Colleagues Who Are Expanding Their Horizons

Happiness Friday to all Creative Thinkers and Doers! In the mid 90s , I would take the train to downtown Chicago after work some evenings to attend creative writing classes at Harold Washington College, while hubby stayed home on daddy duties. I have to admit, I loved this bit of “me” time, I’d carved out for myself.  Attending evening writing classes with other like-minded adults centered me and motivated my creative juices at the same time.

The instructor was a young 30 something, who wore a cropped Afro and admitted that she drove a Jag! Wow, I wanted to chuck family obligations, right then and there and be her:) Well, being a trendsetter wasn’t all she was about. The woman was actually a great teacher, who advised us to “expand” our creative horizons and throw our whole being into becoming the “writers” she knew us to be.

I suppose creatives learn the same things, only in different ways. Here are some of my colleagues who are Expanding Their Horizons :

Books Ink interview with Karen Ford

Featured Artist: Henry L. Jones

Chicago Author, Evelyn Cogdell makes a personal appearance tonight on RARE Woman for Valentine’s Day, to discuss her new relationship book, Essence of Romance (co-authored by yours truly)

Check out Evelyn in conversation with two rare women tonight:

http://www.ubnradio.com/ channel 2 RareWoman 4PM PST

Congrats to all of you creative folk. Keep expanding your horizons.

If you have great news to share on the blog, just hit me up and do the thing! 🙂

How are you expanding your creative gifts?

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Writing Announcements

Happy TGIF!

I was asked to spread the news and so I am. If you’re in the Chicago/Illinois vicinity on these dates, please show up in support. The writer retreat sounds  like cotton candy on a rainy day! Sorry, Nikki Giovanni, had to go there:)

First up-

Romance is on the Menu:

Please join Woodson Regional in welcoming local Romance Novelist Eve Cogdell as she discusses and signs copies of her works, including her latest work, “The Essence of Romance”.
Who: Eve Cogdell
What: Author Event and Open Mic
When: Tues, Sept 15, 2015
Time: 5:00 pm ‘til 8:00 pm
Location: 1st Floor Conference Room
AGENDA: Discussion regarding romance, dating and marriage. Open Mic Poetry and lite refreshments. Prizes and giveaways.
Sponsored by
GREEN APPLE PUBLICATIONS

AND…

Renewal and Revision
Writers Retreat for Women
Relax. Walk. Write. Share Work.
Friday, October 23 – Sunday, October 25, 2015
Join MuseWrite for a weekend of relaxation and revision in Lake Geneva, WI.
Small group peer critiques and professional guided feedback on manuscripts.
Get away from work, family, traffic and other obligations and distractions to
simply focus on your writing.
Group nature walks and opportunities to sip hot cocoa
and exchange ideas.
A flat fee for the retreat includes a reception, one lunch, and guided professional critiques.
Attendees are responsible for the cost of their room, which would include a
complimentary breakfast.
To register, visit www.musewrite.com
Space limited to 30 women
Cost: $150 Early Registration
EXTENDED to 9/15
$180 for registrations after 9/15
Manuscript consultation (up to 15 pages): $45
Harbor Shores Hotel, Lake Geneva, WI
300 Wrigley Drive
(262) 248-9181
Each room has two double beds and can be shared. Rooms must be booked by 9/22 to receive discounted rate. Mention MuseWrite block when booking.
About MuseWrite
Trina Sotira and Michelle Duster are two accomplished writers with over 40 years of combined
experience and five published books between them. They both teach writing at the college level and since 2009 have conducted several writing seminars and workshops together. Under MuseWrite Press, they published Shifts: An Anthology of Women’s Growth Through Change in 2015, a collaboration of 35 nationally recognized writers. For more information please visit www.musewrite.com.

I’m off the writers blog until Sept 11th. I heart you all and so appreciate your support .

Updates From The Writer’s Blog

Happy Saturday!

Did you know that “brainchild” as used in referencing a creative product shouldn’t refer to the person but the( product) that the person has created?   ” A fictional character may be someone’s brainchild, but a human being cannot be.”

Okay:)

Things are at a snail’s pace on the relocating front IE, monies negotiations, increased hidden fees, remodeling schedule conflicts, etc. But, I’m not stressing cause God’s got the wheel ; am ready whenever things fall into place. Also this time freeze, frees me up a bit  to concentrate on a bigger “creative at work” project of mine. Hope to share good news soon.

