CONCERNING THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY, DID YOU KNOW...?
Here's an op-ed in today's NY Times that has some interesting information on the month about to depart from us for another year, February.  It was of interest to me because my birthday is in this month.  But did you ever wonder why February is shorter than other months?  Read on:
"I WAS born on the last day of February, the runt month of the year. I’ve always felt sorry for February, squeezed between the big months of January (named for the Roman god Janus, keeper of gateways and entrances) and March (after Mars, the god of war).  February, with only 28 days and no powerful gods to advocate for it, commemorates a pagan fertility and purification festival celebrated by flogging women with animal skins. The reason February is an abused month is found in its origins as the clean-up month that was shrunk or stretched so the calendar could keep pace with the sun’s progress through the seasons.
The first Roman calendar, legend has it, had 10 months and no February. Beginning at the vernal equinox with March, it ended with December. In an agricultural society, winter was of little importance, and thus went undivided.  January and February were added about 700 B.C. by the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius. He made all the months 29 or 31 days (the Romans were said to be suspicious of even numbers), but shorted February, the last month of the year, by giving it only 28."

Read the whole thing.  At the end, the author makes an interesting proposal concerning February; he suggests shortening both January and March, and adding the days to the February calendar, to make the month equal to all others.  Interesting...

SPRING IS COMING...
And for some that can mean allergies and "itchy" eyes.  What can you do if this affects you, too?  Read on:
" I see a lot of patients who suffer from allergies at the first sign of spring. In fact, seasonal allergies are reported to affect at least 20% of the population. Some people have sneezing, runny nose and congestion while others complain more of itchy eyes or a scratchy nose or throat. Oral medications can help counteract all of these allergy symptoms, but if you have only itchy eyes, there are some treatments that may help you that won't make you drowsy.  First, try to avoid environmental allergens by keeping the windows of your home and car closed, and consider the use of an air filter. Refrain from rubbing your eyes and instead use a cool washcloth compress to soothe the itching.  Over-the-counter lubricating eye drops may relieve itchy eyes, or your doctor may recommend OTC or prescription drops containing an antihistamine and/or other anti-allergy medications. There are also some nasal sprays that can treat eye discomfort along with nasal symptoms.
Finally, people with severe symptoms may benefit from allergy shots. Please be sure to talk with your doctor about the best treatment for your specific situation."

"Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you." -Spanish proverb

AT THE 2012 MOEBIUS SYNDROME CONFERENCE IN PHILADELPHIA...
The guy who heads this orgnization...

(His name is Rick Guidotti, and he's done amazing work)...
...will be the closing speaker for the conference, and I'll bet he will have a lot to say.

Check out the link above; and you can learn more about Mr. Guidotti here.  No wonder people are already looking forward to the 2012 conference.

YET ANOTHER MOEBIUS HERO
And this time it's 2-year old Dylan Gentry.  You can read and see the whole story here.
I especially liked this excerpt:
"Dylan’s mom had never heard of it until her son was diagnosed. Knowing Dylan will likely never blink or smile back at his brother or sister is heartbreaking for her.  “You take a smile for granted. You take your blinking for granted. And you look at other people and you look at yourself smiling and sometimes I feel guilty,” Andrea Gentry said. “I have to admit I do feel guilty sometimes, being able to smile and being able to show that expression.”  But the emotion that’s most powerful for her these days is fear; fear that her child will be misunderstood and mistreated. That’s why she’s going public for the first time about his condition.
“I want people to know what it is and not to judge people just by the way they look,” Andrea Gentry said. “Because he doesn’t smile, he doesn’t frown, he doesn’t have any facial expression. And you’ll look at people and you’ll think that they’re being rude or there’s something wrong with them. But there’s not, they’re just the same as you and I.”....It’s why Andrea Gentry wears a purple wristband at all times.
“This band here, it says ‘Our smiles come from our heart’ and that’s the motto of the Moebius Syndrome Foundation. You can’t smile on the outside, but our smiles come from our heart,” she said. “Dylan has a bigger smile than mine. It’s just in the heart.”

Amen!  We keep raising awareness...one story at a time.

