Q: We sent our daughter a recent article of yours hoping it might cause her to rethink her approach to raising our grandson. It was not well-received and she is no longer speaking to us. The child, age four, is quite ill-behaved. Our daughter makes one excuse after another for him: he was premature, he was hospitalized at age three and now has PTSD, he might have a biochemical imbalance, and so on. We feel that his real and only problem is lack of discipline. For example, when he’s with us, he’s perfectly well behaved. We love our grandson, but don’t like being around him when his parents are running the show. What should we do now?

Hallmark Channel is well-known for its “Countdown to Christmas” and original family-friendly movies, and this year is no exception. Hallmark has announced 40 brand new Christmas movies for its 2020 holiday schedule! The movies will air on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.

Though Hallmark movies can be formulaic and simple, they are also free of profanity, sexual situations and heavy drama. They are movies you can watch with anyone from age 2 to 92.

There's a reason why the channel refers to itself as the Heart of TV; there is little ugliness to be found in these shows and movies. You can always find a smile on the faces of the characters, even though there may be some tears, as well. But there's not a lot of arguing or disagreements. What disappointment you find is often fleeting, as is the sadness, because Hallmark knows we watch to be uplifted. Hallmark Channel is, indeed, a happy place. And that's why it had a 9 percent growth last year alone.

Like the large diamond found glistening on the ground in a state park, this month brings cosmic treasures we won’t have to dig for. Mercury returns to Scorpio promoting blunt honesty, then Jupiter and Pluto come together in an embrace of abundance. There is no need to go back in history or seek esoteric knowledge. Solutions are simple instead of profound and will be found through practical communications that go the usual depths.

Read on for your horoscope...

If something is named heartburn, reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), it can’t be good. While usually not life-threatening, acid reflux, and all it’s monikers, definitely can threaten your quality of life. GERD has no respect for decadence on the dinner table, and no one wants to enjoy a delicious filet minion paired with a big, full-bodied glass of cabernet only to have to follow it up with plop, plop fizz, fizz as dessert. So what is GERD and how can you manage it? Read on to comfortably digest what our local medical experts have to say about this uncomfortable condition.

I have been writing and talking about emotional, physical and mental health for quite a number of years, and you might think those things would be pretty constant. I mean good eats are good eats, right? Also, if you are on the ball and can do a cross word puzzle, you are pretty okay. If you don’t cry at the drop of a hat, and you aren’t hoarding automatic weapons, you should be pretty stable too, yes? Well, not so much.

First of all, food advice seems to change regularly with each new book that comes out, or every time Dr. Oz appears on the cover of a magazine. And, we all know from standing in line at the grocery how often we see him on the cover of everything! Spinach used to be really great for you, but now it has too much acid. Oranges are all right, but… acid! An apple a day used to keep the doctor away, but now it has to be an organic apple grown on a sustainable tree. I grew up on a farm, and we ate eggs. Now there are so many different kinds of eggs, it boggles the mind. Cage free, gently raised, vegan diet, vegetarian diet, more Omega-3s, and on and on. Honestly, and you know this, eggs range in price from less than a dollar a dozen to more than five dollars. It’s all a lot to keep up with.

As just about everyone who has lived with a child for more than two years knows, the most potentially dangerous thing one can say to a toddler is “no.” That single syllable strikes deep into the core of the reptilian portion of the toddler brain, arousing a reaction that dwarfs Godzilla’s most destructive rampage.

“Should I simply ignore my two-year-old’s tantrums?” a young mother asks.

 “Can you?”

She ponders that for a moment or two. “Not really.”

Ignoring is about as over-rated as it gets, especially when it comes to toddler tantrums. Nothing brings out a toddler’s inner Godzilla like being ignored. That same mother, for example, reported that when she ignored a tantrum, it quickly escalated into hitting, biting, and head-banging. If she began walking away, her live-in maniac would wrap himself around her leg, shrieking like a banshee.

Congratulations Pink!
200 issues is quite an achievement,
and The Reel Corner has been honored to a part of all 200 issues.

There are some interesting facts about the number 200:
> A quarter of the world’s wealth is controlled by just 200 companies.
> 200 miles a day was the average daily distance covered by the Pony Express, the United States first east to west mail service
> There are only 200 white tigers in the world
> The Great Wall of China was built in 200 B.C.

