MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'conversation'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:52:26 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5131081&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FlkyKDThBgCk%2F This was our fifth theme based week on Success Begins Today. The theme was motivational speaking and featured a speech planning sheet.. Theme: Motivational Speaking Monday: How To Become a Motivational Speaker An overview of motivational speaking and the P.A.R. method Tuesday: Becoming a Motivational Speaker: Part 2 Have you accomplished great things or been through a major adversity? Why not speak… Wednesday: Public Speaking: Going From Free to Fee How to actually make money speaking… Friday: Create Custom Resources for Your Speaking Business Match your resources to your audience with these low cost items… Links mentioned during the week: Toastmasters World Championship of Speaking. Darren LaCroix Ed Tate Simple P.A.R. worksheet Nancy Duarte’s Powerful TED speech Toastma... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5131081 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:27:12 +0100 5131081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5119038&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FrEb4aN4bF1k%2F Are you a struggling public speaker? Do you have a compelling message, amazing experiences, and a mastery of the English language? Do you dress well, smell good, and brush your teeth? If so, why hasn’t someone hired you to speak? That is the question that many people in the Toastmasters organization ask themselves. They go through the basic program, they refine their speaking and presentation skills, and they have totally killed any instance of UM, AH, or You Know from their vocabulary. They are great speakers. Yet nobody is knocking on their doors to have them speak. Yet other people, with little or no speaking experience, are making a good living from speaking to groups. Why is this? It doesn’t seem right. What is wrong with this picture? It comes down to one thing… The message is... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5119038 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:38:08 +0100 5119038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107964&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FpCc_q8C9Ihw%2F Yesterday we talked about what it takes to become a motivational speaker. You could boil it down into two words… Problem Solver. If you can identify people’s problems, give them action steps to take, and show them the results they can get, you have put together a very powerful speech. There is another popular method that World Champions, Ed Tate and Darren LaCroix talked about that may be a good fit for you. It’s a simple three word combination… Then, Now, How… If you have a major accomplishment in your life or have overcome a major adversity, this method may provide a good outline for a motivational presentation. The key is CONTRAST. You need to contrast the past with the present and give your listeners a roadmap of how you got from then to now. We have all heard presentations f... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107964 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:41:44 +0100 5107964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107965&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fab5o7LHBCz0%2F We’ve all been there. Sitting in a stadium or other large venue, listening to a speaker that captivates the crowd. Their words pierce the air, and their call to action is so powerful that hundreds or thousands of people rise to their feet, and move forward. Whether it’s a passionate preacher, a compelling leader, or someone that can tell you how to pull up your bootstraps and change your life, the true motivational speaker will leave you a changed person when you leave the event. I’ve often dreamed about being that person. The bright lights, the thousands of faces, the powerful words, the life changing material… and more than anything else… the voice of someone who comes up after the event and says their life has been changed for the better. That they were able to overcome and c... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107965 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:20:09 +0100 5107965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097181&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fs1XGhJRx7L0%2F For the last week I’ve struggled with an ongoing debate among the bloggers that I follow. It boils down to a simple question… Should I put up a blog post every day? It sounds simple enough, but there are powerful arguments on both sides. Here are the competing voices Pro: Popular bloggers like Chris Brogan and Michael Hyatt suggest that you build your platform by blogging on a regular basis. They argue that you should aim for a post (almost)every day. This builds consistency with your readers, gives you lots of content, and helps your readers form a daily reading habit. It brings people back. Mike Lieberman adds to the discussion with a compelling post with six great reasons to blog every day. They include… Search engines re-index your website every time there is an update. Search ... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097181 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 13:41:33 +0100 5097181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062525&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FCEhqG7Kd9sI%2F This was our second theme based week on Success Begins Today. The theme was communication and featured a free book giveaway. Theme: Communication Monday: Making A True Connection We all communicate, but do we truly connect? Tuesday: Communicating Your Title The words you use in your title say a lot about you. Choose wisely. Thursday: Google Plus: What Will You Write? A post about creating your about page for Google Plus and the Throne of Agony. Friday: Good Morning, Mike Guest post by Sarah McGaugh on using a greeting to change someone’s life. Links mentioned during the week: Everyone Communicates, Few Connect. Sally Hogshead Fascinate Test Throne of Creative Agony Career Builder Article Google Plus Bird in your Hand Additional References: John Maxwell: Everyone Communicates Book Page K... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062525 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 15:16:23 +0100 5062525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051316&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FKj6TKYVvaIE%2F This is a guest post by Sarah McGaugh. She is a teacher, entertainer, four star general, and nurse: in other words, a mom. After many years of a fulfilling career as a high school English teacher who loved being in her classroom with her students, she now stays at home to home school her two young children and also works as a freelance editor. Her philosophy is simple: find the magic in the ordinary, laugh whenever possible, and embrace the joy that was meant for you. You can read more from Sarah on her blog, Bird in your Hand. In the fall of 2003, when I was a first year teacher who had both the advantage and disadvantage of knowing hardly a thing about teaching, I met Mike. A seventeen-year-old junior in my English class, Mike wore a thick black hooded sweatshirt everyday, even in the d... