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More than Just a Movie: What Manchester by the Sea Teaches Us About Guardianship By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi September 26, 2025 Scanning the shelf of recently returned DVDs at my local library branch my eyes landed on the film Manchester by the Sea.  A faint memory clicked in my brain; this was a film I had wanted to see.  I added it to my stack of library materials, checked out, and headed home.  Looking up the film I learned that in 2017 it was nominated for 6 Oscars, including best picture.  Actor Casey Affleck won for best actor, and writer and director Kenneth Lonergan was awarded Best Original Screenplay. As the end credits ran, it was obvious why the film had garnered critical acclaim. The film tells the story of Lee Chandler, a Boston janitor who becomes the sole guardian of his teenage nephew, Patrick, after his brother, Joe, unexpectedly dies from a heart condition.  Lee returns to his hometown of Manchester, Massachusetts, to handle Joe's funeral arr...

More Than Words: Understanding Obituaries, Eulogies, and Other Tributes By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi September 19, 2025 The recliner in my dad’s hospital room was brown, a beige blanket covered my legs, and the computer screen emitted blue light. These things I clearly remember.  Sixteen years ago this week, sometime past midnight on a random weeknight, I nestled in the recliner.  Taking refuge with my computer while my dad rested and was finally sedate, I faced the truth.  My dad had entered hospice care.  Soon the family would need to provide information to the hospital, funeral home, and others.  Sorting this out in a state of grief was not ideal.  If you can, face the reality that we will all be leaving this earth and that a loved one will need to furnish basic information.  Pulling information together yourself can be a lovely gift to your loved ones.   During moments like this emotions are high and details can be overwhelming. Having li...

On Your Marks. Set. Go! Take Control of Your Estate Plan By Melinda Gustafson Gervasi September 12, 2025 Summer of 2025 brought an unplanned hiatus here on Navigator.  Efforts in late June to tame the jungle in our backyard led me down a path of medical intervention.  Unfortunately my weeding path must have hit a patch of poison ivy, which I am apparently highly allergic to.  Multiple doctors visits and nearly 8 weeks of steroid pills later, I’m feeling much better.  The yard remains an overgrown mess.   Travel in early August took me to Las Vegas to attend the 59th Star Trek convention with my family.  “I married into the franchise” best describes why I made my way to a city that is not really my cup of tea.  The people I love the most in this world LOVE the Star Trek franchise.  From the Original Series to the current production of Strange New Worlds, they will dominate any trivia game associated with Trek. Trust me, if you have to spend a ...