Author's posts
Sep 06
National Read A Book Day
In another of the “Who Knew” Holidays… National Read A Book Day is observed annually on September 6th. Don’t keep it to yourself. Share the experience! Read aloud to anyone who will listen. Reading improves memory and concentration as well as reduces stress. Older adults who spend time reading show a slower cognitive …
Sep 01
Labor Day – First Monday in September
Labor Day was celebrated for the first time in New York City in 1882. It was originally celebrated on September 5th, but was moved to the first Monday in September in 1884. Labor Day started out as a state holiday, getting voted in by individual states. As the day gained popularity, Congress declared Labor …
Sep 01
It’s Labor Day Again!
The first Monday of every September is dedicated to the men and women who have labored to build this country. Through a time-honored tradition that has its roots in the coordinated efforts of the labor movement of the 1800s, we salute the American worker force. Labor Day was celebrated for the first time in New York …
Aug 31
Hurricanes!
All this talk about Hurricanes reminds me of Hurricane Carol which hit where we lived when I was a kid. At the time we lived in Pawcatuck, Connecticut, right on the line with Westerly, Rhode Island. Luckily, we also lived on a small hill. My Mom said “let’s go down and see the waves” …
Aug 25
Wizard of Oz Day
1939 ~ Dorothy embarked on a journey down the yellow brick road with a lion, a tin man and a scarecrow in the classic film “The Wizard of Oz.”
Aug 23
Anniversary of William Wallace’s Death in 1305
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in September 1297. He was appointed Guardian of Scotland and served until his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk in July 1298. In August 1305, Wallace was captured in Robroyston, near Glasgow, …
Jul 21
Happy Ice Cream Day!
National Ice Cream Day is observed each year on the 3rd Sunday in July and is a part of National Ice Cream Month. This day is a fun celebration enjoyed with a bowl, cup or cone filled with your favorite flavor of ice cream. Thousands of years ago, people in the Persian Empire would …
Jul 18
High School Memories
This is from one of those silly Facebook posts where they want you to copy and paste to share with your friends. I decided to take it a bit further and expand just a *bit*. Tell us about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the …
Jul 17
World Emoji Day
Another of those Who Knew holidays. World Emoji Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on July 17. The day is deemed a “global celebration of emoji” and is primarily celebrated online. Celebrated annually since 2014,[NBC reported that the day was Twitter’s top trending item on July 17 in 2015. Now before the emoji, …
Cushing’s
- 📅 What I'm Doing for Rare Disease DayEach and every day since 1987, I tell anyone who will listen about Cushing’s...
- ℹ️ Cushing's Disease BasicsCushing's Disease is a rare condition caused by excessive production of cortisol, a hormone essential for various bodily functions. It is a specific form of Cushing's Syndrome, where the overproduction of cortisol is due to a tumor in the pituitary gland. The condition affects 10 to 15 people per million each year, predominantly women between […]
- ✍️ Rare Disease Day 2026: MaryO, Pituitary/Adrenal Insufficiency/Kidney Cancer BioFor all of my early life, I was the good, compliant, patient. I took whatever pills the doctor prescribed, did whatever tests h/she (most always a HE) wrote for. Believed that whatever he said was the absolute truth. He had been to med school. He knew what was wrong with me even though he didn't live […]
- 📅 Today is Rare Disease DayToday is Rare Disease Day. Learn all about Cushing's Disease at http://www.cushings-help.com/
- 📰 Disease Remission and Surgical Outcomes of Endoscopic Transsphenoidal Surgery for Cushing Disease: A Single Center ExperienceTranssphenoidal surgery is the primary treatment for patients with Cushing disease (CD). This study assessed the surgical and endocrinologic outcomes of patients with CD following endoscopic pituitary surgery using strict biochemical criteria to guide surveillance in patients not achieving early remission.
