New scammer calls warrant a closer look at how they work

It was a normal Monday summer night. I had finished my day’s work and gone for my usual run.

I was just about to relax when I received a call on my cell phone from a number that I didn’t recognize with a 646 area code (New York).

Definitely a telemarketer, I decided, and let it go straight to voice mail. I let the voice mail message record itself, and fifty-four seconds later, I gave it a listen.

Being middle aged is bugging me

I recently turned 40, and it’s not what I expected. I never considered 40 old (a benefit of having siblings so much older than I am, which is really a benefit that keeps giving because the older I get the much older they remain…hahaha!), but I am undoubtedly middle aged, and I’m experiencing some pretty startling changes. I’m not talking about the mental, emotional, or physical maturing process. Nor am I talking about how I’ve reached the age where most greeting cards will declare me “over the hill.” If your forties are over the hill, then I’m just at the peak, and therefore, I am the top of my game! Take that greeting cards!

Lifescapes: The top 8 sounds of summer

Let’s face it – summer has the best sounds of all the seasons. While some are super obvious seasonal fixtures, other sounds resonate on a more personal level. Maybe you will agree.

I call this Pavlov parenting

Now that I’m a father, I’ve come to realize I have two “No”s. I have a “hard” no and a “soft” no. My son’s now only a year-and-a-half, so I find myself saying “no” to him a lot, but most of the “no”s throughout any given day are “soft” nos: “No, you can’t have a cookie” or “No, we can’t go outside right now” or “No, you can’t type on the keyboard.” The “hard” nos are reserved for those moments of imminent harm, like when you lose sight of your kid and find him at the top of the stairs (when only one second ago they were right by your side.)

No problem — or is there?

Some things seem to be natural pairs: peanut butter and jelly, Bonnie and Clyde, stars and stripes, “thank you” and “you’re welcome.”

No problem here … or is there?

When juggling your ego, you’re bound for…well, not greatness

The Sun Day is just over eight years old, and since day one, I’ve adhered to a very strict, personal code in which I won’t disclose my leanings on politics, faith, or social issues because I don’t want my beliefs clouding the Sun Day’s objectivity. I have slipped and left behind clues, and a very astute reader of Happy Trails may be able to determine my personal views, but for the most part, I’ve maintained my anonymity. All in the sake of objective journalism.

Five things you never knew about sparkling water until you became one of ‘those people’

I’m not quite sure when or why I become one of those people. You know, the ones you see at summer parties holding a colorful can of water, like a prop, a necessary part of their personal ensemble. Sparkling water isn’t a drink, it’s a lifestyle, they might say.

Exciting tips for exciting people

A couple weeks ago, Sun Day Advertising Representative Kurt Kuehnert and I sat on a panel of local media members at an event for non-profit organizations to ask questions on how to better communicate with media outlets in hopes of gaining more exposure.

Given the event’s success, I thought it might be beneficial to address some of the topics with our readers in hopes to provide you with a better understanding of how we choose our editorial content, therefore allowing you increase your chances of having your material published in the Sun Day.

We have “fear of missing out” all wrong

Some people feel a sense of freedom when they do something exciting, like go skydiving, cut off all of their hair, or quit a job. The other day, I accidentally left my cell phone at home for about four hours, and I’ve never felt more liberated in my life.

The health insurance blues, Part II

My son was born on November 15, 2016, but didn’t receive health coverage until December of 2017, only two weeks before qualifying for his 2018 insurance.

Here’s what happened.

This is what it feels like to be a morning person

One of my favorite parts of the day begins at 5:15 a.m. That’s when I like to wake up.

After feeding my cats and speeding through my scientifically cultivated morning routine, I grab my laptop and head out the door, still not completely removed from the night’s dream state.

I am worried, however, about dealing with health insurance.

My (mostly) open-door policy

A few weeks ago, back when it was warm enough outside to keep the front door open and let the wind flow through the screen door, I realized I had a true problem.

The workday was over, I was making a sweet potato quiche for dinner, I had Sam Smith songs playing from my iPhone, and I had the house to myself.