Dr. Ardra Davis-Tolbert
& Dr. Claude Tolbert

Married: 24 years

Children: Two, ages 20 and 17

Hometown: 
Dr. Ardra: Macon, GA 
Dr. Claude: Greenwood, SC

Career:
Dr. Ardra: Physician, specialty Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Dr. Claude: Physician, specialty Obstetrician/Gynecologist

Have delivered approximately how many babies:
Dr. Ardra: Around 2,000
Dr. Claude: Somewhere between 700 and 1,000

Have you ever met someone who radiates positivity, has a quick wit, and who simply oozes joy? Dr. Ronald Finger is a people-person whose optimism and authenticity has fashioned a people-magnet. He has a zest for life, and his driving force is his motivation to not only give 110%, but to live 110%.

At 81 years young, he says he is not even close to retiring from his plastic surgery practice, Finger & Associates, where he still gets 20-25 new patients each week. “Why would I retire from having fun?” he asked.

There is no doubt almost everyone in the world has had a brush with stress this year. For many, daily living routines have become overwhelming, sparking a growing trend of sadness, anxiety and depression. In our modern-day world, where we flit here and there, overload our to-do lists, argue over every little thing and rarely relax without some type of electronic device, the rat-race now sets the pace many follow. That combined with Covid-19, elections, violence and social distancing—it’s no wonder feelings of panic and hopelessness are at an all-time high. However, there is help. We asked our local health professionals to weigh-in on anxiety and depression to help us understand what it is, how it affects us and what we can do about it.

“Let’s talk about building.
I don’t mean a house, I mean ourselves!”
– The Uphill Skater –

Let me tell you something you probably already know: We have all been through, and in many cases are still going through, a really bad time. All the things that have come together in the last months have not melded gently, they have collided, basically smashing into each other with a boom heard around the world.

What does this mean for each one of us in our own little worlds? I like to see everything as an opportunity. Can we try to look at it that way? Read on and let’s think about building, rather than burning, creating rather than destroying!

Netflix may be one of the biggest and most well-known video streaming services in the world, but it sure isn’t the only one. There are a lot of Netflix alternatives out there that will keep you entertained every night, some of which are even free.

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is one of the best, if not the best, alternatives to Netflix. Prime offers plenty of popular movies and television shows, as well as quality original programming. The shows that stand out are: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”; “The Man In The High Castle”; “The Boys” and Tom Clancy’s “Jack Ryan,” to name a few.

The performing art form of purposefully selected sequences of human movement is known as dance. Now combine that movement with a creative imagination, and you have choreography. It’s not something that everyone can do; it takes a creative mind to see movement through music. It takes someone like Jamal Edwards. You might recognize this native Hilton Head Islander from 13 seasons of the local annual performance of the Nutcracker Ballet. Jamal began his dance career 20 years ago at Hilton Head Dance School. Now, he gives back to the school that propelled his life-long love and passion for dance.

The reversal of Jupiter and other planetary liberations will fly a permission slip into the month. Do your feelings. Emote. If happy, then feel the joy and dance on. Talking about why and trying to sort out the recipe diminishes the good feeling. The same goes for negative feelings. When you’re sad, angry, ashamed, just call it that, feel it and work it through. Don’t muddle things up by intellectualizing with a story or an explanation.

Read on for your horoscope...

Really? Do I still need the sex talk?

Of course you do! Sex isn’t a one-and-done when it comes to talking and learning about your sexual needs, desires and health. Our bodies change as the decades go by, which impacts your sexual health with new issues always arising. To achieve your best sexual health—and keep your intimacy in shape—be sure to talk to your doctor regularly about any concerns, strange sensations, or noticeable changes you may be experiencing. Don’t be afraid to ask any question, even if you find it embarrassing. Remember, sex is a science that your doctor has studied for years. One last thing: Tell all! You have to be 100 percent honest and detailed with your physician if you want the best solution. Rest assured, doctors really have heard it all!

“Okay, so here is a question for everybody:
Are we ready to get back to basics, or what?”
– The Uphill Skater –

I am willing to be the one to ask about all of this. Are we ready to let things be what they are? Are we ready to begin to come back in ways that are comfortable for each one of us? Can we finally, or for just right now, not be bitter and angry when we talk about politics? Can we still love our friends and somehow agree to disagree without being disagreeable? Can we just shut up and wear our masks and not make this simple thing into a huge deal?

The movie business is always changing, but these days it can be difficult to tell the difference between struggle and outright decline.

It is tempting during these dreary times to pin our hopes on a single solution to an intractable problem: One leader who might save us; one vaccine that might inoculate us; one day when suddenly everything will be back to normal. In reality, the return to normalcy will be slow and halting. Even once a vaccine becomes available, not everyone will receive it at once. We will return to our offices, our friends’ homes and, yes, movie theaters in small groups, then larger ones. Appealing as it was to cling to a symbol of resilience and the shared, communal experiences we yearn for, it was never that simple.

