O, The Oprah Magazine articles from December 2002

O, The Oprah Magazine archives from December 2002

Letters.
December 1, 2002... We Hear You! Readers weigh in on riding high with horses (and riding easy with de-stressing techniques), a doctor's astonishing comeback, why guys' actions speak louder than words, and more.... I loved the article "Dinner with the...

Home is a state of mind. (Here we Go).
December 1, 2002... NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY I've earned -- and I've made just about every salary known to womankind -- having a comfortable home has always been important to me. Whether I've lived in a one-bedroom apartment or on a sprawling estate, my gift to...

Calendar.
December 1, 2002... December 3 TUESDAY "Ah! There is nothing like staying at home, for real comfort." Jane Austen 4 WEDNESDAY This is your home, so occupy all of it. If there are rooms you use only when company comes, make plans to...

Dr. Phil: "half the world is female--you can't get along with any of them"? (Tell it Like it is).
December 1, 2002... PHILLIP C. McGRAW, PHD, On learning to be friends with women...a remote father...parents who won't let go of their grown kids' exes...and riding out a partner's midlife crisis. Q I'm a woman who has always understood men much better than I...

Suze Orman: "use this crisis to free yourself from destructive behavior". (Financial Freedom).
December 1, 2002... The best advice for dealing with single motherhood... surviving from one commission check to the next... plus, how to save for retirement (even if it's 40 years off) Q I'm a single mother and was laid off a year ago. I still have not found...

Edwidge Danticat's aha! moment: she was bone-tired, crabby and still eager to please--until a bump on her forehead set her straight. (Turning Point).
December 1, 2002... IT WAS ONE OF THE LONGEST TRIPS of my life. On the first leg of the three-plane jaunt, the flight was delayed two hours, leaving me with a mere ten minutes to dash to the second plane. When I arrived at the third airport, two people ran through...

The gift that keeps on giving. (Satellite Sisters).
December 1, 2002... Look! Under your tree: It's a fruitcake! It's Danish waffle mix! It's...mulling spices! Question: Is it okay to rewrap it and pass it on? The Satellite Sisters of radio fame mull over "regifting" -- one of life's little moral dilemmas. ...

Brother Curry's wonder bread. (Use your Life).
December 1, 2002... Brother Rick Curry's National Theatre Workshop of the Handicapped has produced blind artists, hearing-impaired tragedians, four types of bread, and a line of organic dog biscuits. LOUISE LAGUE Sits down with an amazing Jesuit priest. ...

When to shut up: speech can be a useful tool--or it can damage your relationship forever. Psychiatrist peter D. Kramer on when to keep it zipped. (Couples).
December 1, 2002... OF ALL THE ADVICE THAT HAS drifted from psychotherapists' offices into couples' daily lives, the most overworked--and, I suspect, the most destructive--is the injunction to communicate. Be open, be honest, speak your mind, demand to be heard.....

In her own backyard. (Couples).
December 1, 2002... KATE WHEELER assumed that staying put for the holidays would connect her to roots and family. What she didn't know would cook her goose, jumble her latkes, strain her back, and teach her a hardwon lesson. MY FIANCE AND I WERE AT A...

Kindness: the ripple effect. (Free Therapy).
December 1, 2002... One person helping another. a daring rooftop rescue. an act of simple charity. what do these good deeds have in common? they inspire our own desire to reach out. WE'VE ALL SEEN HOW ONE ROTTEN apple can spoil the barrel. But can one person...

Putting the "fun" in dysfunctional. (Martha Beck).
December 1, 2002... Like it or not, to grandmother's house we go! Martha Beck has some sanity-saving strategies to pull you through not-so-silent nights and days with the fami1y. IN THE UNCLE REMUS STORY OF THE tar baby, Brer Rabbit picks a fight with a...

"They say the if you're looking for God, you've already found him". (Faith).
December 1, 2002... BEVERLY DONOFRIO was a rebellious 1950s Catholic girl who grew to resent her faith. Then life and longing (and a casual search for Virgin Marys) brought her back to a home she never really left. I WAS BORN IN THE FIFTIES, WHEN CATHolicism...