MOEBIUS SYNDROME IN THE NEWS
Thanks once again to our friend Kelsey Ferrill, from Canada:http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110223/CGY_syndrome_moebius_110223/20110223/?hub=CalgaryHome:

"A young woman is trying to raise awareness about a rare syndrome that affects her ability to move her facial muscles.  Kelsey Ferrill has Moebius Syndrome which is a neurological disorder that affects cranial nerves. She is unable to move her face and finds it difficult to communicate using non-verbal facial movements.  "Usually to contact people I don't know, I usually email or stuff like that,' said Kelsey.
Moebius Syndrome is present at birth and those who have it are unable to smile, frown, suck, grimace, blink, or move their eyes laterally.  Each person with Moebius is affected in a slightly different way. In Kelsey's case, her face is paralyzed and so is half her tongue.
Other complications may include hand/feet anomalies, respiratory problems, speech and swallowing disorders, visual impairments, sensory integration dysfunction, sleep disorders, and weak upper body strength.  Kelsey says because of the way she looks people judge her immediately and even her friend Samantha admits she assumed Kelsey was mentally challenged.
"I feel bad, really bad because I spent 10 years down the street from her, knowing that she lived here, and never saying hi," said Samantha Adair.  "Just because you might look different doesn't mean you're any different inside than anyone else," said Kelsey."

Through sharing our stories, one by one, awareness is being raised, all over the world.


"Your past is not your potential. In any hour you can choose
to liberate the future." -Marilyn Ferguson

GETTING MORE EXERCISE AT WORK
Having a hard time getting enough of a workout during non-work hours?  Want to squeeze in a bit more exercise on your lunch break or something?  This piece has some good ideas--for example:
"To build up your leg endurance, the wall squat hold is the perfect solution. For this one you want to find an empty wall somewhere in your office and then lower yourself down into the squat position. Once your knees are at a 90-degree angle with the lower back pressed into the wall, hold for 30-60 seconds.

Come up to rest, and then repeat a second and third time through."

Read the whole thing--there are lots of other good ideas there.

SHE NEVER LED WITH HER LOOKS

Check out this interview on cnn.com today with actress Lauren Graham.  She has some interesting things to say about her body and the way she looks, among other things:

"Q: If you're ever feeling down about your looks, how do you get the body confidence you need?
Well, part of my job is pretending. And I've honestly never led with my looks. I've always thought my strengths were I'm smart, and I have a good sense of humor.
I definitely struggle with feeling confident. We went to a party last night, and I always still feel like I'm in high school: "Did I wear the right thing? Do I look OK? Did I walk funny?" Like, I never feel comfortable, but I've done this for so long that I just know I'm not going to feel comfortable. That's not the real me, you know?"

See?  We know we look different, we know we have a "facial difference", and so some stare at us.  That's not always fun to go through.  It can cause confidence issues.  But one thing to remember is that even successful television stars struggle with their confidence, and worry that they don't look right or that they wore the wrong thing.  You're not alone; and I bet you that people who truly know the real you...like you.  You know I'm right. :+)

"A man can be short and dumpy and getting bald but if he has fire,
women will like him." -Mae West

EXERCISE WITH YOUR KIDS
And here's how:

• Be informed about physical activity. Know how much is enough: The current recommendation for kids aged 6 to 17 is 60 minutes of activity every day.

• Understand that every little bit counts. "That 60 minutes might seem like a lot," says Lee, "but it can be accumulated throughout the day. So look for opportunities wherever you are, whether it's at home, at the mall, anywhere."

• Try to hang out more. Make a point of having more family meals together. Think of activities to do, even if just for a few minutes. "No need to make a big deal about it," says Lee. "Consider scheduling a day or two each week, or an evening, where you get some together time."

• Establish habits early on. "One thing we found was that co-physical activity time went down as child age went up" says Lee. "The 9-year-olds were significantly more likely to spend more time being active with their parents than the 13-year-olds." At the younger age, kids are more likely to want to hang out with you, she says. So take advantage of that and get them in the habit of exercising for fun.


• Seek out supervised activity in your neighborhood. If you're worried about safety, consider school or club sports teams for your child. Or see what sports or activities are on offer at the local Y or community center, where there's adult supervision.

*******************

Good advice!


