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As we get closer to the magic “50th episode” which will air later this spring, I find myself drawn to questions that speak to the mission of the Guide, which is to help each other lead better lives.

One of the core conversations revolves around the issue of how we figure out who we want to be. Duo was eloquent on the subject, as always, in his closing thoughts at Sitar, and you can hear what he had to say by clicking on the media player, above.

And now it’s your turn;

How do you make an honest assessment of the kind of person you want to be?

In this, the “season of self examination” (damn you, holiday excess!), our hearts turn to thoughts of losing those extra few pounds… until the chicken wing and pizza fueled bacchanal known as “the big game”.

For me, this brings up a bigger question – how we handle vices in general.

SO… How have you successfully conquered a vice?

We talked about eating fruit. We talked about alternating glasses of water with alcoholic beverages. What we did not discuss was “Will Power”.

(Mr. Power is a fellow I have never had the privilege of knowing.)

SO, How do YOU avoid eating and drinking too much at parties?

It seems important to start thinking about this NOW, and not fall into the same pattern everyone else does; panic on January 2nd and make promises to yourself you’re never going to keep..

We talked about this in Episode 24, with Duo sharing the story of how his cult-like morning workouts are responsible for the loss of a third of his body weight a while back.

Is there a way to get started on an exercise routine that worked for you? Please tell us in the comments!

This was the first topic of conversation in Episode 23, and it was inspired by our *inspirational* guest, Eileen Kaplan.

Eileen is a cancer survivor (or “cancer thriver” as she puts it), and her coping method – after a good cry with her husband – was humor. (Eileen went on to write the book Laughter is the Breast Medicine.)

Have you dealt with a major illness? (And if so, how did you cope?)

Do you go to work and risk spreading the virus to others, or do you stay home?

This question is compliments of Liz Larkin, who was trying an old home remedy – a hot toddy - during our conversation  at 116 Crown.

So, this one is a two-parter; What do you do when you feel a cold coming on, and do you usually call in sick or tough it out?

…and how do you make the holidays meaningful for children? These are two of the questions raised by Christine Ohlman this week.

Gerry McGuire noted that people with who like “quirky and oddball things” are the easiest to shop for. He’s flummoxed by his wife, who doesn’t seem to want anything – except that “she hates being cold”. He gives her blankets. I suggested he consider branching out into fleece.

How do you deal with the stress of holiday shopping – along with the desire to make the celebration meaningful for children?

And this BONUS question: how to handle the itching from when they (inevitably) get you.

This topic was pitched by by guest editor Ann McGuire in Episode 5 at The Glenwood Drive In. Ann complained that “I can spray myself, it doesn’t work. I can sit in front of a smudge pot, it doesn’t work.” (Duo also seized the opportunity to display what he described as a “grand mal mosquito welt” on his calf.)

What say you?

This question was pitched by Binnie Klein in Episode 4 at The Paugusset Swim Club.

Binnie had a bad experience at summer camp, and shared that “there’s some of us who didn’t benefit from the exposure [to swimming] at an early age, but we don’t want to miss out”.

(Michael Morand told story of “Skipper” an authoritarian swim teacher from his childhood who used to push kids under the water with her foot. Binnie referred to this as “immersion therapy, pun intended”.)

What say you?

The big downside to spring for any allergy sufferer is the knowledge that your eyes nose and throat might, at any moment, stage an “uprising” against your face. We’re told to stay indoors to avoid the symptoms. Yeah, right.

I can spot a fellow allergy sufferer a mile away: they’ve got the puffy red eyes. (Which, come to think of it, also describes many college students.)

Have you successfully treated your spring allergy symptoms – OR – have you discovered a way to keep the symptoms away completely?