ArcaMax

Q.My husband recently died. We were married for almost 50 years. He was married prior to our life together and he always told me they divorced because she did not want children. We went on to have three wonderful daughters. His passing was expected, but a terrible blow. I recently received a letter from the funeral home saying that his ex-wife ...Read more

I had an identity crisis yesterday. It was the fourth one this week. Online accounts keep questioning if it's really me.

I have the same thought a lot of mornings when I look in the mirror.

The bank insisted I confirm my identity before I could access our account -- all because I made one teeny tiny typo entering the passcode. Flustered and in...Read more

It’s a hard subject to talk about, especially for someone suffering from it. “Many of us have been labeled or even seen ourselves as freaks, weirdos, oddballs, eccentrics and outcasts. So it’s no surprise that many of us attempt to keep our illness hidden to the extent we can.”

That’s what makes Victoria Maiden’s intimate, heartfelt...Read more

Set in an epic voyage through outer space, "Space City" by William Spencer effortlessly weaves together science fiction, action, suspense, drama and romance.

It’s the 22nd century, and everyone knew Earth was about to be destroyed — just not so soon. With a meteor within days of destroying Earth, 27-year-old Spencer Collins is forced to ...Read more

Cholesterol tests are well-established as an important part of a routine health screening – for adults. For young people, it's another story.

Relatively few children and teenagers are screened for cholesterol issues. Several factors, including differences in medical experts' recommendations, might confuse parents and even their primary care ...Read more

A September study in the Journal of the American Medical Association illustrates just how interconnected mental health and community truly are. By cross-referencing survey results about emotional well-being from over 2,000 Allegheny County teenagers with the locations of their homes, the study proved that living near community assets like ...Read more

'MOANA 2'

Rated PG for action/peril.

What it’s about: A sequel to the beloved 2016 animated film sees Moana as a more experienced wayfinder, putting together a crew for a voyage across the ocean to find and connect with more people.

The kid attractor factor: The gorgeous animation, songs and inspiring story.

Good lessons/bad lessons: Do ...Read more

Q. My husband’s 8-year-old daughter has a birthday this weekend and she decided she would like to take a few friends to the movies and then out for frozen yogurt around the corner from our home. My husband and his ex-wife plan to take her and I was not invited. What’s good ex-etiquette?

A. Let’s clarify something first. Your husband’s ...Read more

Three of our elementary-school grands have a new landline phone sitting in their family room. They called us multiple times the first week it was installed, each time saying, "Hello, Watson?"

No, they didn't. Each time a soft voice cautiously said, "Hello, Grandma?"

The poor things were apprehensive. A handset that rests in a base alongside a ...Read more

For many people, filling out paperwork about their family's health history is a routine part of a medical visit. For adopted people like Ramya Gruneisen, it's impossible.

"We don't have any information about my biological mom or dad, so there's quite literally nothing to go off of," said Gruneisen, who was born in India and adopted by a couple ...Read more

There’s a school of thought that argues how important it is for the remaining Holocaust survivors to discuss their experiences while they still can, so that subsequent generations can learn from the past. Studies have supported this line of thinking.

Estimates tag the remaining number of Jewish Holocaust survivors at about 245,000. But try to...Read more

Set between 1964 and 1972 in Meridien, Virginia, "The Little Bird" is a true-life-based psychological novel by the historical fiction author of "The Crossing," Ashby Jones. In "The Little Bird," the murder of a black teenage boy by a white cop unites two kindred spirits who are individually grappling with grief and guilt.

In 1964, Shane ...Read more

'WICKED'

Rated PG for some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material.

What it’s about: The movie musical adaptation of the blockbuster stage production that imagines the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West from "The Wizard of Oz."

The kid attractor factor: The fantastical magical setting, songs and stars.

Good ...Read more

‘Tis the season to be thankful, which is why I am hanging tight to the fourth Thursday in November. I may be hanging on by the greasy tip of a wishbone swinging dangerously low over scalding hot gravy, but I refuse to let go of Thanksgiving, the only holiday that has not been grossly commercialized.

For starters, I am thankful there is no ...Read more

Q. I have been dating my boyfriend for 6 months. We do not live together but see each other or talk almost every day. His ex died three years ago. They had a daughter, who is 6, who lives with my boyfriend. The problem is my boyfriend has a very large tattoo of both his ex and his daughter’s names on his chest right above his heart. This makes...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- In March 1998, Ben Decter drove from Los Angeles to Tijuana to get medicine for his 17-month-old daughter, Addie. She had "catastrophic childhood epilepsy," the neurologist had told him, and a drug not yet available in the U.S. was their best bet to treat her nonstop seizures.

That terrifying moment is currently revisited five ...Read more