Just Like Riding a Bike: Turning Adversity into Opportunity
Originally published in Pure Inspiration, Summer 2009

Imagine this: You heat your oven to 375 degrees, the right temperature to bake a pumpkin pie. Then you sit in a chair next to the oven and pull down the very hot door. Still seated, you lift the pie pan full of liquid ingredients from the counter and then try to slide it onto the appropriate rack, from the side, without either burning yourself or sloshing the pie filling all over the place. Not very easy, is it?

Rosemarie Rossetti, who bakes a mean pumpkin pie, has become an expert at such maneuvers, and many others far more complicated. She had to. The beautiful house in Gahanna, Ohio, she shares with her husband, Mark Leder, was not built to accommodate wheelchair users like her. (see pdf here)

Ben Vereen: A Neon Sign for the Spirit
Originally published in Pure Inspiration, Winter 2009

Ben Vereen laughs a lot. It’s a rich, round, vibrant sound full of joy and wonder. That same vitality of spirit jumps out of his photos too—the gleam in his eyes, the beacon of a smile, the jaunty tilt of his head. Is this just a publicity pose or does he feel this way all the time?

“How can I put this?” the award-winning entertainer queries. “We have a choice.” He laughs again. “Depending on your day is how you will deal with that day. You could deal with it from the high ground, or you could keep yourself in the middle of the marsh and be battling with it. I like to stay on the high ground. That way, you can see all things clearly.” (see pdf here)

An Insidious Enemy: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Originally published in Veterans Affairs and Military Medicine, 2008-2009 Edition

The number of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) continues to mount and take its toll on warfighters in Iraq and Afghanistan. While severe TBIs took the spotlight in the beginning, mild TBIs (mTBIs), which affect far greater numbers, are finally beginning to receive the attention they deserve. (see pdf here)

Her Stroke of Insight: Interview with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor
Originally published in Science of Mind, October 2008

When brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D., realized she was having a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain, she had two reactions: “Oh my God, I’m having a stroke,” and “I’m having a stroke—how cool!” (continued)

Evolutionary Evangelist: Interview with Michael Dowd
Originally published in Science of Mind, September 2008

A Michael Dowd presentation on evolution is unlike any other talk on the subject. Complete with breathtaking photos of space from the Hubble telescope along with a drawing of our four-part brain labeled with animals representing “Lizard Legacy,” “Furry L’il Mammal,” “Monkey Mind,” and “Higher Porpoise,” Dowd’s lively lectures are proof that evolution can be understood in a way that bridges religious differences. Thousands of people across the country have heard and embraced his message, and his book, Thank God for Evolution! continues to spread the good word. (continued)

Many Shades of Green Luxury
Originally published in Steinway & Sons magazine, Summer 2008

Living in a luxurious home by no means precludes living in a green home. In fact, given the size of most luxury homes and the costs of maintaining, heating, and cooling thousands of square feet, it makes sense to go green.