When conducting refugee health assessments, Michelle Smith, a nurse practitioner at the Community Health Center of Buffalo, sometimes notices jittery behavior, shaking legs and hair pulling. Her patients may not be reporting any signs of depression or anxiety, but their body language suggests it. You can view that theyre having trauma, she said. Theyre not able to express exactly what it is.

Ting Lee, a licensed mental health counselor in Buffalo, works with a range of clients, including those who are American-born and refugees around the world. The way that trauma is manifested is extremely different across the cultures, said Lee, who is from Singapore. Her Asian and Arab clients, she said, tend to externalize their symptoms by noting physical conditions such as, My back hurts, or I cant get out of bed. Sometimes, she added, her clients will see doctors who order an MRI, but then find no serious physical ailments, which then leads to a behavioral health referral.

On the opposite, Lee said, Cultures that identify with Abrahamic religions are very in touch with affect and emotion. Theyre able to say, I have no meaning. I'm unable to build a new home in the U.S. I have a lot of survivors guilt.

Gender differences play out here, too. One example: Research byDr. Isok Kim, an associate professor at the University at Buffalos School of Social Work, found a "pronounced" gender disparity in Karen refugees, who are an ethnic minority from Burma. The rate of alcohol use disorder for Karen men was 24%.

Read this article:
Three ways to help refugees and each other create a healthy path - Buffalo News

Written by Robby Berman on December 28, 2020 Fact checked by Anna Guildford, Ph.D.

A study of severe COVID-19 in the United Kingdom reveals the risk that healthcare workers take to help others.

A new study in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine examines the risks that essential and nonessential British workers will develop severe COVID-19.

It suggests that healthcare workers are seven times more likely to develop severe cases of COVID-19 than people with nonessential roles.

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment.

Although it makes sense that people who interact with COVID-19 patients are at greater risk, this is the first study to compare their risk of developing severe disease with that of other types of workers.

As the study authors conclude:

Our findings reinforce the need for adequate health and safety arrangements and provision of [personal protective equipment] for essential workers, especially in the health and social care sectors. The health and well-being of essential workers is critical to limiting the spread and managing the burden of global pandemics.

The researchers analyzed three sources of data:

The UK Biobank data allowed the researchers to track multiple factors that may be associated with the development of severe disease beyond ones occupation.

A total of 120,075 employees, aged 4964 years, were involved in the study. Black and Asian people, who are more likely to be essential workers, comprised nearly 3% of the group.

Around 32,127 employees, or 29% of the participants, were essential workers.

The team broke the healthcare workers category down further into:

For the purposes of the study, the researchers considered anyone with a hospital diagnosis of COVID-19 and anyone who died of the disease to have a severe case.

Of the total study group, 271 employees had severe COVID-19.

The healthcare workers category overall experienced an average of seven times as many severe cases as nonessential workers.

The study suggests that medical support staff are the most vulnerable. They were nine times more likely to develop severe disease than people in nonessential occupations.

People in the social care and education category had an 84% higher risk, while those providing social care were 2.5 times more likely to have a severe case of the disease.

Transport workers were twice as likely to get seriously ill as nonessential workers, and the risks for people in the other category, in general, were 60% higher.

The researchers analysis revealed a racial disparity in the likelihood of having a severe case of the disease. This parallels the racial imbalance in deaths from COVID-19.

Black and Asian essential workers were eight times as likely to have severe cases as white nonessential workers.

Black and Asian nonessential employees were three times more likely to have severe cases than their white counterparts.

In addition, their severe case rates were roughly equivalent to those that white essential workers experienced.

The researchers point out several limitations of their study. These include the following:

However, the study authors do point out that despite these issues, their conclusions are consistent with the findings of other COVID-19 research.

For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here.

Continue reading here:
Healthcare workers have 7 times the risk of severe COVID-19 - Medical News Today

TAUNTON After a difficult year, there's much to have learned about ourselves and our world. We spoke to Taunton leaders about their takeaways from 2020 and what they will carry with them into 2021.

