Eight weeks ago, in anticipation of my Tuscan vacation, I decided to learn Italian. I wanted to be able to carry on a simple conversation in Italian, so I took a few lessons, made flashcards, practiced with native speakers, and prepared cheat sheets. Then, I got on a plane. I am home now, and can report that my command of the…

This is my dog. His name is Murray and he’s 8. Cute huh? I can still remember that cold winter morning when we drove out to the Chicago suburbs to meet him for the first time. There were actually two Maltese puppies to choose from. Both adorable. One was mellow and laid back. The other was a…

It was an ordinary Sunday morning. I was sitting in the living room with the kids drinking coffee when to my utter shock and surprise, my husband got up and started cleaning. He rinsed dishes, took out the garbage, collapsed boxes and started a load of laundry. It’s about time, I muttered to myself. I share this story because in learning about…

“Jesus Murray why can’t you be normal!” I hissed. My neighbor had just popped by to drop something off, and Murray wouldn’t stop barking. A normal dog. What does that mean anyway? A dog that doesn’t bark incessantly when guests are in the house? Who doesn’t freak out every time I get ready to leave or…

I used to be a gym rat. A hard core, gung-ho workout fanatic. But ever since the baby, I haven’t been able to get back into a groove. Granted I’m sleep deprived, hormonal and always on the go, but the truth is, I’ve gotten lazy. Last week I drove to the gym, walked inside, looked around,…

Imagine, if you will, a man perched on top of an elephant. The man is holding reins, steering the elephant down a road, and it seems, at first, that the man is in control. But the elephant is a large animal, three tons to be exact, and if it decides to disagree with the man’s directions… well…

Have you ever wondered if there’s something that you’re the best in the world at, but don’t know it because you’ve never tried? Maybe it’s fencing or chess, sculpture or flute, poetry or coding. With the Olympics on, and with me struggling through this running challenge, I’ve been thinking a lot about our genetic predispositions. Look at Michael…

For the first time in my 2+ years of monthly challenges, I quit. I threw in the towel. I gave up. Running was a disaster. I thought I’d be able to handle the short distances and that if I pushed through those first few days, I’d fall in love with exercise all over again. That didn’t happen….

This year, I’ve had a hard time following through on my monthly challenges and my once great habits are now not so stellar. In desperate need of a reboot, I went and bought a 10 week “mindfulness” program, and I just completed week one. The program is called the Wim Hof method and it incorporates deep breathing, stretching, meditation,…

There’s no way, I think to myself as I stare at the running water. I’m supposed to get into a cold shower and I can’t. I adjust the knob. The ice cold water is now moderately cold. I step in but stand far enough back that the water hits only my feet and shins. Goosebumps. I stand there, telling myself to be brave…