Category: Economics & Class
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,…
Thoughts on money, gender, and power
One of the most memorable statements I’ve read was that the cliché, women want men with money and power works just as well if you take out the “men with.” Women want money and power. I appreciate this. Most women do want men. And we do want money and…
If money were no object…
Well, the gentleman gave an excellent Christmas gift this year… even after I said I didn’t need anything. If money were no object… If money were no object, I’d put an end to class disparity. If money were no object, I’d topple corrupt financial systems for you. If money…
Where are all the diverse librarians? A data-driven reflection
1. on library demographics Soon after my $20,000 library degree, I surveyed other grads about their experiences. Starting salaries in the Library Journal’s annual Salaries & Placements survey looked great… but they seemed to be missing half of all graduates. Perhaps, I thought, they left out the MLIS grads…
Are meal subscription boxes worth it?
When are meal subscription apps a great deal, and when are they overrated? I review the ones we’ve tried and give my recommendations on how to do it well.
How to Create Fake News and Deal in Private Data
How would you do as a Somali pirate? A third world farmer? A fake news dealer? Find out here.
Giving alternative gifts at Christmas
I still remember getting an apple, an orange, and a crisp two-dollar bill one Christmas. When my great-grandfather handed us each a piece of fruit, I carried it to the car, tucked my cold feet on the heater, and compared the crisply scratched apple with the spicy rumpled skin…
Cleaning out that dreaded closet
“Do you need this?” I ask, holding up the ballerina music box. “…And this?” I hold up a handful of seashells and a crushed sand dollar in a plastic baggie. Julie shakes her head. I quickly sort things into piles, pulling her back into the room when she starts…
Selling Dreams of the Good Life in Kazakhstan
In the post-socialist era, Mary Kay and other multilevel marketing companies offer dreams of wealth and a life of meaning. First published on Sapiens.org.