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051316 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:01:49 +0100 5051316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051317&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FmSdsEPwRibQ%2F I’ve had the privilege of using Google Plus in beta format for the last few weeks. Plus is the new social network from Google, that is similar to Facebook. It has a timeline and allows you to interact with friends with an interface called circles. You group your friends in different circles (such as work, family, friends, etc) and interact with them through posts, video, chat, and even group video chat. This circle feature is a big step ahead in Social Media and the reason that many people will migrate from Facebook to Google Plus. There are so many tools and features in Google+ that you will certainly want to take the interactive tour and sign up for an account. Once you do, you will be presented with a Profile Screen. This is where I want to challenge you today. I want to know what you... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051317 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:01:36 +0100 5051317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051318&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2F4JMwFxnaffY%2F In yesterday’s post, we looked at some material from John Maxwell’s book, “Everyone communicates, few connect.” One of his main points is… “Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.” One of the most important ways we communicate with others is by our title or job description. It’s how we communicate who we are. This has become increasingly important with social media and entrepreneurs. When people look us up on the web or take one of our business cards they expect a title or job description of some sort. When they look us up on Twitter, they expect a few words of description about who we are and what we do. Here are a few of the descriptions that some of my Twitter contacts use… Author, Construct... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051318 Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:47:19 +0100 5051318 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051319&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fygk4Wj6F9h8%2F Do you communicate with others? I know I do. I talk on the phone, send e-mail, blast off tweets, update Facebook, and reply to comments on this blog. All forms of communication. But do I truly connect? Do I really turn these conversations into meaningful experiences or are they like passing comments in the hall… how ya doin’… fine… I’ve been reading a great book by John Maxwell, entitled “Everyone communicates, few connect.” This book has some eye opening statistics and revolves around a simple principle… “Connecting is the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them.” He goes on to say… “The ability to communicate and connect with others is a major determining factor in reaching your potential. To be successf... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051319 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:04:57 +0100 5051319 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984729&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2F7L6yvZpxEYI%2F The note just came in your inbox. You will be giving your first speech next week. Fear grips you as you contemplate the situation. You haven’t given a speech since high school and now you will be facing a live audience that wants to know who you are and what you are all about. You start questioning yourself… Why did I sign up for this? Then the second guessing starts… What if I forget my thoughts?… What if they don’t like me? Will I die? I’ve been in Toastmasters for over 15 years and I’ve seen hundreds of speeches, many of them from first time speakers. While the fear level is high, I can honestly tell you this… No one ever died and everyone survived. Many people have seen a major transformation in their lives by simply taking the first ste... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984729 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:01:03 +0100 4984729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828984&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F16%2Fgood-perfectionism-versus-bad-perfectionism%2F Although perfectionism undoubtedly brings me suffering and pain, I’ve come to appreciate the snobby part of my personality because it also bear gifts, especially over time. For the last three years, perfectionism has placed me in an okay spot in a terrible economy. Had I not invested so many hours into networking and writing blogs the last five or so years, sometimes on top of full-time employment and other responsibilities, I would not have a job right now. And spending a night or two recently with friends of friends I knew back in high school made me proud of all the therapy and recovery I have done since graduating. Had I not held myself to a high standard back then, I wouldn’t have quit drinking at the age of 18, and may still be hitting the bars at night. Perfectionism can even be... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828984 Mon, 16 May 2011 16:00:07 +0100 4828984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653332&cid=t_103497_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fphysicians-as-conversation-agents-in-new-media%2F2011.03.29 I frequently talk about the visibility of doctors in the online space. How can doctors make content, contribute to the broader dialog, and be more visible? Maybe I need to spend less time pushing the idea that every doctor needs to create. Most doctors, after all, just want to listen and watch. Maybe we need to be cultivating dedicated communicators. There’s a role evolving where physicians are formally involved in the creation of content and the maintenance of dialog. Wendy Swanson at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Claire McCarthy at Boston Children’s Hospital come to mind as good examples. Both serve as models for how institutions can leverage the voice of an individual for a branded online identity while contributing to the common good. Both are evolving as conversation agents on... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653332 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:00:29 +0100 4653332 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4285227&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F23%2Fmeeting-again-for-the-first-time%2F It’s Friday afternoon, and that means clinic. It’s 1 p.m., and that means I’m walking to get Samantha from the waiting room for our therapy session. I take a deep breath before I open the door, and find myself looking forward to our session. “Hello, Samantha,” I say, “I’m Dr. Hufford. Come on back.” I always reserve the same room for our work, hoping that it will help her to remember that we’ve met before. Samantha and I have met many times before, but for her, every session is like meeting again for the first time. She is stuck in an unrelenting present, experiencing life about an hour at a time, before her anterograde amnesia — an inability to remember new events — sweeps the memories away, floating just out of her reach. “Cognitive difficulties”... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4285227 Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:44:29 +0100 4285227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4249217&cid=t_103497_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fmr-joe-potocnys-book.html I had the pleasure of receiving in the mail a signed copy of Mr Joe Potocny's book Living With Alzheimers' [A Conversation If You Will]. It is published by Xlibris and is 311 pages. It covers Joe's blog from September 2006 to Sept 2010. Joe has had almost 50,000 visitors to his blog and the book contains those blog entries and comments from readers over 4 years. There are hundreds of entries. It basically takes you through the life of Joe and chronicles the Alzheimer's he is living with. In addition it gives a little slice of his readers and what they are going through and how they relate to Joe's journey.  