The conversation every redhead should have with their doctor — Editorial Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions and perspectives of the author. It does not represent the publication’s point of view. Illumination keeps a neutral perspective on this topic to allow diverse voices. My daughter called to tell me what a horrible experience her son (my 16-year-old grandson) had during…

Random thoughts on increasing your chances of success — I wrote an article in June about how to get more eyes on your work. Nothing replaces excellent writing, and as long as you keep practicing you will continue to improve. But there are a few things you can do, in addition to practicing and getting better, that might help. …

Is it something I said, or something I believe? — When I first started writing on Medium in 2017, I read as many writers as I could. One of those early writers who is still on the platform is Jessica Wildfire. I enjoyed her essays, and she read and commented positively on a couple of mine. Over the years, she…

“Not in It to Win It” provides a way to reclaim the middle ground and view politics through the lens of faith — Andy Stanley is a bestselling author and the pastor of an Atlanta area mega church. When he chose to close his church during the pandemic, he endured tremendous backlash. …

This is what I’ve observed about dogs on both sides of the ocean — Everybody in Europe has a dog. So does everybody in America, unless they’re cat people. But European dogs are better behaved than American dogs. In Europe, people take their dogs to restaurants, cafes, stores, everywhere except museums, and the dogs don’t bark, yip, lunge, bite, thrust their nose in your…

The House of Terror and Liberty Square pay tribute to Hungary’s quest for freedom — I was following our tour guide through Budapest’s Liberty Square when he stopped the group and pointed to a larger-than-life bronze statue. “Do you know who this is?” We shuffled closer, and I gasped. “Ronald Reagan? You have a statue of Ronald Reagan in your capitol?” My next question echoed…

No bread, no lard, no salt, and no peanut butter, please — My six-year-old grandson told his kindergarten teacher he had a peanut allergy. The teacher got frantic. She thought nobody in class had a peanut allergy, so she had been brave enough to serve peanut butter sandwiches at a time when decisions like these are fraught with peril. She grabbed his…

Two of my friends came down with Covid while I was in Europe. Are we all doomed to catch it? — On my recent trip to Europe, the friends I was traveling with came down with Covid. It happened about five days into the trip. We had been to the Passion Play in Germany, traveled to Salzburg, and were touring Austria. James (not his real name) got sick first. Four Covid-19…

Do I sound like a party pooper? I guess in this instance, I am — When I turned 65, I threw a huge anniversary and birthday party. My husband and I had been married 40 years, so we decided to combine the two celebrations into a big gala. We rented the upper room of a restaurant, selected entrees for a buffet dinner, hired a musician…