The tipping point: how much should you give that cute waiter? And when shouldn't you leave a gratuity? Daryn Eller is your writer, and today's special is the savvy woman's guide to tipping. (Money).
December 1, 2002... WE LIKE TO THINK THAT TIPPING is driven purely by benevolence. But being also makes us feel good about ourselves and -- more to the point--gets the recipients to feel good about us, too. "People say they tip to reward good service, but when you...

Carry a big cane. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Put these jumbo canes in a crystal vase and you've got a festive centerpiece. But there's also a bonus centerpiece inside each stick: a filling of chocolate or vanilla cream." (8- to 10-inch handmade candy canes, $16.50 for six, Hammond's...

A match made in heaven. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "To me, this toile-covered box of fireplace matches rates a place right on the mantel." (Fireplace matches, $24, Maison LaMarche; 617-536-3553; www.maisonlamarche.com)

That warm, fuzzy feeling. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Okay, they're not real shearling, but touch them (like butter!), and check out those splashy colors." (Scarf and hat, $13 each, Target; Target.com)

Chocolate kiss. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "This amazing, rich hot cocoa will go fast, but you might want to keep the great vintage-looking box around for a while." (Hot-chocolate powder, $15 to $20, MarieBelle; 866-925-8800)

Our house. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "These snappy, edible structures come in Christmas and Chanukah versions, with customized names above the front door. Candles inside give them a lived-in glow." (Gingerbread house, $50, Enchanted Gingerbread; 615-227-1456;...

Snow wonder. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Whether you're skiing or lounging, you won't find a cozier, cuter sweater--at any price." (St. John's Bay snowflake sweater, S36, JCPenney)

Never felt so good. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Hefty winter fabric, cheery nonwinter colors; big enough for a laptop yet small enough to throw over your shoulder: These are totes for all seasons." (Wool felt totes, $32 each, Gap; Gap.com)

Yours, mine, and hours. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "I've got a bunch of watches, but most days this is the one I'm wearing. It's so easy to slip on." (Silver Ox cuff watch, $38, Chico's; 888-855-4986; www.chicos.com)

What the well-dressed snowmen are wearing this season. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "At last, a guy you can mold to your specifications: You supply the snowman, then outfit him with this kit." (Snowman kit, $29, Lands' End; 800-356-4444; Landsend.com)

Cold comfort. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Why limit yourself? With a double-pleasure machine, you get an extra flavor with almost no extra effort." (Cuisinart Duo ice cream maker, $100, Williams-Sonoma; 800-541-2233; Williams-sonoma.com)

Talk to me. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "They're toys, but they mean business. These walkie-talkies can communicate within a two-mile radius." (Two-way radios, $60 per pair, Disney/Motorola; Motorola.com/radios/disney)

Bloom box. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "It's nice to open a beautifully wrapped gift and find an elegant lacquer box, bulbs, soil, and instructions. But wait about three weeks and this gift will realize its full glory: crocuses"' (Noel crocus kit, $59, Smith & Hawken; 800-981-9888;...

Pop culture. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "We're famous in Chicago for a lot of things. Garrett Popcorn is one of them. Caramel and cheese--that's my favorite combo." (6[1/2] gallons of popcorn, $83, Garrett Popcorn; 888-4-POPCORN; Garrettpopcorn.com)

Nose gay. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Sachets too pretty to hide in a drawer." (A Touch of Ivy chair and gown sachets, $62 for chair, $55 for gown, Matteo & Co.; 609-430-1400)

Off the cuff. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "My new favorite shirts: Classic navy stripes with fabulous French cuffs." (Ralph Lauren Black Label shirts, $155 to 5198, select Ralph Lauren stores)

Goes down easy. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "The ideal toboggan: sturdy and reliable, so you can whiz down the slope with abandon." (72-inch-long toboggan and cushion set, $99, L.L. Bean; 800-809-7057; Llbean.com)

