Opinion / Guest Commentary
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Kondo's 'Guide to Essay Writing'
It's that time of year for seniors - college application season. College applications are many things, one of which is not easy. Speaking from experience, they're a bit of a chore... — Updated 10/27/2021
Fear-of-Death Diet really works
With the holidays right around the corner, it's time to consider The Fear-of-Death Diet. Of all the diets I've tried, none has been more successful than The-Fear-of-Death Diet. It's... — Updated 10/20/2021
A reintroduction after writing hiatus
I never expected to be where I am now. And I am everything I expected I would be now. I never thought I would be a single mom now. And I know I am a better parent because of that no... — Updated 10/13/2021
Good boy, Cody, good boy
The room where my husband Mark and I wait with our dog Cody is sterile and smells like antiseptic. It never bothered me before, but now the bare beige walls and steel table seem... — Updated 10/6/2021
College drop-off tears short lived
I can't help but chuckle at all the recent social media posts from parents dropping off their freshman kids at college. Could you people be any weepier? Come on! It's not like... — Updated 9/29/2021
Finding meaning in the space between
Years ago, when I began writing for The Hinsdalean, I was asked to introduce myself in a short column. I described myself with a string of nouns: “wife,” “mother,... — Updated 9/22/2021
That pesky 'just' doesn't bother me
As I'm sure was the case for many, this summer marked my family's maiden voyage from Hinsdale in 18 months. It was our first plane ride, first meal in a restaurant and first time... — Updated 9/15/2021
The girl with the most cake
Actual texts from my high school senior on the day Lollapalooza tickets went on sale back in May. 10:51 a.m.: Do.Not.Forget.Lolla.Tickets.Get.On.The.Website.At.11:58.And.Be.Ready. 1... — Updated 9/8/2021
The suburban dad Olympiad
"Welcome to the Hinsdale Community Pool! It's a scorcher out here today, Diane, and the competition is really heating up!" "You're right there, Bill. If you're just joining us,... — Updated 9/1/2021
We need more lovies in the world
My teenage boys will never forgive me for “The Velveteen Rabbit.” They insist they remain emotionally scarred, more than a decade after first hearing it. “But the rabbit... — Updated 8/25/2021
The dog days of COVID
Five years ago this August I wrote a guest column about the passing of our beloved yellow lab, Sam Adams. A heartbreak for all of us, but as it turns out, our hearts were again captured by another yellow lab, this time a puppy... — Updated 8/18/2021
In a mood? You're not alone
I'm in a mood - and not a good one. I read the papers, look on the internet, get in my car, watch TV, and it seems almost everywhere I go, people are in a mood too. The world is... — Updated 8/11/2021
This old house has story to tell
The house next door to us is going to be torn down. I know that isn't news in this town where old homes are torn down everyday. But there are many things that happen all the time -... — Updated 8/4/2021
Embracing a new chapter
When I last wrote an article for the paper, I had just finished my senior year of high school and was getting ready to begin a new chapter of my life at the University of Georgia.... — Updated 7/28/2021
Swing and a miss launch love affair
It was a bright June day. Prior to that moment, I had never wielded a golf club in my 31 years of life. It was my turn to tee off, and I stepped up to the golf ball, took my first... — Updated 7/21/2021
Flying the less friendly skies
My brother-in-law recalls a time in the early '60s when flying to a vacation destination with his parents meant wearing a suit. He was 8 or 9 years old. Everyone laughs along with... — Updated 7/14/2021
Dad's Day not just 'Hallmark' holiday
As we celebrate our country's independence this week, I can't help but chuckle about some of the crazy holidays the world has conjured up over the years. How do you celebrate... — Updated 7/7/2021
True hospitality goes both ways
We often find our best selves during our toughest moments. Unfortunately, that simple truth seems to be going the wrong way. Consider a recent morning in Hinsdale. A woman finishes... — Updated 6/30/2021
Jettisoning and not this Father's Day
I’ve been jettisoning stuff of late and have found it harrowing, liberating and, on this Fathers’ Day, very affirming. For too long, I avoided it: throw too much overboard, and too much of what aspired to make you “you” is... — Updated 6/16/2021
Turn and face the strange changes
Today is my husband's birthday (love you, hon!). He is a year older than me, but looks younger by virtue of his hair somehow remaining as golden as it was on our wedding day,... — Updated 6/9/2021
Do we lean toward compassion or cancel?
When I was 10 years old, I was the new girl at a small school. To feel better about myself, I was mean to another girl, a girl who'd been nice to me. I also kicked a boy named Jerry... — Updated 6/2/2021
Thoughts of peace under night sky
One of my favorite childhood memories is looking up at the night sky with my dad. After pulling into the garage/tool shed following an evening outing, my four siblings and I would... — Updated 5/26/2021
Intersection of the art world and my world
Having the Art Institute of Chicago nearby was a definite bonus of growing up in Hinsdale. Thanks to a steady cadence of visits that included Oak School class trips and the... — Updated 5/19/2021
Don't stop believin'
Growing up in The Region, my Dad had a sub-30-minute stretch goal from our driveway to Comiskey Park. Depending on the Dan Ryan traffic and his risk-taking appetite, this was... — Updated 5/12/2021
Lessons learned from own obituary
It's never too late to write a new beginning A few years ago, in a strange turn of events, my law school mistakenly published that I had died. I had not seen that edition of the... — Updated 5/5/2021
