MFM Blog

Three Things I Learned from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott 1. I read this book at a snail's pace for the sole reason that I never wanted it...

It’s a new year, which means a lot of us are making promises to give up something, get going on something, lose 10 pounds, or find inner...

“I honestly think in order to be a writer, you have to learn to be reverent. If not, why are you writing? Why are you here?...This is our...

The latest from our Northwest Side Hero Project--highlighting stories about local heroes, as nominated by their neighbors, doing great...

This past week I’ve been grappling with the age-old question: why do bad things happen to good people? Last week, my Aunt Pat Devine went...

As a life story writer, I’ve never considered myself an organizer, but after meeting and learning a lot from professional organizers, I...

Here’s the latest installment of our series on everyday local heroes from Chicago’s Northwest Side. I had the pleasure of speaking with...

I don't know about you, but I have had plenty of moments where I question myself--especially now owning a business. What makes me an...

Three Things I Learned from Reading (half of) Born to Run  by Bruce Springsteen Simon & Schuster, $32.50, ISBN 978-1-5011-4151-5, 20016...

I have two kids who resemble one another, but act like polar opposites most of the time. My son is sensitive and reserved while my...

My Aunt Alice has lived in the same condo in Oak Lawn for 35 years and over that time has collected a lot of stuff. She is moving out and...

Tony Passero was CEO of his own advertising firm, the ‘idea guy’ behind many successful ad campaigns, and making a 6-figure salary. He...

Three Things I Learned from Reading Anne Lamott’s Traveling Mercies Pantheon Books, $23, ISBN 0-679-44240-5, 1999 Prayer doesn’t have to...

If you asked me who would play my father in a movie, I would cast the late Edward Herrmann. My father is an earnest and reclusive man...

As summer approaches and Father’s Day is around the corner, I’ve been thinking a lot about why I started this company and why preserving...

The latest from our Northwest Side Hero Project--highlighting stories about local heroes, as nominated by their neighbors, doing great...

Grand Central Publishing, $25, ISBN 978-1-4555-5362-4, 2014 Reunion by Hannah Pittard is a relentless combination amusement and cynicism....

Like most human relationships, the connection I have with my mother is a fluid one. We had our battles during my adolescence, mostly...

I recently celebrated my 23rd birthday, and weeks before the actual day, my mother called (for the third time that afternoon) to clarify...

Three Things I Learned from Reading Jen Sincero’s You are a Badass Running Press, $16, ISBN 978-0-7624-4769-5, 2013 She calls gratitude...