When we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving in Ensenada, Mexico this year, people thought we were nuts. I thought maybe we were, too, but we ended up having one of the best family vacations ever. Instead of turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, and possible awkward conversations about politics around the dinner table, we went for the freshest seafood I've ever had, digging holes in the sand, getting slayed by Devin in Monopoly, and having just a charming, relaxing time. Having this kind of unconventional celebration made me think about the ways people celebrate their different religions and cultures during the month of December, especially when a large percentage of Americans celebrate Christmas.

This episode delves into several multicultural celebrations that occur in December, beyond the well-known Christmas festivities. I cover the historical significance and traditions of Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, and Pancha Ganapati, and also explores non-religious observances such as Kwanzaa and Yule rooted in the winter solstice. You would be surprised at the intersections of the different religions and cultures in how they celebrate the different occasions--lots of lights, decorating, singing, and giving gifts.

I also talk about Season 2, which will premier in mid to late January. I am shifting gears and will cover more journalistic topics like immigration, vigilante justice and the phenomenon of deja vu, to start.

Enjoy, and I will see you next year!

#decembercelebrations #happyholidays #bodhiday #kwanzaa #panchaganapati #yule #wintersolstice

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, a dynamic clinical psychologist and leading expert on ADHD in women and girls. She is the Founder and Co-Owner of The Chesapeake Center, and has her Bachelor's, Master's and PhD in Psychology from the University of Florida (Go Gators!). Women in our society have been given an impossible role to play in that they generally work full-time outside of the home while also being expected to do the bulk of household duties. For neurotypical women, this is a tremendous and unreasonable expectation. For women with ADHD, they are operating in emergency mode all of the time, feeling like something is wrong with them because it is so much more difficult.

Women who are diagnosed with ADHD as adults often look back and see how they masked their symptoms in order to fit in--to make friends, to do well in school, to please their parents, and to do what is expected of them by society in general. ADHD in women is often misdiagnosed as anxiety due to all of these pressures, and all of their masking.

This will be the last episode in my ADHD Series, as I just can not improve upon Dr. Kathleen Nadeau's insight into ADHD. You will not be sorry you listened!

#ADHD #ADHDEpisode #ADHDinWomen #ADHDinMothers #UnreasonableExpectations #NeurodivergentWomen #KathleenNadeau #TheChesapeakeCenter

In Episode 23: "A Closet Full of Participation Trophies," I delve into the topic of participation trophies and the generational debate surrounding them, with a focus on our hardcore Gen X experiences. We are the forgotten generation, the latchkey kids. We drank out of water hoses. We ate dirt. We were largely unsupervised. We lived through recessions, the AIDS epidemic, The Cold War. The Boomers and Millenials point fingers at each other, and we are, yet again, overlooked.

As GEN X gets older, we have hung on to the notion that our incredible work ethic was the result of NOT receiving participation trophies as kids. Apparently, kids that are given participation trophies become lazy, entitled, soft and weak. Here's the thing, GEN X. We did get them. Check your parents' closets. Check your childhood bedrooms. And though we want to compare ourselves to younger generations and consider ourselves superior due to not being coddled, the truth is that younger generations are doing just fine with softer encouragement.

Participation trophies have been handed out for over 100 years, and can improve young children's self-esteem, teamwork, and overall personal development. While there is an age that they become less effective, any token to encourage kids to play sports or engage in extracurriculars will benefit their overall growth.

#45LeftToRightPodcast #GenX #ParticipationTrophies #LatchkeyKids #SportsParenting #YouthSports #MillennialsVsGenX #GenXLife #EncouragingYoungKids