I gave up on New Year’s resolutions many years ago. After enough failed attempts, my realistic “thinking self” came to terms with the fact that giving up closet smoking and eating Swedish Fish was not likely to last past mid-January. In this new year, I have...
Happy New Year. I am certain I am not alone this week thinking about what 2016 will look like. Or, equally pressing question…where the hell did 2015 go? Where to begin? Funny how it seems I have come almost full circle. I spent much of 2015 packing,...
Sitting on runway number 19, waiting for take-off --UGH to holiday travel. However, staring out an airplane window is forcing me to come up with that LIST. You know the one I am talking about...
I am feeling very lucky today. I got to spend the day with my dad and make him scrambled eggs for breakfast. I got to kiss his sweet droopy face. But in an instant this could have been a very different story with a very a...
Did you click “place order” this week? Were you part of the Cyber Monday craze? Your boxes will likely arrive today. Did you know that Americans (me and you) spent more than $3 billion dollars on Cyber Monday? How could you not? My inbox was inundated with...
Are some of your children not there? Perhaps this is the in-laws’ year? Or the boyfriend’s? Or maybe they have to work on Friday and can’t travel? Are your parents missing? Getting too old or not well enough to travel on the busiest holiday of...
One of the most unexpected surprises about relocating my 53 year old self to Chicago has been the random acts of kindness. Those acts include the new girlfriend fix up (you know… “Oh, you’ve moved to Chicago? You have to meet my friend so-and-so.”) Sure,...
Talk about reinvention. Talk about courage. Talk about passionate…I was simply inspired and moved by the words of Hillary Clinton, who was in her hometown of Chicago on Monday, campaigning. I am sort of waving the American flag tonight—feeling hopeful and empowered. Thanks to a well-connected...
My mother was the birthday queen. Partly because she loved any sort of celebration---but mostly because she made birthdays the most precious and sacred day. She raised me on the belief that there was just one day of the year that belonged to only “YOU”. She firmly...
By Lauren Chesley, The Stuff of Life What does it actually mean to seize the day…to silence your phone and your mind and live in the moment? This is a hard one for me. In fact, I almost got run over by zooming traffic because I was...