Characters

I often write about a lot of the same people, so if you're ever left wondering who the heck I'm talking about, here is your cheat sheet.

Dave: My husband
We started dating in college and got married in 2008. He's a consultant who recently got his PhD in chemisty (CHEMISTRY, DAVE). He's super into cycling, cooking and our dog.


Rocco: My child
We adopted Rocco when he was about 10 months old a little more than a spazzy stray from the 'burbs. He's a pit bull with the biggest head I've ever seen and also the sweetest personality. I am obsessed with him.


Alex: My little brother
I call him Al, but no one else does. He's just two years younger than I am and also lives in Chicago. The boy hopes to get into politics so I'm being extra-nice to him in case he grows up to have any clout.


Suz: My friend
We used to work together and live in the same neighborhood, but now that she's all adult and bought a condo, she lives too far away for us to do our evening walks with our pups. I guess I won't hold it against her.


Ang: My friend
We also used to work together and now, instead of sharing an office, we just share of a love of day drinking.


Jessi: My childhood neighbor
Jess and I grew up together in Tennessee, and now we both live in Chicago. She's about a mile away from me, so we often have weekend dates that circle around food and wine in her lovely garden.


Mom: Uh, my mom
She's an ex-hippy, born-and-bred New York Jew now living in the middle of the Bible Belt. FUN TIMES. She used to be terrified of computers, but now she's all over Twitter and Facebook. The times, they are a'changing.


Grandma: Mom's mom
Talk about a character. Here's how I described her in a past blog: She's an 80-year-old Long Island Jew with a penchant for Crown Royal and a love of art. She says words like "exquisite" on a regular basis and calls everyone "darling," though it sounds more like "daw-ling" with her thick New York accent. She has a boyfriend who lives in California, recently went white-water rafting, adores traveling around the world and doesn't go a day without wearing mascara.