Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Connie Schultz
The House They Leave, The Home They Keep
For Connie Schultz and Sherrod Brown, letting go opened a window to new connections, old traditions, and a much lighter bookshelf. Listen to this article. About a year-and-a-half ago, my husband and I did a big thing for the first time. In any phase of life such an event can be cause for both anxiety and celebration, but at our ages, and in that moment in time, it felt like a declaration of discovered hope.
Forward Motion
Today we did a big thing for the first time. In any phase of life such a moment can be cause for celebration, but at this age, and in this instance, it feels like a declaration of discovered hope. At 8:17 this morning, Sherrod and I walked into a house as its new homeowners. Hello, it’s us, I whispered as I walked through the back door. Ghosts of old houses appreciate this acknowledgement, I’m told, and they have excellent hearing. No need to shout and alarm everyone.
WHO radio in decline, Blue Sky on the rise
Monday Zoom Link….WHO Ratings….Rob Dillard….Blue Sky….Okoboji Writers’ Retreat…Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Welcome newcomers! Yesterday, we reached 4,000 subscribers, a milestone number. Lately, any given column has reached between 5 and 6,000 views because folks like you share it with friends (thank you), and we had 68,000 views in the past 30 days. We also added 17 new paid subscribers in that period.
Ethel Kennedy: A Tribute
The first and only time Ethel Kennedy called me, I almost hung up on her. It was April 1, 2003, and I was sitting at my desk in the Plain Dealer newsroom when my landline rang. I answered with my usual greeting: “This is Connie Schultz at the Plain Dealer.” “Connie,” the woman’s voice replied. “This is Ethel Kennedy.” Sure you are, honey. It was April Fool’s Day. Typical newsroom prank, I figured. “Well, hell-oooww, Ethel,” I said, imitating her voice. “How’s Hickory Hill?” She laughed.
Letter: What A Show!
Sept. 6 was our first time I saw a concert at Schiferl’s WJ Ranch and what a great show it was with Jimmy Fortune and his band! It was a night we will never forget. We loved it there. Thank you to the ranch and sponsors for bringing such great entertainment to Northeast Nebraska in such a wonderful venue. We see the ranch has had a long list of entertainers. We can’t wait to come back!
What Do We Do Now?
The wise words belong to John O’Donohue. The plaque hangs in our home, except when I brought it outside to photograph it for you. Last week, I walked into the kitchen to find my husband standing at the window with his hands on his hips. “Look at him,” Sherrod said, nodding toward his vegetable garden in the corner of our backyard. A large groundhog was standing on his hind legs next to the row of peppers, basking in the glow of the setting sun.
For Chuckie
Hopefully Yours An ongoing conversation about the daily mess of life: Family, politics, books, teaching, writing, journalism - and dogs, always dogs. In my world, hope is a fact. No thanks
Review | Francine Prose’s first memoir spares no one, including herself
After publishing 22 novels and eight nonfiction books, including the 2006 bestseller “Reading Like a Writer” (a book I have given as a gift to many friends), Francine Prose has written her first memoir. Titled “1974: A Personal History,” it focuses on her life during that time, in particular her brief affair with Tony Russo, who, with Daniel Ellsberg, copied and leaked the Pentagon Papers in 1971 to expose U.S. government hypocrisy, which they hoped would stop the war in Vietnam.
The Covid Kids Are Graduating
Many of us are crossing paths with new college graduates, lucky us. These are young adults like no recent graduates before them. If I could wave a magic wand and make it happen, our hearts would soften at the sight of them, and we would bring our gentler selves to these encounters. It's not that these young people are fragile. Far from it. They were tough because they had to be in a time of sacrifice and loss. The pandemic robbed them of all the high notes of high school.
I have a book coming out!
In July Belt is publishing a book I edited, Best of the Rust Belt. The tagline: “the best personal essays from a contested region.” The book is a selection of a few dozen essays, mainly from Belt’s City Anthology series, that discuss life in a place that many call the Rust Belt (and others chafe at that name, preferring “Great Lakes Region” or “Midwest” or “Heartland” or “Postindustrial Midwest” or some such.