"Sunsets are so beautiful that they almost seem as if we were looking
through the gates of Heaven." -Sir John Lubbock (1834-1913)

FAKING HAPPINESS DOESN'T NECESSARILY LEAD TO HAPPINESS
Now this story is really kind of a mixed bag for people like us.  Because the study referenced here refers to people faking happiness by...naturally...faking smiles:

"Today’s “Really?” column reports on a study that tracked the facial expression of bus drivers, whose jobs require them to be courteous and endure frequent interactions with other people.
The scientists examined what happened when the drivers engaged in fake smiling, known as “surface acting,” and its opposite, “deep acting,” where they generated authentic smiles through positive thoughts, said an author of the study, Brent Scott, an assistant professor of management at Michigan State University.
After following the drivers closely, the researchers found that on days when the smiles were forced, the subjects’ moods deteriorated and they tended to withdraw from work. Trying to suppress negative thoughts, it turns out, may have made those thoughts even more persistent."

So on the one hand we read stories like that and say, well--trying to fake a smile is one thing a person with Moebius doesn't have to worry about.  Faking a smile is something that persons who CAN'T smile don't have to worry about!!

But, but, but...we have to think harder.  Yes, we don't fake smiles.  But of course, we express ourselves in many more ways than through our facial expressions.  I can tell what kind of mood my Moebius friends and loved ones are in; and none of it has much to do with facial expressions.  And we also know that there are times we thus can fake our moods.  One can be talkative and try to sound happy, even when one doesn't feel happy.  And I'm sure that can be just as difficult to maintain, and just as likely to lead to deteriorating moods, as it is for those wearing fake smiles all day.


"Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be not altered
for the better designedly." -Francis Bacon

HEALTHY BREAKFASTS ON THE GO
Can you grab-and-go in the a.m. and not have it be a diet disaster?  Yes:
"Used to be, when you grabbed breakfast on the go, it was a diet disaster: nothing but fat-and-calorie bombs like butter-soaked croissants and jumbo muffins. Now, it's much easier to do right by your body: Fast-food legends like McDonald's and IHOP, as well as newbies like Cosi and Panera Bread, offer surprisingly healthy options that are filling, light, and much easier on your arteries.  The key to finding a healthy breakfast, says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, is finding a good-for-you mix of complex carbs (like whole grains), protein, and healthy fats to keep you satisfied.
So with that in mind, we asked our team of experts to choose and rank the best a.m. grub. Here, the standouts -- and why each one made the cut."

Read the piece to see what they recommend.  Even items from Denny's and McDonald's made the cut!

LOOKING FOR THAT JOB
What do you do if you've applied for a job, but have heard nothing since?  Some ideas:
"Companies truly are glad that people want to work for them. Unfortunately, many places simply do not have the manpower to offer individualized responses.  "Given the volume of applications an HR office receives, you should not expect a response beyond an automated 'we received your application' unless they are interested in interviewing you," says Pennell Locey, senior consultant for Keystone Associates, a career management consulting firm headquartered in Boston. "In the event there was no auto-response, you can send a note via snail mail to someone in HR along with your résumé to ensure that they received it."
But is there anything one can do besides play the "wait and see" game?
"After submitting a job application, it is wise to follow up with a telephone call to the appropriate contact within a week to 10 days," says Mary Massad, vice president of talent acquisition and retention strategies for Administaff, a professional employer organization headquartered in Houston, Texas. "Some individuals might feel that following up may be perceived as being pushy, but this actually demonstrates to the employer that you are conscientious, organized and professional."  When following up, Massad recommends asking if the application was received and if any additional information is needed. (Of course, if they didn't get your application, offer to send it again.) "It also is important to restate your interest in the job, but don't be overzealous."  Locey suggests trying to stand out from the masses by seeing if you can find a contact at the company who can single you out to the hiring manager and speak to your strengths. "That can be beneficial to you (you may get an interview) and to the company (finding a candidate who someone is willing to vouch for)."

"Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths,
but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands."
-Anne Frank

MORE WAYS TO STIMULATE THE BRAIN
Ways to keep your memory sharp, especially:

"Rest to remember: Sleep strengthens memory
Sleep is vital in consolidating memory. The effects of adequate sleep help us understand why studying and getting 8 hours rest, is always better than studying the day of an exam. Sleep specialists still do not know the overarching purpose of sleep however, but emerging research continues to support the idea that sleep is important to the brain. While everyone may agree that a good night’s sleep makes you feel better in the morning, the science behind sleep is also critically important to policy makers that construct work hour regulations for doctors, medical residents and pilots.

