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Articles by Sandra Gurvis
American Society of Journalists and Authors
It’s that time of year. The daphne outside our front door perfumes the air. The weather can’t decide if it’s hot or cold. And I spend weekends getting my tax return ready for the accountant. By now, I’ve got things down to a science. I use a spreadsheet to track income, expenses, and donations. I review the 1099s and online and the paper receipts I’ve collected for the year to fill in earnings and expenses by category, and doublecheck my work against the Quicken data my husband keeps.
As the Thanksgiving holiday arrives, ASJA Confidential re-shares a piece written by ASJA member Sandra Gurvis. The sentiment remains as strong today as it did when first published in 2017. ASJA would like to wish all of our members a safe and happy holiday season. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays (second only to Halloween) but this year it’s going to be bittersweet.
Sales + Marketing Standouts: Meet the 2023 Nationals Winners-People and Teams
For 14 years, Elena Mora was the only online sales counselor (OSC) for Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods, and also one of the first OSCs in the country. She worked seven days a week, 10 hours a day, before acquiring a partner in 2020. That schedule may have overwhelmed some people, but Mora exceeded benchmarks and created processes to boost customer engagement.
2022 BALA Projects: Kitchens That Cook
2022 BALA Projects: Kitchens That Cook Advertisement BALA Best in American Living Awards These kitchens from the 2022 Best in American Living Awards showcase on-trend design and innovative ideas for any price point These winning projects from the National Association of Home Builders' 2022 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) provide some great examples of kitchens that marry good looks with functionality, offering cooking and dining spaces that are both hard-working and beautiful, whether...
How to Build Lasting Relationships During COVID and Beyond
With its strict social and physical limitations as well as the unwanted bedfellows of politics and suspicion, it seems the pandemic threw a hand grenade into the whole concept of friendship. Even though we’re coming up on year two for COVID-19 “people still aren’t quite sure what to do,” says Lara Falberg, a clinical social worker and therapist in Columbus.
Should You Hold the Salt? How Salt Intake Can Affect Blood Pressure, Strokes, Cardiovascular Diseases Original
How much sodium should I have in a day? Salt intake of less than 5 grams per day for adults helps to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart attack, according to the World Health Organization. That means you should limit your salt to about a teaspoon per day, which includes about 2,000 milligrams of sodium. The FDA concurs when it comes to a low-salt diet, suggesting a sodium limit of 2,300 milligrams is ideal.
Who Wants to Be Frail? The More Frail an Older Adult Is, the Higher the Risk for Injuries
“Look, you are healthy and everything seems to be going well,” my doctor told me last summer, despite my frustration that I had not dropped the pandemic five pounds I’d gained since March 2020. “It’s just a number.” His response gave me pause. My whole life has been a battle of the bulge featuring rollercoaster dieting and even a sampling of plus sizes after the birth of my second child, Alex. Yet, I carefully considered the doctor’s recent comment.
A Life Committed to Critters
Ty Park has always had a passion for what some might regard as creepy crawlies. “My father gave me a turtle when I was 6, and I was hooked,” recalls the energetic 67-year-old. “I would spend my allowance on small fish and then release them into the ocean, not realizing that the fish were supposed to be in fresh water.” At age 13, the native South Korean emigrated with his family from Pusan to Urbana, Illinois, so his father could accept a professorship in chemistry.
How One Older Adult Adjusted to Living Alone During the Pandemic
Last June, in the middle of the pandemic, I moved all by myself from Columbus to Bradenton, Florida. I’m not going to divulge my age, which hit another milestone in January. But here’s the thing: Being older and alone during a world-shattering situation is not as bad as you might think. Geriatrician Dr. Carla Perissinotto, an associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco recently described the differences between loneliness and social isolation.
Why Having a pet is Good for Your Health
Zooeyia, the science of studying the miscellaneous health effects of interacting with animals, has taken on growing importance during a year of high anxiety and social distancing. But those who manage the Columbus Police Therapy Dog unit already knew that. “We bring the dogs to witnesses, victims and officers,” explains Sgt. Chantay Boxill, who oversees the unit. Not only does their presence help with processing trauma, but it provides a diversion and calming effect.
