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Children’s book author Christopher Paul Curtis on the joys of artistic collaboration
Please do not disturb me if you happen to be in a men’s clothing store and see me frantically looking for a larger hat. My need is entirely understandable, because in addition to having the best job in the world — children’s book author — …
Carlyle Robinson on the struggles minorities face in finding donor matches — and what you can do to help
My name is Carlyle Robinson. I am a husband, a father, a die-hard Chicago Bears fan, a hardworking hotel manager at the Hard Rock Hotel Chicago and a Harley-Davidson enthusiast, and I live with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). The day I discovered I have this common …
Chicago author Kathleen Rooney on the state of women in politics
During the miserable government shutdown this past fall, Senator John McCain joked, “The women are taking over.” While this remark represents an occasion for some much-needed lightness on a dim Congressional landscape, it’s not a joke, exactly. Congresswomen from across the ideological spectrum really were …
Sheridan Turner, president and CEO of Kohl Children’s Museum, on how to nurture creativity
For years now, educational experts have warned that Americans are stifling creativity in children. We’re creating classes of graduates who can regurgitate pages of facts — all unassailably correct — but who can’t think outside a simple box. Unfortunately, it’s often those who are tasked …
Playwright Rebecca Gilman examines the child custody system
Who can best raise a child? And who decides? Our state’s child custody system is meant to protect children from abusive environments, but no system is perfect. State statistics show that more children died of abuse and neglect in Illinois in the past fiscal year, …
Paul Tinsley on honoring his daughter’s memory
On May 30, 2011, my wife and I watched a beautiful light dim and then go out as our daughter, Rebekah Tinsley Klein, lost her battle with advanced uterine and ovarian cancer. For four years, she’d fought this disease with every ounce of her energy. …
Kim DeJesus on how she’ll always be a part of the Cubs family
We all know the story of “The Wizard of Oz” — the magnificent adventure Dorothy embarked upon after being swooped up by a tornado. But these days, when I tell this story to my son, it’s the part where Dorothy clicks her heels three times …
Jim Karas on rediscovering his Greek roots
Clearly, with the last name Karas, I’m Greek. But until recently, my connection to Greek culture predominately came from my love of Greek salad with grilled chicken at S & G — and my love of bantering with the Greek family who owns it. Aside …
Emily Williams Knight, the president of Kendall College, on encouraging inclusiveness for young girls
By the third grade I was tall — really tall — and my parents did the right thing by putting a basketball in my hand and sending me to the local parks and rec program. I quickly fell in love with this fast-paced and challenging …
Chicago fitness expert Dana Pieper on how to lose pregnancy weight — and the pressure that comes with it
We’re all bombarded with endless images of celebrities and their post-pregnancy bodies — Kate Middleton and Jessica Simpson, most recently. While I am long past this period of my life, I distinctly remember how photos like those made me feel after I delivered my triplets. …
Dr. Ian Smith on losing weight quickly — and healthfully — in the New Year
It’s that time of year again, when New Year’s resolutions are on the tip of everyone’s tongues. That means millions of people will be starting a new diet, signing up for gym memberships and committing themselves to a healthier lifestyle. It’s a ritual that for …
Restaurateur Rohini Dey on fusion cuisine
As a result of my Indian-Latin melding at Vermilion, I’ve heard many a sanctimonious reaction to “fusion cuisine” from those who believe that culinary purity is the Holy Grail: “fusion is confusion,” “in authenticity lies culinary salvation,” “regional is the answer,” “the more arcane the …
Writer Charles Blackstone on why it’s best to take risks around the holidays
Seven years ago, on Christmas Eve, I proposed to my wife, Alpana Singh, whom I’d met only 11 weeks earlier. To most people, this might sound like a mildly crazy proposition. But I believe holidays are the best time of the year to take risks. …
Author Margaret Overton on how her mother inspired her to overcome adversity — and pen a memoir
Lydia Overton was my best friend. She was the person I called whenever something good happened, when something bad happened, whenever I was scared or lonely. She was not a sentimental sort; she didn’t utter meaningless platitudes. She wasn’t famous or educated. She was nearly …
Tony Award-winning set designer Todd Rosenthal on how he reinvents ‘A Christmas Carol’ each year
Of the 16 sets I’ve designed for the Goodman Theatre, “A Christmas Carol” may be the one I love the most. First of all, it tells a great story; we can all use a good dose of “it’s never too late to change,” especially around …
Approaching the holidays, marathon runner Anthony Piatek remembers his mother
Now that it’s nearly winter in Chicago, many of us are layering up, donning hats and gloves, and collectively complaining about the cold, the snow and the piercing wind. It’s a Chicago tradition, and I believe that esprit de corps helps us face that long …
