What stories do you fear?
Recently, I saw a meme with a list of old banned books, saying, “kids, read these!” But I’d bet none of those are the books people are afraid of today. Kids see through this. No one stares in fear when you pull out Catcher in the Rye, or pulls…
Books I read in pandemic times (2020-22)
It’s been almost three years since my last list of good reads, but someone just asked for what I’ve been reading, so I thought I’d share a few highlights from the pandemic years. l and let me know if there are similar books you think I’d enjoy!
Stepping out of your media bubble
Not long ago, my Californian friend Issa* told me she was surprised when her students rejected the New York Times as “too liberal.” She didn’t know what else one could recommend. Then, Midwesterner Betsy* told me she can’t find a news sources that all her friends trust. Fellow conservatives…
The “real” family: who lives together and why?
During the pandemic year, Amos* and I have been living with our families. First, we stayed with his parents and adult brother. Then, when mom’s cancer returned, I went to stay with my parents and their adult child, interspersed with time at my widowed grandmother’s house. It feels odd,…
How to do the bare minimum in the kitchen
When we first got together, Amos decided to do the cooking, while I’d do the obsessive cleaning, organizing, and getting rid of things. Play to your strengths, right? And when he joined me in California, I was delighted with his full English breakfasts and packed lunches, his Chicken Cordon…
Need a pandemic vacation? Explore Kazakhstan for a day
If you’re like me, the first week of sheltering in place had its benefits—no commute! More pajamas! But it didn’t take long before it felt restrictive. Now, folks need a break. But how do you take a vacation if you can’t leave your house? There are online experiences, but…
Many, many things to talk about during a COVID quarantine
What are you going to do after you’ve watched your favorite shows, eaten the ice cream, settled the kids, taken your midterms… and you’re bored? Now’s the perfect time to download my book of Quarantine Questions!
Books of note that I read in 2019
I’ve tried in past years to share out book reviews about individual books or even compile lists of what I’ve read but… I read too much, and I never post anything. So this year, I’m imitating a friend at The Living Room by just posting a brief list: January: Shannan…
How we paid down $100K in student loans
Not long after my spouse and I began spending time together, he mentioned that he had student loans. “How much?” I asked. He paused. “About $150,000.” As one of the first people in his family to go to college, Amos* was caught in a situation common to turn of…