As a good humanist, Judeo-Christian-leaning liberal, I was raised to protect and defend the poor--an instinct so ingrained I have voted and given every year of my adult life from the compass of my bleeding heart. Even growing up under the poverty line, I still had it drilled into me that… Read full post »

I recently had to go dairy free for health reasons, which blows about as much as a whale with flatulence issues. Things are certainly better these days for the vegan and dairy free set--there are substitutes out the wazoo available, from coconut ice cream to tofutti cream cheese. But there are… Read full post »

This is a response to Greenheron's open call: 

I've never done an open call, but enjoy them, so here's a go at it.  Is there something that you knew about yourself when you were a child, a bit of authentic self wisdom that you lost, then found again as an adult? 

My… Read full post »

"Let them eat cake!" 

Columnist Paul Krugman declared in yesterday's New York Times that we are barreling toward, if not already in a "Third Depression."* I'm no economist, but this opinion echoed the uncomfortable, nagging knot that's been steadily growing in my stomach for the last cou/… Read full post »

My friend Tom cluelessly went to see the first Twilight movie one lazy Saturday because he likes vampires flicks. Needless to say, he left in a huff halfway through the movie, equally disenchanted by the plot, the overwrought delivery, and the laughable computer generated imagery.

His f… Read full post »

I can’t drink. At all. No wine, no beer, no hard alcohol—nuthin. I’m not a teetotaler or a recovering alcoholic—I have ulcerative colitis, an irritable bowel disease—a life-sentence of a condition about as sexy as ebola but without the book deal.

There’s a lot doc… Read full post »

You only live once. I'm a big fan of this motto, and not because I'm some sort of extreme sport nut or bizarre foodie who seeks out delicacies like deer testicles. I refer to this mantra as more of an excuse for my sense of humor than for any latent lust… Read full post »

It's interesting to watch the reaction in an acquaintance or relative when I first disclose my unrepentant love of teen TV shows and movies. There are some who share in my joy and match my excitement until we're reduced to a rising clatter of squeals and hand-clapping, but the vast majority… Read full post »

When I became visibly pregnant, I felt like I was suddenly jumped into a gang I'd only been peripherally aware of. Seeing my protruding belly as a badge of camaraderie, people began to approach me--in the grocery store, in line at the movies, in public restrooms--to discuss the pantheon of parenthood… Read full post »

No one likes to talk about money with their friends. Like discussing politics with your grandparents or weight with your rotund neighbor, it's just too touchy. So let me break it down to you. If you're doing any of the following, and are living paycheck to paycheck, just stop now.

1.… Read full post »

Trying to dress myself in the months after I squeezed a baby out of my body was somewhat akin to forcing a water-balloon into a sock. A dated, uncool sock. Because sometime in the 9-plus months I took to bloat myself into the bastion of waddly glory I now find staring… Read full post »