Mind boggling: Memory games
Although there is plenty of controversy surrounding the memory benefits of brain-teasers and puzzles, for many people they’re a great way to spend a Sunday morning. An added benefit of brain games is that they can often be shared with family and friends. Social interaction is a great way to get the neurons firing. Interacting with both pets and people has been shown to stave off depressive feelings and will make you feel youthful and vibrant for years to come."

ANOTHER MOEBIUS HERO
She's named Jeanne, and she's from Ohio:

Mike Jacobs, the sensei at Shinsuikan Dojo, is testing students for their yellow belts.
After some exercises and some sparring, the time has come to break a board. He tells them to kick through the board.  "Do you want to go first?" he asks Jeanne Dyer.


"Is there a choice?" the 12-year-old asks without a moment's hesitation, drawing laughs from the people assembled at the dojo.  Jeanne, whose feet are lined with scars from surgeries to correct club feet, never even tried to break a board before.
Of the first three years of her life, she spent two and a half wearing casts to make her bones grow properly. As a result, her lower leg muscles were underdeveloped. She's taking martial arts classes to develop coordination and leg strength.  Dyer ends up following two other students. She takes a deep breath, plants her foot, kicks -- and breaks the board on her first try.
Her parents, Shane and Elaine Dyer, beam.
But Jeanne doesn't smile. She can't.
Jeanne has a disorder called Moebius syndrome, which affects about 1,700 people worldwide, or about one out of every 4 million people. Her parents found a shortage of information about it initially. Even some doctors weren't familiar with it. But through the miracle of the Internet and making connections with others going through the same thing, they've been able to understand the disorder and help Jeanne live a life that really isn't that much different from that of a typical 12-year-old.
"She has succeeded beyond our wildest dreams," Elaine said."

TODAY'S BRAIN TALK
How can we improve our memory, especially as we age?  I think improving the way our brain functions is especially good and important for us with Moebius Syndrome; after all, our brains don't quite send out those signals we'd like them to send to our face, so we need to strengthen our minds and its functioning in other areas as best we can, to be as strong as we can in every area possible.  That's why I like these brain updates out there to be found.  Now hmmm...what was I talking about again???

Oh, yes, memory and how to improve it :+)  :

"1. Gum
Believe it or not, chewing gum can actually improve alertness and memory -- well, maybe. At least that’s the conclusion that two medical studies reported in the journal Appetite back in 2002 and 2004, respectively. In these studies, individuals who chewed gum during the learning phases of a specific test recalled test items better than those who did not. Although the exact reasoning behind why gum would enhance memory isn’t yet clear, one simple explanation said that chewing gum increases heart rate, which subsequently increases blood flow to the brain.

What this means for you and your memory: Before you go out and spend your life's savings on boxes of supposed life-saving secret memory enhancers in the form of spearmint gum, you should know that the jury is still out on this one. Despite those past promising results, more recent studies have failed to find a similar link between chewing gum and memory enhancement, although these newer studies still maintain that chewing increases alertness (no wonder ball players love the stuff so much).

2. Exercise
Men may be more active than their female counterparts, but that still doesn’t mean they get enough exercise. Granted, most men are probably sick and tired of hearing about just how great and beneficial daily exercise can be, but it’s time to chalk up another benefit of regular exercise. A slew of research over the past decade has shown that exercise can be a secret memory enhancer.

In fact, just cutting calories may help you remember where you left your keys. According to a 2008 study in the journal PNAS, eating a calorie-restricted diet had beneficial effects on memory performance in healthy elderly subjects.
What this means for you and your memory: Toss out the cheeseburger and fries, and get outside and get moving. Bike to work, take the stairs or walk to the store. Even simple exercise is a better secret memory enhancer than none at all. Better yet, it’s free.

3. Caffeine
As one of the most hotly contested food items, caffeine has strong backers on both sides of the health debate. Some swear by its benefits while others vilify caffeine for its unhealthy effects. But almost no one can argue the effect of caffeine on alertness (and, consequently, memory). According to various studies conducted in the last five years, caffeine boosts short-term memory, protects older women against memory loss and may even reverse Alzheimer’s memory loss (at least in mice).
What this means for you and your memory: Before you slam back a venti latte in hopes of treating your brain to long lost memories, keep in mind that caffeine can have a negative health impact, as well. Stay on the safe side by drinking in moderation.

