I'm a writer and journalist covering personal finance, health, business, real estate, home improvement, culture, food and travel. I also work with brands to produce original written content.
IONOS boosts awareness and clicks with an audio and video campaign
Web-hosting company IONOS served a mix of audio and video ads for a full-funnel campaign on Spotify to drum up impressions and website traffic—all while making the most of their existing creative assets.
I Live in Milwaukee and This is My Ultimate Guide to the City
Milwaukee tends to surprise people, but to those of us who live here, the city’s charms are no secret—the rest of the world has been sleeping on us. The Cream City is on the map for a world-class culinary scene, renowned museums, major-league sports and, of course, beer. As a longtime Milwaukee resident and Midwest Living's Wisconsin scout, I'm well acquainted with the city's hottest spots and local favorites.
With Lake Michigan beaches that feel downright Caribbean in the summer and tree-lin...
Marquette’s flourishing student film culture
From working on feature films to hosting the 24-hour film race, students are contributing to Marquette’s vibrant film scene and using it as a springboard to exciting creative and career pursuits.
March 21, 2024
5 min. read
The two-minute trailer for “Diffraction” might give you goose bumps. The tension builds in scenes spliced together to show a young university janitor discovering a professor’s dark secret: creating weapons for mercenaries.
The trailer is as polished as the previews you woul...
End-of-Summer Sales & Tips to Help Spruce Up Your Space
If you're mourning the end of summer, here's something to lift your spirits: Many end-of-summer sales around Labor Day offer deep discounts on big-ticket items like furniture, appliances and outdoor living gear. Even as the sun sets on summer, there are lots of opportunities left to score the season's biggest sales.
Whether you're soaking up the last drops of sunshine or already looking ahead to fall, here are some of the best season-ending sales and Labor Day deals to help spruce up your spa...
Can My Gua Sha Replace a Trip to the Derm?
TikTok is full of videos demonstrating gua sha techniques, jade roller tips and facial massages that claim to promote “lymphatic drainage” — a process that reduces swelling from the lymph nodes that, according to some posts on social media, can cause facial puffiness.
For the uninitiated, gua sha is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that uses a smooth tool to scrape the skin in different parts of the body. Gua sha has been a mainstay of traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, and t...
European leading sneakers platform WETHENEW walks the walk with a fresh audio ad
Online French E-commerce platform, WETHENEW, offers an array of authentic, limited-edition sneakers and streetwear. In preparation for the highly anticipated 2022 holiday season, the company launched an engaging advertising campaign on Spotify to enhance brand visibility. Their goal was to expand their reach and establish the brand as the go-to platform for fashionable streetwear and sneakers in France.
4 ways to buy a home with a lower down payment
Conventional wisdom says that you need a lot of cash to purchase a home—20 percent of the purchase price for the down payment, to be exact. But is that really true? Not necessarily.
It turns out there are several avenues to home ownership that don't require putting down 20 percent of the purchase price. This is good news for buyers since that kind of down payment can quickly amount to tens of thousands of dollars—or more. And not everyone has access to that kind of cash.
Wondering how to buy ...
Worried about your parents' retirement? 4 ways to help them prepare
If you're lucky, your retirement-age parents are well prepared for retirement, with plenty of money saved and plans in place for their assets as they age.
Unfortunately, not everyone near retirement is in such a good position. As the child of aging parents, you may be worried that your parents haven't saved enough. Or perhaps you're concerned that they haven't considered all the important questions that loom as retirement nears.
Here are a few ways you can help your parents plan for retiremen...
Jaxson's story
Carey was 22 weeks pregnant when a cyst was spotted on her baby’s neck during a routine ultrasound.
“Just hearing that is terrifying, so naturally you get on the computer and start doing your own research,” Carey says. “Which is even more terrifying, because you always go toward the worst-case scenario.”
Carey and her husband were referred to Children’s Wisconsin, where their baby was diagnosed with lymphatic malformation: A rare but benign mass of abnormal lymph vessels that can cause signif...
The new and growing ed studies major
The Educational Studies program offers Marquette students a nontraditional pathway – one related to education, but beyond the classroom. Graduates of the program become guidance counselors, psychologists, nonprofit administrators — or often take the plunge into graduate school. Since the program started in 2017, it has grown from eight students to more than 40 majors and minors by fall 2022.
Illustration by David Vogin – Gwendolyn Lazenby, pictured
Gwendolyn Lazenby always knew she wanted to ...
The Truth About Caffeine
We’ve been hooked on caffeine for ages — more than 3,000 years at least. The stimulant was first discovered in China around 1,000 BCE, according to our earliest records of people drinking a beverage made from Camellia sinensis leaves. Since then, tea, coffee and other caffeinated drinks have become an integral part of daily life in most cultures. More than 90 percent of the global population consumes caffeine every single day.
You’ve probably seen (and perhaps ignored) myriad scary headlines ...
7 things to do when you lose your wallet
Phone, keys, wallet.
Maybe you say this refrain to yourself each time you leave the house. But sometimes, life happens and your wallet goes missing.
If you've lost your wallet, take a deep breath. Then follow these steps to protect your accounts and move forward with peace of mind.
Take these steps to protect your accounts
1. Call your bank and credit card companies.
As soon as you realize your wallet is missing, call your banks and credit card companies, or report missing cards online or thr...
Gastroenterologists Rate Game Day Snacks
You don’t have to be a football fan to appreciate the most anticipated game of the year. For some of us, the snack spread is the main attraction. However, the most popular foods can also wreak havoc on our digestion. Doctors even see more patients for food-related medical problems around national holidays and big sports events.
Luckily for most people, game day indulgence is more likely to cause indigestion or heartburn than a medical emergency. Still, it’s a good idea to snack strategically,...
529 Plan Myths: 6 Common Misconceptions Debunked
Table of Contents
A 529 plan is a great way to start saving for your child's college education. While these plans offer many benefits — including the ability to set aside money that grows tax-deferred — several 529 college savings plan rules might leave you confused about the real pros and cons.
Let's debunk six common 529 plan myths so you can move forward with confidence as you save for your child's future.
Myth 1: Money in 529 Plans Covers Only College Costs
Tuition and fees are just one p...
How Grandparents Can Contribute to 529 Plans
Table of Contents
A 529 college savings plan is a popular way to set aside money for a child's education, but these accounts aren't just for the parents of young kids — grandparents can contribute to 529 plans, too.
If you're looking to earmark educational funds for grandchildren, putting money into a 529 plan can be a good option. By doing so, you can rest assured the money will be put toward their education and support their future development.
However, before you contribute to a 529 plan f...