"It was a year of uncertainty, true vulnerability and fundamental lessons about health and life. I became more vigilant of the world we live in and that this time that the 'lockdown'was a time to create a new narrative, a wake-up call. Life isnt a competition, but society has conformed many individuals to live for incentives and selfish rewards. Thats not working for us internally, locally, nationally and globally.

Self care is a priority not a privilege.Now more than ever, kids need love. Practice mindfulness, re-evaluate often, reform, learn and apply.

Life is filled with frustration, pain, loss, and unpredictable actions of others. You can't change that, but you can change what you allow in your space.You can have a seat at any table, if you work for it."

"The pandemic has taught us that there is much to be thankful for in our normal everyday lives that we may sometimes take for granted. Connection to friends, family, coworkers, and even the folks you just see in passing. Things can change in an instant, and we should take all of the opportunities we have to love, appreciateand give thanks for all that we have. We have also learned that it is vital for individuals and employers alike to be able to adapt to meet different circumstances while still being able to prioritize physical and mental health."

"In these unprecedented times, I have often been struck by how so many have selflessly stepped forward to help others, and the importance of those whose jobs have been deemed 'essential;'our health care and front-line public safety workers, our teachers, store employees and delivery drivers, among others.So to all those who have sacrificed to help their kids learn remotely, who have resorted to video or phone calls rather than face to face meetings with their loved ones, and our small business owners who have borne much of the brunt of our shutdowns.God bless us, everyone!'

"The greatest lesson Ill take from this year is that anything is possible when you work together and believe in one another. As weve all faced many unique challenges during these unprecedented times, Ive been so fortunate to witness firsthand the incredible amount of compassion, camaraderie and perseverance that is shared by our staff at Morton Hospital. Theyve united as one to provide exceptional care to those who needed us most this year, and they continue to inspire me every day. Im so proud of our team. We are #MortonStrong and we look forward to caring for our community in the New Year.We are in this together and together, anything is possible….#WeAreMorton"

"2020 has been a year of great challenges for the entire world. However, I can say that one of the things we were able to learn from all this is how to improve our family relationships, before it is too late. Enjoy life to the fullest and thank God for what we have. Many have lost everything they had and are in shelters, others are crying for loved ones, and many others in a financial crisis, but we need to move on.

Therefore, let's live it as if today were the last day,let's love our family and those around us with all our might, because we don't know how long they will last, andlet's love God above all things because he is a strong tower and help in times of crisis."

"I discovered the need for flexibility.The pandemic forced us to change the way we operate, but has not stopped the church from functioning.We are online more, observing precautions constantly and we learned to Zoom!

A crisis brings out the best and the worst in people.I am thankful for all who went beyond the call of duty. I have a strong sense that God has sustained me, and all of us, during 2020, and promises to walk with us into the New Year!"

"Like everyone else I have had to adjust to restrictions that 2020 has placed on my accustomed way of life. The pandemic has shown me what it feels like to be deprived of things I enjoy. Zoom connects me to family, friends, work and community. A reasonable accommodation but I miss the hugs.

I have learned to recognize the things over which I have control and not waste time trying to change what I cannot; to focus on the way I respond to the world that makes me happy; to appreciate what I already have and to take nothing for granted."

"2020 has certainly been a year of challenges. We've lost much and have plenty to grieve. We also worked together and learned much. Most importantly, we learned a new definition of 'essential.'Minimum wage workers who make sure we have food and other necessities; nurses, doctors and social workers who face overwhelming numbers needing life saving care; teachers who continue to re-invent education on the fly and so many others who help us get through our days with a bit of normalcy they put their health and safety at risk. Theirwork emerged as essential. We must remember their contributions and their sacrifices."

Link:
What Taunton's leaders have learned from 2020 that they'll carry into 2021 - Taunton Daily Gazette

Picture this: You dont want to cook, but youve spent a half-hour trying to decide which takeout food to order.

Now, you cant decide on which movie to watch. Instead of relaxing, youre stressing out.

If this sounds familiar, you might be suffering from decision fatigue, a kind of mental overload that comes from having to make too many choices too frequently.

