Strong performances in fragile Menagerie
On the surface, it would seem that Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie is out of step with our modern, take-charge, do-it-yourself times.A young woman, suffering from a permanent limp, lives like a hot house plant in a self-made purgatory. Meanwhile, her mother sees men as walking financial plans. Isn’t that sexist?Tom, the soon-to-be-prodigal son, seems like a stereotype... READ MORE
Exploring Beijing and its many attractions
Beijing’s ultra-modern cityscape, including the angular headquarters for China Central Television at the back left of the photo, contrasts with the more than 900 traditional, pagoda-like buildings of the Forbidden City, which dates back to the 14th century. Beijing, with a population of more than 21 million, is China’s second-largest city.Photo by ESB ProfessionalIf you’ve ... READ MORE
FAQs about Medicare: Filling the gaps
Every day, my in-box is filled with questions from readers about the nuances of Medicare. The following frequently asked questions concerning signing up or changing your coverage will help you navigate the system and deal with tricky issues.Q: Why do I need Medigap insurance?A: Even with Medicare, you still have to pay deductibles and co-payments. Most people buy... READ MORE
Hospitals can treat pain without opioids
A car crash shattered Stuart Anders’ thigh, leaving pieces of bone sticking through his skin. Yet Anders begged emergency room doctors not to give him powerful opioid painkillers.He’d been addicted once before and panicked at the thought of relapsing. “I can’t lose what I worked for,” he said.The nation’s opioid crisis is forcing hospitals to begin... READ MORE
‘Camp’ pumps up music lovers
Marie Celano, of Clarksville, was a newcomer to the Piano at Peabody program this summer. The intensive one-week “piano camp” for adults brings together experienced and beginning pianists for a full slate of daily music lectures, master classes, classical and jazz recitals and performances. But most of all, it forges a community spirit among the participants, some of whom have... READ MORE
Speech may be first clue to mental decline
Your speech may, um, help reveal if you’re, uh...developing thinking problems. More pauses, filler words and other verbal changes might be an early sign of mental decline, which can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, a study suggests.Researchers had people describe a picture they were shown in taped sessions two years apart. Those with early-stage mild cognitive impairment slid much... READ MORE
Avoid spinning out of control with vertigo
Vertigo isn’t just a catchy song by the band U2, or a famous movie by Alfred Hitchcock. It’s also a common symptom that has multiple potential causes.Although most people think that vertigo has to involve a spinning sensation, vertigo is actually the sensation that one is moving or that one’s surroundings are moving in the absence of any actual movement.A balancing actTo... READ MORE
Chicago helped give us national anthem
Before every baseball game the crowd is asked to stand and “gentlemen” are reminded to remove their caps for the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Fans who can recite the words as easily as the alphabet will sing or listen to the story of a flag that continued to wave throughout one of the most famous battles in American history.What they may not know is that... READ MORE
Sondheim at Signature is musical magic
The best theater creates a sort of air-tight chamber in which you are totally isolated from the world of reality. Indeed, your only “reality” for a time is the world conjured up before you, enveloping you with words, the music, in this case, and the physical aura of the actors.Those elements combine with the skill and technical expertise of artists and craftspeople to release... READ MORE
Interages brings the generations together
In the 1980s, Austin Heyman knew that something had to be done to improve the sometimes rocky relationship between the older and younger generations.“Somebody brought to my attention an article about intergenerational connections,” Heyman recalled. “Since I’d worked a lot with schools and kids’ issues, I thought that it would be beneficial to have those... READ MORE
