I choose to remain a Midwesterner for many reasons, but one of them is that I really appreciate having four seasons. That doesn’t mean that I like all four seasons equally. In Illinois, spring holds the promise of warming days. It also frequently disappoints us with cold, rainy days and the occasional snowstorm. I’m guessing most people look forward to warm summer days. As someone who often wears a suit to work, anything over 80° can leave…
When you have a problem, people often tell you to “sleep on it.” But what happens when an inability to sleep is the problem? The last few decades, I have suffered from frequent bouts of insomnia. Like many people who have trouble sleeping, I worry about my children, my parents as they get older, and challenges at work. When this happens, rather than getting worried about a lack of sleep, I have learned to accept that my mind will be…
Our twins have always loved going to the park: playing on the jungle gym, swinging, or swishing down slides. Recently, they have found an open path where they love running races. They will race each other, Mom, or Dad. Although they are identical twins, they have very different running styles. Max will pump his arms and legs in a way that makes me think he very well could be a sprinter someday. Theo has a more free-spirited way…
This summer, I was awakened by a tremendous storm in the middle of the night. My first thought was how much I don’t like the rain. I didn’t always feel this way. As a kid, I loved playing in the rain. I think my attitude started to change when baseball games were rained out. I also distinctly remember my first job detasseling corn really turned me against the rain. By the time I got through the field, my shoes were…
Last weekend, I marched in a couple of Labor Day parades. It’s important to celebrate the accomplishments of working people. Maybe you gathered with friends and family to grill and eat outdoors. Maybe you took the chance to get on the water one last time this summer. Or maybe you watched your favorite team play a game. Those are also worthwhile ways to mark the holiday. Not everyone should live to work. We work so that we can live better. And…
It can be hard to leave a house you’ve lived in for more than a quarter century. We make a lot of memories in our homes, but I think it’s even more difficult when you built the house yourself. I can’t say for certain because I don’t have the skills to build a house, unlike my older brother, James. Last spring, he sold the house that he built nearly 30 years ago. James has gone through two union apprenticeship programs.…
My daughter will be a high school senior, which means we have been visiting a lot of colleges this summer as she prepares to apply to universities in the fall. This has given us a lot of quality, dad-daughter time together. It’s sad to think about the day I will drop her off at college, but I prefer to focus on and enjoy the time I have with her now. I have really enjoyed our campus visits because of great…
As a kid, I always looked forward to the Champaign County Fair in late July. I loved the rides: the bumper cars, the tilt-a-whirl, and the potato sack slide. I loved the food: the corn dogs, the elephant ears, and all things fried. I loved the grandstand shows: the tractor pulls where my family would sometimes compete, the motorcycle races, and the demolition derby. And I also loved the games where you could win a prize: the ring toss, shooting…
For people who know I have twins, a common question I get asked is: “Are the twins letting you sleep at night?” Max and Theo have been good sleepers for some time now. They let Erica and me get a good night’s sleep most nights. What they don’t let us do is rest any minute they are awake. These boys have a lot of energy. They are always moving but don’t yet understand the risks associated with many of their…
The 1980s seemed to be peak suntanning culture in America. In movies, the cool kids had a deep, dark tan. The ads for sunscreen focused on getting a nice even brown. In the summer, it seemed like everyone was grabbing some rays, and in the winter, tanning beds were a thing. I got caught up in the craze. I never visited a tanning salon, but I also rarely used sunscreen. I don’t think the sun’s harmful effects were clear to me…