Columns

“Really,” I thought to myself, what is Brainspotting? After Erin Burton, LCSW, finished her introduction at a local event, I decided to set up an interview with her, excited to better understand her work. In our country today, we recognize the importance of addressing mental...

It’s clear that storm fatigue is a real thing. From overhearing conversations in the grocery store line to hearing folks express gratitude for their good luck, or even finding silver linings in their misfortunes, it seems like everyone is feeling the effects of these...

I received a phone call just at sunset from my friend Rosemary “Rosie” Chalmers two weeks ago. Usually Rosie is in bed at that time as she rises at 3 a.m. Monday through Friday in order to open her broadcasting studio by 5 a.m. Rosie...

The sun’s out, the weather is getting warmer, so let’s step outside more. Natural sunlight can provide you with vitamin D, an essential vitamin for healthy bones and a strong immune system. Outdoor training tends to help boost your motivation and can offer a nice...

What was I thinking trying to talk a client out of adding grasses to her former lawn area? I gave her all the reasons she should focus on other low water use, low maintenance, deer resistant plants, but I can’t get the vision of...

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” —Benjamin Franklin Death and taxes misshape the legacies we mold with our lives and values. As a widower, I advise survivors to honestly accept pain and meditate until it passes. Distraught...

You can have chestnuts roasting on an open fire and Jack Frost nipping at your nose, but what would the holidays be without a beautiful wreath to decorate the door? Maybe you want to put together a swag for the mantle or candle holder...

Imagine being 5 years old and learning (from the other kids) it was possible, just possible…there was NO Santa Claus. This 5-year-old was devastated. In my little and quite poor hometown, the one hope we kids had was to get our one wish for Christmas...

“171,000 people experience homelessness daily. California is home to… 30% of the nation’s homeless population, and half the nation’s unsheltered population.” —Kushel, Moore, et al., “Toward a New Understanding” (2023) We all play musical chairs in Santa Cruz County because 80,000 new residents since 1980...

I was honored to participate in a long-standing Scotts Valley tradition recently, the Annual Scotts Valley Police Formal Inspection. This tradition began in 1978 and I’m thankful it has continued all these years later. The Annual Inspection is more than the fanfare of all Police...