Author: Mia

Twitter Chat on World Suicide Prevention

The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital will host a one-hour Twitter chat with active members of the mental health community on World Suicide Prevention Day, September 10, at 3:30 p.m. EST. To participate in the conversation, use the hashtag #ClayCtrChat.

The discussion will be led by Dr. Gene Beresin, executive director, and Dr. Steve Schlozman, associate director at The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds. The Twitter chat will create a forum for ideas, information, stats and a general discussion about how the mental health community can better address and prevent suicide.

“When it comes to mental health, addressing the issue of suicide is one of the most important steps we can take to raise awareness and provide education about this very important topic. The world will be talking about suicide prevention on Sept.10, and because of our experience and the depth of information we provide at mghclaycenter.org, we want to provide an online platform where we can help start the conversation,” said Dr. Gene Beresin, executive director of The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds.

About the doctors:

Gene Beresin, M.D., M.A.

@GeneBeresinMD

Dr. Gene Beresin is executive director of The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a full professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS), and senior educator in child and adolescent psychiatry at MGH. He received a B.A. in music from Princeton University, and an M.A. in philosophy along with his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Steven Schlozman, M.D.

@SSchlozman

Dr. Steven Schlozman is associate director of The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS). He also serves as course director of the psychopathology class for the MIT-HMS Program in Health, Sciences and Technology. Dr. Schlozman practices child and adult psychiatry at MGH, and serves as the primary consultant to the pediatric transplant service. He received a B.A. in English and biology from Stanford University, and his M.D. from the Dartmouth-Brown Program in Medicine.

World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is an awareness day observed on September 10 every year, to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world. The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) collaborates with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation for Mental Health to host World Suicide Prevention Day. The United Nations issued ‘National Policy for Suicide Prevention’ in the 1990s which some countries use as a basis for their suicide policies.

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About The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds:
Based at Massachusetts General Hospital and led by a team of Harvard Medical School faculty members, The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds is a Web-based resource that educates parents and other caregivers about the psychological development and emotional well-being of children, adolescents, and young adults who struggle with behavioral, emotional, and/or learning challenges. The Clay Center features the expertise of its nationally recognized doctors who create engaging and educational mental health content delivered in a wide variety of multimedia formats, including blogs, audio podcasts, online videos, interactive social media, and live online discussions. The content from The Clay Center encourages resilience in individuals and families while increasing the awareness of mental health disorders. To learn more, visit www.mghclaycenter.org.

September 10, 2015
Try BOXYGEN Workout in Your Home!

My boxing gym, Nonantum Boxing Club, developed a circuit and heavy bag workout called Boxygen. I’ve done it myself and it’s a great workout because there’s always something different to do that keeps it interesting and you can go at your own level and pace.

While my boxing gym might seem intimidating as if it might house a fight club, it’s actually run by a family of brothers and cousins who treat everyone as if they are part of their family. They are very, very nice!

Eric is known for his hard workouts and I’ve never managed to take his Boxygen or Heavy Bag class. He’s really nice though and, as an English major, he sometimes uses SAT words during class.

He’s the creator of the Boxygen concept and now it’s come out as a DVD to use in the home …

A new type of training is coming your way and its a knockout!

Welcome to BOXYGEN!

The training series is a one-two punch with both men AND women and now its available as an in-home fitness DVD.

September 9, 2015
NNHS Ranks #67 in Newsweek Top 500 High Schools

There are almost 30,000 public high schools in the United States. This ranking rewards schools by poverty vs graduation rate/college bound. It’s a poll about beating the odds.