Sifting pretty. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Give kids a sense of ownership: their size, their name, unmistakably their chair." (Personalized heirloom chair, $248, Garnet Hill; 800-622-6216; Garnethill.com)

Organized in spades. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "These leather cases snap together like those kids' school organizers that you never really outgrew, and they have enough compartments to sort through all your daily madness." (Triple-zip makeup case, $195, Kate Spade; 212-274-1991)

Simply the best. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... Here's the most luxurious sweater ever created: thick, sensual cashmere that's too soft for words, a versatile neckline, and a color that completely erases the winter chill." (Cashmere sweater, $1,260, Bottega Veneta)

Zippy. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Sexy, smart, glamorous--what more can you ask from a sole-mate?" (Leather and suede woven boots, $560, Bottega Veneta)

Tall and tan and young and lovely. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "An overnight sensation--masculine leather and hardware lightened up with those great girly hearts." (16" x 15" leather bag, approximately $1,430 plus shipping, Mulberry for Luella; www.mulberry.com)

Treasure chests. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "Something for everyone. But not just any something--your favorite goodies handpicked from Chelsea Market. (Trunks with goodies, $398 for two, Chelsen Market Baskers; 888-727-7887; Chelseamarketbaskets.com)

The ornamental things apply. (The O List).
December 1, 2002... "I love the idea of collecting ornaments over decades, so every year your tree can tell your life story. These amber blown-glass pears are both antique-y and timeless." (Ornaments, $29 each, Opus 204; 206-728-7707)

The little black dress is really big: you've got one (who doesn't?). But you always wear it the same way (who has time to change?). Four women tap a classic's true potential. (Fashion).
December 1, 2002... SAMANTHA GOLDBERG Her company, Alvin & Sparky, makes women's and children's cashmere accessories as well as fluffy stuffed animals; 34 * HIGH GLAM Floaty fabric. A graceful draped neck. A skirt that's slightly longer in back....

The fitness page.
December 1, 2002... Can You Retrain Your Sweet Tooth? PROBABLY NOT, SAYS DAVID L. KATZ, MD, author of the new book The Way to Eat (Sourcebooks). While there's good evidence you can wean yourself from high-fat foods, getting over the love of sugar is like...

Way cool: wake up and smell the mint this holiday season, with a fresh array of bracing beauty products. (Beauty Girls Toys).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... 1. We like to give ourselves a little zing! when we're feeling sluggish on a morning after. Even if it's only the morning after a good night's sleep, even if it's only at the bathroom sink. The natural extracts in ARCHIPELAGO BOTANICALS MORNING...

The case for eyeliner: what can it do for you? O's beauty director, Valerie Monroe, tells you why, where, and how to draw the line. (Beauty Shopper).
December 1, 2002... LIKE ANY HARDWORKING BEAUTY editor, I'm occasionally confronted with difficult questions: What is the meaning of life? Or, equally existential, but more closely related to my line of work: What's the point of eyeliner, anyhow? And how come it...

Skin care through the ages. (Beauty).
December 1, 2002... AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT: A story about how to care for your skin that's not focused on the perils of aging. On these pages, we lay out a plan for keeping your complexion in excellent condition, whether you're in your...

Living with the things you love. (Comfort Zone).
December 1, 2002... The same woman who unerringly knows what looks good on her may be clueless when it comes to pulling a room together. The key, says designer DIANE LOVE, is to locate--and trust--your own gut feelings. MY THEORY IS THAT EVERYBODY is creative...

GNC supports the American Heart Walk. (Set an Example: Advertisement).
December 1, 2002... SINCE 1992. THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCATION'S AMERICAN HEART WALK has brought together participants of all ages raising money to help support the AHA's research, local community service and public education programs. This year, walkers and...

Liz Claiborne helps spread the word: about Domestic Violence. (Set an Example: Advertisement).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... SINCE 1991, LIZ CLAIBORNE INC. HAS SEEN ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE through a comprehensive education, awareness and prevention program. This year, the company has designed a new limited edition pink t-shirt promoting the campaign...

