Health & Wellness

Gone to the Dogs

admin — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 06:21:00 -0600

Pali Boucher's life has literally gone to the dogs. Of course, you could say it began that way too.

Pali is the founder—and prime pup protector—of Rocket Dog Rescue, a San Francisco-based all-volunteer organization that saves dogs from overcrowded shelters, where they might be put to sleep, and finds them loving homes. She's known for taking on the hardest cases, dogs many would consider unadoptable because of their disabilities or behavioral or medical problems.

A Slice of Cheesecake

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:21:27 -0500

Natasha called. Her voice gave away what I already feared. "Mom, I'm drinking again." My 23-year-old daughter had finished a four-month rehabilitation program in San Diego three months earlier.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"In a hotel room. In Mission Bay," she said. "I have to go now." She was crying. I started crying too and hung up.

How I Stopped Drinking

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:20:37 -0500

Four years ago, in the dreary lull that comes with the new year, I was battling a familiar foe: depression. I'd gone into town to run a few errands, but the looming gray hills only added to my gloom.

I bought beer and put gas in the car. Squeezing the metal handle of the nozzle, I tried not to dwell on the parallel between a car's need for fuel and my dependency on alcohol.

Who I Am

mcherkezian — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:24:44 -0600

The winter light was fading as I sat in the office of my counselor Monty at a drug and alcohol rehab in rural Minnesota.

It was one of those cruel January days when the sky looks frozen. I was answering questions about my dad, who’d passed away when I was 15. Even now, in 1984, 19 years later, there was a part of me that was frozen too, locked in time.

Hard Road to Recovery

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:20:21 -0500

I have a supportive family, a terrific job and the peace of mind that comes with acting responsibly. My life wasn't always so manageable. Many people who know me professionally today don't know about my past, and for that reason I'll tell my story anonymously. For a long time it looked as if I'd never make it on my own, even as an adult. I was a slave to alcohol and amphetamines. I was convinced I would die an addict. But through all my unsuccessful attempts at staying sober, there was one incident that stayed with me, quietly and persistently giving me hope.

Smokey Robinson: Miracle Man

mcherkezian — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:58:44 -0500

For the past 50 years, his sweet voice and staggering talent have made him a beloved star.

But for Smokey Robinson, whose new album Time Flies When You're Having Fun will be released August 25, the journey wasn't always fun—or easy.

It was 1958 when he helped his friend and fellow Detroit native Berry Gordy found Motown, which in turn shaped popular music for generations to come.

Stars Above

admin — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:51:00 -0500

Thanksgiving Night, 1986. I pulled my Dodge Colt outside the low white Alcoholics Anonymous clubhouse, cracked the windows and gave my two-year-old English setter, Grey, a pat on the head. "Be good, girl. I'll be back in an hour and a half."

This Way to Pumpkin Pie

admin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:30:48 -0600

One thing we agreed on that crisp fall Sunday was that our supper had to be topped off with fresh, homemade pumpkin pie. It would be the only proper ending for the day we had in mind.

"Pumpkin pie is nonnegotiable," I said, laughing as we drove along a winding country road in the car we had rented back in New York City. We had come upstate to see the brilliant colors of the changing foliage, and we had not been disappointed.

Kicked the Habit

admin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:04:21 -0600

Accompanied by my four-year-old son, Eric, I was on my way to the store to buy a pack of cigarettes.

I knew I shouldn't be doing this. I was going through a rough time financially and could barely make ends meet, especially for bad habits such as cigarette smoking.

Still, I'd been a smoker for 13 years and could not stop.

As I drove into the store's parking lot, on impulse I turned to my son and blurted out, "Oh, Eric, do something to make me quit smoking!"

Reel Recovery

admin — Sun, 01 Oct 1989 07:46:00 -0500

By the summer of 1977, my heavy drinking had taken its toll. I was alone, and the only creature in the world that I cared about was my Burmese cat, Chocolate Mousse. One July day I had locked myself out of my apartment. The neighbor who helped me get in not only dried my boozy tears, but went on to tell me how his own life as an alcoholic had been filled with such blunders; and tragedy as well. When he finished, I agreed to go with him on Saturday to get help.