- 📆 Save the Date: Menopause: new approach to management on Sunday February 22 2026 at 6 PMMenopause: new approach to management Theodore Friedman, MD, PhD will be giving a GoodHormoneHealth webinar on Menopause
- 📆 Save the Date: Pituitary Adenoma Education Da1 February 22 2026Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from Mayo Clinic specialists.
- 📰 BIPSS Diagnostic Method May Cause False Positive in Some Cases of Cyclic Cushing’s SyndromeA diagnostic technique called bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS), which measures the levels of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) produced by the pituitary gland, should only be used to diagnose cyclic Cushing’s syndrome patients during periods of cortisol excess, a case report shows. When it is used during a spontaneous remission period of cycling Cushing’s syndrome, this kind of sampling can lead […]
- 📰 Metabolomic Biomarkers in Urine of Cushing’s Syndrome PatientsCushing’s syndrome (CS) is a disease which results from excessive levels of cortisol in the human body. The disorder is associated with various signs and symptoms which are also common for the general population not suffering from compound hypersecretion. Thus, more sensitive and selective methods are required for the diagnosis of CS.
- ℹ️ Understanding Cortisol: The Stress Hormone ExplainedCortisol testing is not routinely done during medical check-ups, and there currently aren’t any at-home tests available to assess cortisol levels. Most healthcare providers only recommend testing for cortisol if there are symptoms indicative of conditions like Cushing’s syndrome.
Music and Local Events
- 🥁 March Forth/FourthToday would probably have been a better day for the Music Man post since it’s about marching forth on March Fourth.
- 📝 National Grammar DayNational Grammar Day is observed across the United States each year on March 4th. According to Global Language Monitor, the estimated number of words in the English language is 1,025,109. There is some controversy to that number, but it’s safe to say it is over a million.
- ☦️ Lenten Hymn and Devotion, Week 3Brian Stevenson, Pender UMC Director of Handbells and Ensembles, presents a series of hymn-based devotions at noon on Wednesdays during Lent. The Third Hymn-based Devotion is When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
- 🥁 The Music ManRemembering all the words is no small feat. I first started collecting records (yes, records!) of musicals when I was in high school in Springfield, MA. Our library had an outstanding record collection, but I could only check out one (or 2?) at a time. I would bring my record(s) home, and listen to them […]
- 🎹 A Parent’s Guide to Piano MaestroIt will be fun watching your child improve their piano skills all while having fun using Piano Maestro in lessons each week! As your child’s teacher (or YOUR teacher!), I’m looking forward to seeing the progress they will make when they start using it at home each day. This guide will help you understand how […]
- 🦓 Rare Disease DayThis day is more than a call to awareness; it's a global movement aimed at bridging the gap between isolation and community, despair and hope, challenges and solutions.
- 🎹 Technic Series: Scales and ArpeggiosAn arpeggio (it. /arˈpeddʒo/) is a musical technique where notes in a chord are played or sung in sequence, one after the other, rather than being played together like a chord. This word comes from the Italian word “arpeggiare”, which means “to play on a harp”. An alternative translation of this term is “broken chord”.
- ☦️ Lenten Hymn and Devotion, Week 2Brian Stevenson, Pender UMC Director of Handbells and Ensembles, presents a series of hymn-based devotions at noon on Wednesdays during Lent. The Second Hymn-based Devotion is Ah, Holy Jesus.
- 📚 Practice Pie: The Step-By-Step Guide To Helping Your Child Enjoy Their Music PracticeIn Practice Pie, I’ll teach you how to support your child in their musical journey. I can’t promise it will be as easy as pie (but then, is pie really easy?) but I can promise to make it quick and practical, with a little humour thrown in for good measure.
- 🥁 Fun with Music for Preschoolers, MondayStep into a world of giggles and song with “Fun with Music" at Pender! This is not just any music class – it's a journey through sound and imagination designed especially for preschoolers and their favorite grown-ups. Since 2013, Jim and Roberta Pont have been creating a space where tiny toes tap, and little voices […]