Here We Go Again
On Election Night in 2006, after several networks had declared Sherrod to be Ohio’s next U.S. senator, we gathered family and friends and walked from our hotel to Cleveland’s Public Auditorium. I remember thinking we were like a giant caterpillar, clinging to one another as we weaved down a long hallway and through a cheering crowd. It had been a long, hard campaign to unseat a two-term Republican, and in the beginning few people thought Sherrod could win.
Sometimes, Gratitude Doesn't Come Easy
Sherrod and Franklin, 2017. Last week I wrote about past Thanksgivings and shared a few memories of happy, and sometimes ridiculous, family moments over the years. Bring a light touch, I told myself as I sat down at the keyboard. Holidays can be stressful. In response, many of you shared your own funny stories and traditions. I never tire of reading those. Some readers, though, quietly let me know why their holiday would be a hard one, or a quiet one, or a day to get through. Some are lonely.
5 Quick Things #304 ğ
Hey there, Lately we've found ourselves watching documentaries after the dinner dishes are put away and the schoolwork is doneâthat is, when we watch anything at all, which hasn't been much these days. I'm not talking about the hard-hitting journalistic documentaries, nor even the nerdy science types (though we do love those)âI'm talking about the quiet home renovations or the survival-y, off-the-grid sorts.
Friendship, Part 1
Martin Sheen signs the wall at Cleveland’s House of Blues on October 7, 2023. For twenty years now, we’ve had the same rule about framed pictures in our home: No celebrity photos. Those photos of Sherrod with presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton? Preserved in a cupboard, along with pictures of us with Hillary Clinton, as well as every non-elected celebrity we’ve been lucky to meet. (I was tempted to frame the backstage selfie with Lin-Manuel Miranda, but I resisted.
Sightings, Dispatch #2
When I first saw the handwritten grocery list on the ground, I tried to ignore it. I wanted to pick it up, but at that moment I was a beast of burden climbing an asphalt mountain. Once again, I had overestimated how many groceries I could easily carry in canvas bags looped over my shoulders. If I leaned over to reach down, I would topple like a fallen yak. “Keep walking,” I told myself. Out loud, apparently. “Do you need help?” a stranger asked. “No!” I shouted. Manners, Connie.
Morning in Ohio, All Day Long
I woke up in a different Ohio this morning. This is the state I’ve always known it could be, when poked and prodded out of its slumber. Much of America, though, appears to be surprised to meet this awakened giant. Yesterday, in this peak season of summer fun, a bipartisan coalition of Ohio voters pummeled into powder a Republican attempt to doom an abortion rights amendment on the November ballot. Republican leaders were hoping for the abysmal turnout of past August elections.
So, this is Christmas: Embrace the joy and beauty of the season, even when it's hard
Russia’s War on Ukraine just passed the 300-day mark. The House of Representatives' Jan. 6 committee made history with its unanimous vote urging the Justice Department to consider criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and his allies. Nearly 34 million Americans, including 9 million children, . I do this to myself every Christmas season. I have my reasons: My job as a columnist, which requires regularly tracking the news.
President Biden isn't a puppet and the other top opinion columns of the week
In today's fast-paced news environment, it can be hard to keep up. For your weekend reading, we've started in-case-you-missed-it compilations of some of the week's top USA TODAY Opinion pieces. As always, thanks for reading, and for your feedback. — USA TODAY Opinion editors 1. 'He's dying': A teen called 911 for her dad with COVID-19 and watched her life turn upside down By Connie Schultz "Most students at John Carroll don’t know that Mallory’s father died of COVID-19.
Covid Misinformation Takes Toll on All of Us
Covid Misinformation Takes Toll on All of Us Science deniers continue to mislead, fueling suspicions, imperiling lives. They are judging or ostracizing people who want a vaccine, creating fear. Read Full Article »
How the Pandemic Changed This Grandma's Outlook on Life Original
Eight days after I was fully vaccinated, I boarded my first flight in 16 months. What a moment. I settled into my seat and took a deep breath, sucking in my mask to give it that nice, sealed plastic-wrap feeling. Then I combed my fingers through my hair and ignited a fire on the right side of my scalp. What was this? I gently patted my head, which remained cool to the touch. Slowly, I walked my fingertips into my hairline and discovered one bump, two bumps, three bumps.
