November 2007: The Secrets Issue

By Karen Buscemi

Though I would prefer the inscription on my epitaph to read, “Always looked fabulous,” it’s more likely my declaration would state, “Always said yes.” I came into this world a bouncing, 6-pound “yes person,” and now as a grown woman, I struggle with saying no, concerned with the repercussions that one little word might bring.

THE FIRST STEP? ADMITTING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM

by Roxanne Strickland

Some people are social smokers. Some people are social drinkers. I have decided that I am, in fact, a social celebrity gossip. Here are the symptoms of such a condition.

You care about celebrities. You don’t care as much as the people who write about them and take their pictures and follow them around for a living. But you don’t exactly ignore any and all news about what particular celebrities happen to be doing at this moment in time.

JUST ONE MORE NANCY DREW. YOU KNOW I’M GOOD FOR IT.

by Holly Bowne

They say the first step to healing an addiction is admitting you have a problem. Well, I don’t know if I really have a problem. It’s just that I like to read bedtime stories to my kids. A lot.Maybe it’s a little unusual considering they are now 12 and 15 years old. And sure, it’s a bit difficult for my daughter Ashleigh and me to squeeze together onto her twinsize bed – her being a full 2 inches taller than me – but, I tell myself I can quit anytime I want. The truth is … I’m not so sure. And my children have become my enablers.

OUT OF THE PAST AND INTO THE OPEN

by Noel M. Rozny

I’ve always likened secret-telling to a trip to the gynecologist. These two, time-honored traditions are inherently part of being a woman, but no matter how often you do them, neither ever gets any easier. For me, there is always an immense sense of dread that precedes becoming that physically or emotionally vulnerable, followed by fear that the examining party, be it a physician or confidante is going to find something dreadful and irrevocably wrong with you.

LOCAL CHEFS UPDATE HOLIDAY FARE

Produced by Linda Lacina Photos by Rosh Sillars

Traditions rule during the holidays. Even the most adventurous cook hesitates to stray from the stuffing passed down from her grandmother or the yams topped with marshmallows that the family insists she serve. Despite the demand for time-honored fare, there is room for updates and exploration. We’ve asked two metro detroit chefs for ways to modernize the thanksgiving menu.