Category: Lifestyles

Marriage 101

Jae-Ha Kim

Sharon Skonie and Tom Martin dated for three years and were engaged for 18 months prior to their wedding almost a decade ago. By all accounts, they knew each other very well. But as devout Catholics, they also knew they would have to take part in pre-Cana, where they would meet with an already married couple and then later their priest to discuss marriage issues. “Pre-Cana was a requirement for us to get married in the Catholic church, so the idea of getting [pre-marital counseling] didn’t come as a surprise to us,” says Sharon Skonie Martin of Bolingbrook. “I was actually really looking forward to it because I wanted to get to know Tom better.

Women in the mix: the impact of gender studies

Jae-Ha Kim

Mention women’s studies and you’re likely to get a mixed reaction. One group may talk about why it’s so important for students of both sexes to learn about women’s historical impact on society. Another may roll their eyes and argue that a men’s studies program would be considered sexist — so why the need for women’s studies in the 21st century?

Munchausen’s by proxy

Jae-Ha Kim

At age 4, Mary Bryk began to suspect there was something seriously wrong with her mother. As Bryk recalls, her mother would meticulously tie Bryk’s hands together and bind her leg to a high chair. Then, she would strike the child’s foot with a hammer. “My mom was a nurse and would constantly tell me she was doing treatments and that the doctor knew what she was doing,” says Bryk, now 44. “But even at that age I knew something wasn’t right. When she fractured my hip while I was hospitalized, that’s when it hit me that what she was doing wasn’t normal.”

She’s a beauty, she’s a beast 

Jae-Ha Kim

With her sallow complexion, sagging jowls and bloated body, the woman onscreen in “Monster” isn’t recognizable as Charlize Theron. Best known for her killer legs and babydoll face, the 28-year-old actress was an unlikely candidate to portray real-life serial killer Aileen Wournos. But when you look at side-by-side photos of the two, the likeness is uncanny.

Michelangelo unplugged — After decades of protecting actors from baring more than just their souls, the film industry has finally served up a trifecta of mainstream actors who are taking it all off for the big screen

Jae-Ha Kim

Mark Ruffalo appears nude in “In the Cut.” Sean Penn bares all in “21 Grams.” And Ewan McGregor — Obi-Wan Kenobi himself — shows off his lightsaber in “Young Adam.” “It’s about time that men are stripping down,” Neve Campbell says in the current issue of In Style. “If we have to take it off, they should too.” Hallejuah, sister.

Mother’s little helper

Jae-Ha Kim

You got reamed at the office. The baby spit up on you. And you just spent the last two hours doing the kids’ chores. All you want to do is go to bed, but your husband wants to do more than sleep. If this situation could be rectified by an herbal supplement, would you snap it up? That’s what the makers of Avlimil are hoping with a flashy ad campaign that has some experts wondering whether there’s any substance to back up the glitz.

Gallery season truly something to behold

Jae-Ha Kim

Today marks the opening of Chicago’s Fall gallery season. Whether you’re a serious art buyer or a simply a looky-loo like each of us, there’s surely something for everyone at this weekend’s openings. Paintings, sculptures, photography–it’s all covered here. We’ve even got the 411 on a 3-D computer project. You can’t beat the price–it costs nothing to look. Then, too, there’s the bonus of chatting up the artists. Many will be on hand at the openings of their new exhibits.

Korean festival a cultural celebration

Jae-Ha Kim

Kimchee, anyone? For those hankering for some authentic Korean food in a casual environment, the eighth annual Korean Street Festival is the perfect place to get a taste of Korea. The organizers hope to better last year’s turnout of 30,000 attendees, especially since 2003 marks the centennial of the first Korean immigrants in the United States.