All people, regardless of profession, are subject to decision fatigue, said Dr. Michael Wetter, PsyD, FAPA, a clinical psychologist with a private practice in Los Angeles and the director of psychology at UCLA Medical Centers division of adolescent and young adult medicine. It really depends on the number of stressors playing out in their life, the resources available to them to help manage those stressors, and the capacity to engage in appropriate self-care.

There has perhaps been no greater stressor than that of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has resulted in economic, health, political, and family-based stressors to almost everyone, Wetter said.

Its not simply that people are making more decisions. Its also that those decisions are resting on more uncertainty with more impactful consequences.

These days, those formerly uneventful decisions can include whether to go to the grocery store or attend a holiday party.

Making decisions that are based on rapidly shifting data sets, information that keeps changing, and the unpredictability of the nature of the pandemic has most certainly exacerbated peoples difficulty in making fluent and confident decisions, Wetter told Healthline.

Decision fatigue doesnt just complicate making decisions, but also making good ones.

Its very similar to the physical fatigue experienced after a long workout, said Dr. Rashmi Parmar, a child, adolescent, and adult psychiatrist with Community Psychiatry, a California outpatient mental health organization. Once it sets in, your brain will try to compensate by looking for a shortcut, either by making a hasty or impulsive choice or avoiding a choice altogether.

Those choices can have significant effects.

A 2011 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported that judges rates of favorable rulings dropped from around 65 percent to near 0 in court sessions preceding a lunch break. Then after lunch, it jumped back up to around 65 percent, and fell again by the end of the day.

In prepandemic life, most people dont have to make as many consequential decisions as a judge might on a daily basis, but the circumstances of COVID-19 have changed that.

A seemingly ordinary day in your life today requires you to make a series of decisions with every passing minute, Parmar told Healthline. With the uncertainty and chaos that set in earlier this year with the COVID-19 pandemic, people have been forced to make additional choices about their lifestyle and safety, which has added to the dilemma of decision fatigue.

She said, this has led to mental burnout earlier than anticipated in the day, further causing reduced functioning at work/home. Peoples overall stress levels have skyrocketed, leading to worsening mental health problems.

Among those worsening health problems are adjustment disorders, which are similar to symptoms of depression and anxiety but directly caused by having trouble adjusting to a new situation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly everyone had to adjust to a jarring new normal relatively quickly, leading to a kind of mental whiplash.

There were lots of adjustment disorders caused by the inconveniences and added stress of being under a kind of house arrest, said Charles Figley, PhD, founder of the Traumatology Institute at Tulane University in New Orleans and a professor in their School of Social Work. Stress is our signal to pay attention.

The condition is a preventable and treatable syndrome, fortunately, Figley told Healthline.

If youre feeling particularly anxious from the sudden shift, Figley said, you may talk with your doctor or a mental health professional.

Figley recommends following these steps to reduce decision fatigue and lessen adjustment disorders:

And if youre working from home, make sure to take breaks between meetings to clear your head.

Virtual calls and pandemic restrictions have altered some of our movement habits, Alison Henderson, a certified movement pattern analyst, told Healthline.

At the simplest level, we arent giving our brains the chance to task transition between meetings when we would usually move from office to office, she said. Our brains take that physical transition to clear thoughts from one meeting and begin to focus on the next. With stacked virtual meetings, we are ending one and starting the next with no physical transition for brains, and decision fatigue can set in.

Henderson suggests remote workers to walk around their house for a couple of minutes between meetings. This would help counter decision fatigue.

Change a load of laundry. Walk the dog. Run up and down the stairs a couple of times, she said.

Read this article:
COVID-19 Decision Fatigue: What It Is and How to Deal With It - Healthline

SOLON, Ohio -- As a trauma survivor who has battled self-esteem issues much of her life, Deborah Hallal Bradt has found that writing poetry has helped with her emotional health.

Now Bradt, of Solon, is sharing poems she has written over the past 40 years in an effort to help others who have struggled as she once did to know that they are not alone.

Her first book, Lay Me Down Among the Words: A Poetry Collection by a Trauma Survivor Whose Inner Voice Saved Her Life, was published in July.

