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Cognitive shuffling can help with falling asleep

Ask the Doctors Dr. Eve Glazier and Dr. Elizabeth Ko Dear Doctors: I recently read about a way to fall asleep faster where you think about a word for a few seconds and then move on to another word. I tried it using a word for every letter in the alphabet and never got much beyond J. Is there an explanation for why this would work? Dear Reader: You are referring to a sleep technique known as cognitive shuffling. Developed about 15 years ago by a researcher in Canada, it is meant to ease the mind into a diffuse and almost dreamlike state. For many of us, getting the brain to power ...

Woman wants old tradition of bridal shower to change

Dear Annie By Annie Lane Editor’s note: Annie Lane is off today. The following column was previously released in 2018. Dear Annie: I know I am stuck in the “old ways,” but I am trying to adapt to changing times. It is becoming very common for couples to live together before marriage. While I have come to accept traditional and extravagant weddings as an occasion to finally declare their commitment before church and family, what I still struggle with are the bridal showers. This tradition is to gift the bride (and groom) with the necessities to set up their home as they ...

Watch the skies for deep partial lunar eclipse coming Aug. 27

Stargazers By Dennis Mammana On the evening of Thursday, Aug. 27, the full moon will rise in the east as it does just about every month. It won’t take long, however, for it to begin looking a little strange. Regular readers of this column know that the full moon occurs when the moon lies on the opposite side of the sky from the sun. When this happens, it also finds itself near the shadow being cast into space by our planet. Just about every six months or so, the moon will drift into this shadow and produce a lunar eclipse. If it passes entirely into the shadow, it creates a ...

House of the Week: Lindley

The Lindley is a thoughtfully designed single-story Craftsman cottage that maximizes comfort, efficiency, and curb appeal within a narrow footprint. Ideal for narrow lots, this 3-bedroom ranch house plan blends timeless architectural details with an open-concept layout that feels much larger than its modest dimensions. Designed with accessibility in mind, the single-level floor plan is well-suited for homeowners seeking age-in-place features or improved wheelchair accessibility. Craftsman-inspired character defines the exterior, where board and batten gables, decorative corbels, and ...

Writer: ‘… and now, for some personal pedigree notes’

Roots and Branches By James Beidler In between preparing for lectures and the occasional research-for-hire job I do, I’ve been managing to sneak in more time to look at many of my own personal lines — that is, when people aren’t asking me about them, that is. A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine Corinne Moretti Hauk saw an early 1900s photo on Facebook that mentioned a Beidler family in the city of Reading, and knowing that I was a genealogist, wondered if I knew if they were related to me. It took just a U.S. Census record, a death certificate, and a baptism—all on ...

Game set from the 19th century gets $1,050 at Fontaine’s auction

Antiques & Collecting By Terry and Kim Kovel As summer winds down and a new school year begins, it’s time to take on some intellectual challenges. That doesn’t mean giving up fun and games. Some of the earliest manufactured toys, dating to the 18th century, had educational purposes. These included “Sunday toys” that taught Bible stories or imparted moral lessons. Other toys and games helped children practice subjects like arithmetic, spelling, and geography. Even conventional board games that aren’t overtly educational can provide an intellectual challenge; for ...