With Your Family in Mind

“Do not be in a hurry to tie what you cannot untie.” – English Proverb
Developing a divorce agreement is a process that has significant impact and a lingering effect.  Decisions you will have to live with for a long time may make more sense if you exercise a little patience and a lot of common sense.  There are mediation models that advertise (and deliver) single session divorce agreements.  A marathon session can go on for hours and hours.  In the end, there is an agreement.  But, is the product of negotiation based on exhaustion or intimidation? 

Beautiful ocean breezes, stunning sunsets, dancing under the stars and romantic ports of call, what a better place to renew your vows than on a cruise ship!  In the past vow renewal ceremonies were only considered for big anniversaries, 10th, 20th or 50th.  Nowadays it has become an exciting way to celebrate your love every year!  Young couples, mature couples, even newlyweds are playing this romantic game!  Why not pledge your love to each other as often as possible?

The last vestige of independence for many elders is the loss of their ability to drive.  The efforts to take the automobile away to protect the elder and other drivers on the road can be met with tremendous resistance.  A physician can assist in notifying DMV of a patient’s inability to use an automobile so the driver’s license is revoked.  The fact remains, when the automobile is physically removed, battle lines are drawn between the elder and the caregiver and/or family members carrying out this task.

A reader of The Magazine of Santa Clarita wrote in about breaking into voiceover and I promised to lay out over the next few months the skill-sets that most people in the areas of stage, film and television, singing, instructing, public speaking and on-air talent possess, and show how they apply to voice acting.  Last month I talked about instructors.  This month I’ll talk about public speakers.

A healthy lifestyle that includes exercise and fitness is highly emphasized in today’s society.  The National Institute on Aging released startling statistics after a physical health study performed on elderly aged 75 and older.  The study revealed that 40 percent of those studied could not walk two blocks.

Joe and Joanne Client had a revocable living trust.  It was prepared many years ago by an experienced attorney.  At that time, it was fully funded: their house and financial accounts had been re-titled to Joe and Joanne as trustees of their Trust.
Recently Joe and Joanne died (on different days) as the result of injuries they suffered in an auto accident.  In the weeks that followed, their adult children discovered, to their dismay, that all was not well in Inheritance Land:

Vets Back To War Zone (VBTWZ) and Veterans History Project (VHP) are winding down the year after multiple accomplishments and events. VBTWZ’s utmost mission and desires are to have Vietnam and Korean veterans and others assist in mentoring veterans returning form the Middle Eastern Wars.
The one jewel of the final part of this year was meeting Bill Reynolds, a long time Valencia resident and Vietnam veteran who made a return trip to the war zone in 2007 to retrace his, and his unit’s, footsteps in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.  This is his story.

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosted by College of the Canyons was recently honored with three ‘“highest achievement” awards at the annual Los Angeles Regional SBDC Award and Recognition Dinner — including the organization’s prestigious “Overall Highest Performer” award.  The awards ceremony, which was sponsored by the SBDC Lead Center at Long Beach City College and attended by members of the Los Angeles District Small Business Administration, recognized four categories of performance among the network of seven Southern California area SBDC locations.

Due to the decrease in home prices, many debtors in the past few years have filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy while owning real property that they plan to surrender to their lender.  Some debtors have owned more than one house or condo for which they can no longer make payments.

As we welcome a New Year, many of us are pondering the positive changes we’d like to make to improve our lives.  Consider making your home a safe place again.
There are many situations and conditions that can throw us off-balance.  Whether it’s a medical condition such as diabetes where we can lose feeling in our feet, or changes in our eyesight, it’s never too soon to consider placing “helpers” such as grab bars around the house.

Recipes are among the most treasured family air looms handed down from one generation to the next.  They become especially important during the holidays when even the most infrequent of cooks strive to produce the most tantalizing, mouth-watering dish at the annual get-together.  Every year, family members rush around to find that particular recipe that has been a favorite for generations, and every year, that person inevitably calls everyone who just might have it.  What better way to end the search than to start a family recipe scrapbook?

One of the most valuable things that you can take into 2010 is all of the wonderful lessons that you learned in 2009.  The reality is, it’s not important whether or not everything turned out the way that you wanted it to or whether or not you achieved all of your goals for 2009.  The important thing is discovering whether or not you came out of 2009 better or bitter.  For some of us, we have spent too much of our lives asking the wrong question. 

If you are one of the many family members caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease, it can be very rewarding, but at times also be very frustrating.  It is so important that you not only provide care for your loved one, but that you also take proper care and time for yourself.  You may come to a point where it may be necessary to reach out to others for support.  Family members, friends and neighbors may want to help. 

“I love deadlines,” said English humorist/novelist Douglas Adams, “I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.”  He would have loved my December!  I felt as if I were a driver competing in a high-speed contest, only without my racecar!
Can you believe it’s 2010 already?  It was only yesterday when we worried about that turn-of-the century Y2K threat which was supposed to render useless everything from toasters to computers – and my toaster still works.  So much has happened in these 10 years.  Where has the time gone?

A reader of The Magazine of Santa Clarita wrote in with this question about breaking into voiceover and I promised to lay out over the next few months the skill-sets that most people in the areas of stage, film and television, singing, instructing, public speaking and on-air talent possess, and show how they do and don’t apply to voice acting.  Last month I talked about singers.  This month I’ll talk about instructors.

Canyon Theatre Guild (CTG) will feature the art of Laurie Morgan, Santa Clarita Artists’ Association (SCAA) president, in their hallway gallery from November 27 to December 19, 2009.  The exhibit will run concurrently with the performance of the holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street, based on the movie of the same name.
A free artist’s reception will be held at the theater on December 9, between 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm.  The public is invited with RSVP to 661-259-6789.

1. What are the children in foster care like?  Children in foster care are like all other children in many ways.  There are boys and girls, single children and siblings.  They range in age from infants to teenagers.  Children in foster care come from varied backgrounds and different family situations, but all are in foster care because, for some reason, their parents are unable to care for them.

As an addiction counselor I see a lot of families in tremendous pain.  It is the hardest part of my job and the only comfort is knowing that if I work hard and get them to work hard, the pain they experience can be transmuted into joy and healing and an even more profound appreciation for life than they ever had before.  Often when I meet them they are exhausted from trying to help their addicted loved one and want to give up.