The inner voice inside me kept saying, You can do this, Bradt said.

In my head there were two voices -- one telling me I was worthless and was never going to amount to anything, and the other voice was my connection to God and family and saying, Youre needed on this planet.

Because of the poems, I was able to take that positive voice and channel it into these words. When I would read these poems, I would feel my depression start to lift, because these poems are so close to my heart. Its about the authenticity.

Bradt said her poems are all about being real and authentic and loving yourself, even if you feel no one else does.

My poems are a way of processing my grief over things that have happened in my life, she said. I could read the poem and somehow feel a little more resilient, that I was loved and worthy and going to make it through.

Many of the poems were written in difficult moments. I felt that if I could share them, maybe I could inspire people to save their lives.

Bradt said the fact that the suicide rate is increasing -- and her belief that everybody deserves to have an amazing life -- also motivated her to publish the book.

If this book gives even one person a little bit of hope to love themselves in a new way, then it will have been worth it, she said.

The 97-page book also includes a few essays and some of her artwork, but its 85 percent poetry, Bradt said.

It was published by Balboa Press, a division of Hay House. Based in Bloomington, Ind., Balboa Press is a self-publishing company that specializes in self-help books with a positive message, according to its website.

The cover was designed by Andrew Sykaluk, a local graphic designer.

I worked on these poems a very long time, Bradt said. Im 48, and I have written poems (almost) every year of my life.

Because Im a writer and never published before, theyre from the last 40 years of my life, but most are from 1995 to the present.

Noting that her poems share a theme of resilience and unity and send out a message of hope, Bradt said it was important to her to have the book published in 2020.

I was hoping some readers would find it comforting in the midst of a pandemic, she said.

Nobody deserves to be bullied

A Cleveland native, Bradt grew up in Central Florida. Her parents divorced when she was 3. She is a rape survivor who has struggled with prejudice, bullying, depression, anorexia and chronic pain through much of her life.

Im Lebanese, and I was bullied very much and teased a lot when I was younger, she said. Nobody deserves to be bullied.

Bradt admitted that she was close to suicide a couple times.

In college, I had a terrible bout of anorexia and was very close to suicide; that was very difficult to get through, she said. I dont think I would have gotten through it if not for my faith and my writing.

They actually go together, and the writing seems to bring me closer to my source.

Bradt earned a bachelors degree in communications from Florida State University in Tallahassee. Her minor was writing, with a concentration in poetry.

In addition to writing poetry, Solon resident Deborah Hallal Bradt says painting helps her to process her emotions. One of her paintings is seen here in the background. (Photo courtesy of Deborah Hallal Bradt)

She said the title of her book was inspired by her final project in college, Lay Me Down Among the Words.

It was always my dream to make it into a book, she said. The first section of the book is almost entirely from that final project in college.

Every poem in the book is dedicated to someone or a group, Bradt said, including her son, Henry, 13. She said family is very important to her.

Bradt and her husband, Bill, an architect, moved to Solon from Cleveland Heights 7 years ago primarily so that Henry could attend Solon City Schools, she said. He is an eighth-grader at Solon Middle School.

Being a mother is the best job I have ever had, and I thank God every day for my precious son, Henry, she said. He is the most important person to me and closest to my heart.

Bradt, who was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about five years ago, said she has a special interest in those affected by chronic health conditions. But she added that her book was designed to reach a wide array of readers.

I tried my best to make (the book) a variety of poems that could touch peoples hearts and lives and spirits, she said. Families could read it together.

When you read something that touches your soul, it can change your life. I tried to put in there poems that could help shift peoples perceptions of themselves and see their world in a new way, because thats what the writing does for me.

One poem in the book, titled Can We Rise Up?, is dedicated to George Floyd, the Black man who was killed after a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes on Memorial Day in Minneapolis. The incident triggered a series of protests against police brutality across the country.

Its the last poem in the book and probably one of the most important poems Ive ever written, said Bradt, a social activist. When I wrote it, I literally had tears running down my face.

Its about how we need to rise above all that gets in the way of loving each other and find a way back to connecting. Theres just no reason to have violence, hatred or racism.