4. Daytime naps
Our next secret memory enhancer might actually contradict the last. After all, it’ll be hard to catch a little daytime shut-eye if you’re all hopped up on java beans. If you’re into daydreaming, you’ll be happy to know that science strongly supports the idea that daytime napping improves your declarative memory. That’s the memory you use to store facts (for example, the memory used when cramming for a final exam).

*******************************

There's more; read the whole thing...

IN OTHER HEALTH NEWS

Guess what can help reduce the severity of the common cold?:

People who take zinc supplements within one day of a cold’s onset will reduce the severity and length of illness, according to a review in The Cochrane Library.  A study involving the common cold and zinc lozenges was first introduced in 1984, but conflicting reports were introduced since then. The Cochrane review updates that study and presents data from 15 new studies involving more than 1,300 patients.  The patients who took zinc felt better within 7 days compared to those who took placebos. Children who consistently took zinc lozenges for at least five months caught fewer colds and did not miss as much time from school, according to data."

HOLLYWOOD WRITER OVERCOMES HIS OWN DISABILITY

No wonder he wrote "The King's Speech":

"Telling the story of the stammering king, George VI, has been a lifetime ambition for David Seidler, ever since he subdued his own stutter nearly 60 years ago.  Born seven months after George took the British throne in 1936, screenwriter Seidler grew up paralyzed by the same impediment he depicts the monarch struggling to overcome in "The King's Speech," the best-picture favorite at the Academy Awards.
From just before his third birthday to age 16, Seidler stumbled and sputtered over his syllables so badly that he lived in terror of speaking in class, talking to girls, even answering the phone.    "I had huge trouble with the 'H' sound, so when the telephone rang, I would break into a cold sweat, because I couldn't say hello," Seidler, 73, said in an interview.  "I don't know if school still works this way, but in those days you had set places, and the teacher worked up and down the rows. If I could see her working toward me and she was just going to miss me that day, I would fake sick the next day so I didn't have to go to school, because it was so terrifying to be called upon. There came a period when I was actually excused from responding in class. I didn't have to speak in class. It was that bad."

But he overcame these obstacles.  Remember, when it comes to your own obstacles--so can you.

"Love doesn't make the world go round, love is what makes the ride
worthwhile." -Elizabeth Browning

HOW TO GET BETTER SLEEP
I know many of you out there with Moebius sometimes struggle with sleep--for a variety of reasons.  But did you know that if you spend time on the computer for any length of time, especially near bedtime, that could affect how you sleep?  Read on:

It's about the light that these screens emit. It typically has a cool blue undertone, whether you notice it or not. (Think of your next-door neighbor's TV seen through a window at night.) That's fine during the day - screen light was designed to mimic the tones of daylight. But my screen time lasts long after dark. And that's the problem.  Humans evolved to respond to darkness by producing melatonin, the hormone that regulates the sleep cycle. But our light-sensitive pineal gland near the center of the brain responds to blue light by suppressing melatonin, causing us to wake up.  When we see too much blue light in the late evening, it delays or disrupts the melatonin rush. In other words, my iPad can keep me up even after I turn it off.  But just as technology can cause this problem, it offers a solution as well. Enter F.lux, a desktop application that adjusts a computer screen's color throughout the day. During daylight hours, the screen's undertone is the familiar blue. As sundown approaches, it begins transitioning to a warm shade of red-orange. In the morning, it's cool blue again."

MORE WAYS TO EXERCISE
Meanwhile, here's more ways for desk-bound folks at work to get a quick workout:

"Combating the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle could be as easy as turning paper-pushers into pedal-pushers, a new study finds.  Portable pedal machines designed for under-the-desk use can help employees exercise while they work, according to the research, which field-tested the machines on a small group of office workers in Rhode Island.  In fact, the idea of the machine was so appealing that the researchers had to turn away 90 percent of potential study volunteers because they only had the money to buy 18 pedal machines."

Might be worth a try...


"The only thing we never get enough of is love; and the only thing
we never give enough of is love." -Henry Miller

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS

I did not know that there was a website for those with Moebius Syndrome in France (there may have been one for a long time; but I just did not know about it).  But yes, there is one---check it out here.

