Published inThe Homesick Society·PinnedMember-onlyBrian Eno For BibliophilesIn which I surrender to a massive crush on Brian Eno, and strongly recommend you read his newly reissued diary. — It is October, 2005. I am a 20-year-old Alaskan, overseas for the first time, on a long-awaited study-abroad program at NUI Galway. The fact that I am really here feels a little extra surreal because it’s where my favorite novel, Juno & Juliet, is set. It’s written by some Irish…Brian Eno10 min readBrian Eno10 min read
Published inThe Homesick Society·May 8, 2021Member-onlyChildcare Is A Need, Not A BurdenIn the last century, there have been many ongoing conversations about the difficulty — or sheer impossibility — of balancing a working life with a family life. These have included many heated discussions around domestic tasks, and who ought to take care of what in a household: cleaning, cooking, repairs…Childcare7 min readChildcare7 min read
Published inThe Homesick Society·Mar 28, 2021Member-onlyThe Sibling MythWhen I first decided to give motherhood a go, I assumed that if I was able to have one baby, I would go ahead and try for another. …Motherhood7 min readMotherhood7 min read
Published inThe Homesick Society·Mar 20, 2021Member-onlyBeing a Mom is AwesomeA few years back, when I was thinking about becoming a mom, but was still wary of the idea, I was staying with a friend who had two very young daughters. Her husband was listing off some of the difficulties of early parenthood. …Motherhood9 min readMotherhood9 min read
Published inThe Homesick Society·Mar 14, 2021Member-onlyTo Mom, Or Not To MomThe leap from not-mom to mom is a terrifying one for some of us. But I am glad I made it. Throughout my teens and twenties, I was convinced I would never have children. For lots of reasons; the primary one being that I just had no interest. No desire…Motherhood7 min readMotherhood7 min read
Published inThe Homesick Society·Feb 19, 2020Member-onlyThe American Family Needs A GrandmaDid you grow up with parents who fought? I did. Mine fought loudly, and often. We lived in the woods, in Alaska, where a person could really carry on without having to worry about what the neighbors might think. Those fights were often triggered by something that my brother and…Elizabeth Warren8 min readElizabeth Warren8 min read
Published inAlways for Love·Jun 15, 2017Romance Versus Red Tape: the surprising difficulty of eloping in Europe (and my newfound appreciation for American liberty)Three years ago, I reconnected with an estranged friend. It had been nine years since we’d first met. For the first time in our rambling acquaintance, we were both single, and road-weary and humble enough to communicate honestly with each other. …Weddings16 min readWeddings16 min read
Published inAlways for Love·May 13, 2017Creatures of Love: A Mother’s Day special for all the ladies with the fur-babiesGum, spit, piss, bird shit, dog shit, broken glass, cigarette butts, the occasional splash of vomit, and garbage of all sorts — I keep my eyes peeled for the everyday detritus of the sidewalk. …Mothers Day14 min readMothers Day14 min read
Published inCat-Schlepping·May 9, 2017Cat + Bicycle = Cat-Schlepping on WheelsI’ve never been much of a cyclist. At seven, I was the last of my friends to move on from training wheels, and only then under persistent peer-pressure. This was when I was practicing on dirt and gravel roads, in a hometown too small for stoplights. A quarter century later…Cycling8 min readCycling8 min read
Published inCat-Schlepping·May 7, 2017Writing & SchleppingWriting is the thing I do the most, and it’s probably the thing that I’m best at. Which is not a boast about how great my writing is, but a testament to how terrible I am at other things. Even though it’s the thing I do most, writing is still…Writing6 min readWriting6 min read