Columns - Marblehead Current

22 Oct

Salmon fillets: Many days, many ways

Linda BassettColumns, Food, Linda Bassett

Salmon fillets are one of my go-to meals when I’m fresh out of ideas, in a rush, or too exhausted to put together a big meal on a weeknight. I buy frozen (not farmed) wild salmon — several fillets to the package to keep for these culinary brain-freeze nights. Then all I have to do is pull as many pieces as I want out of the freezer, and look in the pantry for away to enhance them. I can play with mustard, mayo, hot sauce,…

22 Oct

A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down: The changing world of childhood vaccines

Thomas A. Massaro, MD PhDColumns, Opinion

Anyone who has spent time with kids probably knows Mary Poppins’ recipe for making a bad tasting medicine more palatable. Fewer perhaps know the song was written about the Sabin oral polio vaccine which in Mary Poppins’ London was given in a sugar syrup to counteract the bitter taste of the vaccine. (In the U.S. it was delivered on a small cube of sugar.) Sabin’s oral attenuated live vaccine followed Jonas Salk’s inactivated virus version which was delivered by injection. Both scientists were universally recognized…

21 Oct

Maybe college kids can’t cope because we forgot to let them play on their own

Lizzie Assa, parenting strategistColumns, Opinion

Resilience isn’t taught at 18, it’s built at 4 — on the living room floor A therapist who works with college students recently told me something that stopped me in my tracks. She said her clients — smart, capable, raised-on-enrichment, tutors and club sports kids— are struggling with the same three things: They shut down completely after a setback. They can’t solve problems without involving their parents. They overthink every decision like it’s life or death. These aren’t college problems. These are play problems. The…

15 Oct

EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY: A decade for your thoughts

Virginia BuckinghamColumns, Opinion

The following exercise is not for the faint of heart, or those who like to deliberate before answering an important question. No, this is for those who like playing say, word association games, and don’t mind making mistakes. First, let me set the scene. It’s a mid-September evening. Cool and breezy. I’ve scored a permit to have a beach fire and even if we may nearly freeze to death, I’m going to have the celebration at the beach anyway because it’s my birthday. And not…

02 Oct

DIGITAL DOCS: What you need to know about Microsoft’s upcoming deadline

Stephen BachStephen Bach

Once again, it looks like Microsoft jumped the proverbial gun by trying to scare everyone into thinking that if you don’t upgrade to Windows 11 by Oct. 14 the sky will fall. Although some of what they published has a lot of truth in it, they have just released some updates to their FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) announcement. Here is a little update to help you sleep a bit better: Technically, Windows 10 support ends on Oct. 14, 2025. After that day, no more…

26 Sep

SUSTAINABLE MARBLEHEAD: Scents & sensibilities

Submitted ContentColumns, Opinion

We humans love our smells: “Mountain Breeze” laundry detergent, “Vanilla Sky” candles, “Ocean Mist” kitty litter — none of which, it should be noted, smells anything like actual mountains, vanilla or oceans. Unfortunately, while our noses may swoon, our lungs often do not. Many people genuinely enjoy a whiff of fabric softener on clean sheets, an air freshener in the bathroom or a spritz of perfume before heading out. Scents can feel comforting, familiar, even luxurious. But behind the pleasant aromas may be dangerous chemicals…

24 Sep

The empty nest egg: Reassessing finances when the kids leave home

Emily PromiseColumns

For many families, the day children leave home — whether for college, a first job or to start their own household — marks the beginning of a new chapter. Alongside the emotional shift comes a practical one: changes in household finances. In Massachusetts, raising a child to age 18 typically costs between $280,000 and $300,000 (not including college or private K–12 education). Once children are no longer living at home, expenses tied to food, utilities, transportation and extracurricular activities often drop significantly. This opens up…

18 Sep

Shoes, toys, microphones — anything can pull heartstrings for empty nesters

Christine McCarristonColumns

When my oldest daughter moved out three years ago, I, of course, called my mom. I was thrilled for Shanna, proud that my husband and I raised her to go out and stand on her own, but then I was also a mom missing her daughter. It didn’t matter that she moved close to us, it was a different way of living than we had become used to for 27 years. What did my mom remember about me moving out when I got married? What…

18 Sep

ASK LIZZIE: Maybe a ‘good day’ at school isn’t what you think

LIzzie AssaColumns, Parenting

From preschool pickup to college drop-off, this part hasn’t changed. I remember holding my breath all morning after preschool drop-off.Was she crying?Did he pee his pants again?Would she talk during snack time or just sit there frozen? Everyone told me I’d feel relieved once they started school. That I’d get to use those few hours to run errands, fold laundry or grab coffee with a friend. But once I finally dropped them off, the physical chaos of kids underfoot was replaced by a constant loop…

12 Sep

DIGITAL DOCS: Why software updates matter (and how to stay safe & secure)

Stephen BachStephen Bach

Most people are familiar with that pop-up message: “Updates available.” If your first reaction is to put it off for later, you’re definitely not alone. Still, those reminders are much more important than they might seem. Regular updates are essential for keeping your computer secure and running smoothly. Think of them as your device’s regular checkup. Both Windows PCs and Macs rely on these updates to fix hidden problems and ensure everything works as it should. Protecting yourself from security risks: One of the biggest…