Dear Doctors: My uncle has Alzheimer's disease. He goes through these awful phases where he's agitated and afraid. We've noticed that music calms him down, especially when it's something from when he was young. Why would that be? Maybe music should be part of Alzheimer's therapy.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm excited to visit my family this year for the holidays, especially since last year's quarantine prevented us from being together. My problem is that the only affordable flight I could get lands me at home on Christmas Day. My family has a ritual on Christmas Eve where the adults wrap gifts together, and the kids get to open one gift the night before. I so want to be there for that, but I couldn't make it work. Am I wrong to ask the family to delay that until Christmas afternoon when I arrive? – Nostalgic
Martinez is the new Martinelli. That's another way of making a critical political point: Hispanic voters increasingly resemble other immigrant groups, like Italians.
DEAR HARRIETTE: My son lives in a different state, and I do not get to see him very often. Usually about once a year, he will bring his girlfriend of five years to our house and spend a week with us. Unfortunately, every time they come over, his girlfriend becomes sick and will have to stay in bed for the majority of the trip. She says that she is not used to the weather in our state. I don't believe that she is really sick. I think that she is anxious about being around us and would prefer to stay in bed and be away from us. My son has warned me about her anxiety on multiple occasions. Is it wrong if I request that he not bring her this year? – Just Stay Home
● Whatever type of blinds you invest in for your windows – bamboo, wooden, cellular, roman or roller style – they can help to improve energy efficiency in your home. If you live in a cool climate, blinds should be left open in the winter when it's sunny to help bring heat inside the home. But at night, they should be closed and snug in the window frame to prevent cold air from seeping in and to help reduce heat loss. Some blinds are more efficient than others, but any style is better than none.
No American presidents of our time – perhaps no American presidents ever, with the possible exceptions of George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt -- have affected the environment of their successors as dramatically as Donald J. Trump has shaped the political world of Joe Biden.
Dear Doctors: There was a story in the news recently about a man who had a tapeworm living in his brain. Our two teenage boys also saw it and are now obsessed. They're grossed out and fascinated, and they are asking lots of questions. An explanation would be welcome.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm embarrassed by my girlfriend insisting on bringing my lunch to me at work. I know that she means well, but it's really not necessary, and my co-workers tease me about it. Would it be rude if I asked her to stop? – Embarrassing Girlfriend
DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel like I shoulder all the responsibility in my family. I am married, and my husband works and comes home every day – but that's about it. He rarely helps with homework, housework or anything else. Honestly, we don't spend much time together. We will be in the house for hours at a time, but he will be in one room and I will be in another. We basically coexist rather than having a friendship or close relationship. The most interaction we have is when one or both of us drink; then we argue. This is not the life I thought I would have after being married for a long time. I don't want to accept that this is the best I can expect of my marriage. I have tried in the past to get him to be more engaged, but he just shrugs it off. How can I get him to want to spend time with me? If he won't, should I think about getting a divorce? – At Wit's End
I walk around my neighborhood later in the evening these days, mostly so I can see the lights.