I disagree: there are those of us who do care and who will listen.

I concur: in both Chicago and San Francisco, I have observed tighter and smaller social matrices. I expect it is only natural and a bit defensive, given the very large numbers of people packed into such small places.

Call me crazy, then... is that not what coffee shops are for - coffee and conversation? Or are you part of the crowd that wants to sip coffee, plug in, and be alone in that coffee shop crowd with your thoughts, work, etc.?

While that may be the norm for many places, I do not allow it to interfere with my saying "hello" or "'good mornin'" or similar, despite getting the occasional odd look or being simply ignored. I also do not let it interfere with talking with a new mom about her baby, the toddler who is too adorable to not notice and…

I grew up in the rural Deep South, lived in Chicago for 13 years as an adult, and now live in San Francisco. I think the notion of culture shock is one that should be explored and considered for those moving from country to city, as one will experience all that Kristin described and more. One can more readily weather…

The most effective way to improve one's microbiome is by eating healthfully, minimizing the use of over the counter medications which alter the gut's ecosystem, and through consumption of safely fermented foods, like yogurt, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, etc.

The link at the article's end leads to a "404 - Not Found" page.

I concur the elderly (my mother included) often refuse services and carry with them an internalized message to "not be a 'burden'". This often comes from how they were brought up and in the USA, it often has to do with Great Depression-era habits and beliefs that were never deconstructed or challenged. As well,…

Americans would not be under such duress if we actually provided services for people, rather than complicating the aging process with a lack of affordable and accessible services and facilities. The EU countries that provide for their elders have considerably healthier aging populations, because they see it as a civil…

If one desires solid diet and nutritional counseling and support, see a Registered Dietitian (RD). MDs are often given a perfunctory exposure to nutritional therapy and they are trained to defer to RDs in such matters. Usually all that is needed is a request to one's primary care practitioner - be they a Nurse…

It's not just guys who are older, it is pretty much a common practice in the American workplace: men - and women - do not take care of their health, practice wellness (nutrition, sleep hygiene, regular health exams, etc.), or set and maintain boundaries regarding personal life-work life.

I review the subject of each email, delete them based on who sent them, or skim the message to see if it truly involves me. My inbox is emptied - both work and personal - every morning within minutes. If someone wishes to reach me and actually needs to reach me, they can either call me or walk over to me at work.…

There are plugins/extensions for browsers that block Facebook's following one around on the web after leaving FB...

Android 4.2.2 allows for blocking IMs or calls from within the Messaging and Phone apps themselves: check it out under Settings while in the app.

The latest method by telemarketers in the San Francisco Bay Area is to call and immediately state that they are taking a "survey". They refuse to honor the regulations prohibiting unsolicited calls on the Do No Call list, because they identify themselves as "not a telemarketing" call, but a survey. Does anyone have…

Thanks for making that distinction, which I omitted.

My mother can do this in her head, a skill set that I have always envied!

It has also been my experience that fundamentalist religious types often prey on people when they are vulnerable...

Set a reminder in your smart device or computer and have it alert you a few days before, as well as the day before the renewal date.

I keep email under control by: 1) getting up at work and going to see a colleague, instead of sending an email (unless I need a digital trail), 2) the use of filters (Gmail's individual and spam filters are awesome), 3) readily deleting any message that I don't care about or need, 4) ringing up a contact, and 5)…