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Look for the beauty around you

Dear Annie: I have lost most of my family and many close friends, and I struggle with depression myself. There are days when the silence in my house feels almost too loud. Over time, I have learned how to be alone without completely falling apart. I have a pet who has been a lifeline for me. This little creature depends on me, greets me at the door, curls up beside me and gives me a reason to get up and keep going. That steady love has pulled me through some very dark mornings. Every day when I wake up, I ask myself, “Do you want this to be a good day or a bad day?” I always ...

High-tech piracy hits home

Ok, so that was unexpected. It wasn’t unexpected to receive a random email from an unknown sender who presented themselves as a New York law firm. Just another chunk of junk mail to chuck. But just for the heck of it I decided to read the missive before dumping it in the digital dustbin. The email’s headline trumpeted in a bold font: Notice of $1.5 Billion Proposed Class Action Settlement Between Authors & Publishers and Anthropic PBC This was followed in italics by: A federal court authorized this Notice. This is not junk mail, an advertisement, or a solicitation from a ...

The importance of emotional self regulation in kids

All of us need to keep our emotions under control. Basing our actions on our feelings, to the neglect of thinking before doing or saying something, can have bad consequences. When something is said or done, it is too late to undo the impact. Those words or actions will not be forgotten. It is important that children learn how to control their emotions. Learning emotional self-regulation is an important part of healthy child development. Learning emotional self-regulation develops at a fast rate in a child’s younger years. The pace slows along the way to adulthood. The extent of ...

NU Film Society phones home with screening of ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’

NEW ULM — The New Ulm Film Society’s Steven Spielberg film series continues to be out of this world with a screening of “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.” The screening begins 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 at the New Ulm Public Library. Before “E.T.” was released in 1982, Spielberg was already one of the most popular directors in the world. His work on “Jaws,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” cemented his reputation for creating hugely successful spectacle-driven movies. “E.T.” would continue that trend, but would also show ...

The social weight of a plate

Dear Annie: I have a good friend “Amy,” who is a great lady. We’ve known each other for about 15 years, but we reconnected about two years ago and started attending events together, including dinners that range from casual to fine dining. We’re both in our late 40s and single. She’s a mom of three almost-grown adults who she raised without her ex-husband present, including financially. I have a lot of respect for her. The issue is her table manners. I first noticed them when I invited her over for a casual cookout, and I just overlooked it. I’m not a snob, but I know others ...

How home care and hospice benefits people and communities

All the varied levels of health care help ensure that patients are in the best setting for their condition and recovery. In many cases, that setting is home — which is exactly where the majority of patients want to be. Did you know that the average length of stay in a hospital has decreased from 21 days in the 1960s to around five today? Medical advancements, like minimally invasive surgery, and the transition of more services from inpatient to outpatient are key reasons behind that shift. Inpatient hospital care is the most expensive setting. Also, home health has benefits that ...