Let’s face it. We all have stresses in our lives. Whether it’s work, the kids, a spouse or partner, the dog, the cat, the neighbors, or life in general, we are all looking for ways to escape the madness. Meditation is a great way to do that. According to the…

The funny thing about death is you’re never prepared when the Grim Reaper comes calling. Whether a person is ill or someone dies suddenly in a freak accident, the impact on us is the same. We are shocked. We are in disbelief, and we grieve. …

When one plans a vacation, the whole premise of the experience is to get away from it all. Leave work and life behind while enjoying time in a new city or at least, a familiar one. That was certainly the intention when me and nine friends (half from Chicago, half…

The year was 2012 and I had just turned 40. As a gift to myself I traveled solo down under to the other worldly country of Australia. With its large hopping marsupials, seemingly cuddly koalas, and gorgeous white sand beaches, Australia had been a dream trip for years. Leaving Chicago…

I grew up in a mostly Italian family in Louisiana. I say mostly because my father was German & Scotch, but my mother was full-blooded Italian. Her mother and father were born in Louisiana, but her grandparents on both sides of her family immigrated from Italy. We grew up eating…