Evelyn Cogdell’s relationship guide, Essence of Romance  (yours truly co-authors) is now on Amazon.com. Great dating resource for singles and couples-truly. Thanking you in advance for your purchase:)

http://www.amazon.com/Essence-Romance-interested-improving-relationship/dp/0966489845/ref=sr_1_63?ie=UTF8&qid=1439657152&sr=8-63&keywords=essence+of+romance+book

Email Evelyn at evecogdell@sbcglobal.net

I was asked to write a  LinkedIn recommendation for a former mentee and although I’m swamped right now with ‘stuff’ to do, I was happy to oblige. Mind your time management and always choose your “nos” wisely.

I finally heard back from the authors about The Michele Obama Anthology, where my poem, Brown Girl Challenge was selected from hundreds of submissions, for inclusion. I thought the project had been scraped, but the edits are done and the book is ready for the publishers. YAY!

Your Writing quote:

“All writing problems are psychological problems. Blocks usually stem from the fear of being judged. If you imagine the world listening, you’ll never write a line. That’s why privacy is so important. You should write first drafts as if they will never be shown to anyone.” — Erica Jong

 

 

Sharing News From The Writer’s Blog

Good morning, creatives! I hope everyone have a productive day today, along with a fantastic weekend!

I am excited to share my debut “Celebrity Dish” column appearing  in the March issue of Urban Images Magazine. You can read my in depth interview with actor Lyriq Bent about his leading role in The Book of Negroes here:  http://urbanimagemagazine.com/mag-library/

I’m also sharing a recent interview, my colleague, Evelyn Cogdell and I did to promote our book collaboration, Essence of Romance, a relationship guide for singles and couples. 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dub-wyze-talk/2015/03/03/dub-wyze-talk-with-eve-cogdell-and-clara-freeman

Alas, my productivity cup needs a refill, so I’ll be taking the remainder of March off from the writer’s blog.

I’m so feeling the blog love and camaraderie from all of you… Know that I got ya!

Peace, blessings and always remember to treat yourself  special.

5 Benefits of Writer Collaborations

Happy Friday, writers and all creatives! I hope you all have a relaxing and stress free weekend. I’m looking forward to a bit of ‘me’ time to reflect upon personal and professional challenges of the last months. I’m also giving thanks for having achieved success in completion of Essence Of Romance, a relationship guide that I signed on to write as co-author with my friend and colleague, Evelyn Cogdell last summer.

I am so excited about the outcome of our book collaboration, that I decided to share five great benefits of doing this project with Evelyn, that will benefit, not only me, but some of you on your solo writing venture.

1. Deciding to accept the offer to work on Essence, actually freed me from the perils of procrastination that I was experiencing with my works in progress.  It’s oftentimes difficult to put those great scenarios in your head onto a blank page. My work was starting to feel forced, but working on the book with Evelyn helped to free my creative juices from captivity.

2. It was good working with another writer with a common goal. In this instance, we shared our personal experiences and expert wisdom’s from 4 decades of dating  and relationship issues that comes from ‘having been there and done that’. There’s discussion on how to recognize red flags…how to going from being bitter from lost relationship, to forming better, lasting, loving and equally yoked relationships.

3. Being a co-writer strengthened my writing technique through positive feedback and helpful critique. Writing with Evelyn also allowed us to recognize our individual strengths and weaknesses and allowed us to mesh our strong points to deliver a better client product.

4. Collaborating on the project was actually fun and I wasn’t intimidated by research and tedious fact checking. The articles in the book are based on fact and statistical data, along with personal stories and experiences that aids women and men by providing food for thought and pro-active steps to  a better relationship outcome.

5. Since Essence of Romance  became available for purchase in January, the author has been making book appearances at local libraries, churches and other offline outlets.  Recently we appeared to talk about the book as guests on the Judah Stallworth’s  blog-talk radio station.

This is what the host said about our book:  “eye had a blast with your book’s energy!  thankh you!” He invited us back on the show.

Here’s the link to our ESSENCE interview.  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dub-wyze-talk/2015/03/03/dub-wyze-talk-with-eve-cogdell-and-clara-freeman

Collaborating with another writer frees you up to regains your writing mojo and also allows you to examine your weaknesses and strengths. It’s also introduces you to a whole new audience.

These are authors who recently co wrote and completed their books.

