I am not a vegetarian. I have never been a vegetarian. I have been friends with vegetarians, lived among them and even dated them, but I have never, ever joined them in their meatless way of eating. Yet people think I am one. Friends who have known me for years, who...
Before I saw Sex in the City II, I imagined writing a long, insightful post about it. Instead, I came out of the movie not feeling much of anything. Then I forgot about it.But I made a commitment, so here's as much energy as I feel it deserves. This movie took a stab...
I have run my personal Facebook experiment and it is over. In January 2009, I opened an account because I wanted to see what a friend's girlfriend looked like. I stayed for way too long. It was like a crowded party with all these people I hadn't seen in a long time...
In the summer of 1999, I was a 33-year-old, never-married, dating-fixated, straight woman whose TV got the HBO channel. I didn't have a boyfriend, I was ready for love and, yes, I was hooked on Sex and the City. One of the series strengths was its willingness to...
[I originally posted this on January 5, 2006. I'm running it again because I like how it shows that the heart of Christmas isn't Jesus. There's a long history to this holiday that has included more gluttony and sex than Christ.] Recently the History Channel aired...
This is for Rudy, who asked a couple of questions about the place where I live.Rogers Park, which is on the far northside and borders the next town, is one of the most racially integrated neighborhoods in Chicago and I moved here in 1995. I love being a 50-minute...
On June 20 I posted that Facebook fails to draw me because I'd rather talk to friends in person than online. That was a comparison between blogging/emailing and having live friends in the room with me. But it's damn hard to get live people in the same room with me....
The Special Olympics has declared March 31st a "national day of awareness." They are out to get rid of the "R-word" and so am I. Why do people think this word is okay? I know people who say things like "It was retarded" when they mean to express distaste or disgust....
Yes, Bob and I are big Christmas people. BIG Christmas people.
In my never-ending movement towards becoming a bigger and bigger geek (at 5 feet, two inches tall, I can only get bigger in this kind of way), I have completely become a National Public Radio listener. It's really my husband's fault: he bought me an iPod for...
Today on the far northside of Chicago, it was completely overcast and right around 60 degrees. At 6:30 pm, it's 57 degrees and cooling fast. Shall we slip into mini-dresses and sandals and go clubbing without sweaters? (Refers to my post criticizing the way Chicagoans...
During the fall and winter months, we expect Chicago to be cold. Our landlords and building managers (reluctantly) run the heat and we all bundle up and keep our scarves and gloves handy.But around this time of year, everyone begins to ignore the weather forecast, and...
Two weeks ago, in response to my January 19th post, one reader commented: Tell me more about ‘English Only bull#$%.’ What does that refer to? Does Mexico publish its voter materials in other languages for the benefit of non-Mexican-speakers? English Only is a movement...
Sometimes marriage is good. Sometimes marriage is bad. At least half of all American marriages end in divorce. Plenty of couples had no business getting together in the first place, especially to have children (poor children). I think many of us know how badly...
I was watching "The Polar Express" on Christmas Eve, which is the story of how a little boy goes from not believing in the existence of Santa, to believing. There are several movies and stories with the same plot line and I wonder why. Why is it important to make...