Opinion

When your daughter's first and best loved dolly, the one named after a dearly departed family member, is just too decrepid and smelly to go on, there's only one way to dispose of it. Break out the little horned helmets: it's time for a Viking Dolly Funeral.

The Chinese have been swearing by it for centuries. Who's to say that acupuncture doesn't work? To this westerner exploring the medical mysteries of the east, the results are good enough to keep going back. From needles to the skin, to medicinal herbs taped directly to the ear, Monique finds that she is all for reordering the flow of her <i>Qi</i>.

Canning fruits and vegetables used to be a common practice. Is it still practical? Take a look at some of the pros and cons. After all, what other household task can you do just once or twice year and still reap the rewards all year long?

A mystery of health. Obesity and smoking cause heart disease, so why does an extremely fit non-smoker have a heart that's 20 percent dead? A personal account of the guesswork behind the science of health and fitness.

A good costume should be topical, relevant, witty and not too expensive. Don't worry about the good taste -- that's pretty much not a requirement.

Do you dream of fresh vegetables but have nowhere to grow them? No need to sneak into the neighbor's yard, simply follow these steps to create a container garden that will fit anywhere.

Marriage is a mysterious thing. A normal quirk in one partner can combine with a normal quirk in the other partner to create a synergistic insanity that outsiders find boggling.

<b>Gypsy's Guide to Good Living</b>: A final word of advice on the upcoming National Novel Writing Month. A few tips on researching help you get the information you need from the internet quickly, without losing valuable time surfing.

When a friend finds out she's going to undergo chemotherapy, Sand shaves her own head to show moral support. Hilarity ensues.

So you've decided to participate in NaNoWriMo and write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days! But as nice as it may sound, the odds of wrangling a month of no housework, no day job, no school and no interruptions is not part of the package. So how <i>will</i> you get it all done?

Who appreciates fine poetry any more? Your family definitely won't. Compromise with Clerihews: lose the "fine" and replace it with "fast" and "funny".

<b>Gypsy's Guide to Good Living:</b> How to make sure everyone eats when you're busy writing 50k words in 30 days for National Novel Writing Month.

Was the "Pirates of the Caribbean" a perfect tale? Analyze the elements to see what made this story such a success. Nonfiction,

Poetry should rhyme. It's the law, and anyone who says otherwise is a pinko communist.

<b>Gypsy's Guide to Good Living.</b> Have you ever longed for an oasis in your own home? With a little bit of creativity and frugality, you can create an oasis in your own home for less than $50.00.

"Why is pink considered a girl color and blue a boy color?" It's a little known fact that gender was invented in the 1930's to combat the Great Depression.

The job of a reference librarian is livelier than you might think. Some of the questions they receive in the course of the day are real, well...

Tell some drivers about common traffic laws and they'll look at you like a small weasel just poked its head out of your mouth and started speaking Mandarin Chinese.

Set on the eve of the first Women's Rights Convention, Miriam Grace Monfredo's Seneca Falls mystery series provides tales of murder and intrigue that are both historically accurate and satisfying, cozy "cold weather" reads.

A semi-true account of the first annual Piker Press Conference. After the business was taken care of, there was plenty of time to show everyone around the Valley. Home is always a lot more interesting when described by a writer.

Going to jail is for other people. Bad people. People with lots of tattoos who eat nails and do drugs. But have you ever wondered what it would be like if an average, well-behaved person like YOU went to jail? Tedi finds out.

Marketers just don't seem to think when they create merchandise to go along with films. Faux Dalmatian hide? Extra copies of Sauron's Ring? A Wiggles Tarot Deck? Sick. Just sick.

<b>Gypsy's Guide to Good Living</b> When I was Your Age: My Daughter and Myself. The teen years are the most challenging since the "terrible two's", and teens today live in a different world than the one their parents grew up in. Despite that, there's plenty of room for common ground.

Cover story.

The first time leaving your baby and husband alone together while you go out of town is always tough for a new mother. But apparently, it's even tougher on Daddy and Lillian. They'll live through it, but just barely.

Today, as you read this, you should have your lists in hand and know where you intend to begin making changes in your life. You're ready for steps two and three. Part II of II.

Writers are the most interesting people. With the advent of "instant messenger" technology, writers from all over can connect to network, share their progress and discuss Buddhist androids. Which is really important to their careers. Swear to God.

<b>Gypsy's Guide to Good Living:</b> Setting yourself up for success isn't as difficult as you would think. In fact, it's a matter of executing three easy steps, then monitoring your progress. Part I of II.

<b>Gypsy's Guide to Good Living:</b> My dream partner was described as "a little husky, loves to fish, wants someone to spoil and be spoiled by." Yes. I answered a personal ad.