Dr-Linda

AT VERY LEAST… BUY A LOTTERY TICKET

June 4, 2016Blog

Forget about your age… I’d bet you have a dream. Everyone sort-of has one. What’s yours? Once you’ve identified it, you already know that magic wands rarely work and that to even give it a shot, you are going to need a really good road map. I was reminded again how enriching it is to […]

Learning Manners From a New Yorker?

July 12, 2015Blog

July 12, 2015 I couldn’t wait to share my city of origin with my seven-year-old grandson. Aidan with his giant back-pack, rolled his suitcase into our hotel in New York City, to begin our wonderful adventure. It was just the two of us. Which meant, of course, he needed to be in charge of some […]

BFF’s on the Loose in Montreal

May 3, 2015Blog

May 3, 2015 Not exactly “golden,” we’re no match – at least these days, for Carrie Bradshaw and her friends, which really has nothing to do with anything. In puffy coats and woolen scarfs, we four BFF’s brought our Southern California weather to Montreal. It was even fun to smile and take credit for the […]

From Brooklyn… Armed With Love

April 19, 2015Blog

April 19, 2015 Sunset. Gorgeous yachts. Paddle-boarders with long blond hair. Electric boats carrying waving children. Friends drinking wine, laughing, waving back. It all seemed surreal. How did I get here… this sort-of poor kid from Brooklyn? Do you ever think about things like that? I don’t, very often, but I did the other gorgeous […]

“Gone Girl” … A Mirror of Marriage

October 23, 2014Blog

October 23, 2014 “Gone Girl” was a smash hit as a book and now as a movie. Why do you think? The story is about a beautiful, once happily married wife, who mysteriously disappears on her fifth anniversary. We do get some early hints about “Amy’s” manipulation skills, but mostly, there is room for imaginations […]

Love and Hope in New York City

October 3, 2014Blog

October 3, 2014 My credentials as a love doctor are stretched on every trip I make to New York. I’ve often been accused of having a love affair with this city, my original “hood.” There are lots people here who look, sound and dress like me. I see a reflection of myself everywhere. Can you […]

Robin Williams, My Friend Katy and What You Can Do

August 16, 2014Blog

August 16, 2014 Suicide sometimes looms like a permanent option for what usually turns out to be a temporary problem. How sad that is. The decision to take one’s life is usually made in a fuzzy brain state, colored by some event or disappointment that may seem insurmountable. “Life isn’t for everyone.” Robin Williams was […]

Awe-Struck By Judy Blume, Shopping and “Hands-Up” Generosity

July 20, 2014Blog

July 20, 2014 I was in Santa Fe New Mexico to go shopping. Don’t smirk. The once a year International Folk Art Market gives enthusiasts like me a chance to feel good about spending money and I wasn’t alone. There were thousands of other visitors doing the same thing. An “Alliance” in Santa Fe takes […]

Cool at 13, Adrift at 23

June 29, 2014Blog

June 29, 2014 It must be true… I read it in the newspaper: Thirteen-year-old middle school “stars,” who dabble in stuff that most parents don’t approve of, fall off the popularity wagon in fairly short order. You know who they are.. the ones who at thirteen, only hang with attractive people, have many “romances,” … […]

Friendship On Fire

June 8, 2014Blog

June 8, 2014 I was challenged by a man who considers himself an expert when it comes to all things, romantic. “I want to know, how you, the ‘Love Doctor, define “Romantic Love.” He wasn’t talking about “family love, or brotherly love, about institutional love, or of the unconditional love we feel for our offspring.” […]

An Affluent City On Trial… Again

May 10, 2014Blog

May 10, 2014 The “Prom Draft” at Corona del Mar High School has put Newport Beach, California, back in the news. That this story followed so closely behind the “cheating” scandal,” I think, made it sound worse than it really is. This time, I’m not sure, anyone at CDM did anything wrong. During the cheating […]

The Best City For Love: Paris? New York?

