Did you know that September 16 is recognized as National Tradesmen Day? It’s only fitting this day would coincide with an exciting day in my professional career, as I’ve always had a blue-collar, tradesman mindset. I grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin with Greek immigrant parents. They came to the United States in 1970 in theRead more
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Today really snuck up on me. Father’s Day is such a wonderful holiday and a day to honor and cherish all the father figures in our lives, but today is also the first day in 50 years that my dad isn’t here with me to celebrate. Since his passing, I’ve struggled to talk or writeRead more
Every Christmas for the past 19 years or so, my family has participated in the Greek tradition of baking Kouloura; a sweet, ceremonial bread. My dad, having begun his career as a baker in 1944, has always been the one to both bake and cut the bread. Inside the Kouloura is a hidden coin, andRead more
For the better part, I’ve lived my life according to the 168 hours a week rule. If you’re unfamiliar, this rule implies that instead of seeking to strike a perfect work/life balance, you instead use the 168 hours in a week to divvy up time to the most important aspects of your life, however youRead more
Growing up, I remember thinking my dad was larger than life. As a kid, it was hard for me to fully comprehend the courage it took for him and my mom to leave everything they’d ever known to immigrate to the US, but I understood enough to know that it was to provide for ourRead more
Much like last year and every year before it, I set aside time around the holidays to reflect and take stock of the previous 12 months. Something about this small ritual has always helped me assess and appreciate the previous year for its triumphs and challenges. It also assists me in preparation for the freshRead more
2019 ended much like every year before it. My dad scheduled his final appointments in Chicago with his physicians; he loaded his suitcase, and he flew back to Greece. For those of you who don’t know, my dad has spent winters with my family in Illinois for the last decade plus and then returns toRead more
In the blink of an eye, your entire life can change. We’ve all heard this, and yet most people assume that shift in life will never happen to them. I know this misfortune all too well because my life changed the minute my mother passed away. But you’ve seen the news about Kobe Bryant’s untimelyRead more
Being a parent is arguably one of the toughest, most rewarding jobs an individual will ever have. Kids demand a lot of time and attention from the moment they are born, and it’s a parents’ job to make sure their children are loved and cared for, fed, challenged, protected, educated and everything in between. TheRead more