Local Volunteers and Researchers Participate in COVID-19 Vaccine Trials
Meet three Central Ohioans who participated in AventivResearch's blind study. Last summer, when Jan Mader of Clintonville learned that AventivResearch was looking for volunteers for a COVID-19 study for the Pfizer vaccine, she jumped at the opportunity. “In early March, before the quarantine lockdown began, my sister caught COVID-19 on a plane coming back from New York City,” she recalls. “She lost her sense of taste and smell and was having trouble breathing.
Local Volunteers and Researchers Participate in COVID-19 Vaccine Trials
Last summer, when Jan Mader of Clintonville learned that AventivResearch was looking for volunteers for a COVID-19 study for the Pfizer vaccine, she jumped at the opportunity. “In early March, before the quarantine lockdown began, my sister caught COVID-19 on a plane coming back from New York City,” she recalls. “She lost her sense of taste and smell and was having trouble breathing.
The Fine Art of Self-Maintenance
By Sandra Gurvis Tuesday Jun 9, 2020 at 7:09 AM One writer shares lessons learned from two decades of being on her own. After 13 years of using the self-cleaning option of my oven for only a half-hour or so, I decided to go big and run the full three-hour cycle. It was a complete mess, and I was on a rare housecleaning kick. The result: a dead broiler discovered a couple of days later after I attempted to broil a steak, which almost mooed when I opened the oven door 10 minutes later.
Life After Breast Cancer
One doctor hopes her personal story will help others consider their options after being diagnosed When 46-year-old Dr. Deepa Halaharvi joined OhioHealth as a breast cancer surgeon in 2014, she never expected to become a patient herself. “I had just finished my surgical training,” she recalls.
Medical Research and Innovation at Ohio State
Research is big business at Ohio State University, with medical funding currently exceeding a quarter of a billion dollars, according to Peter Mohler, vice dean for research at OSU’s College of Medicine. Ohio State gets grants from the National Institutes of Health and other sources such as other government agencies, nonprofit foundations and industry contracts. Funding for OSU’s College of Medicine, alone, now includes some $268.5 million. What follows are some of the latest breakthroughs.
Medical Research and Innovation at Ohio State
From a cancer vaccine to gene insertion for those with Parkinson's, local researchers are breaking through. Research is big business at Ohio State University, with medical funding currently exceeding a quarter of a billion dollars, according to Peter Mohler, vice dean for research at OSU’s College of Medicine. Ohio State gets grants from the National Institutes of Health and other sources such as other government agencies, nonprofit foundations and industry contracts.
The 17-Year Payoff: Tasini vs. New York Times Digital Copyright Lawsuit
By Sandra Gurvis Posted on Tuesday, June 12, 2018 Talk about snail mail. It took 17 years, but checks for ASJA members and others who filed claims in the Tasini vs. New York Times lawsuit finally arrived a little over a month ago. “I kept telling people they would get the money, but no one actually believed me,” half-jokes former ASJA President Randy Dotinga, who served as a point person during the lawsuit, informing members of progress or lack thereof.
ASJA Confidential
By Sandra Gurvis Posted on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 As I sit down to write this, the last ASJA Confidential column, the lyrics of the Beatles tune “Hello Goodbye” run through my head. Being an avid Googler and sometimes procrastinator, I looked up the discography of the song and was somewhat bemused to learn that Paul McCartney wrote it about duality: “Man, woman, black white, ebony ivory, high low, right wrong, up down, hello goodbye,” he says.
New Member Profile: Crystal Hammon - Expanding Her Horizons
By Sandra Gurvis Posted on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 Any organization thrives on new ideas and members, and ASJA Associate Member Crystal Hammon (@cjhammon on Instagram) is an enthusiastic addition. She joined in April, attended #ASJA2019 in May, and returned from New York City energized and full of insights and plans.
Home & Garden: Know Your HOA Fees and Rules
Avoid headaches after you buy by having a complete understanding of homeowners' association rules that govern a planned community or high-rise. Maureen (not her real name) was thrilled when she purchased her Downtown condo. It had all the right amenities, including a rooftop pool; a small, well-equipped weight room; and underground parking.