April 28, 2014Blog

April 28, 2014 Paris is the city of LOVE; I’m sure you’ve also read that somewhere. Paris is beautiful and inspiring … lovers can do well when they share the experience of what it has to offer. For me, when it comes to LOVE, however, New York is still the real deal. One sunny but […]

Falling In Love With Her

January 10, 2014Blog

January 10, 2014 “HER” played in our local theater. When it was over, several of the moviegoers around me were quite vocal with their reviews. “Soooo romantic,” cooed one woman. Her friend agreed. “Samantha and Theodore seemed like the perfect couple.” For the uninitiated who haven’t seen this film, please note that “Samantha” is the […]

New York, Salvation Army Ladies and Phony Weddings in Paris

December 8, 2013Blog

December 8, 2013 I’m on an airplane, on the way home from New York. Yes, again. The pull to spend time in my hometown remains persistent. For me, it is energizing to pound the pavement… beats a treadmill any day. I always expect something wonderful to happen. Sometimes it does. The Christmas windows at Bergdorf, […]

“Thanksgivukah”

November 30, 2013Blog

November 30, 2013 Jews celebrated Thanksgiving and Hanukah together this year. The Hebrew calendar just worked out that way. The second night of Hanukkah was dubbed, “Thanksgivakah” . At first, it all sounded too weird to think about. Especially since it has never happened before in my lifetime and is not about to happen again […]

New York and Nude Models… With New Eyes

September 21, 2013Blog

September 21, 2013 Nude models… a young man and a young woman… a quartet playing soft background music, forty or so artists and some wannabees, sketching, a bar, snacks for sale and the most exquisite, illustrative art on the walls. A perfect New York experience. As a former New Yorker who can still fake it, […]

Coming of Age… Sort of

August 22, 2013Blog

August 22, 2013 I was at the senior center, about to start a zumba dancing class and I had palpitations in the parking lot. The last time I had taken a dancing class, I cried… I was five years old and I made my mother promise me that I would never have to go back. […]

On Becoming an “Elderly, Optimistic Orphan”

June 10, 2013Blog

June 10, 2013 I’m working at becoming an “optimistic orphan.” My mom died last year, at ninety-five and a half, fifty years after my dad’s death. Most people would say she lived a long-enough life and that I should be grateful not only her longevity, but for the promise of my own. I am grateful. […]

Never Trust a Woman

May 15, 2013Blog

May 15, 2013 It was a really bad week for women, at least in the movies. “The Great Gatsby,” Jay, is obsessed not only with his own image, but with vulnerable Daisy, the wife of wealthy, boorish and philandering Tom. Gatsby throws outrageous, over-the-top parties, mostly to attract Daisy’s attention. He’ll do anything to win […]

Jackie Robinson and Justin Bieber

April 14, 2013Blog

April 14, 2013 It was easy to imagine a bunch of teenage girls at a Justin Bieber concert, waiting, waiting for their idol to come on stage. The electricity of anticipation, hung out, in the air. No roar of the crowd, though, only quiet anticipatory reminiscence by a bunch of over-the-top baseball fans. It was […]

Football, TV, Cell Phones or Me?

March 13, 2013Blog

March 13, 2013 Ladies: Ever hear of “Zeebox?” It’s an app which watches your TV shows, right along with you and offers the kind of chatter and gossip you may crave. Never will you get that kind of attention and companionship from your man. He’s not even interested in the shows you watch. Gentlemen: If […]

How “Serious” is Your Relationship?

February 14, 2013Blog

February 14, 2013 Do you remember when you decided that your love relationship became “SERIOUS” Do you remember what you told your friends, your parents? By “SERIOUS,” I don’t think you meant “grave”, or “stern” or “humorless.” You were in love and it was fun. That’s what you were trying to communicate. “He’s special.” “She’s […]

“Fifty Kisses” Screenplay Contest

January 31, 2013Blog

January 31, 2013 I’d love for you to read my Valentine’s script and give me some notes! “Fifty Kisses.” Think about it. I just couldn’t resist entering this contest because it felt like the perfect challenge for this love doctor, who also happens to be a closeted screenwriter. The task: To write a complete screenplay, […]

My Love Affair With a Store

January 25, 2013Blog

January 25, 2014 My name is Linda and I am a Loehmann’s junkie, now in a forced recovery. Loehmann’s is going out of business. For the uninitiated, Loehmann’s, has been a national chain of discount stores, specializing in high fashion at reduced prices. High fashion is in my blood. Scoring a find with a good […]

“Bah Humbug” To Resolutions?