Evette Collins and Yvonne Randle , The Secret  To Creating Loving Relationships.

Michelle Duster and Trina Sotera, Shifts; An anthology of Women Growth through change.

Have you collaborated on a book? Feel free to share your experiences.

“Always treat yourself special.”

 

 

2014 Holiday Shout-Out To Authors Who Completed Their Books

Happy Holidays everyone!

I want to end this year 2014 by sending a shout-out to my writing buds who have completed their books and have them ready or in final stages for publication and purchase. Congratulations authors!

Marcie Hill’s book,62 Blog Posts To Overcome Bloggers Block, is available for purchase in January. Here’s the pre order link: http://overcomingbloggersblock.com/

 How do you show your mate you love him or her without

coming on too strong? How do you show them your appreciation while still being respectful? What should one do when they can’t seem to attract a mate? How does one flirt successfully; what are the dynamics involved? What is the effect of marriage on mortality rates? How does a couple know if

their relationship or marriage has been ordained by God?

These are just a few of the questions answered by “The Essence of Romance”, a practical guide for today’s male/female relationships, for both the novice and the expert. So, whether you’re single, married, widowed, separated, or divorced, “Essence” just might help you deal with your situation tactfully and constructively.

The Essence of Romance by

Eve Cogdell

featuring Clara Freeman

GREEN APPLE PUBLICATIONS

FIRST CHOICE BOOKS

ISBN 000-0-00000-000-0

$20.00

Working with Evelyn on her book was an awesome experience, resulting in a wonderful relationship resource for couples and singles. I hope you support our collaboration and purchase a copy of The Essence of Romance either for yourself or as a ‘holiday’ gift for your friends. Contact Evelyn Cogdell at 773-488-4119 for purchasing information.

Congratulations to Kathleen Pooler for completing her memoir Ever Faithful To His Lead. Read more about Kathy’s book/purchase info at  http://www.amazon.com/Kathleen-Pooler/e/B00GIBCKQC or visit her website:

http://www.krpooler.com

My final holiday /end of 2014 book accomplishment goes out to a favorite cyber connection/friend/supporter and author, Ms LaTanya Davis @reflectionsbooks.org and whose memoir is in ready for editing & proofing. All of you have inspired me to “keep-a-going” and perhaps my year of book accomplishment will come:)

I’m taking a holiday break until January…peace, blessing, love, grace and glory to everyone during this festive holiday season and a new year ahead.

“Always treat yourself special”

Clara.

A Conversation With Chicago Author Evelyn Cogdell

Happy Friday, all!  Please join me in welcoming Evelyn Cogdell to Clara54’s writers blog.

I’ve known you for a while now, Evelyn, but please  share a bit about yourself for our readers.

E:  I am Evelyn (aka Eve) Cogdell, a Freelance Writer/Poet, and the self-published Author of 5 books: a Poetry Chapbook (5th Story Reflections); a Short Story collection (Matters of the Heart); a Cookbook (Auntie Eve’s Favorite Dishes); and 2 Novels (Cashmere & Silk, A Love Story and Cashmere & Silk–Two, A Tapestry). Additionally, I have contributed to 2 Anthologies: This Mother’s Daughter and Wisdom of Our Mothers.”

My articles have covered such diverse topics as: religion; politics; health; science; sports; fashion; beauty; recipes; art; music; celebrities; and relationships. I have been featured in newspapers, magazines and e zines. Various venues where I have appeared include: The Black Expo; The Black Women’s Expo; African-American Images; Woodson Regional Library; Avalon Branch Library; Whitney M. Young, Jr. Library; Books Ink; Barnes & Noble and Trinity United Church of Christ.”

C: Interesting! You write in several genres: poetry, romance, food and interviews. Is there something I’m missing, and which genre is your favorite and why?

E: Good question! I don’t really have a favorite, but if I must pick one, I believe I would have to say ‘the interview’ gives me the most satisfaction. Finding out about other people and discovering what makes them tick is a real ‘turn-on’ for me. Basically, I like to write about whatever will uplift and entertain people, as well as enlighten them about the facts of life. In addition to the genres you mentioned, I also write short skits.

C: Do you have a specific writing routine?

E: Actually, I don’t, except for the fact that sometimes on a sleepless night, I might create a ‘new’ poem in my head and get up and write it down. When an idea strikes me I write about it. Also, for the past several years I have purposed to schedule a self-published book release every 5 years.”

