I don’t know how I came across it, but there it was.

Last night, I found myself unable to peel my eyes off a certain Chicago photographer’s website. I landed there somehow and for at least a half-an-hour, I sifted through the gallery. Most of my time was spent going through picture after picture of one particular family that had enlisted the photographer’s help in capturing images of them with their newborn child.

It was repulsive.

The preciousness. The schmaltz. The sugary, syrupy sentimentality. It was unbelievable. There were black and white close-up shots of the baby’s butt, the baby’s toe, the baby’s … Read entire post

Well, there wasn’t egg nog.

But at the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce annual Holiday Mixer tonight, there was plenty of hob-knobbing. I wore my Chanel jacket. I ate two mini-cupcakes. I met some new people. I bid on a couple silent auction items and D.W. actually won a raffle for tickets to a Loyola basketball game.

As we walked home, it was pointed out to me by D.W. that my secret fantasy of being a millionaire socialite by age 35 may be in need of revision. I guess I had a decent time at the Holiday Mixer, but it wasn’t without its … Read entire post

I’m going to hire a cleaning lady. Maybe two.

It’s not that I’m not a clean person. I am a clean person. I clean all the time. I’m always wiping down, dusting off, sweeping up, or generally tidying the place, but I guess it’s gotten away from me. The state of our bathroom floor was pointed out to me by my sister Nan a couple days ago. She was a guest in our apartment during the holiday. We were standing in the kitchen eating leftover ham. She seemed to be in a bad mood.

“What’s wrong with you?” I asked.

“It’s going to … Read entire post

I got an ergonomic keyboard!

It’s been a long time coming. I’m surprised that I’ve been able to go so long without one, since I’ve had them in the past and consider them to be a truly great invention. I type a lot and when I use a regular keyboard, my hands absolutely hurt at the end of the day. My pinkies ache and get numb and I have wrist trouble.

But not when I use a bendy, curvy ergonomic keyboard!

If you’ve never used one, it can be a little scary at first. Hands on a keyboard stay to their respective sides, … Read entire post