MSI Press Blog

Joanna Charnas’s  latest book,  100 Tips and Tools for Managing Chronic Illness,  recently came to my attention. This book is short and filled with tips and ideas.  Library Journal  calls it, “An excellent resource worthy of multiple reads. For those with a determined spirit during discouraging times.” Actually, after reading through the book, I think that most of us are “chronically human” and can benefit from most, if not all, of the suggestions. It would even by a nice Mother’s Day or birthday gift. Joanna has personal experience with chronic illness, have been ill for seventeen years before she learned it was a condition that had no cure. Following the publication of her first book, Joanna spent two years as a  Huffington Post blogger, and she currently writes articles for an international health website. Her first book,  Living Well With Chronic Illness,  was an American Book Fest Finalist in the “Health: General” category of the 2017 Best Book Awards. I like the siz

  Today's daily excerpt comes from 100 Tips and Tools for Managing Chronic Illness by Joanna Charnas.  11.  A SLICE OF CANINE HEAVEN             When Emme died, I struggled to find the right words of condolence for her owner, my colleague Matt. I finally told him that rarely are my expectations of great things completely fulfilled, but my day with Emme exceeded my hopes and was a joy. Emme was a 170-pound Great Dane who spent one hot summer day, per Matt, “babysitting” me when I was homebound with a sinus infection. I’d been sick in June with a similar illness, and when I returned to work, Matt offered to bring Emme to my home the next time I felt ill. He knew I loved Great Danes but couldn’t own one because of my chronic illness. So, during my second week-long bout that summer with sinus issues, I gave Matt a call. At six-thirty the next day, he arrived with Emme and the largest dog bed I’d ever seen.  After an hour of anxiously checking my front door, Emme settled in. She was th

Excerpt from  100 Tips and Tools for Managing Chronic Illness  (Charnas) -- Tip #2 (Oh, Say) Every Wednesday I flex my work schedule and arrive at 8:00 a.m. at the Naval Hospital where I’m employed. I should be sitting at my desk by eight o’clock, but more often than not, I’m running a few minutes late, scurrying across the large medical complex toward my office. Each morning the national anthem plays over the loudspeaker at oh-eight hundred. Protocol requires all people outdoors to cease what they’re doing and face the flag. Some of us stand at attention. Others salute. I like to place my hand over my heart. There are always two thoughts running through my mind at this time: “Darn, I’m going to be late again” and “This is so lovely, I should make an effort to do it every morning.” Standing at attention for the few minutes required to listen to the “Star Spangled Banner” serves as a reflective moment. It forces me to be still, pay attention, and remember the purpose of my day.   I’

   Excerpt from  100 Tips and Tools for Managing Chronic Illness  (Charnas) -- Tip #1. CALL ME DADDY   When I visit New York City, I usually stop by Levain Bakery on West 74 th street to buy their amazing chocolate chip cookies. The storefront is down a flight of steps and occupies a space the size of two coffins. Previously, this had never been an issue. But when visiting the city last October, every time I passed the bakery I saw people lined up for ten yards outside. On my last day of the trip, despite the cold weather and long lines, I decided to buy a couple of cookies. Several middle-aged women wearing transit uniforms stood in front of me in line. I asked them why the store suddenly had such long waits, and they explained that it now had a Facebook page.    The three transit workers and I chatted briefly as we tried to stay warm in the frigid air. One of the ladies, Darlene, had never eaten a cookie from the bakery before. Fed up with the wait, she declared to her friend,

  Books on discount through Kindle (Kindle Countdown) Books on discount through Kindle (Kindle Countdown) Creative Aging   (Vassiliadis & Romer) USA Best Books Awards finalist 11/6 - 11/13 El Poder de lo Transpersonal  (Ustman) 11/7 - 11/14 Healing from Incest  (Henderson & Emerton) Book of the Year Award finalist 11/9 - 11/15 How to Live from Your Heart  (Hucknall) Book of the Year Award finalist 11/10 - 11/17 Books on discount at  MSI Press webstore /books available while supplies last: 10 Quick Homework Tips  (McKinley-Alder & Trombly) 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents: Fun Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Elementary School  (McKinley-Alder & Trombly) $5 book sale at  MSI Press webstore /books available while supplies last 100 Tips and Tools for Managing Chroni c Illness (Charnas) 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas  (Gentile) For posts on any of these books or their authors, type in the name in the search bar; you will have plenty to read! Sign up for th

  Books on discount through Kindle (Kindle Countdown) Books on discount through Kindle (Kindle Countdown) Creative Aging (Vassiliadis & Romer) USA Best Books Awards finalist 11/6 - 11/13 El Poder de lo Transpersonal (Ustman) 11/7 - 11/14 Healing from Incest (Henderson & Emerton) Book of the Year Award finalist 11/9 - 11/15 How to Live from Your Heart (Hucknall) Book of the Year Award finalist 11/10 - 11/17 Books on discount at  MSI Press webstore /books available while supplies last 10 Quick Homework Tips  (McKinley-Alder & Trombly) 365 Teacher Secrets for Parents: Fun Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Elementary School  (McKinley-Alder & Trombly) $5 book sale at  MSI Press webstore /books available while supplies last 100 Tips and Tools for Managing Chroni c Illness (Charnas) 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas  (Gentile) For posts on any of these books or their authors, type in the name in the search bar; you will have plenty to read! Sign up for the

 In honor of Caturday, we are sharing a picture of Joanna Charnas's foster failure. It probably is difficult to give up a foster cat -- one gets attached. To get a better understanding about Joanna, read her book, A Movie Lover's Search for Romance .  A diverting and informative story of searching for love in mid-life by a divorced social worker, who intertwines entertaining stories of successful love interests with well-known movies containing similar plots and themes. Written as diary entries covering a 15-year period, the author shares openly, in detail, and with insights her experiences with dating, friendships, affairs, and relationships. Written candidly with a light hand and turns of phrase that reflect her personality and make the book hard to put down. Joanna has also written award-winning non-fiction about coping with chronic illness. Check out: Managing chronic illness demands constant mindfulness and management. It’s a process that constantly evolves over a lifetime