Bradt, who said she has a passion for teaching and the healing arts, is a registered yoga teacher who specializes in therapeutic yoga. She taught yoga for about 18 years and hopes to resume doing that in 2021.

A member of Church of the Resurrection, a Catholic church in Solon, Bradt is already focused on her next book, a memoir and self-help book that will feature poetry, as well. She expects that book to be published in early 2021.

While Bradts first book was dedicated to her father, David W. Hallal, who died in 2004, she wants to dedicate the second book to her stepfather, Martin Michael Gaydan, who died in July.

Lay Me Down Among the Words is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Balboa Press. It retails for $11.99 for the soft-cover edition, $28.95 for the hardcover book and $3.99 for the e-book.

Bradt said some proceeds from sales of the book will be donated to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, the Happy Buddha Precious Temple and Tian Ran Temple in Cleveland.

For more information about Bradt, visit her website, flyfreehealing.com.

Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun.

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Solon author hopes poetry book will inspire others to love themselves - cleveland.com

Sacramento Self-Help Housing (SSHH) is proud to present the 3rd Annual Housewarming for the Unhoused winter donation drive-thru at the Cal Expo main gate loop on Saturday, December 12, 2020, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The donation drive is presented by Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Sue Frost (District 4) and supported by ABC10, Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Sacramento City Councilmember Eric Guerra (District 6), Sacramento City Councilmember Vice Mayor Jeff Harris (District 3) and Sacramento Self-Help Housing Staff Member Ken Bennett.

To make it as safe and easy as possible for the community to participate, SSHH staff and dedicated volunteers will be on-hand to collect linens (such as blankets, single and double bed sheets and towels), small appliances (such as microwaves, toasters and coffee makers) and kitchenware to be distributed to hundreds of recently homeless individuals in Sacramento County.

Sacramento Self-Help Housing is a non-profit 501(c)3 agency dedicated to assist those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless to find and retain stable and affordable housing, which is more critical than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Sacramento Self-Help Housing organization is a leader in the housing first model of homelessness response by providing shared housing. Sacramento Self-Help Housing is partnering with Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance, the City of Sacramento and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency to move people off the streets or emergency shelters into permanent housing. SSHH also provides homeless outreach navigation in locations throughout the Sacramento area, and a Renters Helpline which includes the regions fair housing enforcement program to address illegal fair housing discrimination.

The Housewarming for the Unhoused needs list includes the following (new or gently used items only please):

Each donation, big or small, will go directly to furnishing a home for a recently homeless individual or family in our community. For more information about Sacramento Self-Help Housing, please call 916-341-0593 or visit http://www.sacselfhelp.org.

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Sac Self-Help Housing Invites the Community to Donate Items to Housewarming for the Unhoused Drive-Thru - The Sacramento Press

Traditions and gatherings look very different for many people this holiday season because of COVID-19.But a local nonprofit is working to make sure every Lowcountry family has a meal on the table this Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is such a meaningful holiday for so many. Its about family, its about coming together," says Kimberly Hall, Executive Director of Bluffton Self Help.This Thanksgiving, Bluffton Self Help is seeing an increase in clients like never before because of the COVID-19 pandemic.The need continues to rise right here in our community, and people that are coming through that have never really asked for help before, were here to serve them," says Hall.This week their volunteers hosted two drive-thru Thanksgiving meal giveaways making sure every family drives away with a turkey, potatoes and stuffing.All the food was donated by the community.In total, the nonprofit was able to serve 400 families.Providing this food is more than just putting food on the table, its really giving that sense of community, that sense of support," Hall says.Bluffton Self Help serves those who live and work in Bluffton, and the nonprofit encourages anyone in need to give them a call.We want to continue to make sure nobody in our community goes hungry or homeless and well be there for them," Hall adds. Bluffton Self Help will host more holiday food distributions and a toy drive next month.If youd like to donate or volunteer, click here.

Traditions and gatherings look very different for many people this holiday season because of COVID-19.