C: What do you love about writing?

E: For me, writing is very therapeutic. It gives me the opportunity to express my innermost thoughts and feelings. Writing releases such pent-up emotions as passion, humor, anger and fear. Also, writing gives me the opportunity to communicate with other people by connecting with them on a much deeper level than just mere conversation. Finally, writing is a way of sharing myself with the world.”

C: Excellent, I like the way you think! So, what are you working on now?

E: Currently, I am in the process of publishing book number 6, titled, The Essence of Romance, a collection of articles centered around male/female relationships. Essence is a practical guide to love and romance for today’s couples and singles, and features my first collaboration with another Writer/Poet. The book’s contents are sure to delight and enlighten the average adult, both young and old, alike. Essence is scheduled for release in early 2015.

C: What direction do you see your writing going in the next 5 years?

E: Another good question! Well, as previously stated, I strive to write and self-publish a book every 5 years, so by that time I hope to schedule the release of a ‘new’ book. This book will probably be a book of religious or ‘thought-provoking’ poetry or perhaps another cookbook. As you mentioned, I like to write in different genres; I just love the element of surprise! In other words, I like to surprise people by not writing in the same ‘vein’ all the time; I like to ‘mix it up’, so to speak. We will see what God and Jesus have to say about my next book. It’s all in their hands!”

Bio:

Evelyn (aka Eve) Cogdell, a Freelance Writer/Poet, and the self-published Author of 5 books: a Poetry Chapbook; a Short Story collection; a Cookbook; and 2 Novels. Additionally, she contributed to 2 Anthologies: This Mother’s Daughter and Wisdom’s of Our Mothers.

Evelyn articles have covered such diverse topics as: religion; politics; health; science; sports; fashion; beauty; recipes; art; music; celebrities; and relationships. She’s been featured in newspapers, magazines and ezines. and various venues, such as The Black Expo; The Black Women’s Expo; African-American Images; Woodson Regional Library; Avalon Branch Library; Whitney M. Young, Jr. Library; Books Ink; Barnes & Noble and Trinity United Church of Christ.

Currently, Evelyn is in the process of publishing book number 6, titled, The Essence of Romance, a collection of articles centered around male/female relationships. “Essence” is a practical guide to love and romance for today’s couples and singles, and feature articles written by Writer/Poet, Clara Freeman.

The book’s contents are sure to delight and enlighten the average adult, both young and old, alike.  ESSENCE  is scheduled for release in early 2015.

 

I’m excited to work with Evelyn on her new book. It was such an honor. I will post updates to The Essence of Romance, pending dates of publication and purchase information.

Have a great weekend and as always “Treat yourself special”

A Congratulatory Post On Poetry And Books

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope your week was productive and that you have a safe and memorable weekend of rest, reconnection and gratitude. I, like you, was saddened to hear of Robin Williams death. I was remembering all of his great performances and his upbeat, perfectly timed improvise & jokes that made us laugh until we hurt. What baby boomer doesn’t remember Mork & Mindy? His passing is unfortunate and very sad. There are never enough words.

This is a congratulatory post of sorts that I’ve been meaning to share with readers about what’s been brewing on my creative stove, give a well-deserved shout-out to an author’s milestone accomplishment and share information about clara54’s upcoming guest author appearances.

I admit it. I didn’t spend time working on my memoir during my hiatus. I couldn’t bring myself to create in that cathartic space and so I went back to writing poems; a genre I’d found a bit of success in, in the beginning of my freelance writing career.

I wrote a few new poems and gathered some of my languishing poetry to enter them in The Mary Ballard Poetry Chapbook Prize Competition.http://caseyshaypress.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-mary-ballard-poetry-chapbook-prize.html where they placed in the competition’s quarter finalists. The finalists vote comes at the end of August. Fingers crossed:)

I received edits to a poem selected for inclusion in the Michelle Obama Anthology (the authors changed the title) which is set for publication in the historical academia’s “The Black Scholar” sometime in September.

My poem “When Morning Comes” was selected to appear on the website Best New Poems for 7 days where readers and poetry lovers get to vote on the poem they like best and that poet wins the contest. My poem is scheduled to appear on the site August 29th. I need your votes, people! so go here to vote for When Morning Comes www.BestNewPoems.com.

