Why I Use An Electric Toothbrush

December 7, 2018
I thought I had always taken good care of my teeth. That included going to see my dentist twice a year to check for cavities and have my teeth cleaned by a hygienist. But a few years ago, after I decided to use Invisalign® to get my once-straight teeth re-straightened, I started to see a periodontist, a dentist who specializes in gums. My periodontist is Oscar Valenzuela. I see Oscar once a year and he takes measurements of the gum line on each of my teeth to determine if I have unusual recession of my gums. I know some recession is normal with age, but I learned that my over-zealous brushing technique actually caused additionally recession. I remember my first visit to him. “Do you floss your teeth?” I said, “Sometimes.” Then Continue Reading →

Thankful for Purple Pie

November 16, 2018

As we are now a week from Thanksgiving and finalizing exactly what we are going to cook and feast on for the holiday of thanks (myself included), I can’t help but share what I plan to serve for dessert at my Thanksgiving dinner. First, a little background. Obviously, I love vegetables. In fact, for a few Thanksgiving dinners in the last decade, I prepared and served more than 10 (yes, 10) different vegetable dishes. Admittedly, 10 was probably a bit much. In the last few years, my daughters, Alex and … Continue reading →

Leaving A Legacy – UCI Mind

November 10, 2018

This past Monday evening, my sister, Jackie, and I accompanied our mom, Frieda, to an event hosted by UCI MIND, the UC Irvine Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders. Attending this event were more than 150 people in the Orange County community—most of whom would definitely be considered “seniors” (that would be over 60 if you attend the movies). But, first, let me go back almost three years. My mom and I attended a talk at UCI, as part of a professional women’s weekend retreat. I had to attend … Continue reading →

Reacclimating to Work

November 2, 2018

Last week I wrote about my two-week vacation in Tuscany. What I didn’t mention was that a few days after returning, I left for a 10-day trip to Florida to attend two conferences. My challenge was reengaging at work without causing frustration for me and my coworkers after almost a month’s absence. If you work in an office or as part of a team, I’m guessing you have probably experienced this to some degree. You go on vacation and a lot of stuff happens while you’re gone. When you get … Continue reading →

What I Learned in Tuscany

October 27, 2018

I created my bucket list about 10 years ago. It has over 50 items on it. A lot of travel is on that list. So, when my longtime friend, Paula Lambert, founder of the Mozzarella Company in Dallas, invited me to join her on a seven-day culinary tour of Tuscany, I had to pause. I asked myself, “What am I waiting for?” I checked my calendar and found that the end of September fit my schedule perfectly. I took a deep breath and mailed her a deposit check. That was … Continue reading →