COLUMNS
Editor's Message
Editor’s Message: The Hubris of Aaron Rodgers
I have loved sports all my life, both playing and watching. And over the years I have rooted for several athletes whom I have admired not just for their prowess, but also for special qualities they exhibited.
Editor’s Message: For the Birds
Live entertainment. You can’t beat it.
Editor’s Message: “It ain’t over till it’s over.” —Yogi Berra
COVID-19 is still raging in many parts of the world, in some states, and, I’m sad to say, it’s still with us in Monroe County.
Mind, Body, Spirit
Mind · Body · Spirit: Finding Your Next Fun Fitness Activity
I’m not sure if it’s an aphorism or an adage, but the saying “When one door closes, a window opens” is used in various contexts, usually to keep up one’s spirits. While I can’t seem to pin down who said it first, its general truthfulness and applicability make it useful in a variety of situations. I’ve most recently been applying it to exercise.
Mind · Body · Spirit: It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask
In our family we have a motto: “It doesn’t hurt to ask.” My husband, Greg, insists this is true—the sentiment and the fact that it is our motto.
Citizen Scientist
Citizen Scientist: What Color Is That Squirrel?
Set out even one bird feeder and you’re likely to attract a scurry of squirrels, their cheeks ballooning with seedy plunder.
Calling All Leaf Peepers: Monitor Fall Color & Tree Health
Autumn isn’t what it used to be. Over the last few years, its onset has been delayed. The spectacular yellows, oranges, and reds of the changing leaves also have been affected.
Citizen Scientist: Stay Cool with ‘Penguin Watch’
Maybe you’re understandably wilted from the heat. Or you’re still recovering from the cicadas—or the piles of what’s left of them. Happily, you can still contribute to real research while in the great indoors thanks to Penguin Watch.
InBloom
InBloom: Decorate with Evergreens
Now that most of the leaves have fallen from the deciduous trees, evergreen trees and shrubs are more apparent in park and garden plantings all across town.
InBloom: Indiana’s Lush & Lovely State Flower—the Peony
Indiana has had four official state flowers. Our current state flower, the peony, is from China and was adopted in 1957.
InBloom: Be Sure to Choose A Fragrant Rose
Old rose varieties, such as alba, gallica, and damask, had wonderfully fragrant blooms but, sadly, bloomed only once. Thanks to David Austin (1926–2018) we have 230 modern hybrid roses that offer intoxicating, old-fashioned rose fragrances and that bloom repeatedly.
Bloomington & Vine
Bloomington & Vine: It’s Good to Celebrate Again With Friends, Food, and Wine
We require celebration in our lives—a lunch or an evening out with friends, a movie at a theater, a live theatrical production, or live music of any sort.
Bloomington & Vine: Pinot Noirs—Difficult But Delicious
Pinot noir is perhaps my favorite wine. But there are some pinots I can’t abide, or they can’t abide me.
Bloomington & Vine: Drink Local Wherever You Are
As the world opens back up to travel, there are great possibilities for wine exploration. And I’m suggesting you ferret out the local wineries wherever you go.
Tapped Into Bloomington
Tapped Into Bloomington: Pilsner—Enjoy the Taste of Brewing History
er beer style was born in Plzeň, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), when the residents became fed up with the poor-quality ale they were drinking and brought in a Bavarian brewer, Josef Groll, with a simple directive: Brew us better beer.
Tapped Into Bloomington: How Brewers Test New Beer Flavors
When you visit our local breweries, you likely have a few favorite go-to beers, but you may also get intrigued by that newest addition
to their taps.
Tapped Into Bloomington: Local Vienna Lagers—Nice Beers to Bridge Summer and Autumn
My love of German beers seems to run in my cultural DNA—whether I am enjoying a crisp summer Kölsch, a spicy Hefeweizen, a chocolatey Dunkel, or a rich Oktoberfest Märzen.