I’m collaborated with,and will be the featured author on a new upcoming Christian Romance Guide, penned by my colleague and friend, Evelyn Cogdell. At our last correspondence, Evelyn was held up and anticipating returning to the project in September. More on that as it unfolds.

Kathy Pooler, who blogs at Memoir Writer’s Journey http://www.krpooler.com/blog is presently on a blog tour for her just released memoir and will be stopping in at clara54 the first week of September to talk about her new book (which has received great reviews) and her journey away from emotional abuse.

The same week, Kathy will guest post at my Authentic Woman site to encourage, inspire and empower other women to live a life of wholeness, away from abuse.

I was stuck writing my memoir and turned to penning poems on my time away. I also connected with Joy Devok, a prolific cross genre author who blogs at “My Life a Legacy” and who just happens to have recently published her e-book of poetry, called Poetry: Touch the World with Your Art and Soul.

Look for Joy’s appearance very soon as she joins the writers blog to talk about her enormous body of work and the joy of writing poetry. I’m excited to have these authors visit and share with us their writing process and talk about their books.Congratulations authors!

Whew, this post was supposed to be short and sweet. What happened!? If you have great news to share with my readers, please feel free to inquire about joining the fray:)

Works of Local Chicago Authors- Black History Month Showcase

Happy Friday visionaries! What better way to celebrate Black History Month than by introducing my readers (you guys):) to some of Chicago’s very own women authors and History makers in the making? First of all let me also remind everyone that February is also Women History, Chinese New Year and the opening of The Olympic Games! There’s so many worthy and historical causes happening during the month of February and as a woman and African-American, I chose to pay tribute to those past visionaries by sharing works of deserving folks right here in Chicago.

Yvonne Randle and Evette Collins are two charismatic authors who met as members of the Hurston-Hughes Writing Ministry. The two women teamed up to pen their inspirational and self-improvement relationship book, “The Secret to Creating Loving Relationships.” To pick up a copy visit the website at www.24-karatlove.homestead.com

Ms. Marcie Hill is a favorite among the Chicago elite group of writers and authors and is highly regarded in Social Media. Her latest book for writers and bloggers that is touted to become an educational resource for schools, libraries and other businesses, is “62 Blog Posts to Overcome Blogger’s Block”. Visit amazon.com to pick up your Kindle edition http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D9Q1R4A

Evelyn Cogdell is one of my favorite local authors. She modestly pens Romance Novels that sizzles with a Christian theme of what true love between the sheets really looks likes. A great interviewer, Evelyn latest interview is with Author and Playwright Crystal Rhodes. Read it here: http://voices.yahoo.com/renowned-playwright-succeeds-as-author-12524038.html

No, I don’t have another book at the moment, but while you’re waiting 🙂 you can read my latest poem here -http://voices.yahoo.com/a-matter-perception-12521027.html

Finally and believe me I didn’t realize how many great writers I knew, right here in Chicago! Can you imagine those I don’t? Anyway, up last are four women authors (diversity!) consisting of Michelle Duster, great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells, Cynthea Liu, Jen Cullerton Johnson and Trina Satira who formed MuseWrite by and for women of change. Their anthology in honor of First Lady Michelle Obama is called First Lady Depiction and due out in mid February. One of my poems, “Brown Girl Challenge” was chosen for inclusion. You can visit their website here-http://www.mldwrites.com/MIchelle_s_Bio.html.

This is a peek into some of what The Windy City has to offer by way of literary contributions. Please support these wonderful authors and feel free to share input on creatives in your city that you feel people really should know.

Enjoy your weekend!

From The Desk Of Chicago Writer, Evelyn Cogdell…

Image via Wikipedia

The Effect of Marriage on Mortality Rates:

Men vs. Women

Marriage has been a major topic of interest studied by scientists for the past several years. In essence researchers seek to discover the overall benefits that marriage can provide for individuals, both men and women. Among the benefits researchers have looked at are:  the impact of marriage on the financial, psychological, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being of an individual, and how these elements in turn affect mortality rates.

For decades, there has been an ever-popular growing trend regarding older men mating and marrying younger women. We all know the scenario; an older man, who has been a carefree bachelor all his life, will quite suddenly meet and mate a younger woman. And, almost as suddenly as they began dating, he will decide he wants to settle down with her.  As the old saying goes, the older man decides to “rob the cradle”.