*******************************
Meanwhile, many persons with Moebius Syndrome deal the job situation:  seeking any job at all, and/or finding a job that really suits you.  One of the more specific issues we face is this one:  settling into a new job.  That can be hard for us.  We look different.  Our new work colleagues are not used to us--not just the way we look, but the way we talk.  Change can be hard.  The new job might not seem as great as we thought it would be.  We got a new job--but maybe soon we're thinking of quitting.  Should you quit?  What should one think about before taking that step?  Check out this piece:
"Emilie Schaum, the director of human resources at marketing agency Lippe Taylor, advises you to ask yourself three questions so you don't end up in a worse situation.
1. Can I afford to quit?
"Do you haves the financial resources to cover your living expenses if it takes a little longer to find your next position and without further sacrificing your professional happiness?" she asks. "While there is definitely a hiring upswing in certain market sectors ... a new opportunity may depend on your level of experience and asking salary. Are you willing to freelance until you find your next full time position and are freelance opportunities available?"
2. Did I do the right research?
"If you did all your interview homework before you accepted your current employer's offer -- e.g., asked probing questions during the interview, examined the website, and did some fact finding by talking to [former or current employees] -- what changed? You need to really understand this in order to make sure you do not find yourself in the same situation again," she cautions.
3. Are things as bad as they seem?
"Unless the current situation is one where you are being harassed or having to do something unlawful or unethical, perhaps you might talk with your immediate supervisor about your concerns and the two of you can find a remedy," Schaum suggests. "Definitely talk to a close and trusted friend or family member whose opinions you value."
No one can make the decision to stay or leave for you, but the right advice might give you some clarity.

Schaumm reminds, "You might hear that the working relationship is not unlike a personal relationship: There's an adjustment period that needs time and there's a need to give-and-take as nothing is as perfect as it first seems."

***************************************

Read the whole article...

"When you reach for the stars, you may not quite get them, but you
won't come up with a handful of mud either." -Leo Burnett

HOW TO FIGHT STRESS
Some new studies suggest that the methods of fighting stress you THINK are best...might in fact not be so.  For example:
"If deep breaths, weekly yoga classes, and venting to your friends aren't helping you relax, you have plenty of company—and it's not your fault. New studies show that these supposedly tried-and-true anxiety busters are often just... well, a bust. Read on for the surprising truth about what really helps—and what doesn't—when it comes to relieving chronically fried nerves....We've been warned that bingeing on cookies and ice cream is a poor way to ease a worried state of mind and can actually create more anxiety. But here's a sweet exception to the rule: Indulging in a little chocolate can actually help. According to new findings published in the Journal of Proteome Research, eating a few pieces of dark chocolate when you're feeling on edge can help calm your nerves. (Unfortunately for you milk chocolate lovers, the researchers believe the flavonoids in dark chocolate are responsible for this soothing effect.) In the study, stressed-out participants who ate 1 ½ ounces of dark chocolate a day for 2 weeks had reduced levels of stress hormones. We can't think of a better way to treat yourself to some dessert, guilt-and stress-free!
For some people, meditation is the secret to serenity, but for others, it's a fast track to frayed nerves. In fact, in a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54% of participants reported feeling anxious while meditating! "There is no evidence that meditation 'cools off' the body's stress response better than any other type of stress reduction technique, so you have to find what works for you," insists Jonathan C. Smith, PhD, director of the Stress Institute at Roosevelt University. Anything that allows you to disengage from your thoughts can help you relax. One way meditation works is by breaking the chain of everyday thoughts, which are often tied to our to-do lists and other stressors, according to Herb Benson, MD, director emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and author of Relaxation Revolution. While chanting a mantra certainly helps to quiet your mind, if meditating is not your thing, any repetitive activity that keeps your attention in the present moment, including jogging, swimming, painting, walking, knitting, or praying, will work just as well, he says."


Read the whole thing...

"I never knew a man come to greatness or eminence who lay abed late in the
morning." -Johnathan Swift

"The early morning has gold in its mouth." -Benjamin Franklin

A RANDOM THOUGHT
So I have CNN on right now, watching the huge crowds in Cairo, who all are apparently awaiting the coming departure from the presidency of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's long-time authoritarian leader.  It's basically a revolution in action, folks.