Money Matters
Money Matters: Enlist Local Expertise When Starting a Business
Business ownership is heavily romanticized thanks to legends of billionaires who started their companies in garages. While those are interesting stories, they are by no means the norm.
Money Matters: Take Sensible Steps to Start a Small Business
This is Part 1 of a series about starting a business.
Money Matters: Don’t Fear Good Debt
Due to massive asset loss, many Americans purchased debt at an alarming rate over the past decade. MarketWatch reports that at the start of 2019, total consumer debt reached $14 trillion. That’s $66,945 per adult American, surpassing pre-recession levels by more than $1 trillion. Given the sheer volume of debt owed, it’s not surprising that Americans are beginning to fear debt—opting for debit cards over credit cards, renting over owning, and ride-sharing over vehicle ownership.
Guest Column
Guest Column: ‘Working for Fair Voting Maps in Indiana’
Every 10 years, state electoral districts are redrawn following completion of the U.S. Census. This fall, the Indiana legislature will redraw maps that could either give voters another 10 years of gerrymandered districts or respond to growing public sentiment for “fair maps,” drawn in a transparent process with citizen input.
Guest Column: The Insidiousness of Implicit Bias
mplicit bias is described by the National Institutes of Health as a form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, but nevertheless affects judgments, decisions, and behaviors.
Looking Back on a Historic Season And Looking Ahead to the Next One
As I reflect on our recent Elite Eight run in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, I realize that our program has been building up to that moment for many years.
Lee Loves
Lee Loves: December/January 2020
Old Man Winter is whistling at our keyholes, but Bloomington businesses are amply stocked with items to keep us warm and cozy.
Lee Loves: October/November 2019
Strolling around downtown Bloomington on a crisp autumn day is one of our town’s great pleasures. Be sure to visit the businesses on the Square and see what’s new.
Lee Loves: April/May 2019
Spring is in the air, and many of our local retailers have something in their inventory to help you embrace this lovely season in Bloomington.
COLUMNS
Editor's Message
Editor’s Message: The Hubris of Aaron Rodgers
I have loved sports all my life, both playing and watching. And over the years I have rooted for several athletes whom I have admired not just for their prowess, but also for special qualities they exhibited.
Editor’s Message: For the Birds
Live entertainment. You can’t beat it.
Editor’s Message: “It ain’t over till it’s over.” —Yogi Berra
COVID-19 is still raging in many parts of the world, in some states, and, I’m sad to say, it’s still with us in Monroe County.
Mind, Body, Spirit
Mind · Body · Spirit: Finding Your Next Fun Fitness Activity
I’m not sure if it’s an aphorism or an adage, but the saying “When one door closes, a window opens” is used in various contexts, usually to keep up one’s spirits. While I can’t seem to pin down who said it first, its general truthfulness and applicability make it useful in a variety of situations. I’ve most recently been applying it to exercise.
Mind · Body · Spirit: It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask
In our family we have a motto: “It doesn’t hurt to ask.” My husband, Greg, insists this is true—the sentiment and the fact that it is our motto.
Citizen Scientist
Citizen Scientist: What Color Is That Squirrel?
Set out even one bird feeder and you’re likely to attract a scurry of squirrels, their cheeks ballooning with seedy plunder.
Calling All Leaf Peepers: Monitor Fall Color & Tree Health
Autumn isn’t what it used to be. Over the last few years, its onset has been delayed. The spectacular yellows, oranges, and reds of the changing leaves also have been affected.
Citizen Scientist: Stay Cool with ‘Penguin Watch’
Maybe you’re understandably wilted from the heat. Or you’re still recovering from the cicadas—or the piles of what’s left of them. Happily, you can still contribute to real research while in the great indoors thanks to Penguin Watch.
InBloom
InBloom: Decorate with Evergreens
Now that most of the leaves have fallen from the deciduous trees, evergreen trees and shrubs are more apparent in park and garden plantings all across town.