We are all fortunate that Joe put this together, as it needed to be detailed not just in the cyber web land but in good old fashioned book form. He has it available in hardbou... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4249217 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 06:32:00 +0100 4249217 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4001709&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F25%2Flistening-in-on-another-conversation%2F We’ve all done it — listened in on another conversation while talking to someone else. How can we do that? How can we focus our listening abilities on a far away conversation while “turning off” the ability to listen to the conversation that’s right in front of us? This unique listening ability is called selective listening and most people can do it. It’s our ability to tune out one conversation and have our brains hone in on another. And despite this fairly common phenomenon, neuroscientists still have little idea of how we do it. It seems to come down to understanding the neural pathways and circuits that underlie our attention skills. In understanding simple attention skills like how we can selectively listen, neuroscientists believe it could also hel... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4001709 Sat, 25 Sep 2010 16:45:21 +0100 4001709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976531&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F16%2Fwhy-are-cell-phone-conversations-so-distracting%2F We’ve all been there — sitting in a public place, and feeling like that person over there, talking on their cell phone, is so annoying. Why are they so annoying? What makes a cell phone conversation that you overhear so distracting? Four researchers, led by Lauren Emberson (2010) from Cornell University, set to find out. Previous research has shown that we don’t seem to be as distracted when listening to a full dialogue between two people as when we are listening to a “halfalogue” — that is, just one side of a two-sided conversation. In two small studies conducted exclusively on 41 college undergraduates, the researchers devised tasks to measure how distracting mobile phone conversations are when we hear only one side of the conversation. Specifically, t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976531 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:44:51 +0100 3976531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710559&cid=t_103497_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-makes-a-conversation-psychotherapy%2F2010.06.29 Years ago I had a student who repeatedly asked me how psychotherapy works. “How is it different than a conversation?” When I think of psychotherapy, I think in terms of the talking itself as being the aspect that helps — and yes, of course it can be used in conjunction with medications. I think of it as being structured — in terms of time and place and frequency — and being all about the patient. And whether or not it’s actually discussed, some of what works is about the relationship — most people don’t get better talking to someone they despise, and the warmth, empathy, feeling listened to and cared for, well, they’re all important. And I also think of it as being a process over time. These are all parts of my definition, however, and ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710559 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0100 3710559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687101&cid=t_103497_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsocial-media-bill-of-rights%2F2010.06.22 Should we have a Bill of Rights for social media sites? It’s something we need to consider as such software becomes an integral part of our daily communications. Some might say such a document isn’t needed, that we aught to take a buyer-beware approach. But I would argue that the core issue of the privacy threats of new media isn’t really privacy, but rather dignity. Having to go through fifty steps to set your privacy settings is undignified, even if your privacy is ensured. So if we value human dignity, we aught to consider standards of dignity. A Bill of Rights, even if unenforceable, may at least remind us of the disturbing force of social technologies. What’s your take? *This blog post was originally published at Phil Baumann* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687101 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:00:15 +0100 3687101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3522848&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FQyHvoOJiPOM%2F I have the privledge this year of attending SOBCON in Chicago. SOBCON is a blogging and social media conference put on by Liz Strauss and Terry Starbucker, and is in its fourth year. The list of speakers is incredible and the first day was very helpful to anyone trying to get a handle on the new world of online media. Some of the idea stream highlights from day 1… Narrower the target, the bigger the opportunity Determine your brand attributes Be clear about what you do and who you do it with. Small shifts… big difference Set up a presence management system Forget perfection… pursue progress Find your mighty cause… Knock someone’s socks off… *********************** After masterful presentations by Jonathan Fields, HankWasiak, Sheila Scarborough, Becky McC... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3522848 Sat, 01 May 2010 12:20:04 +0100 3522848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3395401&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38604&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmakeitgreat%2F%7E3%2FNjaMHojZEYE%2F I am fortunate to have been selected as one of the authors for the Age of Conversation 3 book, subtitled It’s Time to Get Busy! Let’s give a big round of applause to all who contributed to this massive undertaking. Also, please note: All proceeds from this book are being donated to the Make a Wish foundation. Adam Joseph Priyanka Sachar Mark Earls Cory Coley-Christakos Stefan Erschwendner Paul Hebert Jeff De Cagna Thomas Clifford Phil Gerbyshak Jon Burg Toby Bloomberg Shambhu Neil Vineberg Joseph Jaffe Uwe Hook Steve Roesler Michael E. Rubin anibal casso Steve Woodruff Steve Sponder Becky Carroll Tim Tyler Chris Wilson Beth Harte Tinu Abayomi-Paul Dan Schawbel Carol Bodensteiner Trey Pennington David Weinfeld Dan Sitter Vanessa DiMauro Ed Brenegar Davi... Phil Gerbyshak blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3395401 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 13:00:10 +0100 3395401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346595&cid=t_103497_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fms-awareness-week-are-you-ready%2F Even though World MS Day is still more than a month away (May 26th), this is MS Awareness Week in North America. It’s time to dust off the talking points, break out the MS buttons and get ready to answer questions. There will be television adverts, billboards and radio PSAs this week which could afford each of us to speak about MS this week. I know that here in Seattle, our chapter of the NMSS (which has just recently been expanded to support people living with MS in Alaska) has a new “Is It MS?” campaign which has been stirring up questions and conversations…and doctor’s appointments It’s not like each and every one of us has to give a press conference or stand on an overpass waving an “I Have MS; Ask Me!” banner. But, I think we owe it to ourselves and to one another to b... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346595 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:16:24 +0100 3346595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212460&cid=t_103497_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fhow-do-we-know-if-our-ms-drugs-are-working%2F It’s a question that most all of us have asked ourselves and/or our doctors.  It’s a question based on our understanding or perhaps misunderstanding of research data.  It’s a question of faith in “modern medicine.”  It’s a question of hope for the future but still, it’s a question worth asking! The original numbers from those first (now nearly two-decades old) drug studies told us that our MS attacks could be reduced by some 30 percent.  Did that mean that we would have 30 percent fewer exacerbations? Would they be 30 percent less severe? Or would the drugs only work for 30 percent of us? To this day, it’s hard to get a clear picture of what those numbers actually represented.  Now, there are therapies on the market which seem to double those misunderstood numbers; thu... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212460 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:00:05 +0100 3212460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3205151&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2Fle_ZojW6oY8%2F I’ve been using Twitter for about a year now. At first I didn’t understand it at all. What are all these symbols, I wondered, and all the strange messages that were half of a conversation. As I read up on Twitter I found out about hashtags and @ replies. I discovered that you could send direct messages to your followers. It became clearer, but I still didn’t see the value. I started following major Twitter users like Mari Smith and Chris Brogan. Their tweets sometimes made sense, but all too often were out of context… I couldn’t tell what was going on. Then one day, I found a couple of helpful tutorials by Michael Hyatt and Nicole Nicolay on taking Twitter to the next level. Following Nicole’s advice, I installed Hootsuite on my computer and learned how to send out tweets at ... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3205151 Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:32:20 +0100 3205151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3120636&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FxR6LuT4Zqes%2F When I was growing up as a kid, Christmas was a special time. The magic of the day started months before the actual date. The thoughts of colorful presents under the tree would start appearing in my mind in early October. It wasn’t to hard to imagine a new bike, the latest toy, or something advertised on TV having a significant presence under that Christmas tree. But there was something different about our holiday celebrations that my sister and I had that no other kid in the neighborhood would experience on that magical day. We had a Dad that made Christmas an exciting event and we were center stage. On Christmas night, we would have to go to bed early… and then the magic began. My Dad would wrap our packages in plain brown wrapping paper. The kind used by businesses in their shippin... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3120636 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:33:22 +0100 3120636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2748163&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2F1bNS5eB5fj8%2F Twitter search can give you up to the minute search results from around the world. Here are five Twitter specific filters that you can apply to your results to help you find exactly what you are looking for. 1. Search phrase with location: use this powerful locator to find key words that were sent near a specific location. Here are three examples. “real estate deals” near:”phoenix” “happy hour” near:”boston” “garage sales” near:”seattle” 2. Search phrase with location and distance limiter: If you get too many results with the locater search above, add a distance limiter. “garage sales” near:temecula within:15mi 3. Use a minus sign as an exclusion limiter in a search and add a happy or sad face filter for the attitude of the post. Here are a couple of examples... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2748163 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:25:57 +0100 2748163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2712403&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FNh9fWyupN-s%2F I opened a Twitter account about 6 months ago and really couldn’t figure out what was going on. It seemed so silly that people were telling each other where they were, what they were eating, and where they were going next in 140 characters or less. It was like overhearing a conversation in a restaurant… somewhat interesting for a minute but really a waste of time and with the real possibility of getting annoying quickly. Then I started reading how great Twitter was for business. Instead of tweeting about their cheeseburger lunch, people were tweeting about their jobs and careers. Marketing was happening and all sorts of business opportunities appeared overnight. Unfortunately this brought a lot of spam and a huge amount of multi-level-marketing offers. Soon the noise increased and i... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2712403 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:16:34 +0100 2712403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2662541&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F02%2Flearning-how-to-talk-6-steps-to-better-communication%2F Growing up is hard to do. Especially if you’re speech delayed … meaning that you like to bolt before the tough conversations happen. Having been raised in a dysfunctional family with the rest of America, I didn’t exactly learn good communicational skills at home. I couldn’t articulate what I wanted or needed without a good silent treatment, screaming session, or other manipulation technique. But to keep friends and win a husband I eventually had to learn how to talk. About the important stuff. In their book, “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High,” authors Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler offer several tips to help guide the communication-challenged folks among us so I’ve condensed and excerpted... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2662541 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 12:26:00 +0100 2662541 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2657853&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FlRrBTfkb4dQ%2F Jeff: Tonight we thought we’d do a more direct version of the two versions of life with an autistic child: me typing and then Jill typing. What do you want to talk about, Jill? photo courtesy of dalehugo (flickr.com) Jill: How handsome I think you are? How I think you yell too much? Jeff: I like the first one, but I’m sure you’ll want to discuss the second. Jill: You’re right, dear. As usual. Jeff: All right. Tonight I yelled at Alex because he was up too late and chattering, and he knew he was disrupting the movie we had every right to watch after all the “Elmo” and “Sesame Street” we’ve let him watch without our sitting on the couch rocking our body and giggling. What do you think? Jill: I agree… sort of. Definitely we have th... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2657853 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:54:37 +0100 2657853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602268&cid=t_103497_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FoUNA-lGDzKM%2F Here is a common problem that businesses face during a recession… providing cell phones for employees is expensive. When the budget gets cut, cell phones must go. So how does a business get in touch with its mobile and off site users when cell phones are not available? Hmmm 1. You can ask the employee to give you their private cell number (good luck) 2. You can email them and hope they get the message (maybe hours later) 3. You can provide pagers at a lower cost than phones (still an ongoing cost) 4. You can call the remote office or site and leave messages (if they check in) 5. You can have them call in at predetermined times from other offices (lol) As you can see, many businesses find themselves in a real communication dilemma. In our modern fast-paced world things need to happ... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602268 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:48:51 +0100 2602268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365302&cid=t_103497_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fplease-dont-ask-me-how-i-feel%2F Unfortunately, as far as I know, there is no rule book or manual on how healthy people should treat others who have chronic illness. I know it’s difficult for those who love us to see us suffer and live altered lives. I know they “mean well,” but come on. It really becomes irksome, tiring and aggravating. You’re allowed to ask me that question if you’re my husband, my daughter, one of my two sons named Jeff (son-in-law included) or one of my physicians. I find that, “How’re you feeling?” is the opening line of most of my conversations with well-meaning friends, acquaintances and even some more distant family members. I grow tired of answering. I’m fatigued from the repetition. I’m weary of the sense of expectation that accompanies each question about my health. I know I... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365302 Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:24:46 +0100 2365302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2276175&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Freciprocal-exchange-scripted-yet.html For the longest time imaginable, we have been trying to extract reciprocal conversations with our boys. We started off small, but gradually as they grew and learned, more has been forthcoming. I can still remember the ‘game’ that we invented. Coloured paper coins had different letters on them:-Q for questionS for statementC for commentP for praiseWe gave them each half a dozen. They had to use them all up before they were permitted to escape. Escape was the reinforcing positive reward. Oh how stilted it all was. Oh how frustrating. Oh how many times I had to cut out more coins as they were crushed, screwed up and hurled. They grasped the basics. They knew what was expected but it was hard. It was difficult. It was unrewarding for them, just one more chore to add to the never ending lis... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2276175 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 06:59:00 +0100 2276175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258163&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F12%2Femotional-payoffs-finally-revealed%2F Alright, so I teased you a bit on the first post of this topic. You probably thought you were going to hear all about these so-called “emotional payoffs” I keep talking about. Well, here I will get to the “rest of the story.” Just a caveat, this whole self-awareness thing can be kind of dicey. Be careful what you ask because you might get answers that make you uncomfortable. If you see yourself in these descriptions, try not to soak it up too strongly all at once. Just make a note of it and read on through the end. Keep in mind that the first post referred to your special someone becoming disinterested in a night out with you. We will now look at the emotional possibilities with this conflict. Angry and vocal - This brings the confrontation to a head quickly. The p... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258163 Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:18:49 +0100 2258163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2232835&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F03%2Fhow-was-your-day.html At school pick up we all experience variations on a theme. One child talks non-stop without drawing breath. Another is taciturn but otherwise chirpy. Still other’s are silent and may well have been silent all day. How do we encourage our children to converse? How do we ensure that the channels of communication remain open, not just now when they’re little, but for the future and those doom laden Middle School years?How do you coax and encourage quiet and non-verbal children to converse?Non-verbal is a term that causes a great deal of confusion to many. Surely the non-verbal child is one who does not speak? Whilst this would be a logical conclusion, it would be very far from the clinical truth. This is in part because 'non-verbal' is a liquid term, a shorthand that covers a wide spectru... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2232835 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:56:00 +0100 2232835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709110&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F08%2Fwhen-aspies-meet.html So, our first full day in Yellowstone Park we went to visit Old Faithful geyser. We hung around for the 35 minutes or so until the next eruption, and secured ourself a front row seat so the kids would get a good view. Afterwards, when asked how he liked it Buddy Boy replied "I thought it would be bigger". He had seen it in videos before we left, and evidently a 100 foot (30 odd meters) tall plume of water with steam in person didn't measure up to what he thought he saw in the video. But still he liked it, and wanted to stick around until the next eruption.We started walking around the large boardwalk that is in the general area of Old Faithful, and leads to a number of hot springs and other geyers. While we were walking, we passed another family group who had one young boy who was perhaps ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709110 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:42:00 +0100 1709110 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1622285&cid=t_103497_137_f&fid=35371&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthecaregiver.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F07%2Ffamily-conversation-with-older-drivers.html When the time comes for the elderly to stop driving they will do so only after "kicking and screaming all the way. If you find yourself in the position where you need to ask them to stop driving it will be one of the most difficult conversations you will ever face. Here are some tips on the following pages. Preparing for a conversationSuccessful family conversations begin with good preparation and caring communication. With sensitivity toward the feelings of older drivers, families can help the older driver make safe driving decisions and ensure peace of mind for the entire family.Start EarlyIf you start early you might find that convincing the person is easier over time.Ideally, the first conversations about safe driving should occur long before driving becomes a problem. Early, occasiona... CareGiver, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1622285 Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:00:00 +0100 1622285 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1546666&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fconversation.html photo credit-antony_mayfieldcreative commons licenseSo, we were all sitting and watching a video tonight from the library about slavery during the 1600's in America. It was really well done, and quite fascinating. Did you know that during this time period 20% of the population of New York was African-American? And that Carolina had twice as many slaves as there were whites? I never saw any of that in my history books in school.Buddy Boy was doing what he usually does, which is add his own running commentary (actually, it's more like interjecting facts he knows-or thinks he knows-about the subject). At one point he says "Mom, I have to tell you what I was going to tell you about before". "Can it wait?" Liz asked. "No, I need to tell you right now." "Is this something I won't like?" (we've b... