• I went into law school and worked defending doctors in medical malpractice cases.
• When my husband and I started our family, it became evident we both couldn't have intense jobs.
• I put my career on pause to focus on my family.

When people learn that I am a travel writer, they immediately ask if I majored in English Literature in college or if I went to journalism school. The truth is that I'm really a recovering attorney.

I went to law school after studying chemistry in college and spent my first few post-law school years at insurance defense firms, where I defended doctors in medical malpractice cases and businesses in slip-and-fall litigation. I loved arguing motions in court and preparing my cases for trial.

Downsizing my career for my family

This all changed when I met my now-husband, who is also an attorney. As we married and started our family, it quickly became evident that it would be a major challenge for both of us to have intense jobs with long workdays while we had little kids at home. I decided to take a less intense position at an insurance company, where I was able to pick up my kids before it got dark and be there for field trips and special events.

We moved from Chicago to California when my kids were ages 5, 4, and 2. My husband was able to get a law firm job in California as he was already licensed here. Continuing my law career would mean taking the California Bar Exam, which sounded like a nightmare, especially with three little kids. I paused my law career, focusing on helping my family adjust to our new situation.

I don't know what drew me to peruse the writing and editing job section of Craigslist, but that's where I discovered a job listing looking for parents who'd like to write about fun things to do with their kids. I immediately applied and was hired.

The pay was nowhere near my old salary, but the job served a purpose

Of course, this $50 per story job was no comparison to what I was making in my fancy law firm job (or even in my less fancy insurance company job). But it served a purpose for that period of my life, where I needed to be available for my young kids. Best of all, it gave me access to all sorts of museum events, theater productions, and hotel openings where I could take my kids along with me, allowing us to explore this area of the country I hadn't lived in for decades.

Over the years, I continued to say "yes" to any opportunity I had to write more for this publication, eventually moving up to becoming an editor and then the travel editor. These roles came with lots of travel perks, allowing me to take my family to private islands in Tahiti and fancy resorts across the US.

I could be making more money, but the lifestyle is better

While I could be making a lot more money had I continued my law career, I wouldn't have had the time or opportunity to take my family to these far-off places. I wouldn't have been able to be a room parent in my kids' classes and pick them up from school.

Traveling with my kids has allowed me to see them problem-solve, deal with uncomfortable situations, and really come into their own as teenagers. I've been able to learn about them as individuals as we took a cruise in Costa Rica, went snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Park, and pushed ourselves in countries where we didn't know the language.

This career change was what my family needed

When people learn I'm no longer using my law degree, they inevitably ask if I regret attending law school. While I certainly wish I never had my law school loans to deal with, I'm still happy about my career progression. When I was an attorney, I learned how words had an impact. At the insurance company, we regularly argued over comma placement and how a comma changed the meaning of a contract. I'm still using these skills in my writing today.

I also think that my career progression is a good example for my kids as they approach college age. We put so much pressure on 18-year-olds to decide what they are going to do for the rest of their lives. I am clearly an example that you can always change and evolve.

The draft is three weeks away now. GM Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson have pieced together an off-season that is earning widespread praise across the league. The question is whether they can stick the landing with their 1st round pick in the draft. Current projections have the top three picks likely being a mix of Cam Ward, Travis Hunter, and Abdul Carter. After that, it gets tricky. People in Chicago want to know where running back Ashton Jeanty will end once the dust settles.

Widespread belief has been that the Las Vegas Raiders are the heavy favorites to take him at 6th overall, with New Orleans at #9 also being a possibility. It makes sense. Las Vegas’ best option right now is a 33-year-old Raheem Mostert. New Orleans knows Alvin Kamara turns 30 in July. Both teams need to think about the future at that position. Both have head coaches who like to run the ball. One thing is clear. A source told SM that those around the league believe one thing is certain.

“He likely won’t get passed Chicago if he falls that far.”

Ashton Jeanty is a strong probability for the Bears.

Whispers from Halas Hall indicate they love the Boise State star. It isn’t hard to see why. He nearly broke Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record in 2024, nearly winning the Heisman in the process. The guy carried his team to the college football playoffs. He’s built like a brick house with power, speed, contact balance, and vision. There aren’t any truly glaring weaknesses in his game. He’s earned comparisons to the likes of LaDainian Tomlinson and Marshawn Lynch. The Bears haven’t had a back of that caliber since Matt Forte.

Try to imagine what this offense could look like with Ashton Jeanty, Rome Odunze, D.J. Moore, and Cole Kmet all as options for quarterback Caleb Williams. Throw all of it into Johnson’s offense, and you can understand why some people around the league aren’t wild about the idea. They are quietly hoping Jeanty goes somewhere else. One thing is certain. If he gets past the Raiders, the noise will get loud in a hurry. It would mark the first time in 20 years the Bears have taken a running back in the 1st round.