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Daily DigestDuff'em If You've Got'em
 North Adams Regional Hospital went smoke-free Monday — so did all its sister sites, from Sweet Brook to Northern Berkshire Family Practice to the Women's Exchange. No ashtrays, no smoking: No butts about it. |
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 iBerkshires accepts submissions about local events, news and opinion pieces. There are openings for freelance work, too, for qualified candidates. E-mail tdaniels@iberkshires.com to find out more. |
Wanted: Eagle Eyes
MassWildlife's annual eagle count runs Dec. 31 to Jan. 14. Anyone sighting one of the regal birds in Massachusetts is asked to participate.
Send date, time, location and town of eagle sightings, number of birds, whether juvenile or adult and observer's contact information to Mass.wildlife@state.ma.us. |
Yuck!
 There's a winter storm warning in effect until 7 a.m. on Wednesday with 2 to 4 inches of snow expected. Be prepared for a messy morning commute as freezing rain and sleet move through the region. The morning commute will be slippery — drive careful!
Some New York schools, including Hoosick Falls Central School and St. Mary's Academy in Hoosick Falls have already canceled classes. |
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Other StuffMars Rovers Mark 5 Years
 Spirit and Opportunity have been trekking the red planet for half a decade. Spirit hit the 5-year mark on Sunday; Opportunity will on Jan. 24. |
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Peace and Goodwill during Your Holiday Travels - November 30, 2006
 | | Photo Courtesy of ARA |
Snow, sleet, freezing rain. Delays, more delays, cancellations. What would the holidays be without them? Countless Americans travel during this season, to visit loved ones and friends and to hopefully end the year on a joyous, positive note. But stress can build faster than newly-fallen snow, especially when it comes to holiday traveling.
“So often during the holidays, people have too ambitious of an agenda and try to cram too much into their agendas,” says Dr. Steve O’Brien, psychology faculty at Argosy University/Tampa.
Whether flying, driving, or taking a one-horse open sleigh, travelers should plan logistics in advance. Activities such as bad weather and plane delays might temporarily spoil plans, but it is important to focus. “It is so easy to get over-stimulated and impatient in terminals and jammed highways. Try planning the best you can, and then hone in on the true spirit of the travels and the end destination,” advises O’Brien.
Besides the obvious transportation travel woes, there are key psychological preparations holiday travelers can develop to assuage stress. “Use the holidays to keep things light. Sometimes we have to see family members with which we have strained relationships. Pressure can mount,” says O’Brien.
In addition to caring for the well-being of children during holiday travels, parents can help reduce stress by talking about limitations – helping kids understand consumerism and the true meaning behind the holidays. “Community service and gestures of goodwill should trump the notion that consumerism equals happiness,” says Dr. O’Brien.
As families gear up to visit friends and loved ones this holiday season, it is not impossible to reduce emotional stress during such a traditionally hectic time of the year. Regardless of any adversity that may come our way, the best attitude to truly enjoy the season is three-fold: keep it light, keep it focused, and keep it merry.
Courtesy of ARA Content |
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