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1546666 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:21:00 +0100 1546666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1466310&cid=t_103497_151_f&fid=35793&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thejunkyswife.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fcommunication-meltdown.html "Are you mad at me?" he asked.No. I thought you were mad at me."But you just came home and went in the bedroom and didn't even say hi. I thought you must be mad at me, so I left you alone."That's not what happened at all! I came home, and you made a nasty face at me. I went in the room because I thought you were being pissy about something, and I left you alone."So you're not mad at me?"No..."Not at all?"I've been worried about you, kind of. You're distant and needy at the same time. You're obsessing about things. It's really, you know, addicty."You think I'm using?"I didn't say that..."I'm not."OK."You don't believe me."I don't believe you or not believe you. I can't listen to words you say about using or not using anymore. It doesn't serve me."I wouldn't lie about it now."Yes, you would.... Heroin Addiction Codependence blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1466310 Sat, 24 May 2008 05:12:00 +0100 1466310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1538750&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Fvideo-why-autistic-people-dont-look-into-eyes%2F This is a great video created by someone with Autism on why Autistic people do not look into peoples eyes.  It shows that even though we may be looking at your shirt, or your mouth, or something behind you - we are still processing and comprehending what you are saying. (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1538750 Tue, 20 May 2008 22:14:58 +0100 1538750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1450398&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F292877359%2Ftwo_words_to_win_brainpower_co.html  We need two hot words that showcase brainpower in action at work. There’ll be a draw to celebrate the book’s release of The Age of Conversation 2008 in August.  And for two words … you could be the winner of my 2005 book on brainpower … at Pearson Publishers. Catch Ryan Barrett’s prepublication excitement of snippets from the upcoming book The Age of Conversation 2008. Then toss back two words that inspire more brains in business. If you did not write a chapter in the book … check out highlights from somebody who did. Then toss two words into the winner’s circle for our big draw. Ryan’s been cataloging book excerpts here. Check what authors’ highlighted and then toss in your own brain related inspiration. It’s a... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1450398 Sun, 18 May 2008 15:12:54 +0100 1450398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1403019&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F279052519%2Fno_significance_from_online_co.html Skeptics said that online writers would never make much difference from what they post. Too many voices … too little organization … too many raw talents … too few experts…. Have you heard the buzz? Do you believe it? Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton organized a new book, The Age of Conversation: Why Don't People Get It … to prove the significance of online conversations. How will it happen?  Soon 275 authors … plan to flood the global business community … with articles that will revolutionize business in ways many skeptics only dream of.Know any of the book’s contributors? Adam Crowe, Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maiers, Ann Handley, Anna Fa... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1403019 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:22:37 +0100 1403019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1369752&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F269642131%2Fwant_a_winning_business_idea.html Want winning ideas to lead innovations, market, or sell?  See any advantages of tapping into hidden or unused intelligences? Ready to rejuvenate your organization?Here’s a chance to gain keys from business  professionals around the world. Drew McLellan and Gavin Heaton organized a new book, The Age of Conversation: Why Don't People Get It.You’ll be able to converse with authors online also! The Age of Conversation: Why Don't People Get links to each author’s blog. Here are the 275 authors … gearing up to engage a global business community on topics that will grow your business in ways many firms only dream of. Adam Crowe, Adrian Ho, Aki Spicer, Alex Henault, Amy Jussel, Andrew Odom, Andy Nulman, Andy Sernovitz, Andy Whitlock, Angela Maie... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1369752 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 22:41:14 +0100 1369752 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1332544&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Ffinely-tuned-communication.html Broadly speaking I am outnumbered. All too frequently I make the mistake of dealing with three conversations simultaneously and lose the thread completely. Generally speaking, I find it more efficient to complete one conversation first and back track later to pick up other threads. I like to think of it as my anti-unraveling campaign.The latest crop of ditties that the boys have acquired is rather disconcerting. What is even more disconcerting is the hilarity that accompanies each one. I find it increasingly difficult to concentrate on anything at all in the whirlpool of laughter. The fact that it is also reciprocal and infectious makes it hard to keep a straight face for more serious conversations. “Come along now, it’s time to put away your clothes.”“Time? What time it is being?�... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1332544 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:34:00 +0100 1332544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1909210&cid=t_103497_177_f&fid=38133&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FTubalReversalBlog%2F%7E3%2F286469501%2Ftubal-reversal-specialist-start.html After my first meeting with Dr. Berger, I drove home and was ecstatic our conversation went so well. I did not know what to expect when I first visited the center but my visit was everything I could have hoped for. Immediately when I got home I told my wife about my experience. I had never told [...] (Source: Tubal Reversal Blog) Tubal Reversal Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1909210 Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:32:29 +0100 1909210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1192918&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F226790569%2Fcalling_writers_together.html You could help the age of conversation to become even bigger and better! How so?Drew McLellan's calling all authors – to write a chapter that will help exceed last year’s Age of Conversation!Drew and Gavin Heaton are positioned at the helm, to create a bigger and better book. Along with these fine leaders, I'm looking forward to the wisdom compiled by many diverse bloggers out there. Gavin's laid out  a "Carnival of Content" and you  can Read about Age of Conversation's creation for the details.If you’re interested in joining the team of writers e-mail Drew at his site and simply say you're in. Expect more details in a week or so --You’ll also find many terrific writers there … like Dr. Robyn McMaster … who&rsquo... