Walking away from a six-figure salary wasn’t easy for Gary Norcross. After serving as a military training instructor in the Air Force, Norcross had been a successful businessman for more than 20 years. “But I knew I had to make a change,” Norcross says. “I wasn’t making the impact that I wanted to, and it […]

“At first, it wasn’t a big deal, because he took care of himself. He cooked and cleaned and drove. Then, he started forgetting things,” Chicagoan Margaret Wood says of her 88-year-old father. “I came in to check on him one day and the kettle was whistling. The apartment was 95 degrees. I don’t even know […]

When Elizabeth McMeekin went shopping for a new credit card, she wasn’t looking for the best interest rate or no-interest balance transfers. Rather, she wanted to promote her social values through her spending, so she signed up for a credit card from ShoreBank Pacific, a community development bank with an environmental focus.The card’s interest rate […]

Years ago I was stalked by a young lion in South Africa. It was a sunny, sultry afternoon deep in the bush. I heard a snarl. The lion’s eyes and mine met. I looked away. Bloody mistake. The lion charged and . . . Sorry, I only tell the rest of the story after a […]

For former Motorola Inc. executive Mark McDonnell, the decisive moment came in 2002, when he realized that he finally had had enough of the corporate world.
“Over the years, I had moved up and become a director at Motorola with close to 40 people working for me, but I was getting more disenchanted,” says McDonnell, recalling […]

If you’d love to spend the night under the stars but aren’t the type for sleeping bags or the cold, hard ground, luxury tented resorts were designed just for you. Popping up in the wildest places, these extravagant camps let visitors experience the beauty of the great outdoors while still enjoying the comforts of civilization. […]

Are we what we drink? Standage argues that beverages have influenced the course of human history in many ways, beginning with the first beer made in Mesopotamia circa 10,000 B.C.(Walker; $14.95). Not all glasses contain alcohol. First there is beer, then wine, whiskey, coffee, tea, and, most recently, Coca-Cola. Although early […]

The Midwestern microbrewery scene is hopping and if you doubt it, wander down the beer aisle of your favorite liquor store or lift a bottle or pint in your favorite pub and check out the label. Locally crafted French farmhouse and India pale ales, lagers, porters, hefeweizens, stouts, black saisons and other Midwestern pours have […]