Lifestyle

I attended a family reunion over the weekend. This gathering was different because what drew us together were the memories former generations shared more than those around the table. I was there with the kids, grandkids, and great grandkids of my paternal grandmother and her siblings. I never met my dad’s mom. She was seven months pregnant with her third child when she died at the age of 24 of a brain aneurysm. She and the baby both died. And yet, my daughter’s middle name was chosen in honor of this woman: Clemmie.

Kenya Barris has carved out a TV empire for himself thanks to being the creator of Black-ish and two of its spin-offs as well as an executive producer on a slew of Netflix TV programs. Barris has also had a recurring presence in film as a screenwriter but save for being one of the writers on the 2017 comedy Girls Trip, his writing credits have been for a wave of reboots/sequels from major studios like The Witches, Shaft, and that Disney+ Cheaper by the Dozen remake. Considering that he was one of several writers on all these films, not to mention that these were franchise pictures designed to please audience expectations rather than challenge them, it’s fair to say Barris’s voice hasn’t been especially discernible in feature-length narratives up to this point.

Dear Abby: My daughter passed away nine years ago. She was almost 13. My mother never bothered to have a relationship with her when she was alive. But now, on every birthday and anniversary of her passing, Mom posts on Facebook how much she misses her and how “close” they were. Her friends all send messages of love addressed to Mom, with no mention of my husband and me. It hurts and upsets us, but I don’t know how -- or if -- I should talk with her about it. Any words of advice? -- Grieving Mom In California

Dear Dr. Roach: For 10 years, my daughter has refused statins (due to cholesterol level) on grounds that women were not a part of the studies recommending statins and that heart disease manifests differently in women. Her daily eating and exercise are stellar. After a decade, her female internal medicine doctor confessed that she, too, doesn’t take statins for the same reason, although she feels it necessary to prescribe them to patients whose cholesterol warrants it. (Is it fear of a lawsuit, or does the continuing education of all doctors come from Big Pharma?)

Dear Abby Dear Abby: I have a moral and ethical dilemma. I nominated a co-worker for a benefit through our company.

To Your Health Dear Dr. Roach: I am an 80-year-old man in relatively good health.

Dear Abby: I’m a woman in my early 50s who has been through two divorces. This may make me sound like a bad person, but I’m really nice and quite conservative. I just make poor choices when it comes to men.

Dear Dr. Roach: You recently had a column on arthritis that recommended more activity. So, what medications can help? You didn’t say in your article. I take a slow-release Tylenol, but I heard of a study that says tart cherry pills help.