Articles written by Brigid Ismail

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About me - Brigid Ismail

I was born in Ireland and have lived in New York most of my life. I love to write. I work for the New York City Department of Education as a secretary.

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Jobs & Careers > Job Search (Other) Common job-hunting mistakes and how to avoid them: 2 of 17
Job-hunting can be a frustrating and time-consuming task. The tools you need are your resume, some contacts, a list of companies you are interested in that may be interested in you, a few very professional outfits, a subscription to the The New York Times or other major newspaper and patience. The most common mistakes are mad... More..
Local Guides > New York City Places to see before you die: Reasons to add New York City to "the list": 9 of 61
New York City is an exciting, beautiful and vibrant place. You have heard of all the landmarks and places to see. You know that if you visit New York City, you will want to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, a show on Broadway and you may want to visit Greenwich Village and go on down to Groun... More..
Relationships & Family > Humor & Laughter Friends don't get the joke? When you have a sense of humor and your buddies don't: 2 of 11
If your sense of humor is not appreciated by your friends, you need to expand your social network. A sense of humor and the ability to laugh with other people is important in life. It is a stress buster. If you can joke and laugh together, a bond is formed.A sense of humor is more than telling jokes. It is seeing different as... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Living with MS: 3 of 9
After months of tests to determine the cause of a weakness on my left side and my sudden propensity for falling, I was diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Since then, I have been living with this disease which is slowly progressing and has been changing my life in many ways. My ability to walk has been dimi... More..
Relationships & Family > Married Life Overcoming marital stress due to chronic illness: 14 of 28
During the past six months, I have been tempted many times to get a divorce. My partner, I would guess, has been similarly inclined. Six months ago, I was diagnosed with a chronic illness (progressive multiple sclerosis). Since the diagnosis, our lives have changed. The stress on each of us individually has put a serious stra... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > St. Patrick's Day Why St. Patrick's Day has shifted from celebrating St. Patrick to all things Irish: 3 of 6
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated to honor the man who brought Christianity to Ireland. It is a religious holiday observed on the anniversary of his death in the fifth century. Ireland was a pagan country before St. Patrick arrived. Ireland became in time a very religious country and St. Patrick's Day was almost as important a ... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > St. Patrick's Day How St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in Ireland: 2 of 4
St. Patrick's Day is a national holiday in Ireland as well as being a holy day of observation for Catholics. Since Ireland is predominantly a Catholic country, St. Patrick's Day is first and foremost a religious holiday. The shamrock is worn proudly and everyone dresses for Mass early in the day. Cards received from family an... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Coming to America: 1 of 2
Coming to America On landing in America, I was awed by the sounds and sights of the big city. It was nighttime in New York City and I had never seen anything like it before in my life. I was twelve years old and I was coming from a rural village in Ireland. I had lived with my parents and siblings in a house with no running w... More..
Education > Youth Mentoring How to get urban youth involved with community service: 1 of 1
Urban youth are often stereotyped as hoodlums who are involved in gangs, use drugs and basically just hang out looking for trouble. The truth is that the majority of young people in big cities are working hard to make their dreams a reality but for some, it is a struggle. Unfortunately, some have given up. Young people in inn... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Coming to terms with multiple sclerosis after beating breast cancer: 1 of 1
I am a breast cancer survivor and when I made my eighth anniversary after the surgery, I was very happy. Eight years was a milestone for me as I had known some people who had recurrences at five years and seven years but I had not known anyone who survived past seven years and had a recurrence. I was on top of the world but t... More..