“An anchor is something that provides stability
or confidence in an uncertain situation”
– The Uphill Skater –

As I sit down today to write this article, I am very aware of the fact that one of you may be reading it on August 31, and that by the time August 31 arrives, the whole country may have turned upside down, yet again. Life may have changed significantly between then and now. Sometimes I think I should have stayed with writing this column about good food and a healthy diet instead of veering off into the realms of a total healthy life style, which involves much more than food. Mental health and physical health are so intertwined that science tells us that we can no longer separate them.

Countdown to Uranus Retrograde In these final days of Uranus direct, it is prudent to note the many ways in which our lives are enchanted by all that was built before we got here. Usually, what seems like immediate magic is actually the result of a long stretch of work that included hits, failed experiments and predictable wins. Keep this in mind as you go forward creating what someone in the future is likely to experience as immediate magic.

Read on for your horoscope...

Addiction kills thousands of Americans every year and impacts millions of lives, relationships, families and careers. Whether it’s a problem with alcohol or drugs, addiction is a mental disorder which compels someone to repeatedly use substances, or engage in behaviors even though they have harmful consequences. With more than 21 million Americans having at least one addiction, having open dialogue about this topic is imperative to finding help and the road to recovery. There is hope! Addiction doesn’t have to win. With more resources than ever, and addiction on the rise, reaching out for help is the wisest thing to do. Read on for insight and advice from our local experts.

Can you imagine living in a time when your voice, your opinion,
your ability to vote your choice was not recognized? Was not allowed.
Well ladies, that’s the way it was until August 26, 1920, just 100 years ago.

After seven decades of a civil rights movement to allow women to vote,
the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified.

In honor of the fearless, brave, courageous and patient women who helped make it happen, I dedicate the Reel Corner column this month with the following films. These are films of resistance, empowerment and justice.

Pain is part of living. Biologically, it’s the part that keeps us alive the best. If we weren’t always running from it, we’d be much more vulnerable to predators and other threats to survival. As much as we like to think we can rid our lives of pain, we can’t, and even if we could, it wouldn’t work to our advantage. The sun/Jupiter opposition from July 12-19 suggests we ascribe a meaning to our pain that will make it easier to embrace.

Read on for your horoscope...

Are you looking to reduce the signs of aging, or get rid of stubborn fat?  Perhaps you have thought about a face or neck lift. Maybe you want your facial skin to regain its more youthful dew. Have you been worried about your feminine health and felt uncomfortable talking to your doctor about it? Whatever you are looking for these days, chances are you can achieve it without going under the knife. We asked local doctors what’s new in non-surgical rejuvenation, and the news is exciting! Yesterday’s surgery is today’s in-office procedure with little to no downtime. You’re going to like what these professionals have in store for you.

“Change your (your word here) and change your life!”
– The Uphill Skater –

I’ve heard it, you’ve heard it. Any number of magazines, self-help books and websites all hold the magic promise. Change your diet, change your life. Change your spending habits and be wealthy. Change your job and change your life, and so on. Well, I am here to add one, so get ready to listen to the REAL thing that can actually change your life if you actually want to do it: Change your attitude, and change your life, and boy, do I really mean it.

We are bombarded daily, hourly, if not minute-by-minute by people trying to tell us what to think and what to do. We are told what to wear, how much to weigh, how much money other people have and how we can get it. Worse yet, we have to look at pictures of the “rest of us” whether we want to or not. The last time I watched network TV, I saw a total of 14 commercials in the one hour time frame. I am not going to put up with it anymore, and I am advising you not to put up with it either.

With much of the U.S. economy shuttered and people still being slow to emerge, families are finding that the drive-in movie theater presents the perfect escape.
The coronavirus has forced traditional movie theaters

to close their doors. That seems to be the recipe for a resurgence of drive-ins—
a slice of Americana that had its heyday in the 1950s and ‘60s.

If you drive on Route 21 from Beaufort toward Charleston,
you will pass the cool retro sign of Highway 21 Drive In reminiscent of days gone by.
Low and behold, this drive-in is alive and well and is an oasis for movie goers!

Locally, Highway 21 Drive In has always had a healthy clientele, states owner Joe Barth, but when the virus hit he was ready to close, even though drive-ins are perfect for social distancing. But the clientele outcry was so strong to stay open, he petitioned the governor, and Highway 21 Drive In was given permission, with certain precautions, to stay open. Highway 21 Drive In was built in 1978, Joe and Bonnie Barth bought it in 2004. They added a second screen in 2007 and went digital in 2014.