This year’s rankings were weighted by:

Enrollment Rate—25 percent
Graduation Rate—20 percent
Weighted AP/IB/Dual Enrollment composite—17.5 percent
Weighted SAT/ACT composite—17.5 percent
Change in student enrollment between 9th-12th grades, to control for dropout rates—10 percent
Counselor-to-Student Ratio—10 percent

The Massachusetts public high schools that made this list are:

#16 Dover-Sherborn Regional High
#52 Medfield Senior High
#67 Newton North High
#75 Westwood High
#93 Hopkinton High
#128 Shrewsbury Sr. High
#139 Groton Dunstable Regional
#207 Longmeadow High
#253 Newburyport High
#279 Georgetown High School
#315 Arlington High
#381 King Philip Regional High
#396 Marblehead High
#424 Ashland High
#448 Natick High
#451 Braintree High
#492 Chelmsford High

September 8, 2015
Two Boston legends star in Mini-Documentary

Two local Boston legends star in this new mini-documentary on the 50^th anniversary of Bob Dylan “plugging in” his first electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival and how it changed music forever.

Festival founder George Wein started his roots in Boston as a local club owner and went on to found the Newport Folk Festival and NOLA Jazz Fest, two of the most respected musical events of the year.

He is joined by famed sound engineer Bill Hanley, known as the “father of festival sound,” and the man behind the sound system at the original Woodstock in 1969.

September 7, 2015
JAZZ @ the Arsenal Series

Renowned Saxophonist Fred Lipsius Kicks Off

2015-2016 JAZZ @ the Arsenal Series

JAZZ @ The Arsenal returns this October for another fantastic season of live music at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown.

Fred Lipsius, original saxophonist, arranger and conductor with Blood, Sweat & Tears (1967-71), and his quartet will open this season’s series on Monday, October 12, at 7:30PM at the Arsenal Center’s Black Box Theater.Lipsius has performed with jazz greats Cannonball Adderley, Thelonious Monk, Zoot Sims, Eddie Gomez, Al Foster, George Mraz, Larry Willis, Randy Brecker, Rodney Jones, plus a number of prominent Berklee College of Music faculty. He has written music for and performed on over 30 CDs as both a leader and sideman. Fred is currently an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music, where he’s been teaching full-time since 1984.

The series continues on November 16 with the Kris Adams Quintet. Kris began singing on stage in a touring children’s theater as a young teenager and had her first professional gigs at the age of 19 in Connecticut, singing in a latin-jazz band that the late saxophonist Tom Chapin was a member of. Her recently released third album entitled “Longing” (Jazzbird Records) is in collaboration with trumpeter/arranger, Greg Hopkins. Kris currently teaches at Berklee and is author of the book “Sing Your Way Through Theory” (Hal Leonard).

The final date of 2015 will be a holiday themed concert of A Jazzy Christmas with The John Baboian Quintet. Jazz at the Arsenal’s Artistic Director, John Baboian, brings his quartet into the Arsenal for a concert of music inspired by the Season. Guitarist/ Composer, John Baboian, has been on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music in Boston for 35 years. He has been organizing the Jazz at the Arsenal series since its inception 8 years ago. This concert will feature unique compositions and arrangements of standard holiday fare.

Upcoming dates in the Jazz @ the Arsenal series:

October 12, 2015 – Fred Lipsius Quartet

November 16, 2015 – Kris Adams Quintet

December 21, 2015 – A Jazzy Christmas with The John Baboian Quartet

January 18, 2016 – Jeff Ramsey & George Russell Jr.: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

February 15, 2016 – The Patrice Williamson Group “Taking Love Easy”: Celebrating Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass

April 4, 2016 – Mark Shilansky and Fugue Mill

For more information about any of the 2015-2016 performers, visit arsenalarts.org/music.

Performances are held in the intimate Black Box Theater at the Arsenal Center for the Arts located at 321 Arsenal St. in Watertown. Free parking is available and the venue is handicapped accessible.

Tickets are $20; $18 for members; $15 for students, plus fees. For tickets or more information, call the box office at 617-923-8487 or visithttp://www.arsenalarts.org. Jazz @ The Arsenal is brought to you by Tufts Health Plan.

