Published in About Me Stories·PinnedAbout Me — Maria FS“Let’s just stay here all night and sing every song. “ — Peter Allen — Thank you for dropping in! My name is Maria and I’m 36 years old. I’ve been writing on Medium since March 2021 but have been a reader for a couple of years. When I’m not writing on Medium or home with my family, I’m either working with adults with intellectual…About Me6 min read
PinnedWelcome!Thank you for stopping by my page. My name is Maria and I’m a social worker working with aging adults to help them live their best lives. …About Me2 min read
Published in Mind | Body | Soul·Jan 31Maybe There Is No “One Size Fits All” Diet, and We Should All Just Chill OutYou and me are free to be gluten-free. — We are so invested in each other’s decisions these days. I’m sure a lot of this started with the pandemic, when we all became radically aware that our healthy, safety, and sometimes lives depended on the decisions of strangers and loved ones alike. “My mask protects you and me.” “Two…Diet Culture6 min read
Published in Wise Blood·Jan 28Headlines of Today’s NYT: What I want and do not want to read, ranked.I’m feeling punchy this morning. I’m 39 weeks pregnant and my brain feels a little different. So here’s a list of New York Times headlines from this morning that I ranked according to my interest, or lack thereof, and the reason. Definitely no. 5. New York’s Recovery Took 2 Steps Forward. Omicron Sent It One Step Back. I’m done with pandemic-doom articles. I know, things still…Humor2 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Jan 28I’m Going Into Labor Any Day Now, and I Don’t Care if My Healthcare Team Is Unvaccinated.Let’s stop blaming the unvaccinated. We know better now. — “Biden administration again debating whether to provide COVID vaccines for asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants.” — @TheLeadCNN, Twitter, Jan. 21, 2022 Guys, I’m done. Biden wants to mandate vaccines for healthcare workers but prevents others from getting them? Meanwhile, our country has thrown out 15 million doses. Don’t talk to…Vaccines4 min read
Published in Mind | Body | Soul·Jan 2I Was Diagnosed With Depression 23 Years Ago. Here Are Some of My Tools.“From what I can see, people like me, we get better but we never get well.” — Paul Simon — I was 15 years old when I received my first mental health diagnosis of depression. However, most of my teenage and adult life to date, I had not been able to find and maintain an effective medication routine, until this year. I’ve also been on and off therapy, with generally…Mental Health6 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Dec 30, 2021Vaccinated and Boosted? Omicron Is Coming for Your Sanity.Covid confusion is the next public health crisis. — “Are you worried?” asks a character on TikTok to his mirror image self. “About what?” the image responds. The character just looks back, raising his eyebrows. “Oh my God!” says the image, suddenly panicked. “You’re right!” A year ago our focus was straightforward. The goal was clear; the end was…Public Health4 min read
Published in History of Yesterday·May 25, 2021The Prisoners of War at the Bronx ZooAfter 1943, many Italian POWs on US soil received special privileges — In the summer of 1943, the people of Italy overthrew their leader, Benito Mussolini, and with him 21 years of Fascist rule in Italy. That September, the Italians signed an armistice with the Allied forces. …World War II3 min read
Published in The Masterpiece·May 20, 2021Not Everybody Drinks. Why Doesn’t Everybody Know This?Can we show basic respect without making it a huge deal? — My dad doesn’t drink and it’s not a big deal. He doesn’t care if there’s drinking around him. He’s comfortable going to restaurants with friends although likely would have no reason to sit at a bar. He still enjoys his nightcaps, though. …Alcoholism3 min read
Published in Mind | Body | Soul·May 19, 202110 Habits I Can Change To Add 15 Years To My LifeI just took an online quiz that says it can help me live longer. — You may have heard of the book, “The Blue Zones: 9 lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.” The “Blue Zones” are geographic regions of the world where the most people exceed average life expectancy. …Nutritional Guidance4 min read