Overheard: #ASJA 2019
By Sandra Gurvis Posted on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 With a packed house; a diverse and intriguing lineup of speakers; the cool, intimate Marriott Downtown near the new One World Trade Center building and the 9/11 Tribute Museum; and a new app that helped link it all together, #ASJA2019 was a resounding success. ASJA Confidential played fly-on-the wall and talked with three attendees practically as they were walking out the door. Here are some of their observations: So, What Was New?
New Member Profile: Sarah Stankorb Writes and Invents Words
By Sandra Gurvis Posted on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 Editor’s note: Associate and Professional members – are you working on something ground-breaking, unique and/or totally cool? Have a new book or platform and looking to spread the word? Then email me or ASJAConfidential@gmail.com and get your profile on! Not only will your efforts be highlighted but you will be reaching a wide and varied audience since, in addition to 1200+members, ASJA Confidential/Weekly also goes out to the public.
Health Trends: Innovations in Breast Cancer Research
Groundbreaking research and the newest technology have improved the chances of early detection, diagnosis and optimal treatment. Annual mammograms are encouraged for women over the age of 45 and at least every other year after the age of 55, depending on your medical history. What many health providers aren’t telling you is that, between each regular mammogram, great strides are being made in research and detection. So, your experience may change the next time you show up for an exam.
Bioengineering Programs: The Next Big Thing?
“I find myself looking at things in a slightly different way,” said Ayeeshik Kole, an MD-PhD candidate in the Indiana University (IU) Medical Scientist Training Program. As a student/trainee in a joint venture between the IU School of Medicine and the Purdue University Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Kole is learning to balance the demands of traditional clinical medical training with the science, analysis, and design requirements of biomedical engineering.
Executive Communications: AMC Leaders Share Best Practices
Like any seemingly effortless endeavor—think Olympic-level gymnastics—best practices in executive communications are the result of months, if not years, of planning, strategizing, and asking questions of a lot of people, especially at the beginning of a leader’s tenure. Then, leaders often develop their own style of communicating based on the culture and needs of their organizations and their personal strengths.
Derreck Kayongo: Raising the Bar on Health Care
A simple bar of soap has carried Uganda-born Derreck Kayongo to renown as an expert on environmental sustainability and global health. Selected for CNN’s Top 10 Hero Award in 2011 and recently chosen by former President Jimmy Carter for the National Archives’ Amending America Initiative, among many other honors, he and his family fled from Uganda to Kenya in the 1970s during dictator Idi Amin’s reign of terror. Eventually he emigrated to the United States where he became a U.S. citizen.
Dr. Scott Leibowitz is Caring for Transgender Youth
By Sandra Gurvis Wednesday Nov 21, 2018 at 12:07 PM Psychiatrist Scott Leibowitz is a renowned leader in the field of treating transgender youth It looks like any waiting room: minimal art on the walls, children’s toys and playthings scattered about, plastic chairs, the ubiquitous TV. But what goes on beyond the reception area for Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s THRIVE program is anything but generic.
Caring for Transgender Youth
Psychiatrist Scott Leibowitz is a national expert in the emotionally charged field of transgender children and teens. It looks like any waiting room: minimal art on the walls, children’s toys and playthings scattered about, plastic chairs, the ubiquitous TV. But what goes on beyond the reception area for Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s THRIVE program is anything but generic.
Social Media Roundup #4: To Twitter or Not? ASJA Members Weigh In
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series on social media for writers. A book-worthy peg in a blog hole, the series aims to point writers in the direction of finding more information and help them make informed decisions. Have a social media story to tell or experiences to share? Please email me or ASJAConfidential@gmail.com. Thanks! I have a confession: I dislike Twitter.
Paraphrasing: The Key to Avoiding Inadvertent Plagiarism
My October 2017 column “Train Your Brain to Recognize Inadvertent Plagiarism” covered the sticky, sensitive topic of plagiarism, including the inadvertent brand, which tends to crop up more often in content writing. Or at least that’s been my experience. With journalism, you’re pulling from your imagination, the ideas/quotes of others and a variety of second- and third-tier sources.