Located in Watertown, MA, the Arsenal Center for the Arts is a vibrant multi-disciplinary community arts venue that houses the 380-seat Charles Mosesian Theater, a 90-seat Black Box theater, Exhibition Gallery, Rehearsal Halls, Educational Classrooms, and Artist Studio spaces. ArsenalARTS offerings include gallery exhibits, visual and performing arts classes and workshops for all ages, literary/art discussions and world-class theatrical and musical performances. The Arsenal Center For The Arts is also home to the award-winning Watertown Children’s Theatre, offering year-round theatre education programs, including musical and non-musical productions, voice and acting lessons, and performing arts workshops for children K-12. New Repertory Theatre is the Professional Theatre Company in residence at the center. Arsenal Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

September 6, 2015
Judith’s Kitchen is OPEN!

Dear Neighbors,

Our long-standing and very good friend, Judith Kalish, just opened her new business, Judith’s Kitchen, yesterday. It is located at the corner of Washington and Elm in West Newton – where the Keltic Krust used to be.

Judith is offering gourmet prepared foods, artisanal baked goods, and fine wine & beer, among other items, both for takeout and dining in.

Having been the beneficiary of many wonderful meals over the years, we can tell you she is an amazing cook. If you are in the neighborhood, please stop by to check it out.

Many thanks,

Kate and Ellie

September 5, 2015
FREE The Presidential Speaker Series at Lasell College
The speaker series called The Presidential Speaker Series consists of presentations held throughout the academic year that bring highly regarded and compelling professionals from various fields to the Lasell College campus to help enrich our community.

These events are open to the entirety of the Lasell community including our Newton neighbors, alumni, friends, faculty and staff. The events are free of charge and are generally held on Wednesday nights. The evening includes pre-presentation refreshments and hors d’oeuvres as well as a Q&A session with the presenter.

This fall we have 3 wonderful speakers programmed:
1. Wednesday, Oct. 21^st: Dr. Jay Bradner from Dana Farber/Harvard Medical School who will speak about his research in finding a cure for cancer and his thoughts about open source drug discovery
2. Wednesday, Nov. 4^th: Dr. Jerry Goldberg from The Conversation Project
3. Wednesday, Nov. 18^th: Dr. Warner Slack of Harvard Medical School who will address the pitfalls of standardized testing (SATs etc.) in accurately measuring student’s future success
September 4, 2015
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® LEGENDS

Behold the living legends! In an all-new show, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Presents LEGENDS unveils the unbelievable to Children Of All Ages™.

Experience epic family fun as legendary circus artists from around the globe perform awe-inspiring feats of daring, spectacles of strength and thrills of wonder.

The all-new show plays Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH (Oct.1-4), DCU Center in Worcester, MA (Oct. 8-12) and TD Garden in Boston, MA (Oct.14-18).

September 3, 2015
2015’s Best & Worst States for Underprivileged Children
With August being Child Support Awareness Month and the U.S. having the second highest rate of relative child poverty among economically developed nations, the leading personal finance website WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2015’s Best & Worst States for Underprivileged Children.

In order to assess the living and economic conditions of young people across the nation, WalletHub compared the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia in terms of 15 key metrics, ranging from infant death rates to child food-insecurity rates to the percentage of maltreated children. By bringing such key issues to the forefront, WalletHub aims to engender change and galvanize groups to act on behalf of society’s future propellers of progress.

Welfare of Children in Massachusetts (1=Best; 25=Avg.):
- 10^th – % of Children in Households with Below-Poverty Income
- 4^th – Child Food-Insecurity Rate
- 1^st – % of Children without Health Insurance
- 2^nd – Infant-Death Rate per 1,000 Births
- 28^th – % of Children in Foster Care
- 18^th – % of Children in Single-Parent Families
- 19^th – Ratio of Children Living in Renter-Occupied Homes to Children Living in Owner-Occupied Homes
The full report is here.
September 2, 2015
Bungee Blast Mini

It’s hard to say who had more fun with this toy, the Bungee Blast Mini foam pump rocket toy, my kids or my husband!

The only downside was that the wings came off the rockets pretty quickly and I’m not sure how to fix them or get replacements.

September 1, 2015