Origins follows its animal instincts. (Set an Example: Advertisement).
December 1, 2002... IN AN EFFORT TO BRING HARMONY, HEALTH AND HAPP1NESS TO PEOPLE AND PETS AUKE, Origins has joined forces with the Amnanda Foundation in California, and both Bide-A-Wee and the Animal Medical Center in Manhattan. Through donations and organized...

Chanel "Updates": The fight against cancer. (Set an Example: Advertisement).(Brief Article)
December 1, 2002... CHANEL PROUDLY FUNDS "UPDATE, A QUARTERLY COMPLIMENTARY NEWSLETTER, as part of the Chanel Health Education Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Prevention and Wellness Center in New York, offering complimentary health seminars and healthy...

Celebrate with Lenox this season. (Set an Example: Advertisement).
December 1, 2002... Enter the "Lenox Celebrates You--Your Home, Your Family, Your Life-Sweepstakes" for your chance to win one of three gift packages designed to help you redecorate your family room, share a special catered evening with your family, or enjoy a...

Crystal gazing: diamonds with jeans--why not? Same thing with crystal; don't save it for linen-tablecloth days. It goes as well with ordinary meals as with wine and roses. (Comfort Zone).
December 1, 2002... SPARKLE PLENTY For your crystal cabinet, here are glasses in every shape and style--faceted and etched, swirled and fluted--to imbibe wines and spirits of all kinds. Caution: Don't store stemware upside down--the lip of the glass is...

The winners. (Advertisement).
December 1, 2002... FILM JACK BLACK He defines the term "Scene Stealer." When Jack Black's on the screen, you just can't possibly look anywhere else. He explodes with personality, charisma, strength of character. You'd call him the quintessential...

The sweetest gift in the world: her Aunt Alyeene handed down the crunchiest, glaze-iest recipe in the South; sweet, cinnamon-scented pecans. A'Lelia Bundles offers a nutty reminiscence. (Great Food).
December 1, 2002... THE PACKAGING FROM A UNIT ALYEENE--with its Pine Bluff, Arkansas, postmark and thick brown wrapping paper--always arrived between Christmas and New Year's. Without even opening it, I knew what I'd find inside: a taped-together shoebox full of...

Movies: what's worth seeing; some of the year's starriest, most ambitious films are hitting theaters now. Greg Emmanuel spotlights the cirtics' darlings and crowd pleasers we're lining up for. (Gems).
December 1, 2002... The Hours Based on Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize--winning book, and with three powerhouse leads, The Hours certainly has the best pedigree of any film this year. The ambitious narrative interweaves the story of three very different women:...

Worlds between covers. (Reading Room).
December 1, 2002... South Africa. Afghanistan. Picasso. Girls. Film stars. Crashing oceans. 'Tis the season to be oversized, dazzlingly photographed, a great fit on a coffee table. BibilO Recommendations from our shelf to yours * Survival is a local...

Julianne Moore's books of revelation: The actress admires great novels that peel souls bare. (Books that Made a Difference).(Book Review)
December 1, 2002... A FEW YEARS AGO, A FRIEND GAVE me a copy of Michael Cunningham's The Hours for my birthday. I hadn't read anything about it, so it was the most exquisite surprise. The writing is gorgeous. These characters are in incredible pain, and the book...

"Can you find it in your heart not to hate us"? (Friends).
December 1, 2002... Her husband's murder left a devastated young widow struggling to support her children. Half a world away, a determined housecleaner learned of their troubles. Who could imagine that an unspeakable crime would lead to an amazing friendship...

Oprah's Christmas party.
December 1, 2002... Oh, come all ye famished to Oprah's sumptuous Christmas party. Guests-- great friends and family members--can savor the glittering tree, the dazzle of zillions of candles, the boxwood wreaths, the cranberry red crystal ornaments, and enough...