Social Media Roundup #2: Instagram 101: More Than Just a Pretty Picture
Editor’s note: This is the second in a series on social media for writers. A bookworthy peg in a blog hole, the series aims to point writers in the direction of finding more information and help them make informed decisions. Have a story to tell or experiences to share on LinkedIn, Twitter or the “others” (Snapchat, Tumblr, Pinterest)? Please email me or ASJAConfidential@gmail.com. Thanks! A few weeks ago I was invited to a “Facebook Community Boost” held in Columbus.
10 Reasons Why People Give (and 5 Reasons They Don't)
Generosity lights up the same part of your brain that responds to food and sex: Neuroscientists at the National Institutes of Health demonstrated this in a study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Similar results came from scientists at Stanford and Harvard universities.
ASJA 70th Anniversary Gala…ASJA through the Decades, Part 2
ASJA history and ASJA’s 70th Anniversary Gala are intertwined; perhaps in the not-too-distant future, extraterrestrials will be rooting for information about our culture and come across a description of May’s upcoming bash. So now is your chance to be part of ASJA history and have a blast in the present.
The Prehistoric Necessity of Having a Website
Every so often I encounter a writer or interview source who has no website. How can that be? I wonder. They seem to get by with a LinkedIn profile, Facebook business page or, if an author/journalist, by referencing their collection of clips on, among others, Contently, Skyword, Ebyline or Upwork or their books on their publisher’s page. While I myself have gotten some work from these various sources, most unreferred clients come from my web page.
Kitchen: Worshipping at the Altar of Pizza
The many perks involved with pizza tasting Sandra Gurvis What's not to love about pizza? It can be breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. I've had it twice in a single day. Loaded with hash browns, eggs, sausage, bacon and cheese, it can be breakfast. And for dessert? Food porn alert: You can have Nutella pizza, caramel apple pizza, brownie pizza, cinnamon roll pizza and more. I'll stop there before my scale and hips explode.
ASJA 2018 Keynoter Katherine Reynolds Lewis: Hitting It Out of the Ballpark With Your First Book
An award-winning independent journalist, author and speaker based in Washington D.C., ASJA 2018 keynoter Katherine Reynolds Lewis is fast on the heels of the success – or shall we say, pre-success, of her about-to-be released first book, The Good News About Bad Behavior (PublicAffairs, April 2018). But hers is no overnight Cinderella tale.
Health: A mother’s story about the opioid crisis
Sandra Gurvis writes an emotional story about the opioid epidemic and how her son died after a 10-year struggle with addiction. Sandra Gurvis Dear Alex, As the first anniversary of your overdose death approaches on Jan. 1, I am experiencing an incredible cascade of emotions—grief, anger, sorrow, loneliness. You left behind a widow, an incredible 4-year-old daughter, a fat cat named Mr. Peabody and many stunned and brokenhearted family members and friends.
Health: New treatments take aim at cancer
Several new cancer treatments entering the market could eventually push traditional surgery, radiation and chemotherapy into the background when it comes to optimal care for cancer patients. Sandra Gurvis “New treatments are being researched and developed, making it a very exciting time,” says Dr. Samantha Jaglowski, an oncologist and hematologist at Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center – The James.
Membership Has Its Privileges: Grants on Writing About Gender Identity and Mental Health
Membership Has Its Privileges: Grants on Writing About Gender Identity and Mental Health By Sandra Gurvis Posted on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 Recently ASJA has received a grant from the National Institute of Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation for ASJA’s first-ever national reporting project on the topic “Gender Identity and Mental Health: What’s the Cost?” The goal of this grant is to fuel a national conversation about the significant mental health risks facing gay and transgender youth.
Six Reasons Not To Take a Writing or Editing Test…and One Reason Why You Might Want To
I was scrolling through LinkedIn and came across a post by freelance copywriter Ana Gascon Ivey. “I had been working as a health researcher and writer for a book publisher,” she writes. “It was satisfying work at first, but after a few years I got restless. So when a position opened up in the company’s copywriting department, I threw my name in the hat and took the copywriting test.” Because she failed the test, she could not be considered for the job.
