Thanksgiving conjures up traditional images of elaborate spreads, cozy settings and harmonious family gatherings.  We all long for the quintessential symbols of the perfect Thanksgiving dinner; a Norman Rockwell image of a perfectly roasted Turkey served to an eagerly waiting family of polite and cordial participants.  Ok, although legend has it that they exist, I have never actually seen such a family.  My experience is that these events are more like an episode from the Simpsons than a Normal Rockwell painting.   That being said, these situations beg for some coping strategies.

The following link provides great strategies for getting though Thanksgiving get-togethers.  

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Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.

Oprah Winfrey

Join the Great American Smokeout on November 19. 2015 and become a Quitter!

Have you tried to quit smoking in the past and were not successful? Take heart in knowing you are not alone. Many smokers who successfully quit make multiple attempts before they are successful. With each attempt to quit smoking a smoker learns new tricks, tips and ideas that work well for them. There is not a “one size fits all” for quitting. Every smoker is different.  Some smokers quit “cold turkey” on the first try. However many are...

One in five adults in America will experience a mental illness and 20% of those ages 13 - 18 live with a mental health condition. 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is an advocacy group of people affected by mental illness.  Their article linked below includes a short video and a list of the common signs and behaviors that may be suggestive that someone is struggling with mental illness.  Information on obtaining help is also included.

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The month of November makes me feel that life is passing more quickly. In an effort to slow it down, I try to fill the hours more meaningfully.

Henry Rollins

One of the most common family formations today is the stepfamily. This type of family typically faces unique sets of challenges as children adjust to new adults in their life. Biological parents and stepparents learn to navigate their relationships to each other and their children, and new routines and ways of doing things are developed. There can be periods of overwhelming stress and frustration, as well as good times connecting to and enjoying each other.  Remember that patience is important when forming a new stepfamily. ...

Every Halloween my wife insists on decorating the front of our house in the most terrifying manner possible hoping to scare every child that dare comes to our house looking for a piece of candy.  This year she’s even gone so far as to create a pulley system so a giant spider comes down on people as we open the door…watch out neighborhood trick or treaters.  (I’m assuming most of them read this blog obsessively.  LOL)

My wife absolutely LOVES being scared, and I’m convinced she believes little kids enjoy being scared just as much as she does.  Who knows?  Maybe they do.  But, why do some people like being scared more than others?  The answer has to do with learned fear stimuli as well as the release of a chemical in the brain known as Dopamine.

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“A GOOD OBJECTIVE OF LEADERSHIP IS TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE DOING POORLY TO DO WELL AND TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE DOING WELL TO DO EVEN BETTER.”

Jim Rohn           

Recent events of workplace shootings bring into the limelight the importance of workplace violence prevention efforts. While workplace shootings are a rare occurrence, they are scary and hold our collective imagination. Workplace violence such as threats, assaults, domestic violence and harassment are much more common, and often go unreported to the employer or law enforcement.

Before several mass shootings within the US Postal Service the late-1980s, “workplace violence” was not a common term. Since then, and especially after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, “workplace violence” is recognized as a specific category of violent crime. Law enforcement,...

“You see, that is the sad, sorry, terrible thing about sarcasm. 

It's really funny.”

― Brandon Sanderson