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1192918 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:07:57 +0100 1192918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1154039&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35124&url=http%3A%2F%2Faspie-bird.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fblog-9-of-365-what-i-said-in-parliament.html What happened this week. Well, as you might notice, I did not find the discipline to blog every day. Main reason is lack of time. UHHH?? No job? No time?? Yes, I do travel a lot and I spent a reasonable amount of time refreshing my social contacts offline. However the every-day-a-blog promise is always on my mind. Sometimes pictures say more than text.The talk in parliament was a reasonable one. It was the kind of talk without really some structure. I could not listen 1000%. I interrupted the man sometimes. Nerves I guess.I said almost everything I wanted. It is easier to be critical about politics being outside the building of parliament then when sitting in a comfortable office chair!In case of silence or being not understandable I gave the man some papers with the things I wanted to say... The Art of Being Asperger Woman blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1154039 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 08:54:00 +0100 1154039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1088774&cid=t_103497_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2007%2F12%2F11%2Ftips-for-breaking-the-ice-at-holiday-gatherings%2F Time to relax, put your feet up, destress, and have a good bellylaugh!!!!!! Redneck Pick-Up Lines….. 1) Did you fart? Cuz you blew me away. 2) Are yer parents retarded? Cuz ya sure are special. 3) My Love fer you is like diarrhea. I can’t hold it in. 4) Do you have a library card? Cuz I’d like to sign you out. 5) Is there a mirror in yer pants? Cuz I can see myself in em. 6) If you wuz a tree and I wuz a Squirrel, I’d store my nuts in yer hole. 7) You might not be the best lookin girl here, but beauty’s only a light switch away. Man:-’Fat Penguin!’ Woman:-’WHAT?’ Man:-’I just wanted to say something that would break the ice.’ 9) I know I’m not no Fred Flintstone, but I bet I can make yer bed-rock. 10) I can’t fi... bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1088774 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 03:51:07 +0100 1088774 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1001666&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.autismvox.com%2Fthoughts-on-acceptance-and-cure%2F From ???Autistics’: We don’t want a cure, in the November 3rd Globe and Mail, some thoughtful views on a topic often under discussion here.: Some neuroscientists theorize that autism starts with a genetic glitch that skews the connections in the brain over time, improving some, but disabling others. If so, science may find a way to jump-start the stalled connections, possibly with drugs, without snipping the improved wiring. ???My hope is that we can find a way to have our cake and eat it too,??? Cornell University neuroscientist Matthew Belmonte says. ???That is, we can preserve those unique and very productive perceptual and attention capacities, but combine a way to share those gifts with the broader social world.??? Dr. Belmonte, who has a brother with autism, compares it t... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1001666 Sat, 03 Nov 2007 05:23:25 +0100 1001666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=889634&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Finterpreting-social-cues.html A while back there was a popular programme on the telly. It was called "A very peculiar practice." The main theme, for me at least, was the inability of the main character to decipher what was going on under his nose.When I speak to someone for the first time, I inevitably ensure that I am at my most polite. Polite, the British version, differs from other cultures. More often than not, in America of all places, this is not a helpful mode of communication. My son plagues me, “is it nine?”“Look at the timer dear, 19 minutes to go.”“It is a rule?”“Yes, it’s rude to telephone people before 9 at the weekend, it’s a rule.” He searches my face for a hint of deception.The key to conducting a successful telephone conversation, is the ability to tune into the timbre of the other ... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=889634 Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:37:00 +0100 889634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=873785&cid=t_103497_137_f&fid=35352&url=http%3A%2F%2Fyellowwallpaper.net%2Fblog1%2F2007%2F09%2F15%2Faid-attendance-pt-5%2F I finally got the thick envelope from the Veterans Administration, and I felt like a high school senior, trying to guess the contents before opening it. The VA awarded my mother the full Aid & Attendance benefit, retroactive to the end of Dec. 2006.  Whew.  BUT because she has Alzheimer’s, they will designate her as “incompetent”, which means they will appoint a fiduciary–another delay before we get any money. They refused to consider my legal power of attorney when I first applied for the benefits, so I had my mother sign the application, even though she understood only broadly what she was signing.  My only alternative was to go to court and get guardianship of her, which would have taken too much time.  I understand from reading VeteranAid.org (I could N... The Yellow Wallpaper blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=873785 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 13:34:27 +0100 873785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=797211&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F143702341%2F5_setps_to_civility_in_larry_k.html While I am not a TV person, nevertheless,  whenever I get the chance I tune into CNN for the Larry King Live show. Larry holds the kind of fireside chat that rarely happens with people,  and luckily CNN turns on cameras to share stress free conversations that are both interesting and informative. Even in professional lounges – where compelling ideas emerge and where many could add value  – poor tone tends to pop up and rob any chance of holding hot topics to  the rainbow for another look.Not with Larry King – who tends to ask 2-footed questions that include a person's humanity as much as the topic they speak to. Five common mistakes that prevent civility in most controversial conversations, offer insight opportunities to Larry. Commo... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=797211 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:12:05 +0100 797211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=735605&cid=t_103497_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F133963101%2F10_reasons_paris_still_tops_wa.html Paris Hilton peers back from every screen you open lately, and I’m not sure if this helps or hurts the young Hilton magnate. My question, though, is … Why so much appeal for Paris Hilton, and what makes her a household name at almost any workplace?Interestingly, people like Paris often appeal to the human brain’s sense of …. 