I appreciate that you tell it like it is instead of telling people what they want to hear. I heard you on the radio saying that an online dating site isn’t a very good venue for women over 40 who aren’t very physically attractive. Honestly, on a scale of 1 to 10, I’m probably a […]
Community & Lifestyle
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Take 10: Blogbusters!
The once dignified kingdom of coffee table books, where Norman Rockwell retrospectives ruled, has fallen to the shameless, hilarious hordes. Behold the many highly giftable books from bloggers who first rocketed to fame online. Here are photos of people obscuring a body part with vinyl record sleeves, there are portraits of families you’re glad aren’t […]
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Take 10: Dystopian novels
It’s a feast for fans of The Hunger Games. The wildly successful film adaptation of the dark novel hits DVD shelves this holiday season. Suzanne Collins’ blockbuster trilogy about young Katniss Everdeen battling for her life in a post-apocalyptic North America has drawn more readers to the world of dystopian literature; new post-apocalyptic young adult […]
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The sorrow and the pretty
Do men in troubled relationships often seek someone to give them a nudge to get out? I often attract these men, some of whom I suspect just want a backup relationship before splitting with the wife. I happen to be interested in the current man confiding in me about his angry, obsessive wife. I won’t […]
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U game?
Nintendo is back to change the gaming experience with its latest console, the Wii U, arriving this month, just in time for the holidays, for $299.99. The company lured gamers off the couch with the release of the Wii in 2006, spearheading the motion-gaming segment that now includes Kinect for Xbox 360 and PlayStation Move. […]
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Go ahead, wax nostalgic
This holiday season, the familiar warm glow of candles will be complemented by frosty winter wonderland colors and fragrances. “There’s a sense of icy, fresh, watery – like a really light snow that’s glistening over things,” says Barbara Miller, spokeswoman for the National Candle Association. “That’s not only in the colors, you also have it […]
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Holiday help for nonprofits
If you’re like most Illinois Times readers, your life is safe and secure and the holidays are a time for family fun and delicious meals. Sadly that isn’t the case for everyone in our community. Many won’t have packages to open or a festive celebration to look forward to. Thousands around the area count on […]
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The way of the nail gun
My boyfriend of four years is a wonderful man who makes me incredibly happy. He was there for me throughout my breast cancer, making me feel sexy, beautiful and loved. I’m 43, divorced five years. He’s 41, never married, and his longest relationship was with a train wreck of an alcoholic on house arrest (I […]
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Crowd-pleasing holiday dips
Avocado goat cheese dip• 3 ripe avocados• 2 gloves minced garlic• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)• 4 ounces cream cheese• 4 ounces goat cheese• 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juiceMix all ingredients at once with a large spoon or hand-mixer in a medium bowl. Serve with blue corn chips, pretzels or crackers. Smoked salmon […]
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Where there’s smoke!
Breaking with tradition is always a test of the home cook’s mettle, especially around the holidays. Loved ones have expectations and when they aren’t met, disappointment causes upset even Tums can’t relieve. For those looking to make the leap from the oven to the outdoors this year, there are a few general guidelines to make […]
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Cook now, eat later. Skip the stress.
Getting Thanksgiving dinner – or any holiday feast – on the table can seem like a math word problem gone awry. Question: If it takes four hours to cook a 15-pound turkey, and three of the side dishes need something done to them “just before serving,” how many times will the cook wish there were […]
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Lincoln’s Election Day in Springfield
Election Day, 1860, started with a boom for Republican presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln. According to Harold Holzer’s book, Lincoln: President-Elect, local Republicans (not including Lincoln) set off a cannon in Springfield that morning to get supporters to the polls. It was a noisy day: wagons carrying loud bands roved through town as well, according to […]
