Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.- Leo Buscaglia Humboldt County, like so many other Northern California counties is breathtakingly beautiful. There are redwoods, wildlife, waters, good food, art, architecture, and history. Coming from San Francisco, there's a notable slowing of pace and a quiet in the air. But there's trouble. Big trouble. Humboldt County is plagued with an ever increasing homeless population, many of whom are people who inject drugs (PWIDs). The county runs neck and neck with Lake County as having the highest rat
Written in 1788 by Robbie Burns, Auld Lang Syne is a poem/song most of us are familiar with. The lyrics begin with the rhetorical question: Should old times be forgotten? Looking back at 2017, it's safe to say it's been a tumultuous year. Politics has been at the forefront of the news and occupied our minds in an unprecedented way. Worry and anxiety as well as flares of negativity have been extra-prevalent. Part of me wants to say good riddance to 2017. Wisdom informs me of the multifaceted nature of all things. If I choose to, I can look at what may appear at first glance as something negative, and find the hidden treasure. There is a more perfect facet somewhere, and that's what I h