What makes a home.
December 1, 2002... WHAT MAKES A HOUSE--OR AN APARTMENT, A CONDO, A cabin, or even a yurt--a home? Everywhere we look, there's another expert telling us the answer lies in something we don't have, from fancy bed linens to an interior decorator. The feeling of...

Friends: Michelle Burford lives in a nightly sitcom; a gaggle of housemates, three floors, three kitchens, and lots of eating, laughing, squabbling, and "borrowed" shampoo.
December 1, 2002... YOU COULD SNOOP THROUGH EVERY one of my lists of life goals and never find these words: Crash with eight roommates in Harlem. And yet four years ago, I loaded all six of my possessions into a trunk, fled my place in Brooklyn, and headed uptown...

Home sweet yurt: she lives in a cramped New York City apartment. Her college roommate lives in a house built of straw, sand, and clay. An urban writer samples the good earth.
December 1, 2002... THE DAY BEFORE I LEFT TO VISIT MY COLLEGE ROOMMATE in her yurt in Oregon, I turned 36, fantasized about escaping to Fiji with a sarong and a good book, and signed a lease on a smaller, more modest apartment in New York City. I didn't plan for...

On the boat where she lives.
December 1, 2002... When she had a house on dry land, HILLARY JOHNSON was at sea. Now, ensconced--and in love--on a 35-foot sloop called Surprise, a seafaring writer has found her safe harbor. PEOPLE WHO ONCE KNEW ME AS A city dweller come onboard my new home,...

Can this room be saved?
December 1, 2002... IT'S NOT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE A room feel like home. And it's not that you don't have style yourself. It's just that sometimes you could use a little help putting it all together. On these pages you'll see how five crackerjack...

Gold stars.
December 1, 2002... No Victorian lockets or ditzy charm bracelets here We're talking streamlined stuff that will only look better as time goes by--investments that are as safe as Fork Knox but a lot more glamorous. Caption: SIMPLE ALMOST TAILORED, neoclassic...

Whose sperm is it, anyway.(sperm banks)
December 1, 2002... Once, sperm banks were secret societies that concealed donor identities. Today, a female-run facility is doing away with the whole notion of anonymity and giving children the right to know whom they came from. Is this a good thing? WHEN...

Home base. (Love That!).
December 1, 2002... Home base...is the place to be--just slide into this baseball shirt and matching shorts. Cozy up with a rustic-looking pillow, boiled-wool slippers, a red snowflake throw. Cotton tee, $55, and shorts, $55, Three Dots. Wool shawl, $29, Lands'...

The paiama game. (Love That!).
December 1, 2002... The pajama game...is particularly gratifying when you play it in soft, thin, rose-splashed cotton. Tie on a cashmere robe in a gentle color, and these menswear sleep classics become a woman's dream come true. Cotton voile pajamas, $138,...

Neo-neons. (Love That!).
December 1, 2002... Neo-neons...like a shocking top and skirt and juicy silk robe, are a hot way to thumb your nose at ice and snow. So electrifying, they'll keep you from dropping off before David Letterman comes on. Cotton gauze top, $68, and skirt, $68, Cherry...

Stay up late. (Love That!).
December 1, 2002... Stay up late...with a good book--or even a trashy one (nobody's watching but the cat). Great for page turning: a big cable-knit cotton turtleneck pulled over small-print underthings in Monet colors. Cotton tank, $136, and shorts, $76, Manuel...

Oprah's Christmas party: Chef Art Smith re-creates Oprah's southern childhood favorites on her Indiana farm. (Love That!).
December 1, 2002... * Recipes adapted from Back to the Table (Hyperion), by Art Smith. Herbed Drop Biscuits * with Ham and Cabbage Slaw 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup cake flour (not self-rising) 2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1...

What I know for sure: "gossip means we haven't emboldened ourselves to talk directly to the people we take issue with".
December 1, 2002... I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A HOMEBODY. I KNOW THAT MIGHT be hard to believe, given my full schedule, but I usually head home right after work, finish dinner before 7, and climb into bed by 9:30. Even on weekends, home is my all-time favorite hangout....