And it really is striking, this incredible pace of change...in Egypt and, seemingly, throughout the world, affecting everything.  Think about it.  Just a couple of weeks ago, things in Egypt chugged along like normal, as they had for the past thirty years (how long Mubarak has been in power).  Now...not even two weeks later...everything is changing.  And really, in our world...the world of Moebius Syndrome and facial difference...things have changed rapidly, too.  Two decades ago there hadn't ever been a Moebius Syndrome Conference.  Nobody imagined having a Moebius Syndrome Awareness Day.  Most people who had Moebius, most families who were affected by it, didn't know each other and had never been in contact with each other.  When I was growing up, the notion of meeting someone else with Moebius didn't even occur to me.  I never considered it a possibility.  Maybe I thought there simply wasn't anyone else like me.

But now of course, that has all changed.  And to a degree it's changed because of the same kind of factors and influences that have led to change in Egypt.  There's been a lot of hard work by people too numerous to mention at the grass-roots level--creating organizations and connections, bringing people together.  But there's also been computers and the internet:  e-mail, online social networks like Facebook, helping people get connected and stay connected.  (Meanwhile, in Egypt, protests and meetings have been organized through texts and e-mail).  And so all of this has led to the creation of a support network for those with and affected by Moebius Syndrome, a network that, not that long ago, simply didn't exist.

What does it all mean?  To a degree, it means that the world as a whole, and our little corner of it, is changing faster than ever before.  We can look forward to it---it can be a good thing.  We need to be ready for it.  We have to be careful; not all change is always good---change simply for change's sake, isn't necessarily what we want.  But the world is moving faster than ever before.  I guess we shouldn't be surprised at what is happening in Egypt.  We've seen it in our own world of Moebius Syndrome and facial difference.  It sure is exciting these days!!

MORE BRAIN NEWS
Turns out that many human brains start out in life...with some faulty wiring:

"Very early in life, neurons in the brain begin forming connections with one another. But it turns out that during normal development, a startling number can link up to the wrong cells and must be pushed back in the right direction, according to a new study on baby mice.  The finding, detailed Feb. 8 in the journal PLoS ONE, could shed light on brain disorders such as autism, according to one researcher. Mice are often used as a model for human biology, and the researchers think a similar phenomenon occurs in humans.... This line of inquiry could have implications for the study of certain neurological disorders. For instance, there is a hypothesis that autism arises from a failure to eliminate inappropriate connections, resulting in a "miswired" nervous system that cannot function properly, he said."

Read the whole thing...


"Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning
metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it."
-Eliza Tabor

TECHNOLOGY USAGE UPDATE
Here's an interesting note for all of us computer users---seems that e-mail is becoming old-fashioned, fast:
Uh oh! According to a report by marketing research company ComScore, teenagers in the United States really seem to dislike sending e-mails lately. What's going on? Why on earth are kids in the 12-17 age group suddenly spending 59 percent less time glued to their inboxes?  According to TechCrunch's Alexia Tsotsis, those young ones are probably simply distracted by "social messaging platforms like Facebook and Twitter as well mobile communications." ComScore's report supports that theory by showing a steady increase in the time spent on social networking services as usage of web-based email declines.There's more to it though: While kids in the 12-17 age range showed the biggest decline in web-based e-mail usage, they certainly weren't the only ones abandoning that particular method of communication:  Total web-based email usage declined 8 percent in the past year, with the most precipitous decline occurring among 12-17 year olds (down 59 percent). Usage also declined marginally among 18-24 year olds,while more noticeable declines were seen among 25-34 year olds (down 18 percent), 35-44 year olds (down 8 percent) and 45- 54 year olds (down 12 percent)."

We're part of a revolution!

GOOD FOOD NEWS
With Valentine's Day coming up, that means the possibility of...eating chocolate.  And so it's good to be reminded:  chocolate ain't bad for you:

For many, Valentine’s Day is the greatest of holidays, because it celebrates love and ardor. One of the most widely offered Valentine’s Day gifts is chocolate. Chocolate is a complex material possessing numerous compounds, which act upon the brain, producing a sense of delight that no other substance can replicate.  Chocolate is surprisingly good for health, especially for the heart. Cocoa, the primary ingredient in finished chocolate, is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, a group of protective chemicals found in many plant foods including red wine and tea.  Our interests here concern enhancement of mind and mood, and the experience of love. In this regard, the first two compounds in chocolate to consider are caffeine and theobromine. Caffeine, an alkaloid, is the most widely consumed stimulant on earth."