Connie Schultz: Pelosi and Harris made history. What's next?
There are many reasons to reflect on the historical significance of President Joe Biden’s first joint address to Congress. It was a great speech by a man who understands why he is in this role, in this time. He knows who we need him to be, and isn’t that a relief. I first felt the weight of the moment at the sight of those two strong, powerful women standing side by side on the House dais, awaiting Biden’s arrival. For the first time, Vice President Kamala Harris called the session to order.
Hello from Alaska
Last week, I had an email exchange with a person who had every reason to be disappointed in me. Instead, he insisted his faith in me was steadfast, and I’m not the least bit embarrassed to tell you I wept in the way I’ve always imagined people do after Superman sweeps down for the rescue. One moment you’re staring wide-eyed at the bus about to run you over, and the next you’re up in the clouds bracing for a gentle landing.
Schultz: Hello from Alaska
This week, I had an email exchange with a person who had every reason to be disappointed in me. Instead, he insisted his faith in me was steadfast, and I’m not the least bit embarrassed to tell you I wept in the way I’ve always imagined people do after Superman sweeps down for the rescue. One moment you’re staring wide-eyed at the bus about to run you over, and the next you’re up in the clouds bracing for a gentle landing.
Connie Schultz: Hello from Alaska
This week, I had an email exchange with a person who had every reason to be disappointed in me. Instead, he insisted his faith in me was steadfast, and I’m not the least bit embarrassed to tell you I wept in the way I’ve always imagined people do after Superman sweeps down for the rescue. One moment you’re staring wide-eyed at the bus about to run you over, and the next you’re up in the clouds bracing for a gentle landing.
Connie Schultz: My brother, still
When my brother was a boy, he loved to leave pennies on the railroad tracks up the street from our house and wait for the freight train to flatten them as it zoomed by. This scared my mother to death. I don't know that she ever found a flattened penny in the pocket of his jeans or heard it rattling around in the clothes dryer. More likely, she got regular dispatches from the neighborhood gossips reporting for duty.
Connie Schultz: A Christmas like no other
So, this is Christmas. No travel, and no family or friends outside our secure little bubbles. If we are to take care of one another, this is what we must do, one household at a time. Many packages are arriving later than hoped, and social media is filling with laments from parents worrying about what to tell their children if Santa is late. Blame COVID-19, I say. Dr. Anthony Fauci declared Santa to be immune from the virus, but the jolly old elf is not about to stop setting an example.
Speaking of Baby Jesus, let's talk about tips
Speaking of Baby Jesus, let's talk about tips Connie Schultz, Syndicated columnist Dec 16, 2020 5:00 AM This is the time of year when I try to remind patrons of restaurants and coffee shops to tip generously, in the spirit of the season. I want us to tip well all year long, of course, but December can pack a special wallop of motivation for people whipping out their charge cards in celebration of Christmas. Or so I want to believe.
Truly want to show the Christmas spirit? Leave a bigger tip
By Connie Schultz Posted12/15/2020 1:00 AM This is the time of year when I try to remind patrons of restaurants and coffee shops to tip generously, in the spirt of the season. I want us to tip well all year long, of course, but December can pack a special wallop of motivation for people whipping out their charge cards in celebration of the Christ Child. Or so I want to believe. This year, we're in the throes of a pandemic, and so the message of the season is less jolly.
Speaking of Baby Jesus, let's talk about tips
This is the time of year when I try to remind patrons of restaurants and coffee shops to tip generously, in the spirit of the season. I want us to tip well all year long, of course, but December can pack a special wallop of motivation for people whipping out their charge cards in celebration of the Christ Child. Or so I want to believe. This year, we’re in the throes of a pandemic, and so the message of the season is less jolly.
Mourning doves and chickadees
Weather forecasters had warned us that snow was coming, and it turns out they weren’t kidding. We got about a foot in our Cleveland neighborhood last week. Twice that amount landed on a suburb just 15 miles east of us. Every time we get a big snow, I think of how I used to egg on my daughter to call my father in snowbelt Ashtabula, Ohio. My son was grown, but she was still a little girl, and whenever we got a few inches in Shaker Heights, she’d call Grandpa to get his snow report.
