Grief is weird. I can’t keep a thought in my head. Not for very long, anyhow. It’s like Tron all up in there, with neon thoughts zipping around and pinging off of walls. (Wait, that’s Tron, isn’t it? Or am I thinking of Pong with with the addition of laser sounds?) We should have the kids watch Tron, once I remember what it is. But definitely not Blade Runner– too real. This is my problem. This is one of my {Read More}
Five years later.
March 30, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Hey, Dad. Ready for this? It’s been five years since you left us. FIVE YEARS. I assume that you’re aware of this through the ether- but I’m not exactly sure about how time works where you are. (That said, I’m not exactly sure about how time works where I am. Long story.) Dad, when you died, I thought I was the bravest I had ever been- had ever had to be. Working on your obituary, pulling together your collection of {Read More}
We’ve got news.
March 25, 2020 By Leave a Comment
And our news is… We’re selling our home. Packin’ up and movin’ out. Hittin’ the trail. (Abusin’ the metaphors.) We’re beginning the end of our time in this impossibly gorgeous (and gorgeously impossible) house. But before we get into that, let me explain a little bit about where we’re going. And why. (The “how” is delightfully nebulous.) So. I moved to Chicago in the summer of 2002- close to 18 years ago- and P.J. has been here for almost 20. {Read More}
Thinking Spring? Think Rockets of Awesome.
March 11, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Rockets of Awesome= Spring play clothes! (Important stuff: I’m a Rockets of Awesome affiliate, and as such, I get a couple of pennies when you click through and buy clothing and wear them around town. Okay, I don’t get paid for when you wear the darned things, but I wanted to make sure we’re all cool with this. We are, right? Thanks!) Apparently, my kids are thinking Spring. How else to explain the abundance of rainbows in our wardrobe, courtesy {Read More}
‘The Boys in the Band’ is a party worth your RSVP
February 12, 2020 By Leave a Comment
When Mart Crowley’s The Boys in the Band emerged on the scene in 1968, it was a ground-breaking— even earth-shattering— portrayal of gay life. Well before the Stonewall Riots, and well well before this was a mainstream conversation, it brought an honest, raw, and deeply moving look at the lives, loves, and struggles of a young, gay, friend group. The star-studded 2018 Broadway revival was a heralded, glossy affair, well-deserving of its many accolades. That said, Windy City Playhouse, who {Read More}
‘Once On This Island’ offers up hope for the future
January 26, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Once On This Island… If the freezing temps have you daydreaming about balmier temps and sunnier skies, then perhaps an island jaunt is just the ticket. Lucky you! Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty’s Once On This Island is in town for a short trip, and the Broadway sensation- it won the 2018 Tony for Best Revival- envelops the audience in the kind of Caribbean vibes and infectious beats that’ll have you dancing in your seat. Based on Trinidad-born American writer Rosa {Read More}
Six.
December 19, 2019 By 2 Comments
Oh, my dearest boy. Today you are six. Today you are home sick. (Today you are home and really sick. So we’ll keep this one short-ish, yeah? Yeah.) Last night before bed you informed me that you were going to wake up in the morning and, first thing, look in the mirror. Because you knew what to look for. A certain “six” mentality, maybe, or another inch of Big Kid growth. Your Dad read you a book and, upon its {Read More}
A gift for all in Goodman’s ‘A Christmas Carol’
December 18, 2019 By Leave a Comment
That Dickens was pretty solid with enduring themes. And to create a work in December of 1843 that rings true- and, some might say, is the peak embodiment of the Christmas message- in December of 2019? Quite a legacy A Christmas Carol has. Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly Christmas-hater, has a spiritual awakening or three on a night when magic can happen. His eventual change of heart (and wallet) has far-reaching ramifications for 1800s London and its residents of varying means, leaving everyone {Read More}