January 6, 2013Blog

January 6, 2013 “Bah Humbug” To Resolutions? – Are you a New Years Resolver? Or do you declare “Bah humbug” and resolve never to make another resolution on New Years Day? Let me re-phase the question. Have you made a “promise” to yourself recently? Sometimes, it’s just easier to deal with a “promise.” In the […]

“Amour”… About Love and the End of Life

December 26, 2012Blog

December 26, 2012 “Amour”… About Love and the End of Life – I think a lot about “love,” even when it’s not the holidays. I read a about relationships and seek out movies about people who care about each other. You’d probably agree that this is a good thing for the “love-doctor” to do. So, […]

Sports, Men and Masculinity

October 25, 2012Blog

October 25, 2012 Sports, Men and Masculinity – I overheard a conversation between two special men in my life. My Uncle Jack, excited about his success, on the tennis court, bragged, “Three aces, against a woman who ALWAYS returns everything. It made my day,” he said. His energy soared through the speakerphone. “I’ll tell you… […]

Husbands, Wives: Learn From Dustin Hoffman

October 10, 2012Blog

October 10, 2012 Husbands, Wives: Learn From Dustin Hoffman – Dustin Hoffman, the actor, said that Luciano Pavarotti, the famous classical singer and one-time insurance salesman, allegedly relied on encouragement from his wife to get out on the stage and perform. “My wife is also how I came to producing and directing in this time […]

“Fifty Shades of Gray”

May 23, 2012Blog

May 23, 2012 “Fifty Shades of Gray” – They’ve been called “mommy-porn,” offering a release from chores associated with child care and housekeeping. And it’s not only young mommies who are reading it. By chance that you are not aware of this cultural phenomenon, “Fifty Shades Of Gray” is a trilogy of best selling, erotic […]

Victory Lap Time

January 29, 2012Blog

January 29, 2012 Victory Lap Time – Unlike Betty White, I’m not quite old enough to brag about my age but I’ve decided that fifty years of marriage is worthy cause for celebration. Our kids apparently thought so too. I admit all this celebrating makes me a little uncomfortable. People whose pictures I see in […]

Random Acts of Kindness

December 29, 2011Blog

December 29, 2011 Random Acts of Kindness – Seven out of ten pet owners bought their pets holiday gifts. It must be true because I read it on Facebook! I also read a story in the New York Times on Sunday, about a single mom and her teen age kids, all veterans of Christmas morning […]

When You Sense It’s Time To Move On

November 30, 2011Blog

November 30, 2011 When You Sense It’s Time To Move On – I’m buying a shiny, sleek, glamorous new car today and I feel terrible about it. This new car looks wonderful; it has not even one dent or nick. The leather seats are spotless because they have no history. No one I love has […]

“Travel Companion Wanted”

August 12, 2011Blog

August 12, 2011 “Travel Companion Wanted” – “SENIOR retired bachelor lawyer who has traveled to Paris every spring and fall for many years, seeks a traveling companion.” The large ad appeared in today’s Daily Pilot and it was enough to catch my attention as I scanned through local news. Don’t miss this story! The advertiser […]

Men Who Cheat

May 29, 2011Blog

May 29, 2011 Men Who Cheat – A man told me he’s been faithful to his wife since his 45th birthday. How old are you? I asked. “Forty-five and two weeks,” he answered. What’s really up when a man cheats on his wife? Sometimes, not much, according to at least one survey, which by the […]

