In early December, 2023, my daughter Alex and her girlfriend Morgan were in town for a wedding. Our dear friend Iva and her beautiful mother Nadia also came for a visit. Alex said, “Iva, you should be on Liz Gilbert’s Letters From Love!” Iva replied with a wink, “December 24th!” This was the first time […]
Dan Wakefield didn’t swear on Sundays. He hadn’t owned a car since an accident in Miami over fifteen years ago. He enjoyed good company, excellent conversation, and readily expressed aggravation towards technology — his nemesis. Dan was my mentor, my friend, and Chief Curmudgeon in my life for over a decade. One evening, while Dan […]
Starting last August, the social media posts of parents celebrating their high school seniors began. For my own mental health, I had to mute a few friends so I wouldn’t see their posts. There have been, and I assume there will continue to be, many painful reminders that my son Jake should be experiencing, but […]
Libraries represent community, connectedness, and until recently, inclusion. Libraries are places to get lost: within the pages of a great book. They are windows to the world of exploration, and can be a safe haven for children as they are exploring boundaries, relating to others, and discovering other cultures. A related matter is the growing […]
During the Dedication Ceremony for The Indianapolis Propylaeum on January 27th, 1891, founder May Wright Sewall included the following in her address: The question that now makes us pause is not, ‘Will the Propylaeum be in demand?’ but rather ‘How have we lived so long comfortably without it?’ Viewed from its domestic aspect, the perfect […]
You never know, until faced with the unimaginable, how you will respond. It’s impossible to truly prepare for the unknown. Unimaginable loss is the ultimate test of resiliency. Your values, beliefs, level of integrity, and moral compass will influence how you react. When I discovered that my son Jake died in a car accident, I […]
In what feels like a lifetime ago, I owned a Pilates studio. It not only served as a fun place to workout, it was a networking hub, and to a great extent — my lifeline during a challenging period of my life. Outside of writing about fitness, most of the human interest stories that I […]
The Indianapolis Propylaeum serves as an anchor to the Old Northside neighborhood. The Propylaeum’s creed is the place that connects and celebrates women and since its founding in 1888, has lived up to its mission. The Indianapolis Propylaeum is celebrating 100 years at 1410 N. Delaware this year. The original location for The Indianapolis Propylaeum […]
My advice to writers: when you need inspiration for character development or interpersonal engagement, don’t take a walk in nature or meditate or declutter your work space — go to the grocery store. And go with a shopping list, so you look legit. The basic layout: There might be a greeter. At our local store, […]