Schultz: Mourning doves and chickadees
Weather forecasters had warned us that snow was coming, and it turns out they weren’t kidding. We got about a foot in our Cleveland neighborhood last Tuesday. Twice that amount landed on a suburb just 15 miles east of us. Every time we get a big snow, I think of how I used to egg on my daughter to call my father in snowbelt Ashtabula, Ohio. My son was grown, but she was still a little girl, and whenever we got a few inches in Shaker Heights, she’d call Grandpa to get his snow report.
Mourning doves and chickadees
Weather forecasters had warned us that snow was coming, and it turns out they weren't kidding. We got about a foot in our Cleveland neighborhood last Tuesday. Twice that amount landed on a suburb just 15 miles east of us. Every time we get a big snow, I think of how I used to egg on my daughter to call my father in snowbelt Ashtabula, Ohio. My son was grown, but she was still a little girl, and whenever we got a few inches in Shaker Heights, she'd call Grandpa to get his snow report.
Connie Schultz: Mourning doves and chickadees
Weather forecasters had warned us that snow was coming, and it turns out they weren't kidding. We got about a foot in our Cleveland neighborhood on Tuesday. Twice that amount landed on a suburb just 15 miles east of us. Every time we get a big snow, I think of how I used to egg on my daughter to call my father in snowbelt Ashtabula, Ohio. My son was grown, but she was still a little girl, and whenever we got a few inches in Shaker Heights, she'd call Grandpa to get his snow report.
Connie Schultz: As the students teach
It's not my habit to write about readers' hate mail, which is as much a part of daily life as toothbrushing, and just as boring. Hate mail comes with a columnist's job. After 18 years of doing this, I know that nothing riles a certain percentage of readers – universally right-wing and white, and usually male – more than a woman who is paid to give her opinion. Social media has magnified their voices but not their credibility.
As the students teach
It's not my habit to write about readers' hate mail, which is as much a part of daily life as toothbrushing, and just as boring. Hate mail comes with a columnist's job. After 18 years of doing this, I know that nothing riles a certain percentage of readers -- universally right-wing and white, and usually male -- more than a woman who is paid to give her opinion. Social media has magnified their voices but not their credibility.
Schultz: This Thanksgiving, focus on gratitude, not gatherings
Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year. It’s a holiday with none of the pressures of Christmas. I cook a lot of food and give a lot of hugs. Nothing makes me happier than our house full of the people I love. This preamble is brought to you by a columnist who wants you and those you love to be here for next year’s Thanksgiving. We have to cancel the family gatherings.
This Thanksgiving, choose love
Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year. It’s a holiday with none of the pressures of Christmas. I cook a lot of food and give a lot of hugs. Nothing makes me happier than our house full of the people I love. This preamble is brought to you by a columnist who wants you and those you love to be here for next year’s Thanksgiving. We have to cancel the family gatherings.
This Thanksgiving, choose love
Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year. It's a holiday with none of the pressures of Christmas. I cook a lot of food and give a lot of hugs. Nothing makes me happier than our house full of the people I love. This preamble is brought to you by a columnist who wants you and those you love to be here for next year's Thanksgiving. We have to cancel the family gatherings.
Connie Schultz: You are part of voter protection
One of the great things about being a columnist is how we can revisit issues over months and even years. One of the frustrating parts of being a columnist is how often we have to revisit the same issues over months and even years. Voting rights, for example. Unfortunately, a perennial topic. On Jan. 19, 2004, I was two years into my job as a columnist at The Plain Dealer when editors agreed to publish a voter registration form next to my column on the issue.
You are part of voter protection
One of the great things about being a columnist is how we can revisit issues over months and even years. One of the frustrating parts of being a columnist is how often we have to revisit the same issues over months and even years. Voting rights, for example. Unfortunately, a perennial topic. On Jan. 19, 2004, I was two years into my job as a columnist at The Plain Dealer when editors agreed to publish a voter registration form next to my column on the issue.
