Are you one of those folks who tells people that you can get by with sleeping, say, a mere four hours a night? I’ve always envied people like that. I’m the south to their north—a polar opposite. I need double that amount of sleep. I’ve always assumed—or maybe once was told—that it is due to my slow metabolism. Or maybe I’m just boringly normal sleepwise. Or maybe I’m just wed to my bed and struggle to divorce myself from it each a.m. The academic studies we hear about every so often on the ...

Since decorating mistakes can be very costly and time consuming, I always urge my clients to do their homework before undertaking any redecorating project. What kind of homework?  A good way to begin is to flip through design and decorating magazines, and visit websites dedicated to interior décor. Start collecting pictures of various design products and styles that appeal to you and you can visualize as your own.  Once you start identifying colors, designs, and various furnishings that illustrate your dream room, ...

Now that it is officially fall, wherever I go I am in search of that great cup of coffee.  It just seems fitting that as the days grow shorter and cooler, the leaves change and we start to bundle up, a steaming cup of coffee is really like an accessory. Coat, check; hat, check; scarf, check; gloves, check; and coffee cup in hand, check. All set to face the day. Full disclosure: I am addicted to Starbucks. But not for coffee really, for chai tea, green tea lemonade, even the new-ish strawberry acai refresher. That one I would probably like ...

Dear Dr. Linda, We have a daughter in 11th grade and a son in 8th. We met with their teachers at an open house and were told that they’re both great kids and are doing well. Of course, we didn’t get any more detail because it was Parent Open School Night. When we drove home, I told my husband that I don’t think they’re doing great. Intellectually, yes, but not emotionally. They are so stressed out every day that I think we may need to go to a psychologist or psychiatrist to figure out how to get their stress ...

Dana Stahl, a learning specialist and educational consultant, will address educational questions and concerns that parents may have regarding their children’s academic development and progress in school. Topics can center on such concerns as how to handle homework dilemmas or what questions to ask at a CSE meeting. Questions can range from “How best do parents advocate for their children?” to “How do parents interpret formal tests that have been administered?” to “Which schools and colleges are right for my ...

National Save for Retirement Week was observed Oct. 18 – 24 this year. And this week has some weight behind it, as it is recognized by the U.S. Senate for its importance in encouraging Americans to prepare themselves financially for retirement. Are you doing all you can? Many of your peers aren’t. About a third of working adults have no retirement savings or pension, according to a survey by the Federal Reserve. And more than half of workers report that the total value of their household’s savings and investments, ...

Massive, record-setting hurricanes have walloped Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and several Caribbean islands in recent weeks, causing untold damage from wind, rain and intense flooding. Puerto Rico is in ruins, as more than 3.5 million people fight for their physical and economic survival.  Are we beginning to reach a point where we might not be able to recover from a weather-related catastrophe?  Considering the ferocious strength of these storms, is climate change a factor and, if so, what can we do about it? ...

2 Hollowbrook Place, Cortlandt $550,000.00 This unique 3 family home boasts tremendous curb appeal with a stone and brick exterior. Each unit offers 2 spacious bedrooms, 1 updated full bath, updated kitchens, separate entrances and separate patios. Two of the three units have beautiful brick and stone fireplaces that create a warm and cozy atmosphere in the living rooms. There is plenty of backyard space for tenants to use and ample parking via 1 car attached garage, driveway, gravel parking lot on side of house. Additional unit used ...

Last week, just as I was musing on a topic to write about, there was breaking news in The New York Times about Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman, with his brother, of the Weinstein Co. Unknown to the general public (but well-known to many in Hollywood), he has led a 30-year career of routine sexual harassment of actresses and other women he employed, several of whom have sued him and successfully settled those cases against him.   Conservatives on social media met this news with glee. There’s been a solid two years ...

“Hello, hello,” I said, picking up the phone when I saw my husband’s number come up on my Caller ID. Nothing. “Hellllloooooooooo?” I said louder. “Can I have a tall, decaf, skim mocha Frappucino,” I heard my husband say. It sounded like he wasn’t talking directly into his phone, but rather from a galaxy far, far away. “HELLLLOOOOOO!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “HONEY, YOUR PHONE IS CALLING ME AGAIN!!” This, unfortunately, was not a new scenario. There ...

We spend so much time teaching our children not to bully one another and not to gossip, but all too often adults don’t practice what they preach, especially given the often toxic and viral nature of social media. Given the series of events last week regarding a disputed story involving the Somers girls and Yorktown boys lacrosse players, it seems that Somers school administrators were bullied into making premature statements. Many people are so quick to judge—and to judge publicly—without any deference to due process ...

Do you think a bunch of fiery balls of gas, millions of lightyears away from you, can influence whether the boy you have a crush on will be receptive to your advances? Do those same balls of burning gasses, depending on the Earth’s position in the solar system during your time and day of birth, determine if you are going to be a morning person or night person, or if you will have an analytical mind that’s good at figuring algebraic formulas versus a creative mind that can conjure up a catchy money-making pop song? If you do, I ...