The wine fairs have started! A fixture of French culture and life that I always get excited about every year. Everywhere in France, the largest grocery chains, wine boutiques and online wine sellers offer special promotions on wines usually not always available. Most offer degustations in the store or a night before they start. …
Rocamadour is a tiny medieval village perched high above on a cliff, overlooking one of the most beautiful deep green valleys below. It sits so precariously on the edge, almost dangling, that one fears it could topple off. I went there this weekend to be refreshed and restored and feel called to share my own …
Anais Nin is known as one of the earliest writers of female erotica, and had an almost cult worship by feminists of the 70’s. Frankly, I had not thought to write about her until I was looking at the history of one of her lovers Henry Miller, who lived several blocks from where I live …
La Rentree is upon us with full swing and to the French it is more than just back to school. There is such a sudden sharp contrast from last week to today. Things started to pick up this weekend and the streets are surging with people again, with a much higher noise level to match. …
Another mental disorder that is not that well-known, nor talked about, yet creates tremendous distress is body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD. From the Greek words dys (disturbance) and morph(shape). There is also a sub type called muscle dysmorphia, relating to obsessive fears concerns to one’s musculature. About 1 to 2 % of the general population …
I finally got around to the celebration of my birthday this weekend. I had fun making my birthday cake(as seen in photo), which I do every year. Some might find it strange that I make my own, which was necessity when I lived in the states. Lenotre and Thevenin , two acclaimed pastry boutiques, just …
This woman from the past, I would have literally loved to have had as a patient! She never would have given me a chance though because she only valued men above women. From cross dressing to multiple scandalous affairs , she was completely unconventional for her time. She is just an astonishing complex personality to …
Today just happens to be my birthday and with much gratitude I am blessed to still be here! What better day to count my blessings and to honor those who cared for and loved me. My family has all passed to the other side, except my aunt and uncle, but I keep …
I felt prompted to write about bipolar disorder after recent public revelations from two American congressmen who suffer from this illness. Bipolar illness falls into the mood disorder category of our DSM IV, but is called bipolar because both “poles” of mood, high and low are part of the symptomatology. An earlier label , …
Anger might be one of the most ordinary of human emotions, and practically impossible to avoid, but uncontrolled and or prolonged, it will destroy. People kill in anger , maim in anger and cause massive destruction and countless of scars in the hearts of others. Anger is a violence of thought, words and deeds that …
There are times in our life when we are shattered by a crisis unforeseen. It could be a betrayal, or loss of a job or an abrupt rupture of a relationship. Sometimes things happen out of the blue without any warning and we find ourselves torn into emotional shreds. Our initial reaction can be scattered …