Liz Reyer: Try these steps to ease the stress of the holidays
In a busy time of year like the holidays, it can be easy to get stressed out by the demands on your time. Family traditions, parties, school events and travel are added to the usual routine. At the...
View ArticleBalancing Act: The top workplace trends of 2012
As the country recovers from a recession, our workplaces are moving forward in new ways with new rules. Changes are afoot from how our offices look to who runs them and what equipment will be used.
View ArticleYour Office Coach: Chatty colleagues don't realize they're disruptive
QUESTION: I am constantly distracted by people chatting near my desk. My cubicle sits next to a hallway, so there is an endless stream of employees passing by all day long. For some reason, this seems...
View ArticleThe Parent 'Hood: An offensive friend
Your daughter's pal throws around the word "retard" a lot. Is it OK to speak up?
View ArticleAlmost half of workers in survey admitted to playing hooky
Kids are notorious for faking fevers to stay home from school. A new study suggests their parents aren't much better.
View ArticleSanta generally welcome at church
As the director of a north suburban Episcopal preschool, Mary Johnson hears all about Santa Claus from her toddlers. They can describe where he lives. They can tell her what he drives. They can name...
View ArticleIllinois faith leaders back gay marriage bill
More than 250 Illinois clergy - most of them in the Chicago area - have endorsed a gay marriage bill that could come up for a vote in Springfield before Jan. 9.
View ArticleA city down on its luck, Detroit starts making its own, and it's pretty good
DETROIT - Many people can't see past this city's abandoned buildings and overgrown lots, and that's sort of fair. A city once boasting 2 million people and an unbreakable auto industry is down to...
View ArticleAt this end of the Earth, there's still beer!
On a cool evening before the onset of winter, beer drinkers met to toast to the latest installation of the Kodiak Island Brewing Co. With Xtratuf boots and windbreakers still on, these craft-brew...
View ArticleA boho shoe-in: Commerce meets community in Toms' casual, rustic new retail...
Toms Shoes has opened its first retail store and community space, in Venice, Calif., barely an alpargata's toss from the apartment living room where Blake Mycoskie started building his...
View ArticleShe's haute and dry
Actress Amanda Seyfried is busily promoting her new film, "Les Miserables," slated to open Christmas Day. The actress, who plays Cosette in the film, is treating fans to a whirlwind fashion tour as she...
View ArticleTheir styles stack up
Books that examine the world of fashion can make for good reads. Here are some of the latest.
View ArticleTalking Dogs: Be responsible for your canine at all times
Bolt, an Alaskan malamute being held at the Turlock, Calif., Animal Shelter as a result of biting a young woman in the face is a hot topic of conversation. Regardless of your opinion of this situation,...
View Article5 issues small business owners will face in 2013
In 2013, small business owners will contend with many of the same issues that made it hard to run their companies over the last 12 months.
View ArticleHome prices dip as seasonal slowdown begins
Home prices in the nation's 20 biggest cities dipped 0.1 percent in October from the prior month but rose strongly from the same month last year, according to a closely watched index, indicating the...
View ArticleFitness Success: Making your New Year's Resolutions work for you in 2013...
If you did your homework from last week, you should now have some good resolutions that are actually attainable. Good. That puts you well ahead of the game, but resolutions alone don't yield results....
View ArticleA personal finance to-do list for the year's end
As the calendar ticks toward Dec. 31, here are some last-minute, year-end tips recommended by financial professionals:
View ArticleNotable quotables
"We've known it was coming, but the minute we walked in, everyone was crying. I had so many layers of waterproof mascara on; it was insane." - actress Jane Krakowski on the last day of shooting "30 Rock."
View ArticleYouth sports fees can add up
For parents, the costs of youth sports can add up. There are fees for leagues and competitions, plus expenses for equipment, training and uniforms. How can you keep the spending under control? Mark...
View ArticleParents at Play: Interactive toys for toddlers
The holidays may be behind us, but that doesn't mean the end of the gift-giving season. There are birthdays, equinoxes, rainy days, and plenty of duplicate gifts to return. But what to get for the...
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