s time to eat outdoors, grill, picnic, snack at the beach, host backyard barbecues, or dine on a restaurant patio; whichever you choose, just get outside! Some people say that winter is the time for warm comfort foods and heavy gravy, but we know this is not really true, don’t we Lowcountry foodies?

Warm weather brings out some big appetites—places to go, things to do, and food to eat. In order to put a bit of control in place, I am going to do another helpful guide of “Eat This, Not That.” Lots of new information has been put out, and we need time to “digest” the many new findings.