This pattern that scientists refer to as, “chaotic” is also present in trees, clouds—and college marching bands! The formation is orderly in nature, yet embedded within is disorder that itself is purposeful and therefore, orderly. As the Ohio State marching band spells, “Ohio” in script, one member purposely breaks the formation to become the dot…

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Your head throbs, stomach churns as you open the note, courtesy of your child’s teacher. Usually, a note can only mean one thing: something is wrong… In our society the occurrence of consequences may be illustrated by two examples: “Rules 1” and “Rules 2.” Rules 1: You are given ten words to memorize. For each…

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Phil’s wife left him suddenly. Feeling like both his feet are firmly planted in mid-air, he continues to work, unproductively, withdraws from family and friends; and alternates between feeling rage and hopelessness. Ben thinks he doesn’t get enough recognition from his manager at work, compared with co-workers. These feelings of powerlessness and resentment become amplified…

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Among the skills we learn early in life is the art of interacting with other people. This guides us in the formation of “relationships” later in life. In the beginning a child comes to believe that he or she is the center of activity. All things begin and end with “me.” People are coming and…

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Ginny strived to be efficient, polite, cheerful, un- demanding– in short, perfect. She had a dozen dodges, all designed to shelter her from admitting mistakes or negative feelings. When the perfect image developed a crack that Ginny could not patch fast enough, she would sink to the depths of depression, replete with long silences, frequent…

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Once there was a poor starving graduate student (me) who rented an apartment in a one hundred year-old trapezoidal building (the architectural design of that period). The landlord reluctantly accepted $75.00 per month for the privilege of existing in this flat, in which he provided a space heater for five rooms, sparse furniture in the…

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                  <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />  The Inside Pitch:  Managing obesity by trying to master the events on the outside which signal and influence eating behaviors is useful. However, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in the ways our bodies operate on the inside, apart from conscious attempts to manipulate…

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Many people, when troubled with life’s little annoyances, engage in a variety of “nervous habits” such as, nail biting, hair pulling, rapid blinking, tics and stuttering. These behaviors often become “contextualized” so that an individual is unaware of their occurrence. Unfortunately, this is not also true of the viewing public.  <?xml:namespace prefix = o /> …

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        “In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.” Albert Camus “When it rains, it pours.” “Just my luck, I probably won’t get noticed.” ‘”There’s nothing to look forward to.” Sound familiar? These statements reflect a negative attitude, not atypical in our society. An attitude– experienced as…

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         <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” /> Fall for many people stands for a new beginning; a harbinger of things to come.  Hot cider and donuts.  Pumpkins and colorful decorations.  Football. The          holidays.   Others, however, are anchored quite differently to the signs of Fall: Cold, damp weather…and driving.  Sort of like oil…

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