Before he got into the advice biz, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Ismael Perez did the research. He found advice columns going back to at least the 1800s when people would write into local newspapers for tips on clothing stains and housewarming parties. Somehow along the way, we ended up crowdsourcing wisdom on Reddit and calling into podcasts for advice. 

Now, Perez has an advice column for 2023. It’s called “Someone In Chicago,” and it’s geared toward Chicagoans in their twenties, thirties and forties. But that didn’t stop him from answering a query from a 92-year-old widow. 

In this episode, Rundown podcast host Erin Allen talks to Perez about the advice that shaped us and getting vulnerable enough to accept help.