Reflections on a Retirement

There are tiny grilled cheese sandwiches perched upon shot glasses of tomato soup. There are charcuterie and cheese boards and wine and servers looking cross-eyed at me when I say may I just have a club soda please? The lights are dimmed on a crisp winter evening in Chicago as people filter in after their conference …

A Pep Talk for the Fear-Filled

I am all up in my feelings today about something I’m doing tonight. It’s the first time I’m doing this thing that has been in the works for months and I’m nervous, fear-filled, insecure, excited, honored, hopeful, inspired, and well, a little nauseous. I want to back out. I want to cancel. My default is …

The Magic of Five Year Old Twins on Their Birthday

I've written one of these birthday posts every year now for five years. For some reason, this one feels like the closing of a chapter. Five feels like we are entering kid territory. We are past babies, we are past toddlers, we have kids now. I’ll save you the trouble and say THEY ARE SO BIG …