But a local nonprofit is working to make sure every Lowcountry family has a meal on the table this Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is such a meaningful holiday for so many. Its about family, its about coming together," says Kimberly Hall, Executive Director of Bluffton Self Help.

This Thanksgiving, Bluffton Self Help is seeing an increase in clients like never before because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The need continues to rise right here in our community, and people that are coming through that have never really asked for help before, were here to serve them," says Hall.

This week their volunteers hosted two drive-thru Thanksgiving meal giveaways making sure every family drives away with a turkey, potatoes and stuffing.

All the food was donated by the community.

In total, the nonprofit was able to serve 400 families.

Providing this food is more than just putting food on the table, its really giving that sense of community, that sense of support," Hall says.

Bluffton Self Help serves those who live and work in Bluffton, and the nonprofit encourages anyone in need to give them a call.

We want to continue to make sure nobody in our community goes hungry or homeless and well be there for them," Hall adds.

Bluffton Self Help will host more holiday food distributions and a toy drive next month.

If youd like to donate or volunteer, click here.

Go here to see the original:
Bluffton Self Helps gives 400 families a Thanksgiving dinner thanks to generous community donations - WJCL News

Spencer Tierney

Tools like spreadsheets and budgeting apps can help you get better at saving money. But you might need to look beyond hard numbers to get a full financial picture.

Your mental health, especially during a stressful period such as the current pandemic, can play a role in money decisions. Know that if youre dealing with a recurring mindset or behavior thats troubling and not fully manageable, its OK.

"Just identifying [mental] roadblocks can go a long way to reducing their impact," says Tara Tussing Unverzagt, founder and president of South Bay Financial Partners, a certified financial planner and a certified financial therapist.

Mental health issues vary, but some can lead to serious financial consequences. Here are three scenarios to watch out for and how to keep your mental health on track these days.

Splurging occasionally can be fun, and sometimes we feel better when we buy things we dont actually need.

"There is some point where you need to balance your financial goals with some need for immediate gratification, says Megan McCoy, director of the masters program for personal financial planning at Kansas State University, a licensed marriage and family therapist and a certified financial therapist.

More:
Your Mental Health Can Affect How You Save Money - Daily Journal Online

Posted on November 22, 2020 at 9:17 pm by West Sider

By Amelia Roth-Dishy

Fairway Markets flagship location on 75th Street and Broadway has installed a fleet of self-checkout kiosks and they are already a hot topic on the Upper West Side.

The machines, which were inaugurated on Tuesday in advance of the Thanksgiving shopping rush, have replaced the markets popular Express Lane, which purportedly expedited checkout for customers with 10 items or fewer (though the experience was often more akin to riding the 1 train than the 2/3.)

Reactions have been mixed. One Upper West Sider wrote to the Rag, This new system is bewildering and difficult! All around me customers were flummoxed, and the number of staff assigned to helping people check out added up to plenty of people who could be cashiers instead.

The self-checkout line was quite long on Sunday afternoon, snaking through the store and stretching beyond the entrance. Shoppers did not seem to realize that the lines for regular checkout, in aisles 7, 8, and 9, were still operative. Nonetheless, customers seemed generally satisfied with the new machines as they left the store.

It went very well, said Anne, a customer who used a kiosk to purchase a few items.

Another shopper who had just utilized self-checkout remarked to the Rag in passing, Its fine. Theyre very helpful.

You cant please everybody, Michael, an assistant store manager, said. Since we put it in, some people, theyre happy about it, they love it, and some people, they hate it, but its about technology today and we did this to try to speed up the process, he added, noting that at least 2,000 customers per day have utilized self-checkout since the machines were set up.

According to Michael, all Fairway locations have transitioned their express lanes to self-checkout lanes. They have no plans of automating the rest of the registers.

Norma Riccucci, an Upper West Sider who lives near the store, found the self-checkout transaction process to be smooth. My only concern is demand for labor going down, she said. How many people did you fire to put in these machines?

While many Fairway customers have approached Michael this week to ask the same question, he insisted that no employees lost their job as a result of the self-checkout transition. We didnt fire anybody, he said. That was not the intention behind all this. The checkers without stations now have other positions in the store, primarily in roles that support the functionality of the machines themselves. On any one shift, Michael said, we have at least three people to do override and to make the line flow smoothly.