Barbie and Ken Have Reconciled

March 6, 2011Blog

March 6, 2011 Barbie and Ken Have Reconciled – When Barbie left Ken around Valentines Day in 2004, I was really sad. She had “been” with the guy for forty-three years and there were at least some happy fantasies about lasting love and having fun. Then Barbie left Ken for Blaine, a much younger surfer-dude. […]

Optimism Intact

December 23, 2010Blog

December 23, 2010 Optimism Intact – I’m a morning person. I wake up every day, okay almost every day, full of hope. I like to think I don’t exactly sit around waiting; I’ve lived long enough to know better. I work hard at my optimism. Now, just like you, I face a new year and […]

Forget Wishes: Make a Promise Instead

November 24, 2010Blog

November 24, 2010 Forget Wishes: Make a Promise Instead – For better and worse, tomorrow is Turkey Day. Families and friends gather to mark another year, celebrate, feast and give thanks. People often reminisce on Thanksgiving. As a child, I also loved this holiday. It was a time to get dressed up, and mingle with […]

Two Hours in the Life of a Psychologist

May 3, 2010Blog

May 3, 2010 Two Hours in the Life of a Psychologist – A Chinese lady… a lovely, thin gentle Chinese woman gave me a gift today. It was carefully wrapped in a Saks Fifth Avenue box with a grosgrain ribbon. “I hope you will enjoy these,” she said. May I open it? I asked. “Of […]

“Soul-Mates”

July 4, 2009Blog

Cheap Psychotherapy for You and “O.C. Legs”

June 3, 2009Blog

June 3, 2009 Cheap Psychotherapy for You and “O.C. Legs” – I think the girl I met at the gas pump yesterday had a lot of spunk. She was wearing high heels and a short skirt. And the license plate on her flashy car read “OC Legs.” Maybe she was a district attorney or a […]

Rich Old Guys and Young Beautiful Girls

March 1, 2009Blog

March 1, 2009 I was with a group of people in a restaurant where we witnessed an older gentleman with a woman who qualified as an “armpiece.” He was 70 or so and she was about 35. He was balding and overweight. She was perfect. “Now how did those two meet?” asked one friend, noticing […]

How To Be Successful In This Marriage or Your Next One

February 18, 2009Blog

February 18, 2009 I’m having post-Valentine’s thoughts. Last week I wrote about my visit to a famous “OC” mall where I conducted a love survey. I remain amazed about what some people will tell an absolute stranger in a mall! One man, who was sort of hanging around and listening to what I was doing, […]

The Two Wolves Inside of Us

November 1, 2008Blog

November 1, 2008 The Two Wolves Inside of Us I’ve had this profound incredible love experience! When my grandson Aidan was born six months ago, I learned about still another kind of ecstasy; I thought I had that part of my life covered until I hugged that child. Love… romantic or parental … comes with […]

Is Your Marriage at Risk of ‘Bankruptcy’

July 20, 2008Blog

July 20, 2008 ALERT: Not recognizing your partner’s efforts and concentrating only on what he/she does wrong, can “bankrupt” your marriage. The final message on the TV screen in front of my seat on a jet Blue flight, right before take off was, “Thank you for being such a good reader.” Wow! Everyone around me […]

Re-Union

June 30, 2008Blog

June 30, 2008 There was a girl I didn’t recognize in a flare pink flare skirt with a poodle on it, who seemed to love when the rock and roll music started. Another man showed off in our school colors, with orange and blue tennis shoes. We all wore nametags with pictures of ourselves at […]

What Can We Learn From Jack at 85?

June 18, 2008Blog

June 18, 2008 I went to a birthday party for “the mayor” of my street… or maybe of the whole neighborhood. Jack, a retired pilot, has lived in the same house for 37 years. He turned 85 this week. His backyard was filled with well wishers, mariachis and waiters serving margaritas, burritos and other goodies. […]

Welcome Me To The Electronic Age

May 25, 2008Blog

May 25, 2008 – Welcome me to the electronic age! Writing a blog is like having a few shots of mental botox… it makes me feel young, I’ll try to keep this interesting enough for you to check in from time to time. Thank you for listening… or whatever you call it.

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