As Maui author Kirsten Whatley points out, “The economy is down and gas prices are up — most of us have little money to spend, let alone travel.”

The Honolulu Symphony Associates series “Meet the Musicians” features Honolulu Symphony principal oboe J. Scott Janusch on Monday.

Stress ages us: Negative emotions, sleep deprivation and living at warp speed wear on our looks, especially our skin. Amy Wechsler, both a dermatologist and a psychiatrist, uses her expertise to untangle the psychological from the physical in her new book “The Mind-Beauty Connection” (Free Press). For example, she discusses how lack of sleep inhibits skin repair while exercise doesn’t hurt a bit. Read it for a practical, doable nine-day program for de-stressing skin.

“SPOOKY FOREST,” with tree ghosts, haunted cemetery, cauldron ghouls and “The Green Lady,” 4-8 p.m., Oct. 31, Wahiawa Botanical Garden; free; 621-5463.