What we don’t talk about when we talk about running

I have been a runner since I was in middle school. Although I never joined track or cross country, and I rarely participate in an organized race, I run almost every day. I run for the peace of mind, the endorphins, the challenge. I run because I love it.

Fair? Who wants fair at a carnival?

It was the late 80s. The guy wore a battered leather vest straight over tattooed skin that featured things I can’t repeat or describe here. On his feet were Converse sneakers that were maybe once white but were now nicotine yellow and fraying to bits, the famous Converse logo chipped away somewhere in the thousands of miles he walked. He squinted against a smoking cigarette tucked into the corner of his mouth. He had shaggy hair, a shaggy goatee, and a voice that sounded like rusted pipes grating together. With it he said things like, “My blind grandma has better aim than you.” He was working the ring toss at my church carnival, and this guy was my hero.

My oh my, the millennials…

The other day, I ended up in a curbside conference with my neighbor, and the topic of millennials, or The Millennials (always spoken with a downtrodden voice and a headshake), came up.

Putting socks on a baby and other surprisingly difficult tasks

I’ve come to realize that the middle of the day is the hardest part when it comes to parenting. And by “day” I mean a full twenty-four hours and by “middle” I mean those hours between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. when he’s awake. Those are the hardest. The other twelve, when he’s unconscious, are a breeze.

The plate debate

Illinois license plates have arrived, and they’re already sparking debate.

Have you seen them yet?

Moon with a view [update]

On August 1, The Washington Post said it will be the most photographed and most internet-shared event in human history. Recently, Google created a map simply to chart the flood of search inquiries for this upcoming event. Even my most recent Uber driver and I had a conversation about it.

Okay, fine, I have a problem

When it comes to reading, I promise you I’m the strangest reader you’ll ever meet.

A Prime opportunity

When I finished writing my last column, I didn’t have any real plans to visit an Amazon Books store. I didn’t even know where in Chicago the Amazon Books store was.

A week later, after wandering around Chicago’s north side, I stepped out of an Uber with my friend at 3441 Southport Ave, Chicago, and there it was.

Honesty is always the best policy

Some of you may have noticed an important name missing from the list of people who work for the Sun Day on this page. That name is Carol Baffa, who recently retired from her position as an advertising representative after four years of service.

Amazon’s sales techniques have no ‘Borders’

In a world with increasing digitization, it’s always noticeable when trends go in the opposite direction.

Recently, Amazon opened its first physical bookstore in Seattle. This March, Amazon opened its first Chicago store, bringing the reality close to home: the internet and the real world continue to merge.

Voice of Democracy

“My Responsibility to America”, as Winston Churchill once said, “The price of greatness is responsibility.” America is a great country and citizens cannot rely on others to take the role of responsibility on for them. I believe that my responsibilities to America include understanding the past — how America became a great country, the meaning of the American flag, and what it means to respect the people who fought for this wonderful country.

Laboring with Centegra

My son was born at the newly opened Centegra Hospital Huntley on November 15, 2016. In terms of labor and delivery, my wife’s was a breeze, delivering a healthy baby with a 9.9 apgar. Little did we know the true labor wouldn’t begin until after his birth.

I’ve had a professional media relationship with Centegra for almost ten years, either reporting on their various advancements/events (primarily their efforts to open a hospital in Huntley) or working with them on an advertising level, as they were once a Sun Day client (their advertising has since been ejected from the Sun Day). In that time, I’ve learned that Centegra is really good at marketing.

And they have an excellent rally cry.

Stepping away from the ordinary

If you’re anything like me, you love the comfort of routine: visiting the same coffee shop every morning, driving the same stretch of road to work, putting on the same jacket when you step out the door.

After seven years, it’s time to get ‘funner’

You may have noticed something different about the Sun Day this edition. It has a new and refreshing look to celebrate its seventh anniversary! But like “new” and “refreshing” things, it’s actually, in many ways, a throwback to the Sun Day’s original design. Maybe not exactly a throwback to the original design but definitely a throwback to the original idea, which I’ve never put into effect.

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