Indeed, a number of employees roamed the lane and assisted shoppers with figuring out the new technology or conducting manual override for miscounted items.

Its making everybodys life easier, especially this week, obviously its Thanksgiving week, Michael said. We both, customers and us, are gonna benefit from self-checkout.

The Whole Foods location on 97th and Columbus Avenue also transitioned a number of their checkout stations to self-service kiosks in October as part of a company-wide initiative. The Rag has reached out to Whole Foods, which is now a subsidiary of Amazon, for comment.

Originally posted here:
Fairway's New Self-Checkout Kiosks are the Buzz of the Neighborhood; Some Approve While Others are 'Flummoxed' - westsiderag.com

Gucci Mane and Jeezy's Verzuz filled everyone with anxiety.

Verzuz is an online musical competition in which two rappers, singers or producers go back and forth to play each other's hits. Sure, there's a WWF element to the showmanship of the competition, but this was different. If other rappers had beef, these two had the filet mignon of disagreements (without going into too much detail, Gucci ended up killing one of Jeezy's friends in what was determined self-defense).

The public thought the event could end in a fight or get canceled because some beef is just too thick. Instead, the episode ended with the pair performing a song together and publicly squashing a feud that lasted 15 years.

Moments later, I peeped the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 30-year reunion special, and Will Smith had a sit down with Janet Hubert (AKA the O.G. Aunt Viv, infamously recast because Smith and her didn't get along).

Before they sat down, they hadn't spoken in 27 years. When they forgave each other and hugged it out, in between the tears (theirs and mine), I realized the power of Black healing, and I'm here for it, a sentiment that seems perfect for this week of Thanksgiving and the ensuing holiday season.

I grew up in a culture where the idea of "self care" didn't exist. Admitting to depression or seeing a therapist was always a faux pas. One of the few bright spots of 2020 is that our time spent alone at home has given us time to self-reflect, regardless of whether we wanted to.

As a result, I've had many friends from similar backgrounds talk to me about taking mental health seriously and seeking help. I even got my first mani-pedi this year, and it frickin' changed my life. If I told my father such a thing years ago, he would've looked at me as if I told him I wanted to be a professional balloon maker.

I think about these moments of healing as we approach the holidays because this years experience will be at odds with what were accustomed to. All of the things we get annoyed about with Thanksgiving are if we handle ourselves responsibly in response to the rona coming to halt.

No spades tournaments, no visits from the crazy cousin that everyone else in the family bonds over because of their mutual disdain, no styrofoam plates with aluminum foil, and no drunk uncles dropping conspiracy theories about the election.

I usually hate those moments, but being deprived of them makes me understand their importance and the importance of nurturing those relationships and not just seeing them once a year on the holidays. I extend that to those family members that you may have tension with (and somehow wait for Turkey Day to air your grievances like its Festivus Feats of Strength).

Solve these issues now. Float out an awkward I love you message to those relatives or even an unsolicited apology that they never thought they would get. 2020 has proven that with so many unknowns, its unwise to wait to squash family beef next year.

COVID numbers are soaring back up again, and I miss my family. I haven't given my mother or sister a hug since March. My sister has special needs and wants to greet her younger brother by grabbing him and GIVING an occasional fist bump. We've now resorted to air fist bumps and me stopping her when she's reaches with open arms. She doesn't understand what's going on, but she knows that things are different.

I'm not a fan of platitudes, mainly when used in moments that require more depth and understanding. But I want to offer love this holiday season. If there have been beefs in my life, I assure you that it's not coming from my direction, and I want to offer grace to anyone I may have had odds with over the years.

I've done my share of crying in 2020. I want next year to be the year of healing those wounds.

But I'll settle for hugging my family again.

Preach Jacobs is a musician, artist and activist and founder of Cola-Con and indie label Sounds Familiar Records. You can hear his podcasts and read more work at FightThePower.co.

Continue reading here:
Fight the Power: Squash your beef this holiday season - Charleston Post Courier