The Light Phone

You probably heard that the iPhone turned 10. I love my phone, and I’ll probably upgrade when the new model comes out in September, but that’s ten years of carrying around a brick in my hand that’s either bossing me around or trying to sell me something. I’m sick of my smartphone. I want a…

Mister Jake Turns 17

Mister Jake turns 17, this week. Well, that’s an estimate. He was born in June or July 2000, and I adopted him in September 2000. That makes both of us old. Jake was rescued from a parking lot on the northwest side of Chicago by some random chick named Lynn. Her mom worked with my…

Life Advice from Jennifer McClure

I’m doing this new thing where I do almost everything Jennifer McClure tells me to do. If you don’t know Jennifer, she’s someone who never gives bad advice. She’s a former HR executive who runs a successful speaking and coaching business. She’s an advisor and leader, but, more importantly, Jennifer is a woman of character…

turning 40

Turning 40 is No Big Deal

Mary Ellen Slayter turned 40, last week. I’ve loved this woman for years. Almost a decade-ish. Look at this dated-as-hell video of the two of us. Jesus. That’s painful to watch. When I’m nervous, I adopt a Chicago accent. I planned on writing a tribute to Mary Ellen and telling her about what it’s like…

FODMAPs and Diet Plans

Hi, everybody. My name is Laurie Ruettimann. I am forty-two years old, five feet tall, and I weigh 130 pounds. My BMI is 25.4, which makes me “overweight.” Thankfully, BMI has always been bullshit. I’m sexy AF, climb skyscrapers that tower over America’s largest cities, and get drunk at business events and still wake up…

The 7-Second Rule

I’m in New Orleans for two birthdays and a meeting on Wednesday. This trip overlaps with an HR conference that I’m not attending My career is messy, my personal life is all over the map, and I’m massively hungover from drinking too much. Dammit. Drank too damn much and had a crazy night. Just like…

laurie & ken ruettimann 2007

My Entrepreneurial Journey

This month is ten years since I quit my job at Pfizer. Technically, I didn’t quit. My position was eliminated as part of a broader HR restructuring. My husband’s job was eliminated, too. I signed a release and waiver, and I was given a severance package that provided some coverage while I transitioned to a…