On a beautiful Los Angeles afternoon in a high-rise overlooking the city, contributing writers Geri Jewell and David Zimmerman had a wonderful visit with the legendary actress Charlotte Rae. Both Jewell and Rae starred in the 80s sitcom The Facts of Life. They were joined by publicist and friend, B. Harlan Boll, for a ... Read more
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David Koechner Issue
Beauty and BPD–Syanne Centeno
“I advise that you keep your diagnosis to yourself.” These were the first words my psychiatrist uttered upon revealing that I am living with borderline personality disorder (BPD). BPD is a serious mental illness that is highly stigmatized by the public, and even some mental health professionals refuse to treat those affected. The ... Read more
Lion to Autism–Jamie Knight
“Can I pet your dog?” is a question that is rarely heard at the CSUN Assistive Technology Conference. Participants, speakers, and even hotel staff simply don’t ask. If it’s March, it’s conference season, and service dogs and their owners descend en masse to San Diego. These dogs are working as service animals: assisting people ... Read more
Bulletproof and Mental Health–Justin Peck
To say Justin Peck lives life at full-throttle would be inadequate. Yes, he’s a champion off-road motorcycle and race truck driver; yes, he’s a serial entrepreneur with numerous businesses including his own racing team; and yes, he outworks just about everyone on and off the track. But perhaps among his more noteworthy achievements is ... Read more
Art of Diverse Dancing–Candoco
British weekly newspaper The Observer reviewed the Candoco Dance Company in 2007 with a bold statement: “Candoco is the company for which choreographers reserve their wildest and often most inventive work.” Today, Candoco is still living up to that description as it celebrates 25 years of dance in the UK. “We believe this ... Read more
gough — The Vision Behind Beernuts
Most filmmakers rely on their ability to see in order to make films. But Australian filmmaker and author gough’s vision doesn’t rely on sight. Instead gough (pronounced “goff”), who is legally blind, writes, directs, edits and produces all of his films with the help of a well-curated crew. His eleven-year-old company, Beernuts Productions, makes ... Read more
Poetic Documentation–Yu Xiuhua
Yu Xiuhua is a poet with cerebral palsy who became massively popular when one of poems went viral. Thereafter, everything changed for her. Her poetry was published, her book signings drew crowds and her income increased dramatically. But not all that happened to Yu was joyful and positive. Her mother was diagnosed with cancer ... Read more
The Brotherhood of MS
For the past 75 years, while most of the country transitions into spring by swapping out snow shovels for garden hoes, a bazillion bikers from all over the country migrate to Daytona Beach for Bike Week. For most, it’s a ritual that starts by giving up shaving for a week or two, dusting off ... Read more
Dad on Aisle 7
Like millions of other Americans, grocery shopping is frequently a part of my weekly routine. I do it independently, and there’s a certain comfort in that. For example, knowing that I have enough money to grocery shop feels good, and a well-stocked refrigerator and cupboards mean that I can rest assured that I’ll have ... Read more
Can we Fast a Little Faster?
Being a Catholic, every year I’m hit with this thing called Lent. This is the Christian season of preparation before Easter. The Lenten season is a time when many Christians observe a period of fasting, repentance, moderation, self-denial, and spiritual discipline (Of course they would pick all the things I’m not good at). The ... Read more
Back on track!
Happy Spring! I hope your year has been going smoothly so far, and that you were able to get rolling on your 2017 resolutions. I’m all moved into my new tiny house, and I’m still in the process of getting everything set up. I thought it would be turnkey ready, as they say in ... Read more
An Anchored Man–David Koechner
There’s funny and then there’s hysterical. Comedian, writer and producer David Koechner falls clearly into the latter camp. You’ll recognize him, for his face jumps out from some of the funniest comedy films and TV series over the last decade and a half, including Anchorman and Anchorman 2, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Get Smart, The ... Read more
