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Posts tagged ‘this week’

May 29

The latest: I’m so overdosed on apathy and put down on sympathy.

Professional triumphs and personal catastrophes have kept me from my weekly (monthly) blogging routine yet again. Let’s cut right to it.

My latest story for the Chicago Tribune, about the Illinois EPA’s handling of the VW Dieselgate settlement money, took on a life of its own but actually got some results. This story is now outdated, because that’s how news works, but please take a look, especially if you are an Illinois resident. The issues in this story are still relevant and are by no means over.

HowStuffWorks published my story about my trip to the Monster Jam World Finals in Las Vegas in March, which was a blast to attend and to write about. I also wrote about the safety of our tap water, the new European law that mandates emergency telematics systems, how to ensure your car is safe for road trips, the technology that drives the rebirth of the VW Microbus, and the everyday heroes who fix potholes on their own dime. I also updated a couple older articles about vibration problems and alternators.

It was a busy month at U.S. News & World Report. If you’re shopping for a vehicle soon, check out my pieces on the most reliable used SUVs and used luxury cars on a budget, the best large luxury SUVs for families, and the best trucks for families. I also wrote about common driving mistakes and how to interpret dashboard lights.

I’m now writing reviews for car-ED, including the Toyota Prius c, Toyota 4Runner, and Lexus RC 350. I also put together a piece on dealing with insurance if your car gets totaled. I’ll have more up on car-ED in the next few days, including driving impressions of some new vehicles I drove last week at the Midwest Automotive Media Association spring rally at Road America.

Thanks to the always-excellent Less Than Jake for the lyrics.

Feb 5

The latest: I’m the war of head vs. heart.

I haven’t written an update in almost a month because I’m stuck in that January-February slump. Though I’ve been pretty quiet about my new position as a volunteer greeter at the Art Institute of Chicago, it’s definitely a bright spot in my every-other-Friday. It’s an honor and a privilege to have such a responsibility at one of my favorite spots in the city, even if I’m grumbling during the long, cold walk to the bus stop. I can’t think of a better reason to get dressed (in something other than pajamas or workout gear) and put on makeup.

The Chicago Auto Show kicks off in a few days and I’m busy prepping a bunch of pieces for a couple of new clients, so let’s get down to business.

I wrote two profiles for the St. Michael’s College alumni magazine, which was an absolute pleasure, a challenge, and a nice change of pace. One piece was about two of the college’s priests’ approaches to preaching; the other, about a senior varsity volleyball player, stand-up comic, and all-around fun and funny girl. I’ve been pleasantly surprised that this piece has gotten more attention on social media than anything else I’ve written in recent memory.

When it comes to U.S. News & World Report, oh, I’m way behind! I took a look at the best all-wheel drive vehicles for winter, compared Subaru’s Forester and Outback, and provided some tire-buying advice. I also wrote an overview of the upcoming Mercedes G-Class redesign (which I can’t wait to see this week) and updated my overview of the redesigned Chevy Silverado. Finally, I did a ton of math to rank all 50 states by how much it costs to own a car.

For HowStuffWorks, I had some fun with Pantone’s Color of the Year and talked to an expert on sexism and sports.

More to come in the next few weeks, including some work for those new clients I mentioned. Thanks to Death Cab for the song lyric. If you guys could come back to Chicago, that would be delightful, thanks!

Dec 31

The latest: I open my mouth and out pops something spiteful.

I’ve had so much work that I’ve put off this update for so long that it seems only fitting to do a year-end wrap-up of sorts. But I don’t want to. I’m usually not the type to be shy about New Year’s Resolutions and self-improvement projects, but this year feels different. Let’s keep it simple. Here’s what I’ve been working on.

I followed up my Cars of 2019 Motor1 piece with a list of vehicles scheduled for 2020. At HowStuffWorks, I talked about the use of music to drive sales in retail and why it’s a terrible idea to let your pets loose in your car. For U.S. News, I contributed an overview of the best deals on this year’s best vehicle brands, compared two top-selling full size pickup trucks, put together a list of vehicles with Android Auto, and advised buyers on the best vehicles for winter driving.

More in the works for 2018, including some projects I totally expected to be done with by now.

Thanks to General Public for the song lyric.

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