On Dec. 31, I finally finished reading a great book I started on Jan. 1, 2025. Yep, it took an entire year to read. But that was the plan.

In many ways, 2025 has been a year of sharp, jagged stab wounds.

What a joy it is to me when we can be with our loved ones. Let us remember the reason for the season.

My brain has changed my daily routine. The most significant impact has been on those precious moments in the morning when I am on the edge of waking up.

At this time of year, whether we celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or Christmas, the message is clear: love one another.

A recent study published by three state agencies warns that electricity shortages are coming to Illinois.

Daniel and I are going to bake and decorate Christmas cookies. Or at least we are going to attempt to. I can’t imagine what his will look like, but I’ll give him an A for effort.

How do you assess a year that’s about to end? A simple enough task, I thought. But turns out it is not. It began as a challenge in the form of a writing prompt. That’s a writing assignment, if you choose to accept it.

The two most intense state legislative pressure campaigns I’ve witnessed both ended in failure.