By Emily Schilling I’m obsessed with gingerbread houses. I love how, by judiciously purposing gumdrops, candy canes, M&Ms, and royal icing as architectural and landscaping details, a cookie can become so much more than baked dough (albeit delicious baked dough!). Of course, I’m totally intimidated by creating my own gingerbread house (maybe I’ll finally try… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling Here’s the thing about being a writer in a deadline-oriented job: Sometimes your deadlines and your brain don’t see eye to eye. Words don’t always travel from the cortex to the fingertips and finally to the computer screen as quickly as I’d like. (Hello, writer’s block!) Sometimes I waste precious time staring… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling Beware of “Bless your heart.” I’ve heard that Southerners will sometimes utter this seemingly sweet phrase as an insult with hidden meanings like: “Bless your heart. (It’s not your fault that you’re an idiot who screwed up again.)” Yikes! These three words — spoken with a drawl and a smile — prove… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling As I look back at the hundreds of columns I’ve written over the years, I realize how much I’ve grown and changed — and how much I’ve stayed the same. I’m SO thankful that I was able to chronicle my musings, adventures, and memories through my editor’s letter. Not only was I… Continue reading.

Ever since preschool conditioned us to expect mid-morning orange slices or crackers spread with peanut butter, snack time has become a high point in many of our days. These between-meal indulgences treat tummies and tastebuds to craveable salty, sweet or savory flavors before the “hangries” hit. And that’s a good thing for everyone concerned!  Snacks… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling I can’t even tell you how many emails I send in a day. Nor can I tell you exactly what I’ve written in each correspondence. I probably spend just a few seconds composing most of them, clicking on “Send” quickly before tackling the next of many messages in my inbox. In most… Continue reading.

Fifteen years ago this month, the first version of one of my constant companions — my beloved iPhone — was born. And though now I can’t imagine life without my iPhone, I can certainly remember those years pre-smartphone when phones were used solely for verbal communication! Even though 19th and 20th century era phones couldn’t… Continue reading.

One of my most memorable collegiate memories was the day more than 2,500 of my fellow Ball State Cardinals and I gathered on the university’s quadrangle to jump in the air at the same time — all in an effort to make the Guinness Book of World Records and appear in a Toyota commercial. I’m… Continue reading.

I’m a sucker for household hints, those tried-and-true tips designed to help you clean up, tidy up and make your home a better place to be. Anytime I can save time or money, or cleverly repurpose something I never thought I could, is a great time as far as I’m concerned. So, just in time… Continue reading.

I remember eating dirt as a preschooler totally oblivious to the fact that it was, well, dirty. And, in the not-so-distant past, though I certainly washed my hands throughout the day, I rarely used disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer. I would, I suppose, when I wasn’t near a faucet before digging into my French fries… Continue reading.

Do you know what Indiana’s state motto is? The Journey Takes You to a Crossroads Back Home Again in Indiana Hoosier Heartland The Land of Hoosiers The Crossroads of America If you picked the last choice, congratulations. You’re one of 80 percent of Hoosiers who can still recall at least one fun fact from their… Continue reading.

It’s fitting that International Skeptics Day may be celebrated on Jan. 13.  Because some say it takes place on Oct. 13 instead. Others claim it’s always on the first Friday the 13th of the year. Or is it really celebrated at all? The creators of this special day successfully inspired skepticism when setting a date… Continue reading.