You relax as the chair warms and massages your back. Soothing colors surround you, and calming music fills your ears. No one can interrupt this 30 minutes just for you. No phone calls, no demands, no guilt about just being still and doing nothing—with your mouth wide open.

After the initial veil of financial hysteria lifted, the economic chaos of 2008 made a little more sense. Area professionals, as well as recent study results, weigh in on what we should do from here.

Following graduation from college, I spent four years in medical school, then three years in a pediatric residency. This was long before medical student and resident work hours were restricted, so I spent up to 100 hours each week for many years learning medicine – specifically pediatric medicine. I’ve spent the rest of my life practicing to get it right. After all the time, effort and expense, what have I spent most of my professional time doing? Talking about poop: too much, not enough, too hard, too loose—you name it, some mom, dad or grandma has worried about it, and I’ve discussed it.

Story: May ekes out an existence as a cook at a nameless place in a tiny town on the Mojave Desert. Her home is a drab motel room with a bed, a table, a couple of chairs and drinking glasses stored in the bathroom. Her life is dreary but made drastic as well by the unwelcome arrival of her former lover, Eddie.

As I’ve stated in previous columns, speaking opportunities are business, career and leadership opportunities. No one ever challenges that statement. Why would they?

I have been a pet owner for many years—sometimes successfully; other times, not so much. I have had a towheaded 3-year-old come to me with a goldfish in his hand, and ask with utter sincerity why Gil doesn’t seem to like playing in the yard. I have had a guinea pig give birth not once, not twice, but three times on my watch. We had an albino gecko. Why, you ask? I wonder the same thing every day. I think it may have taken its own life, but the official cause of death is ‘accidental.’ Apparently, it accidentally stopped eating and drinking. I have had a puppy sit on my lap while I scratched her head and rubbed her back as she—unbeknownst to me—devoured a bird. But now, I fear my patience may have run its course. It appears our puppy—our adorable, precious, impossible-not-to-love puppy—has discovered a nest. Or a herd. Or a pack—of voles.

One in 88. That is the stunning statistic defining how many American children have autism, based on recent research.

Feeling a little green-eyed towards someone else’s green thumb? MoBot horticulturists explain how can homeowners achieve formal gardens in St. Louis backyards.

Well, we’re almost out of the woods. We made it through the January bilge and a February with nothing but Oscar re-releases that were worth seeing. Spring break is almost over, and the studios know that the time has come to start releasing some movies that people actually will pay to see. Here’s what we have (hopefully) to look forward to this spring:

The fear of public speaking is a fear worth confronting and overcoming because speaking opportunities are business, career and leadership opportunities. My clients’ stories confirm this. I often hear, I’m tired of seeing coworkers who are less qualified than me and don’t contribute as much to the company getting promotions, bonuses and leadership opportunities that I don’t receive. One of the reasons is they are giving presentations, even if the presentations are not that good!

The physical and digital worlds are becoming one and the same. The social experience has shifted, and common words like ‘virus’, ‘mouse’ and ‘like’ have double-meanings. And much like our day-to-day reality, the online realm functions in accordance with laws that should be known by all, digital participants or not.

So last week my family and I were spending an uncharacteristically quiet evening at home. Homework was finished, and Cranky Whiny and Punch inexplicably were not bickering (I wondered idly if they had run out of ideas). Anyway, we were lolling around the family room, watching some vaguely inappropriate crime show when Pebbles, our puggle, hopped onto my lap and settled in. Wow, how Norman Rockwell! I guess every family deserves one night like this…and then I heard the noise.

Sitting down to talk about Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ programs to avert bullying, the first obvious question is, What does Shakespeare have to do with bulling? As it turns out, the connection runs deep.

Survey after survey cites the fear of public speaking at the top of the ‘Fear List’ most people have. Some say they would rather die than stand in front of an audience and deliver a speech. This is unfortunate because it holds many back from reaching their potential.

In today’s high-tech world, there are even more ways for kids to communicate—and harass—their classmates. Not only at school, but via text message or on social media, there's evidence that students are increasingly bullied by their peers. This physical, verbal and electronic harassment has led to troubling consequences—victims can wrestle with depression, fear and anxiety, even to the point of committing suicide. And communities are left asking: Who is liable?

Most women juggle busy schedules filled with demanding careers, motherhood and managing a household, often leaving their own health issues on the back burner. Amid these hectic lifestyles, doctors say the lesser-known symptoms of a heart attack can go untreated. “We commonly have women come to the emergency room who are stunned to learn they are having a heart attack,” says Dr. Linda Stronach, an interventional cardiologist at Missouri Baptist Medical Center (MoBap).

I’m on Facebook. I’m not proud. Admittedly, I really only check the site to monitor Cranky’s postings—what boys she’s posing with, scanning a photo for a stray can of beer in the background—but a problem has emerged. Facebook no longer is the cool college social networking hub it was in 2005. Now it’s the 21st century equivalent of a slide carousel of your neighbor’s family vacation. It’s the digital version of cropping, and worst of all, it apparently is the world’s most unproductive cure for boredom. I’ve realized something: Facebook isn’t cool anymore.

Prostate disease is one of the most common health concerns for men age 50 and older. While cancer is most concerning, other types of prostate trouble often develop with age.

Why Speak?

Helping older adults transition from drivers to passengers can be a sensitive topic. “The loss of independence is what they fear most,” notes Mark Blum of BrightStar Care.

Every month of the year has a 'movie personality.' October is set for thrillers and horror, while February is the month for romances. December is family films and Oscar contenders, and July is action—we seem to enjoy seeing things explode in July. But what about January? There’s no big holiday in January to give it a movie theme. Award hopefuls all have been submitted. What kinds of movies get released in January? I will tell you the answer: bad movies.

Will the door be scratched up this time? Or will the pillows be in tatters? Separation anxiety can cause pets to be destructive in ways that make their owners not even want to leave the house. And while it’s a stressful situation, most dogs can overcome it. “We have a lot of interventions to help us, and we have good success in many, many cases,” says Dr. Debra Horwitz of Veterinary Behavior Consultations. “It is one common reason people end up giving their dog to a shelter, but it’s a very treatable condition.”

Upon the 30th anniversary of Flashdance, a new musical version of  the pop culture phenomenon is coming Jan. 8 to 13 to the Peabody Opera House. LN recently spoke with screenplay and musical co-writer Tom Hedley. 

The Baldwin Report

A divorce can be one of life’s most difficult hurdles. And for men who often don’t share their emotions as openly as women, surviving the process can become overwhelming without a 'road map' for navigating the legal, financial and emotional issues that arise, says E.B. Gunn, New York Times best-selling author of The Gentleman’s Guide to the Nasty Divorce.