- “What I discovered was that people are kind, and if they can, they will try to help. It’s a good feeling.” Update from our first Skillshare grant winner, Emrys Kim.

- Oof. This breaks my heart and scares the crap out of me as a mother.

- Brittany Gibbons is looking for curvy intellectuals as part of our Rivet&Sway campaign.

-Lots more interviews with women who inspire us up on the Go Mighty blog, including Jessica Zollman, who is part of the Community Team for Instagram and a Mighty Summit attendee.

In more personal news, remember our #thankawriter project? I told you Thomas Lynch surprised me with a package of autographed books. Then yesterday Poet Donald Hall sent a lovely letter in response to my condolence note — humbling. People are nice.

Me: Cheers, Feisty!
Mai: …
Me: Cheers, Sassy!
Mai: …
Me: I’m toasting you with names I don’t want men to call me at bars.
Mai: Ah. Cheers, Cunty!

Miyoko Shida Rigolo‘s feather balancing act just gave me full body chills.

Also, Ryan Gosling refusing to eat cereal.

I have low tolerance for people messing with conventional narrative modes, because it’s often done poorly. I like experimentation, but if you’re taking on William Faulkner and Virginia Woolf you’d better have some chops, Author Person. Don’t sneer about how most people don’t get what you’re trying to do. We get it. But almost no one is good at it, and I don’t want to be distracted by an author’s “groundbreaking choices” when I’m trying to suspend my disbelief.

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Ten Things You Should Do in Chicago

Chicago is one of my favorite cities, there’s something very pragmatic about it that’s missing from San Francisco and New York. Also, cheesy popcorn. My friend Meredith Sinclair calls Chicago home, and this week on our Go Travel inspiration list, Meredith is sharing a few Chicago favorites. Go look.

Are you heading to Chicago soon? If you have any musts, let us know in comments.

Photo Source

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Five Things to Taste in Chicago

Ten Things You Should Do in San Francisco

Ten Things to Do in Los Angeles

I look for any excuse to wear a hat, they’re so satisfyingly British. Hats are the main reason I want to go to the Kentucky Derby someday, so I was pleased when I heard there would be a Kentucky Derby Party at Mom 2.0 Summit, where I was speaking last week.

Here’s me doing a bang-on impression of my grandmother in my travel hat:

I’m so silent-screen furious.

The hat is technically the remains of one of those giant feather/afro wigs that I got for $10 at the flea market. Here’s what it looked like originally. I flipped it inside out, put a plate down on the middle of it, and cut around to see if I could get out the cute little poof in the center without the whole thing falling apart. It worked.

It’s super lightweight, obviously, and it travels in a tiny cardboard box because the feathers just fluff out when I open the lid. I secure it with little bobby-pin Xs, so I can wear it underneath a chignon, right on top of my head like a fascinator, or over one eye for a more vintage look.

I took photos of my favorite hats from the party, and I wish I’d asked for everyone’s info. If you recognize someone I don’t link to, let me know their name in comments please.

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Grandma. You don’t have to sneak sips of dad’s bourbon. We know you’ve never liked white wine.

Hermes Le 4 Mond Bridge Playing Cards

Silhouette Mug

Precious Charms Necklace

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