InBloom: Indiana’s Lush & Lovely State Flower—the Peony
Indiana has had four official state flowers. Our current state flower, the peony, is from China and was adopted in 1957.
InBloom: Be Sure to Choose A Fragrant Rose
Old rose varieties, such as alba, gallica, and damask, had wonderfully fragrant blooms but, sadly, bloomed only once. Thanks to David Austin (1926–2018) we have 230 modern hybrid roses that offer intoxicating, old-fashioned rose fragrances and that bloom repeatedly.
Bloomington & Vine
Bloomington & Vine: It’s Good to Celebrate Again With Friends, Food, and Wine
We require celebration in our lives—a lunch or an evening out with friends, a movie at a theater, a live theatrical production, or live music of any sort.
Bloomington & Vine: Pinot Noirs—Difficult But Delicious
Pinot noir is perhaps my favorite wine. But there are some pinots I can’t abide, or they can’t abide me.
Bloomington & Vine: Drink Local Wherever You Are
As the world opens back up to travel, there are great possibilities for wine exploration. And I’m suggesting you ferret out the local wineries wherever you go.
Tapped Into Bloomington
Tapped Into Bloomington: Pilsner—Enjoy the Taste of Brewing History
er beer style was born in Plzeň, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), when the residents became fed up with the poor-quality ale they were drinking and brought in a Bavarian brewer, Josef Groll, with a simple directive: Brew us better beer.
Tapped Into Bloomington: How Brewers Test New Beer Flavors
When you visit our local breweries, you likely have a few favorite go-to beers, but you may also get intrigued by that newest addition
to their taps.
Tapped Into Bloomington: Local Vienna Lagers—Nice Beers to Bridge Summer and Autumn
My love of German beers seems to run in my cultural DNA—whether I am enjoying a crisp summer Kölsch, a spicy Hefeweizen, a chocolatey Dunkel, or a rich Oktoberfest Märzen.
Money Matters
Money Matters: Enlist Local Expertise When Starting a Business
Business ownership is heavily romanticized thanks to legends of billionaires who started their companies in garages. While those are interesting stories, they are by no means the norm.
Money Matters: Take Sensible Steps to Start a Small Business
This is Part 1 of a series about starting a business.
Money Matters: Don’t Fear Good Debt
Due to massive asset loss, many Americans purchased debt at an alarming rate over the past decade. MarketWatch reports that at the start of 2019, total consumer debt reached $14 trillion. That’s $66,945 per adult American, surpassing pre-recession levels by more than $1 trillion. Given the sheer volume of debt owed, it’s not surprising that Americans are beginning to fear debt—opting for debit cards over credit cards, renting over owning, and ride-sharing over vehicle ownership.
Guest Column
Guest Column: ‘Working for Fair Voting Maps in Indiana’
Every 10 years, state electoral districts are redrawn following completion of the U.S. Census. This fall, the Indiana legislature will redraw maps that could either give voters another 10 years of gerrymandered districts or respond to growing public sentiment for “fair maps,” drawn in a transparent process with citizen input.
Guest Column: The Insidiousness of Implicit Bias
mplicit bias is described by the National Institutes of Health as a form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, but nevertheless affects judgments, decisions, and behaviors.
Looking Back on a Historic Season And Looking Ahead to the Next One
As I reflect on our recent Elite Eight run in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, I realize that our program has been building up to that moment for many years.
Lee Loves
Lee Loves: December/January 2020
Old Man Winter is whistling at our keyholes, but Bloomington businesses are amply stocked with items to keep us warm and cozy.
Lee Loves: October/November 2019
Strolling around downtown Bloomington on a crisp autumn day is one of our town’s great pleasures. Be sure to visit the businesses on the Square and see what’s new.
Lee Loves: April/May 2019
Spring is in the air, and many of our local retailers have something in their inventory to help you embrace this lovely season in Bloomington.