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opinions
Dealing with May madness
LA GRANGE — My refrigerator and pantry are sparse. My laundry is piling up. My car is in constant motion. It’s May, and I’m booked solid. The calendar on the fridge has no white space left, and my phone beeps throughout the day reminding me …
Hinsdale Central yearbook editor urges you to pull out your yearbook
If you are a high school graduate, chances are you keep your high school yearbooks either holed up in the basement, in a corner of the attic, or collecting dust on a bookshelf at your parents’ house like my parents do. Yearbooks are like home …
La Grange Scout gives memorial plaques a facelift
LA GRANGE — Memorial Day will be even more meaningful this year for Lyons Township High School sophomore Kevin Petrak of La Grange.
To gray or not to gray
LA GRANGE — I have four sisters and we’ve remained close over the years in spite of the geographic distances that separate us. We make a concerted effort to get together a couple of times a year, just the five of us. Often, when I …
Good business, good sense and good eating in La Grange
LA GRANGE — Vegetarians: You may want to skip part of this. With that out of the way, I’ve always been a red meat kind of gal. In fact, one of my first professional jobs was working for the beef industry, where, among other things, …
Breaking down barriers with the homeless
Library: a shelter for the homeless with shelves of books. Some days that’s how it seems in my town’s library. I sometimes smell them before I see them. They settle in the soft chairs on the library’s second floor — talking, eating, sleeping or just …
Searching for a child’s ‘lovey’
When you say “My Child’s Lovey,” people from all walks of life will give you a knowing nod. A lovey can be anything — blanket, pacifier, stuffed animal, random household object — but it always has the same job; it is a young child’s touchstone …
Look outside the medicine cabinet when treating pain
I will never forget that morning six years ago when everything changed. I awoke to vertigo, head and neck pain so severe I was bedridden for days. Next came the doctor circuit. Everyone had a different theory about what was wrong with me — Meniere’s …
If not now, when on gun violence
I am endearingly known as “Danger Woman” in my family. This is not because I am a daredevil, but because I am always on the lookout for potential hazards. I recall several Fourth of July seasons when I threatened to picket in front of our …
A vote for Kim Barker in District 107
Kim Barker would serve the community well as a member of the School Board for District 107. As an experienced professional in her field, a long time community volunteer and a parent of young teens, Barker brings valuable quantitative skills, analytical abilities and valuable life …
Navigating lonesome places
Elsa, at 88, had only one friend left whose mind wasn’t corrupted by dementia. That was Beth, a sharp, lamb-haired lady of 82. Beth could hardly walk. Elsa could hardly see. Elsa telephoned Beth every Monday evening. Each lady sat at her own kitchen table, …
The truth behind a mid-life ‘crisis’
I am 43 years old and I own — and wear — a pair of cheetah-print skinny jeans. I also dream of being in a rock band. No doubt these statements will evoke a myriad of responses: “Who cares?” “You go, girl!” “Ugh.” “Honey, I …
Racking up points demeans virtue of NHS
Being a member of the National Honor Society brings on ambiguous feelings. National Honor Society, a national organization based on the pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, character and citizenship, recognizes high school students on their commitment to these qualities. Sounds great. Sign me up. And …
Happy Valentine’s Day, America
I can easily get down about what is wrong with America. I am aware of the multitude of problems facing our country. Many do not have easy solutions. I am also aware that there is much to be proud of in these United States of …
Keep records of vital information for elderly parents
Sometimes we make assumptions about the information that we have or don’t have when it comes to our parents, grandparents or other seniors in our lives. Unfortunately the moment we realize that the information we need is not available is usually during a crisis.
