Every generation has that one thing everyone had to own.

For my granddaughter, it's Labubu dolls. For me, it was mood rings, Cabbage Patch Kids, and the toys everyone at school couldn't stop talking about.

But fads aren't new. They've been shaping people for centuries—from towering wigs and pointed shoes to today's viral trends.

Maybe the trend changes... but our desire to belong never does.

What was the biggest fad from your childhood?

Can a good book leave you feeling inspired... or a little sad?

I've spent years traveling the world through novels, living adventures from the comfort of my favorite chair. But sometimes, when I close the last page, I wonder if I've been watching life instead of living it.

Maybe books don't create anxiety.

Maybe they simply remind us there's still a story waiting to be written—our own.

Has a book ever changed the way you looked at your life?

Saturday mornings weren't fancy in our house.

While my husband worked, the kids and I curled up on the couch to watch WWF wrestling. We laughed, picked our favorite wrestlers, and cheered louder than we probably should have.

Years later, I realized it was never really about wrestling.

It was about the little moments that became the memories we still smile about today.

❤️ What's one childhood tradition you'll never forget?

Ever notice how some people seem to attract drama... while others simply walk away?

For years, I believed every problem needed my attention. Every conflict deserved a solution. Every story became my story.

But life has taught me something unexpected: peace doesn't come from fixing every scene—it comes from knowing when to leave the stage.

Sometimes the strongest thing we can do is simply... let it go.

What's one lesson life has taught you about handling drama?

Did you know our National Anthem wasn't written to become a song?

It began as a poem.

While rockets lit up the night during the War of 1812, a lawyer named Francis Scott Key watched anxiously from a British ship. At dawn, one sight changed everything—the American flag was still flying over Fort McHenry.

That moment inspired the words that would one day become The Star-Spangled Banner.

What's one piece of American history that has always fascinated you?

I've carried a $1 bill my entire life...

...and never really looked at it.

Then I discovered the hidden symbols, Latin phrases, the unfinished pyramid, the all-seeing eye, and the stories behind America's most familiar piece of paper.

Whether you see history, symbolism, or mystery, one thing is certain:

The dollar bill is far more fascinating than most of us realize.

What's the strangest symbol you've ever noticed on a $1 bill?

What if money is just a story we all agree to believe?

While researching Chicago's architecture, I stumbled down an unexpected rabbit hole: the history of money.

From Jack's magic beans to King Croesus's gold coins, from paper promises to Bitcoin, every form of money has depended on one thing:

Trust.

The more I learned, the more I wondered whether money has value because it's real—or because we believe it is.

What's your favorite form of money: cash, cards, or digital payments?

I don't remember celebrating Father's Day growing up.

What I do remember is this: the men in my life worked. Every day. Long hours. Few vacations. Rarely a school play or sporting event.

As a child, I barely noticed the sacrifices. As an adult, I can't stop thinking about them.

Sometimes the people holding everything together are the ones we thank the least.

If you could say one thing to your father today, what would it be?

The first time a neighbor in Puerto Rico greeted me with a hug and a kiss, I froze.

I had grown up believing a handshake was more than enough.

Since then, I've been greeted with cheek kisses, bows, nods, "Namaste," "Peace be upon you," and countless other customs from people around the world.

What I've learned is that greetings are more than manners—they're windows into culture, connection, and humanity.

How do people greet each other where you're from?

One flag draped my grandfather's coffin.

Years later, that same flag flew proudly outside my Chicago home, becoming part of a tradition that connected me to family, history, and country.

What began with decorating window boxes eventually led me to dress as Betsy Ross and teach children the story behind the Stars and Stripes.

This Flag Day, I'm reminded that a flag is more than fabric. It's a story of sacrifice, courage, unity, and hope.

🇺🇸 What does the American flag mean to you?