• Best Thing Ever,  Confessions

    I Found THE Dress.

    I am a little giddy right now because yesterday I found the dress that—I am 99% sure—I will be wearing on Sunday, May 4 to Chicago’s third annual LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER show*. That’s more than three months ahead, folks. Shouldn’t I get some kind of award for that?? Let me acknowledge, for those who are new here, that I have a storied history when it comes to finding outfits for specific occasions. Now let me acknowledge something else: that’s a giant understatement. I have a couple of things working against me, right out of the gate: 1. I don’t much like shopping, which means that if I’m on a…

  • Blessings,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz,  Proud Moments

    And, Exhale.

    It’s amazing how, sometimes, things just fall into place. The last couple of months have been extremely stressful for D as he has worried about finding a job or two—any job—right out of college so he could continue living in the Wisconsin house with his friends until their lease ends on May 31. Things hit a fever pitch after Christmas because the time clock was ticking down to zero on his ability to stay in the house: we paid his rent through the end of January and he needed to either fish or cut bait. The uncertainty was troublesome, to say the least. He was applying for jobs both in…

  • Confessions,  Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  I've Got Mad Skillz

    Don’t Try This At Home!

    So let’s say that sometimes you wear those nasal strips at night, the ones that help you breathe easier and keep you from snoring. And let’s say that one night you go through the same face-cleansing routine you perform every night, paying special attention to your nose because the nasal strips stick so much better when you have properly cleansed your nose. And then let’s say that you apply the nasal strip, pressing it down tightly to create the seal it needs in order to stay put all night. And then let’s say that shortly after you apply the nasal strip you rip it off in anger (the reason for…

  • Food,  Friends,  I've Got Mad Skillz

    Pomegranate Smacking: Not An Olympic Sport, Yet

    Today was the second annual “Jew Help A Christian Day”, i.e. the second consecutive Christmas Eve I’ve driven across town to spend a few hours helping my friend Jen get ready for her big family dinner. (Last year’s recap is HERE.) I had a BLAST, which is something I don’t normally say when I’m cleaning and cooking in my own house. Something to work on. Anyway, last week I asked Jen what was on the menu for this year and it came up in conversation that, among other things, she was going to have me remove seeds from a pomegranate. I was clueless about the task: to be honest, I’ve…

  • Confessions,  Proud Moments

    I’ve Got The Power

    About ten years ago, all of the families that belong to our temple were asked to make an appointment for a portrait session in conjunction with the creation of a new directory. I thought it was a great idea: at the time, I think we had around 350 member families and a photo directory is a wonderful tool for learning the names of people with whom you aren’t already acquainted. We were also promised a free 8 X 10 portrait for coming in. The four of us went in one evening and posed for pictures, and that was that…until the pictures came back. I was horrified. Actually, horrified is a…