If you were a teenager in the 1980s, chances are you were crushing on at least one of the members of the "Brat Pack," that intriguing group of actors that kept showing up in the hottest movies of that time: The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles and St. Elmo's Fire. Those movies are... Continue Reading →
Luck of the Irish ☘️
With St. Patrick's Day coming up this week, you don't have to be Irish to get out and enjoy good times with friends. Many towns have parades and celebrations in honor of their citizens with Irish heritage this weekend. Pubs and restaurants often offer specials. World events may feel a bit grim lately, so taking... Continue Reading →
Quiet Season
As Sara wrote last week, winter has a way of narrowing our worlds, with cold days and dark nights making cozying up on the sofa with a blanket preferable to venturing out. I also find this season invites reflection. While I’ve settled into a post-holiday routine, I’m still thinking about the year ahead and how... Continue Reading →
Embracing the Darkest Months
January is a tough month in most of the U.S. Not only is it cold and dark when I start and end my commute each day, but the return to work or school after a holiday break is just hard. Over the years, I’ve relied on a few coping techniques, such as working out more... Continue Reading →
What’s Happening in 2026
Welcome to 2026! We hope you enjoyed a festive holiday season with friends and family. Now that the new year is here, I've been looking at the calendar to see what opportunities this year has in store for making memories together with people you care about. I've found plenty of events to add to my... Continue Reading →
Connecting an Audience in Community
As one of the best-known classical musicians in the world, Yo-Yo Ma has been delighting audiences with his masterful cello performances since he began playing publicly as a child prodigy at five years old. At 70, he is still performing but he has elevated his mission to create shared connection for his audiences beyond a... Continue Reading →
Poems of Gratitude
With Thanksgiving coming up this week, I am thinking about gratitude and how important it is to our mental and physical well-being. Julia's post about World Gratitude Day in September referenced an article published by Harvard Medical School discussing how practicing gratitude not only improves our mood but it also can extend our lives. Some... Continue Reading →
Discovery with Friends
When Julia and I visited Milwaukee a few weeks ago for our weekend away together, the final stop on our itinerary before we went our separate ways to travel home was The Milwaukee Art Museum. Julia had been there before, but I had only heard about it from friends and my husband, who swore it... Continue Reading →
Honoring the Workers
Labor Day weekend is here, a time for Americans to enjoy a holiday intended to honor the achievements of our workers. Because this holiday comes late in the summer season, many of us coordinate our celebrations with a wrap-up of summer fun before fall temperatures kick in. I plan to spend a day at Cape... Continue Reading →
Back to School for Grownups
Earlier this year I heard a story about one woman's love of ballet. Unfortunately, her family didn’t have the money for her to take lessons when she was a child, so she thought she would never learn to dance. But eventually she did learn ballet - and even performed in a production of Swan Lake!... Continue Reading →