1. Curiosity… Can life so rich in money - bring riches in other areas?2. Talents … Does a privileged life mean more time for talent development?3. Frustration … Will supportive people rally around a famous young celebrity?4. Deprivation … Do deprivations like sleep loss mean the same to you and me as it means to Paris?5. Inspiration … Can simple pleasures from music ... say ... also rewire changes in Hil... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=735605 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 18:52:48 +0100 735605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=734865&cid=t_103497_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2F133693101%2F Neil asks the question. Nodalpoint has a wiki. As Bill says in the first comment an open science discussion should not be centralized. One of the beauties of the web is to keep things distributed. Via aggregators, search, trackbacks, etc, we have the capability to monitor all this discussion. The nodalpoint wiki should be just one of the places where open science is discussed, and it might just become THE place to do so. Technorati Tags: Open Science, Wiki, Conversation (Source: business|bytes|genes|molecules) business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=734865 Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:17:52 +0100 734865 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=637963&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fchild-whisperer.html photo credit-shutterblogThere's an acquaintance of mine that lives in the Seattle area (I'll call him Ed). He lived in Asia for several years, then moved back to the states. His wife and he ended up divorcing, and his two sons lived with him. They were still pre-teens/early teens, and the divorce was as hard (or harder) on them as it was on him.Ed is a counselor by training and profession, and after the divorce had problems with his own two kids acting out. He related to me once how every night when they were sleeping he would sit by their bedsides and whisper softly to them. He would tell them how much he loved them, and talk positively about some aspect of each child each day. He said there's no way of telling if this ever influenced them, but gradually they all got better.Something abou... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=637963 Sat, 26 May 2007 03:47:00 +0100 637963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=638283&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fmere-fly-on-wall.html Warning – ear wigging is dangerous [probably offensive] One year ago......A few years ago, I began to understand the camaraderie of parents, especially mothers with children on the spectrum. Initially I had thought I was the only person on the planet………then I learned that there were so many other people in a similar floatation device.I sit in the waiting room at occupational therapy. Two mothers are in mid discussion. The terminology they use, indicates that they are up with the hunt. [translation = done their research] I try not to listen as they chat with each other, but there is only 3 feet of carpet tiles between us.“So what’s his Rx, if you don’t mind me asking?” [translation = diagnoses]“Not at all. He has sensory integration disorder and dysgraphia…..of course!�... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=638283 Fri, 25 May 2007 02:51:00 +0100 638283 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=515948&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fcome-in-number-2-your-time-is-up-more.html Well most of them are, aren’t they? All those discrete tasks and skills that you need to teach your autistic child, depending upon how low your ‘patience battery’ runs. Mine is always on ‘recharge now to avoid losing all data.’ To be fair, we are on far more advanced skills than we once were, but seeing the dots and connecting them, would appear to be two separate tasks. ‘Your mission, should you care to take it….’ is to connect the dots.Let’s face it, teaching "social skills" to autistic children is not easy. I’m not talking about P’s and Q’s, nor which knife to use in which order. If only it were that simple. I’d happily teach a course in the art of using finger bowls or sugar tongs, over my present workload. No, we’re talking about the often intangible recipr... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=515948 Sun, 01 Apr 2007 22:54:00 +0100 515948 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=508378&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35098&url=http%3A%2F%2Fclub166.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fspeaking-of-magma.html Today we celebrated Sweet Pea's 5th birthday. She's been looking forward to this for weeks. We've been counting down the days. My daughter has enough exuberance for the whole family. She gets excited over the most ordinary things. So when things out of the ordinary happen, she's over the top. Yesterday she says "Tomorrow's my birthday, everybody's going to be there, and I'll get to have CAKE! and ICE CREAM!, and PRESENTS!!!" I didn't think she'd ever get to sleep last night.Rather than have a large kids party, we went with a fairly sedate celebration with just family (immediate family, aunt, uncle, and one great aunt). She wasn't sure what kind of theme she wanted for her party, but just said "Just so it's not BOY stuff." So we went with butterflies and flowers (all over the walls, with so... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=508378 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 04:05:00 +0100 508378 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=504400&cid=t_103497_133_f&fid=35090&url=http%3A%2F%2Faspiehomeeducation.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Fconversations_27.html Dad's been here today, chatting with DJ. They've been talking about:Possible Iron Age Defences at Minchinhampton and Rodborough nr Stroud - includes unrecorded possible ditches / ramparts visible on groundBeckford's Tower - William BeckfordCivil War and the Battle of Landsdown 1643How bureaucracy is a form of social controlHow the history of England is largely the history of class struggle.Social Philosophy: Durkheim, Weber; Engels; HobbesLater on we watched a documentary about the Macedonians and learned about Philip II 359-336 BC and Alexander III (the Great) 336-323 BC. Click here for a time-line tracing Alexander's conquests on an animated map.Today's QuotesIt is not wisdom but Authority that makes a law. - HobbesThe state is nothing but an instrument of oppression of one class by anot... Aspie Home-Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=504400 Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:59:00 +0100 504400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=480945&cid=t_103497_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F18%2Fsunday-seven-seven-ways-to-help%2F Filed under: All Cancers, Sunday SevenMy friend -- who has a friend newly diagnosed with brain cancer -- greeted me at the door the other day and asked with a sense of urgency, "How can I help?" "Help your friend?" I asked."Yes, she said, unsure of what she might say or do in this time of great difficulty for everyone involved.I told her a few things. And then I thought of some more. It wasn't terribly easy to come up with these ideas. Because even though I myself was on the receiving end of help during my cancer journey, it's still hard to imagine what an individual wants or needs -- or doesn't want or need. But here's what I've got to offer. I hope this helps my friend. I hope it helps you too. Allow your loved one to take the lead. If you sense this person wants to talk, then talk. I... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=480945 Sun, 18 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 480945