How to Deal with Sticky Client Situations
Among the many intriguing topics at the ASJA Austin conference Write in the Heart of Texas on Feb. 3 is a panel “Client Wrangling: How to Handle Sticky Situations.” ASJA Confidential spoke with moderator John Peragine on this subject. He, along with other distinguished panelists will address various ways on how to get what you want without getting pushed around…or burning bridges.
Most supplements are not likely to cause problems, but use caution
You go to the drug or health food store, purchase the necessary herbals or over-the-counter medications for whatever ails — a cold, headache or insomnia. And you probably never think that you might be offsetting the beneficial effects of your prescribed medications or accidentally overdosing on the same basic compound. That’s usually OK, as with a few major exceptions, most supplements don’t translate into causing problems with drug interactions.
Most supplements are not likely to cause problems, but use caution
You go to the drug or health food store, purchase the necessary herbals or over-the-counter medications for whatever ails — a cold, headache or insomnia. And you probably never think that you might be offsetting the beneficial effects of your prescribed medications or accidentally overdosing on the same basic compound. That’s usually OK, as with a few major exceptions, most supplements don’t translate into causing problems with drug interactions.
Most supplements are not likely to cause problems, but use caution
You go to the drug or health food store, purchase the necessary herbals or over-the-counter medications for whatever ails — a cold, headache or insomnia. And you probably never think that you might be offsetting the beneficial effects of your prescribed medications or accidentally overdosing on the same basic compound. That’s usually OK, as with a few major exceptions, most supplements don’t translate into causing problems with drug interactions.
Writer Beware! Or How to Avoid Being “Catfished”
You may have heard the term “catfish” or watched the TV show of the same name. But “catfishing”—luring someone into a relationship through a fake persona, whether through a web site, Facebook or other social media—goes on in the freelance world as well and may include seemingly reliable sites, organizations, individuals and job boards. And even experienced writers can fall prey.
Now Membership Has Even More Privileges!
Why join ASJA? If you’re serious about freelance writing, it’s more of a question of “Why not?” Now an associate level of membership is available to those whose portfolio isn’t quite as extensive as the full membership requires. Yet many of the same benefits apply, including: Associate members will also have access to a mentorship program which will pair them with a more experienced, professional member.
First World Problem #176: The Freelance Juggling Act (Part One)
Editor’s note: Want to get the full inside scoop about what’s going on in the ASJA forums? Apply for membership at ASJA here. Whether it’s scope creep, full-time vs. part-time vs. freelancing or clients who like to sneak additional work in under the door without the attendant compensation, at some point, freelancers might find themselves juggling one if not all of these issues. Especially with steady clients, the work level may increase and/or change while the pay does not.
Busting Ghost-Writing Myths: a From-The-Hip Conversation with Leah Nicholson of the Jenkins Group
Editor’s note: On Friday, Nov. 17 and Saturday, Nov. 18, ASJA will be hosting a dual-event conference in Chicago. A deep dive into book ghostwriting with separate tracks for experts, executives and communication professionals, Friday’s “Spotlight on Ghostwriting” will focus on those wanting to publish books as well as experienced nonfiction writers looking to cultivate their ghostwriting practices.
Membership Has Its Privileges: Seven Ways the Members-Only ASJA Forum Is Better Than Facebook, Twitter and Tinder
This post offers information about an ASJA member-only service. Interested in becoming an ASJA member? Check out our website’s membership section for information on joining ASJA. I have been an ASJA member for more than 20 years, back when what is now known as the ASJA Forum was an oddly organized electronic bulletin board where members would swap tips, complain about editors and sometimes engage in heated discussions about what to do when their labradoodle encountered a skunk.
A Little Something on the Side: Hustles vs. Jobs vs. “Micros”
While publications and even blogs are paying less these days, resulting in even more emphasis on content writing/provision, yet another stream of income for writers is gaining momentum. Known as the side hustle, it was a hot topic at this year’s conference, and the source of this lucre can be as varied as writing genres themselves.
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