Connie Schultz: This is not how a winner talks about the election
On Wednesday, this was the exchange between a reporter and President Donald Trump at a news conference. In the White House, we must note: Reporter: "Will you commit here, today, for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?" Trump: "We're going to have to see what happens. You know that I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster and – " Reporter: "I understand that, but people are rioting.
This is not how a winner talks about the election
On Wednesday, this was the exchange between a reporter and President Donald Trump at a news conference. In the White House, we must note: Reporter: "Will you commit here, today, for a peaceful transferal of power after the election?" Trump: "We're going to have to see what happens. You know that I've been complaining very strongly about the ballots, and the ballots are a disaster and -- " Reporter: "I understand that, but people are rioting.
Connie Schultz: Take the time to notice that life is still beautiful
Today was the day. Marked it on the kitchen wall calendar, which hangs next to the sink because we can always use a little more art in this joint, especially now. I poured a mug of coffee and sat in my favorite chair, the one by the window, which was cracked open to the 50-degree morning. The breakfast crew was chirping away in the platform bird feeder, and I wanted to hear the gossip. I reached for the flower press and set it on my lap.
Connie Schultz: Another revelation, another layer of grief
I learned a lot about how to die from my mother, and long before I was holding her hand as she drew her last breath. After nearly two decades as a nurse's aide, Mom became a hospice home-care worker. She took care of the dying, one patient at a time. She spent eight to 10 hours a day with them, sometimes for many months. As her colleagues told me at her wake, when Janey Schultz showed up, people lived longer. Regularly, my mother and I talked about what she was learning about the end of life.
Connie Schultz: A request: Keep a pandemic diary
Since April, I've been telling my students that their generation will be the ultimate storytellers of this pandemic, as COVID-19's legacy will surely endure for decades. This semester, I've taken it a step further and required them to keep pandemic diaries. Their weekly 500-word entries will help me gauge their writing progress and give me glimpses into how they are doing in this challenging time.
Finally, a convention for rest of America
(Editor’s note: Steve Chapman is off this week. The following column is by Connie Schultz.) --- I’ve attended the last four Democratic conventions, and most of my memories of those milestone events involve crowds. They were everywhere. In the airports of hosting cities. In taxi lines and at the entrances of everything from ticketed events to hotel lobbies packed with people on the lookout for someone they’ve always wanted to meet.
Schultz: Finally, a convention for the rest of America
I’ve attended the last four Democratic conventions, and most of my memories of those milestone events involve crowds. They were everywhere. In the airports of hosting cities. In taxi lines and at the entrances of everything from ticketed events to hotel lobbies packed with people on the lookout for someone they’ve always wanted to meet. Packed buses and trolleys transport crowds to an even bigger crowd in the arena. This is not a grievance. It’s a fact of national political conventions.
Finally, a convention for the rest of America
By Connie Schultz I've attended the last four Democratic conventions, and most of my memories of those milestone events involve crowds. They were everywhere. In the airports of hosting cities. In taxi lines and at the entrances of everything from ticketed events to hotel lobbies packed with people on the lookout for someone they've always wanted to meet. Packed busses and trolleys transport crowds to an even bigger crowd in the arena. This is not a grievance.
Connie Schultz: Finding hope in her ambition
In 2016, I wanted Hillary Clinton to be our next president, and I was sure that she would be. I was devastated. In 2019 and early 2020, I wanted a woman to win the Democratic Party's nomination for president. Instead, one qualified woman after another failed to get enough votes, and now Joe Biden is the presumptive nominee. I've been angry for some time now. It's not because I don't respect Biden. I do, for his decades of public service and for his choice of a partner in Jill Biden.
Finding hope in her ambition
In 2016, I wanted Hillary Clinton to be our next president, and I was sure that she would be. I was devastated. In 2019 and early 2020, I wanted a woman to win the Democratic Party's nomination for president. Instead, one qualified woman after another failed to get enough votes, and now Joe Biden is the presumptive nominee. I've been angry for some time now. It's not because I don't respect Biden. I do, for his decades of public service and for his choice of a partner in Jill Biden.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Connie
Contact Connie, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack