In 2003, an Alabama oncologist enrolled in the Culinard Institute. Dr. Luis F. Pineda was not changing careers. This doctor wanted to cook like a chef, so he could teach patients and the people who love them how to prepare nutritious meals that taste good despite side effects of cancer treatment. Cooking With Cancer, Inc., was born. It's a resource I continue to recommend to friends during their "cancer journeys," a difficult road with far too many travelers. You can still get the original … [Read more...] about The Inspirational Origin of Cooking with Cancer
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Tips for Happy Hiking… Solo
Here's the soundtrack to one of my recent hikes: "I would never hike alone." As I navigated a steep descent toward a small river, two women crossed it. "Me, neither," the other said. I can hear you, I wanted to say. Do you see any earbuds? Is my phone in my hand? No, and no. Hiking with a companion has its own hazards, including a temptation to focus on the conversation instead of the terrain. And that's the perfect introduction to my primary suggestion for any of my fellow solo-hikers, male … [Read more...] about Tips for Happy Hiking… Solo
Breakthrough
After a series of heavy storms, a slow cracking broke the silence. An escalating rumble – felt and heard – told me something was breaking in the woods behind my home, something big. I looked up as the building shook and gutters ripped away from the roof above the porch, but nothing pierced my ceiling. A large, healthy oak landed in the open breezeway that night, with tree-sized branches smashing the edge of my unit and a neighbor's. Wind, rain and erosion uprooted a giant, and the wooded view … [Read more...] about Breakthrough
Curated Inspiration: William Kenower
Author, lecturer and coach William Kenower inspired me with his interview on Episode 19 of Dante's Old South radio show hosted by Clifford Brooks. I wanted to know more.Kenower's website is packed with his articles and other resources for writers (and all human beings). Two of my favorite examples are an article he wrote for The New York Times blog and one of his posts for The Good Men Project. My Autistic Son's Lesson: No One Is Broken Using a practice called "joining," Kenower and his wife … [Read more...] about Curated Inspiration: William Kenower
A Cup of (White) Hot Chocolate
Editor's Note: This post appeared in the February 2021 edition of my newsletter, Inspiration Business. To subscribe, enter your email address at the bottom of this webpage. I haven't eaten "regular" chocolate in 20 years. (A little probably wouldn't trigger a headache, but then I'd start craving a lot. So I don't indulge at all.) Luckily, white chocolate does not have the same affect.I'm recommending REAL white chocolate, by the way, not the fakery sometimes shaped into cream-colored Easter … [Read more...] about A Cup of (White) Hot Chocolate
Gifts for the Heart
Healthy eating means reaching for "whole foods." I'm talking about food sourced from your vendor of choice, from farmers to grocery stores, and not just the shop with the clever name. Oh, and in my opinion: The produce aisle is stronger than the supplement aisle. But when I want heart-friendly polyphenols, I reach for a bottle... of extra virgin olive oil. Shopping for the best EVOO means walking out of my supermarket to connect with a specialist at VSOP Taproom, with its gourmet oils, … [Read more...] about Gifts for the Heart