Lifestyle

Dear Amy: I am a (female) hairstylist and own my small business. I love my profession and am proud of what I have accomplished.

If you got 100 people together (wearing masks) and asked them to explain exactly what measles, rubella and polio are, almost no one under the age of 60 to 70 would have much of an idea. The measles vaccine came in 1963, rubella in 1969 and the polio vaccine in 1955.

Dear Heloise: For many years, I have given my grandchildren cash for their birthdays, with this caveat: They can spend one-third however they wish, one-third is to save, and one-third is to donate to their favorite charity. The one-third that excites them the most is their donation, and they cannot wait to tell me which charity it is, plus this gets them into the habit of regular charitable giving when they are older. – Big Al, Farmington, Connecticut

As the holiday season comes to an end and the new year begins, the Lee Richardson Zoo will start recruiting for new volunteers. If you are someone who loves animals and are excited to learn new things, this is the opportunity for you! There are a wide variety of opportunities as a Zoo Volunteer: from handling animals, to crafting with kids, to weeding and gardening, and even helping with translations, the Zoo has a place for everyone!

Dear Amy: I am the proud papa of a brilliant, beautiful, 18-year-old daughter. She is thriving as a freshman in college.

Dear Heloise: Can you tell me how to unshrink a sweater? My brother gave me a beautiful Norwegian sweater from one of his Navy trips. It was washed without my knowledge, and now it feels like I’m wearing a child’s sweater.

Dear Amy: Every year, my husband receives a text message from his sister asking what our two children would like for Christmas. She does not acknowledge our children’s birthdays or any other special milestone that would warrant a call, a card, or a gift; but at Christmas she always sends gift cards.

When the 216-pound sumo wrestler from the Czech Republic Takanoyama Shuntaro went up against a 387-pound Brazilian opponent, no one thought he’d win. But he flipped the guy on his back in a few seconds, proving that coming out on top is about choosing the right technique, not outweighing the opposition.

Dear Readers: Most of us worry about our homes looking perfect when entertaining and having guests over. Well, we shouldn’t.

Once dismissed as the yuppie flu, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is widely misunderstood. Symptoms, however, are often standard across the board, and medical professionals should be able to determine if you are suffering from CFS. Fortunately, exercise has been shown to be a valuable tool for people suffering from CFS.