(Today marks three weeks since we arrived at our new home in Massachusetts. More on THAT to come, because hoo boy. But for right now, a surprisingly/not super surprisingly hard one to write. I began this post the week before we moved but had to stop because…I had to stop. Stay tuned. Thanks in advance. Buckle up. Keep hydrating. And, you know, wear a mask.) An open letter to my home: Hey home, I know I’ve said some things in {Read More}
‘The Recommendation’ puts in a good word
July 16, 2019 By Leave a Comment
What’s behind a good recommendation? It’s not “who you know,” it’s who really knows you. (And if some of those things that people know about you are, shall we say, less than legal…well then, that changes the dynamic of what sort of loyalty is owed in return, doesn’t it?) That’s what’s at the heart of Windy City Playhouse’s gripping new performance The Recommendation, written by Jonathan Caren; a simple favor offered up from a have to a have-not, and the {Read More}
10 years of Lollygag Blog. (Fairly bonkers ones, at that.)
June 7, 2018 By Leave a Comment
10 years. Oh, friends. This is an absolutely crazy post to, well, post. On Monday? Lollygag Blog is 10 years old. TEN! For those of you with whom I’ve only chatted/covered rando events/foisted my children upon…I was not always the minivan-rollin’ 38 year-old on the other side of this screen, oh no. (And yep, I’m a newly minted 38 year-old! In case you missed the treetop announcements yesterday. I’m awfully bad at not proclaiming my birthday like a be-crowned preschooler.) {Read More}
Keeping married life spicy: Legality edition
May 11, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Right before our 10th anniversary, P.J. and I have hit upon a way to keep our married life really exciting. Like, “edge of your seat” exciting. Like, wait, are we really even married exciting. So. We’re heading out of town next month- out of the country, in fact- Mexico, in fact fact- and I realized that a) my passport needed updating, and b) my last name had never been updated after our wedding. No problem! (Other than the fact that I {Read More}
Cold & flu & terror & the apocalypse
February 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
I’m terrified of cold and flu season. …But I’m not terrified of colds and the flu for the reasons you might expect. (Unexpected Illness Terror: a book of contemplative poetry by Keely Flynn, coming soon.) I mean, there’s plenty to be afraid of. Kids throwing up is gross. Body aches and sinus pain make you regret life choices, like choosing to have a life where you catch the flu. And, at least in this news cycle, this is the worst {Read More}
New year, same blog & a 2018 word
January 4, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Happy new year! Happy same blog. Which is…good. “Same” can be comforting in a new year, especially in light of so much oh no oh no oh no whaaaat that pretty much defined 2017. Speaking of new years and definitions, I’ve chosen my word for 2018. (Because I’m saccharine and a hippie and a lemming.) Last year’s word, if you’ll recall, was a firm NO. (Which, come on, what good did I think would come out of that? Besides the {Read More}
6 reasons we’re sweet on Lifeline Theatre’s ‘Arnie the Doughnut’
November 8, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Lifeline Theatre’s charming new production of Arnie the Doughnut– spun like sugar from Laurie Keller’s story of the same name- concerns Arnie, a freshly baked and rather, well, concerned doughnut who isn’t so sure about his lot in life. Namely, as breakfast to the rule-and-routine-happy Mr. Bing. (Sound dark? It totally isn’t.) 6 Reasons We’re Sweet on ‘Arnie the Doughnut’ 6. It features unlikely heroes. Since when does a buttoned-down nice guy get to be the force for change? Well, {Read More}
Jasper’s big (tiny) Halloween #StreamTeam reveal
October 17, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Disclosure: As part of Netflix’s superbly fun #StreamTeam, I get to extol the virtues of the latest and greatest in streaming content. Although I’m compensated for my work, all thoughts, opinions, and downright edible children are entirely my own. *** Halloween is hard. Not the overstimulation, the constant blocking of gory zombie displays, or even the crazy amounts of candy consumption (that part is embarrassingly easy)… No, what’s hard is the dressing-up and going-out and keeping-on of a costume for a {Read More}
