By Nanette Wiser
PICK A CARD
What’s in store for 2024? Gather your friends for a holiday tarot card reading session and the messages drawn from the cards may reveal what’s next. The Two of Cups card symbolizes. deep emotional connections and love. Says Tarot expert Claudine Fle, a Gulfport resident who hosts Fun Group Tarot: “This card represents the love we all share as friends. It reminds us of the strong bond we’ve built over the years, and it’s a reminder of the support and happiness we bring into each other’s lives.”
Tarot, an ancient divination practice with a mystical allure, holds the power to bring people together in a way that goes beyond mere entertainment. With 78 cards, each carrying its own symbolism and meaning, tarot readings offer an opportunity for individuals to explore their present circumstances and emotions. The real magic of tarot lies in the profound connections it helps creates personally and professionally. Fle conducts team-building activities through tarot readings, saying “It allows work colleagues to connect on a more profound level, fostering understanding and empathy, which can lead to improved workplace communication and collaboration.” Text Fun Group Tarot to 571-435-5606 or visit www.fungrouptarot.com
SCIENCE OF THE MIND
Katherine Dyer, Ph.D. grew up wanting to be a dolphin trainer at SeaWorld and attended the University of North Carolina Wilmington to major in marine science. The new Eckerd College psychology professor recalls her mentor suggesting she study animal behavior. “Training dolphins is a psychological process. So I switched over to psychology. l. And I ended up switching my career goals,” says Dyer. Her research interests include investigating the role of the brain in various behavioral and cognitive processes, such as the learning and memorizing of sequences of behavior. Prior to coming to the College, she was a psychology instructor at Kent State. Her research there explored how rats learned and remembered patterned sequences of behavior, including how various drugs influenced the learning and memorizing of these behaviors through their impact on neurological mechanisms. Dyer, who is teaching Introduction to Psychology as well as Biopsychology during the Fall 2023 semester, plans to establish a laboratory at Eckerd that will investigate human brain activity and function related to various behaviors. “And give the students an opportunity to experience the neuroscience side of psychology,” she adds.
ECO SANTA TIPS
Donate time or money to an environmental cause of your choice (Tampa Bay Watch, Sierra Club), make your wrapping paper (or go without), use energy-saving LED holiday lights and add organic/local foods to your holiday feasts. Wrap a present with old maps, sheet music, magazine ads/covers or a pretty scarf. Plant a tree to symbolize the value of nature. Give a plant, not cut flowers. Regifting helps; pass along hand-me-downs and heirlooms, with a note about the story behind the gift. After the holidays, don’t throw your real Christmas Tree in the trash. Here are some recycling options and tips on what to do.
Every community is different; check out these options. www.realchristmastrees.org/all-about-trees/how-to-recycle