Author: Ron Stempkowski
Peter Comes Home with a Secret: A Story of Christmas, Coffee and Coming Out
Back in the days of only three broadcast networks, no one was in as big a rush as they are today. Commercials seemed epically long and some of them were like mini serials. Remember the Taster’s... Read More
5 Years of “The Xanax Diary”
It seems like I’ve always had this blog; that it has always been here to engage me and calm me and focus me and distract me. But I haven’t. I’ve always written for those reasons, bu... Read More
The Club No One Wants to Belong To
I’m lucky in that I only go downtown to work in my company’s office once or twice a week—or sometimes not at all. I’ve worked from home for the better portion of the last ten years. (I can’t... Read More
Running for Chocolate
The Hot Chocolate 5k is the biggest race I’ve ever done—by far. I had my doubts about running in November in Chicago. But as Halloween gets packed up and put away and Thanksgiving and Christmas be... Read More
Exploring the 606
Living in a city like Chicago leaves a constant opportunity to explore new places and parts of the city–something I don’t do often enough. And something Ken was relentlessly good at remi... Read More
On Ken's 50th Birthday
I’ve felt the pull of this day for a couple of weeks. Uneasiness and my social impotence returned, leaving me tired and usually in the desire of no one’s company. For someone as far down ... Read More
A Hoosier Boy’s State of Mind
As my knees buckled, and my body careened to the hard cement at the top of the steps, I could hear the kid next to me saying, “Don’t lock your knees.” How do you stand for hours in ... Read More