I noticed two things not so long ago, while I was working outside getting my yard ready for winter. First, all my neighbors had the same leaf blower. Did I buy the wrong one? Was there a Groupon I missed? The other thing I noticed is they were all putting their grills away, and that’s when I stopped feeling crazy for having the wrong leaf blower and started thinking they were crazy for not wanting to do some wintertime grilling.

Interest rates are at an all-time low. They have been ridiculously low for the past year and economists are not expecting them to increase anytime soon. Low interest rates have brought buyers into the real estate market, some of them first-time buyers.

Dr. Bombay from the ‘60s sitcom “Bewitched” treated his witch patients (and an occasional non-witch) with a combination of spells, miracle pills and other unconventional treatments. If that’s your reference point for non-mainstream medicine, it’s time to adjust your thinking. Sound therapy, biofeedback, hypnosis and other clinically tested therapies can be valuable tools for caregivers and patients, widening treatment options. The alternative has become mainstream.

Meaningful tidbits: Send a thank-you note… every day. For a year. Akron Urban League - meeting needs in trying times. Punches, kicks, spit and thanks - a reporter’s story. Cleveland Public Library bring the world to your doorstep. And meet Virginia Phillips, the artist behind our cover

While digital world intrusions and breaches affect us, unfortunately, they are outside our domain of control. We can’t control the security of the information stored at these government agencies and private companies. Should we then throw up our arms and give up? What can we do for something we have no control over?

Many of our parents come from a generation during which they relied solely on the doctor to understand, identify and quickly know the answers to our medical concerns. The patient-doctor exchange was primarily focused on the doctor’s input, while the patient rarely questioned or added additional information.