We’ve all been there. Friends or family come in from out of town and we scramble to clean our house and stock the fridge and keep our guests entertained. But the entertaining part doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. In fact, there is a plethora of free or low cost things to do to show off the city of Wichita and have fun while you’re at it. Of course, you don’t have to be with out-of-town guests in order to take advantage of these opportunities.

Catch a matinee at the …

Out of simple curiosity, I decided to count the number of houses I’ve lived in. Nineteen. I’m 23 years old. Needless to say, I was a child totally unphased by spontaneous relocation. As an adult, I’m intrepid. With all of this packing and unpacking, and the strange collection of homes I’ve claimed, it takes a truly remarkable location to make an impression. For instance, the cement-walled hostel I lived in while working in West Africa, or the farmhouse nestled between two sloping hills of purple wildflowers in eastern Tennessee. Or …

Kansans work hard to debunk the idea that our state is flat. Outsiders like to make fun of Kansas, complaining about the endless seas of grasslands without trees or mountains to break up the view. A Kansan will sputter and argue, usually pointing out the truly beautiful, gently rolling Flint Hills. Even in Wichita, people point out that the College Hill area is “hilly” compared to the rest of the city.
Yet, let the snow fall and we all fold on the issue. Admit it, it’s just too flat here for …

Tension can run a little high when Mom comes into town. Is your apartment clean enough? Is your pantry equipped with the right ingredients for meals that she approves of? Sometimes having Mom over is more stress than it’s worth, like when her nagging about your financial situation overshadows the quality time you’re supposed to be having.
But you can’t avoid her forever! Need to get her out of your house and somewhere that distracts from the quarrelsome direction your conversation seems to inevitably take? I’d go with the …

“New Year’s Day is every man’s birthday.”  - Charles Lamb
Yes, I’m one of those suckers who makes New Year’s resolutions. I’ve always loved a good makeover story and the New Year always brings out my desire for a fresh start. Of course, I’m not alone in this point of view. According to Health Net, around 100 million Americans make resolutions; however, about four out of every five people who participate in this annual tradition don’t see their resolutions through.
The resolution I made last year to work out more led to a …