health
Victory in court nears for developmentally disabled
Rick Wilson of Springfield never thought it was asking too much for his daughter, Jennifer, who has cerebral palsy, to live in a comfortable environment. But when the Wilsons asked the State of Illinois to place Jennifer in a supportive living arrangement for adults with disabilities – instead of an institution – they were repeatedly […]
5 tips for holiday health
Wow, it’s been months since I’ve updated this blog. To both people who read this, I’m sorry. (That’s the standard apology when a blogger comes back from a period of laziness: first comment on how long it’s been, then jokingly understate the number of people who read said blog. In reality, we actually have four […]
People with disabilities seek independence
Health care reform could be a big plus for the disabled, says one Springfield disability advocate, but only if the state fundamentally changes how it handles those with special needs. Tyler McHaley, president of Springfield Area Disability Activists (www.disabilityactivists.org), shared that message Nov. 16 with the Health Care Reform Implementation Council, a collection of state […]
Bedbugs are back – in Springfield
Once nearly eradicated, bedbugs are back in full force and not just in cities like New York and Chicago – Springfield’s got ’em too. The flat, brown, oval-shaped critters are about a quarter of an inch long and like to feed on human blood as we sleep. They’ve re-emerged in developed countries after a population […]
Hunger Challenge Days 4 & 5: Pols and parties
I’m not hungry today. The challenge has been pretty easy lately, which is completely the opposite of what I expected. I am definitely learning a lot about the cost of food, though. A lot of my favorite things, like hummus, cost a ton of money for ingredients that are relatively cheap, which signals to me […]
Hunger Challenge – Day 3: Cupcake Conundrum
Tracy Smith with Feeding Illinois poses this question for the day: The cupcake truck is outside your building, calling your name, but at $3.25 that decadent temptation is out of the question. What will you be snacking on instead to refuel? No sweat. I would (hypothetically) go with an old favorite: a spoon full of […]
Hunger Challenge – Days 1 and 2
Public food aid is always a controversial topic. Critics say it’s rife with fraud and abuse, while proponents say it doesn’t do enough to help people avoid food insecurity and get back on their feet. Regardless of how one feels about public food aid, it’s important that we as a society recognize the challenges presented […]
Conquering the Century
The 38th annual Capital City Century was this past Sunday, and although I didn’t bike it, I did sleep in. It’s a 100-mile bike trek outside Springfield, and a few of my friends and family rode the whole thing. Here’s a video of the race put together by a friend. It’s pretty amusing, and it […]
Running buddy fail
I’ve had a couple of great running buddies over the years. Key qualities include justthe right level of cheerleading and knowledge of such things as stretches, tennisshoes and running paths. (I’m also glad when they’re talkers – ‘cause runninggets boring, and I’m usually too busy panting to bring much to the conversation.) But far more […]
Do it right in the dog days of summer
Watch this: I love that clip from Will Ferrell’s film Anchorman, and it fits tangentially into today’s post. Summer in the Midwest is a time of wretched, smothering humidity and baking heat, the combination of which usually makes you sweat without exerting any effort. If you dare to move around while outside in this sweltering […]
Inside a runner’s mind
Perhaps it was the heat. By 9:30 in the evening, one would normally expect the sweltering fever and thick humidity of the day to dissipate, but the sultry blanket of summer seemed to defiantly drape itself over the park even as the waning crescent of moon slowly climbed into the night sky. Full of root […]
