In my time on Earth, I have lost one parent, four grandparents, a few close friends and one child. OK, the last one occurred at Target and I found her after a few panicked runs through the aisles but it…
I slid my check across the counter to the Chicago bank teller. The amount was nothing special; thirty dollars for a 10-minute set at a comedy club the previous evening. “Deposit or cash back?” the teller asked. “Just cash it,”…
Imagine sitting silently on a stage while your friend, sibling, or co-worker, armed with a microphone and PowerPoint slides, reveals your life’s details to a roomful of strangers. Within five minutes, that audience could learn about your job status, annual…
I am starting to realize that if, heaven forbid, I need help in my neighborhood and emit a scream, nobody will hear me. Unless someone not wearing headphones happens to be nearby. Which seems unlikely based on observations. Gen Zers,…
Forgive me if this column reads like I nodded off while writing it. For I am only trying to prove a point. To be honest, I took a power nap mid-sentence. For me, napping, specifically POWER napping, has never been…
The Washington Post headline caught my eye moments after logging into my computer, with the intent of finishing my 2025 taxes: “The US was the only country in a worldwide survey to say most fellow citizens are bad people.” I…
Recently, it has occurred to me that hotel housekeeping service personnel have lots of free time on their hands. To alleviate their boredom, I offer a simple solution: Come to my place. Last week, I checked into one of the…
Sports metaphors in politics have become a strange new qualification for public office. Apparently, if you’ve played, coached, or even interviewed someone holding a ball, you’re ready to legislate. During Chicago’s brutally cold winter, I have managed to indulge my…
Forgive the language used in this column. On second thought, don’t. I really don’t give an f-bomb. You see, I think it’s time we admit the f-bomb, or “eff,” has secured its place in normal everyday language. Not that there…
While perusing the list of celebrities we lost in 2025, I noticed a glaring omission. It wasn’t a person but an institution; one that created, or had a hand in creating, some of the names on that very list. Names…
Staying healthy in 2026 is going to require a dictionary. Or maybe a translator. I realized this recently while strolling through Santa Fe, New Mexico, known, appropriately, as “The City Different.” In between the dozens of art galleries, Pueblo-inspired architectural…
Picture this. It’s 9:07 a.m. on Day One of your annual meeting. The ballroom lights dim. A well-meaning executive clicks to Slide #1. Phones appear. Laptops open. Someone in the back quietly checks email “just for a second.” You didn’t…
Growing up, swimming was never my strong sport. Nonetheless, thanks to President Trump I demand World Aquatics, the swimming federation recognized by the International Olympics Committee, reward me for my exploits in the water. Or better yet, honor me for…
They sat before me on Thanksgiving morning in Mt. Prospect, IL; a group of all female naval cadets just six days away from completing basic training and awaiting whatever adventure the Navy has planned for them. They had made it…
When it comes to rating Chicago deep dish pizza, customers invariably point to the ingredients. Cheese gooey-ness, sauce thickness, crust firmness and quantity of toppings are frequently mentioned in online reviews or in conversations with visitors and fellow Chicagoans alike.…