Read the whole thing...


Success is sweet and sweeter if long delayed and gotten through many
struggles and defeats." -Amos Bronson Alcott

MOEBIUS SYNDROME IN THE NEWS
Oregon's Madison McDowell is one big success story--read on:
"In many ways Madison McDowell, daughter of Amber and Matt McDowell of Enterprise, is much like the other fourth-graders in her class.  Maddie loves playing soccer and basketball and riding horses. She belongs to 4-H clubs and enjoys hiking and hunting with her family.  Her curly brown hair is pulled back in a ponytail. She wears a hot pink T-shirt that matches her pink and brown polka-dot rubber boots.  Recently, in response to teasing from a few students, Maddie stood before her classmates and explained the characteristics of Moebius Syndrome, a rare congenital condition she was born with that afflicts the nerves and muscles in her face, causing paralysis.  She told her teacher, Mr. Keffer, that there was a video on YouTube he could show the class that would teach them about Moebius Syndrome and the people who have it.  Maddie did all this without consulting or asking for help from her parents. In fact, Madison’s mother didn’t know anything about Maddie’s little science lesson until later.  “Most of the kids already knew about it from before, but some new kids didn’t,” Madison said, adding that she thinks kids don’t tease as much when they know more.
At the age of 5, Madison underwent the first surgery to reconstruct the muscles in her face that would allow her to smile. The “Smile Surgery,’’ developed and conducted by Dr. R.M. Zucker, the head of plastic surgery at the University of Toronto in Canada, is the best treatment available so far for children with Moebius Syndrome."

Read the whole thing--the surgery turned out to be very successful, and Maddie and her family continue to do great things.

“I want to keep going back to the [Moebius Syndrome Foundation] conference to share our experiences, to tell other parents that there is help and that it will get better. When we first went we were scared and looking for information. Lots of people helped us. Now we can help others,” [Madison McDowell's mother] Amber said."

THE IMPORTANCE OF POSTURE
So if you have Moebius Syndrome or a facial difference, it is what it is---we make the best of it.  We know how brightly we smile on the inside.  Now of course, if you want to advance in life and have people take you seriously, there are things about your appearance that you CAN control and that are really important.  For example, your posture:

"If you're a nobody who desperately wants to be taken seriously, Northwestern University researchers have this advice: Stop slouching, already.  Even if you're just a lowly intern, the way you hold yourself can make you feel more powerful than the boss man or boss lady -- and that can make a difference in how other people perceive you, says Adam Galinsky, of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, who authored the new study."

Read the whole thing...


If at first you don't succeed; you are running about average."
M. H. Alderson

A FEW RANDOM THOUGHTS
We're still snowed/iced/freezing-colded in here, so just time for few observations:

Where would the Moebius Syndrome support network be...if the internet hadn't come along?  It's impact on connecting people far and wide has been tremendous and probably can't be adequately measured.

Even though many of us involved with Moebius Syndrome are parts of varying and different projects, websites, foundations, and causes; and even though many of us have perhaps slightly different ideas and areas of focus, it's important to remember too that, when it comes down to it, we're all on same side and want the same things.  I think we all know that.  It's one of the great things about our network.  It's good to remind us all of it, too. :+)

The one good thing about snow days is that it gives you time to organize things around the house...organization you never had time for before.  My wife Lisa just reminded me of the excellent job she's doing on that front. :+)  And she's right!!!

NOW WE'RE SNOWED IN
...by a nice little snow/ice storm today, so again...the blogging is light today.  But...how about this for today---check out this guy.

His name was George Whitefield.  He was a major figure in an important 18th century American event called the Great Awakening.  It reached its height in the 1750s, and touched almost every American colony.  Thousands of people reached new levels of religious intensity, attended revivals and, some say, changed religion and America forever.  And one of the most important catalysts behind the Awakening was this guy George Whitefield, who was originally from Britain but spent a great deal of time in America preaching to huge crowds.  He was an excellent speaker, who could hold the attention of immense open-air throngs with powerful sermons.  This was in an age where there were no microphones, remember.  He was spell-binding, and he led hundreds of thousands of Americans to participate in this new religious revival.

And...check his picture again.  Sure appears that his eyes are crossed, aren't they?
In other words, he had a facial difference.  But he changed history.  So can you.