But why is this ‘cradle-robbing’ trend so popular?  What makes older men whom we all know have been enjoying ‘sleeping around’ with every woman they possibly can, finally decide to get married, and then to a younger woman?  Is this because younger women are more attractive than women their own age? Are the laws of attraction at work here, or is something else going on?

Some older men feel that a younger woman will boost their ego by improving their social status.  Being seen out on the town with a younger woman improves the way other people view him. In other words, he feels more virile and less like an ‘aged’ man. Studies have shown that older men that mate with and/or marry younger women, have demonstrated a ‘marked’ increase in their fertility rates. We see it all the time, women having babies with their older husbands; and, this is true whether their husbands had previously been married or whether marriage is new to both partners.

But what about the mortality rates of older men? Another popular theory, which scientists have discovered is no myth, is that men must marry or risk an early death. This is especially true when the man has had several different mates throughout his life. Eventually he has to settle down or place his mortality rate in serious jeopardy.  As men get older, they have to make sure they are in a monogamous relationship, if they want a longer life expectancy. All that ‘running around’ tends to catch up with them.

According to the researchers at Guardian.co.uk, marriage to a younger woman improves a man’s life expectancy. However, the Guardian researchers also found that a woman who marries a younger man, seven to nine years her junior, increases her mortality rate by 20%. Additionally, Sven Drefahl, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute in Rostock, Germany concluded that a woman’s life expectancy is shortened if there’s a huge age difference between her and her spouse. Essentially then, the greater the age difference between a woman and her partner the greater the woman’s mortality risks, whether she is younger or older. 

Further research by Drefahl unearthed the following data: men who marry women seven to nine years younger, decrease their mortality rate by 11%; whereas, men who marry older women showed an increase in their mortality risks. Years ago, scientists assumed that healthy older men and women selected younger spouses because they already expected to live a long life, and therefore were able to marry whomever they wanted.  Another general assumption was that younger spouses positively impacted the overall well-being of their older partners. If this theory were true, the life expectancy of the older spouse would naturally be extended. 

While the latter theory holds true for older men, it has proven to be false for older women. And, while the ‘health selection’ theory might prove true for older men, Drefahl has concluded, “it can’t be true for older women”.  Rather than ‘select’ a younger mate, most women choose to marry older men or men their own age. Drefahl says: “Its not that older women can’t find younger men, most of them just don’t want to”. This could hold true for many reasons, one being women prefer older men or men their own age, because they admire the wisdom and experience the older man can bring to the relationship. Further, these women may feel that an older man is less likely to ‘cheat’ or commit adultery, than their younger counterparts. And, the Guardian researchers have concluded that a woman’s life expectancy increases when she and her husband are around the same age. 

Men will undoubtedly read this article and go, “Whoa, gotta go find myself a younger woman.”  Conversely, women reading this article might want to reconsider marrying and/or staying in serious, long-term relationships with their older counterparts.  Celebrity statistics have offered us several models of the older man/younger woman scenario, as well as the older woman/younger man scenario:  Michael Douglas (66) & Catherine Zeta-Jones (41); Warren Beatty (74) & Annette Bening (52); Robert Redford (75) & his new wife (53); Nick Cannon (29) & Mariah Carey (40); as well as Ashton Kutcher (33) & Demi Moore (49).  And, how can we forget the ‘aged’ founder of the Playboy Mansion, none other than Mr. Hugh Hefner (85) who recently got engaged to one of his many much younger ‘playboy’ girlfriends  (the wedding is set to take place in June, 2011)?  Apparently, these older men know something about the older man/younger woman mortality reduction benefits or are ‘true love’ and the laws of attraction in play after all?

Overall, scientists conclude that marriage can benefit both sexes.  Studies have proven the long-term effects of marriage provide:  an improved financial situation (more so for women than for men); better psychological effects, and reduction in depression and stress (more so for men than women); and a marked general improvement in health and well-being (physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual).   Consequently, a satisfying marriage decreases mortality rates and is preferred by most, over a single, widowed or divorced life.  Essentially, if you’re ‘aged’ it is better to have a companion with whom to share your life than to live life alone. Marriage, especially one that is satisfying, seems to be just what the doctor ordered.

Clara54 thanks Chicago writer & published author, Evelyn Cogdell  for asking her meager input to this fab & informative piece which was published in the March 31st, 2011 edition of The Chicago Bulletin Newspaper. Congrats, Evelyn! Readers can contact the author, evelyncogdell@sbcglobal.net

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