God Land by Lyz Lenz

My favorite parts of God Land, by Lyz Lenz:

“For a young mother church was more than a religious education -– it was her community. ‘Some weeks, I only left the house to go to church,’ she tells me. The women in the congregation shared cold remedies for babies, which, according to Evelyn, involved ‘steam and some molasses.’ …Betty tells me those years were the worst years of her life. And in those years, church with her escape and her sanity.”

“I believe Marilyn is talking in general terms. I think if I told her about my life and my purpose, she’d be on my side. But maybe I’m foolish. And which of us is supposed to bend toward the other? We are worlds away, but at the same table. Between us is an unconquerable space, But for now it’s filled with treats, Folgers, and crumpled and napkins. I lean forward and listen.”

“I’m hurt and angry at a Christian ethic that is so tangled in the politics of the right that voting any other way means I am seen by my family and my friends as going against the very will of God.”

Fridaaaaaay! Links

Image by Jean-Baptiste Courtier

Have you ever heard of Dorothy Kindell the “naughty potter?” She made naked lady giftware in the 40s and 50s, which was very unusual for the time. After some digging, I still couldn’t find out much about her. Does anyone know if she’s still alive?

Why Roman concrete is still standing, and our concrete is total crap by comparison. Huh.

What. The Aztecs really did have a tower of skulls. Aztecs, you are scary AF.

Slightly asymmetrical swimming ladies. Aaaah.

How to Build a Skincare Routine A helpful article outlining the kind of thing other women seem to just know, somehow.

I still want majorette boots. Good ones.

Let’s build Twinkle Caves and host tiny tea parties.

And just to round out the ancient-civilizations kick I’m apparently on, they discovered a new room in the Great Pyramid. I am thinking about this approximately as much as I would have when I was eight. So full-time is what I’m saying.

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby

The best parts of We Are Never Meeting in Real Life by Samantha Irby:

“‘That’s a really nice bag,’ I said genuinely, taking a sip of my light bill. ‘Did you recently receive a settlement of some kind?’ She laughed heartily and poured her Obamacare deductible down her throat in one long swallow. ‘Girl, nah, I bought this with money I should have spent on my car payment.’ I clinked the ice in my checking account overdraft fees and nodded solemnly in agreement.”

“I do not like conspicuous men.”

“This is a luxury, you know, being spared the day-to-day deterioration of someone you love.”

“I spent too much time trying to mold myself to fit the romantic ideas of humans who proved themselves unworthy of the effort.”

“I once dated an asshole who, every single time I called, would immediately text, ‘Are you in a burning building?’ Um, no? If I were, and I still had the ability to breathe and read the numbers on my phone while choking to death on smoke, my first call would most certainly not be to a dude who says LIE-BARRY and is afraid to try artichokes.”

“I have never, in any of my interpersonal relationships, with women or men, proposed to sit down somewhere and have a talk. No one ever wants to sit you down and talk about something good, like how he or she should buy you more stuff; people want to trap you in an uncomfortable chair so they can go through the laundry list of your perceived crimes. And all you can do is sit there like a scolded child, nodding sadly in agreement that yes, you are the literal worst.”

You Think You Know Me

My friend Ami Baio made my favorite kind of game, the kind that makes for better conversations. It’s not in production yet, and I’ve already been hearing about it through the nerd grapevine.

Back the Kickstarter to secure a copy now, this has the vibe of a game that’s going to be hard to get, just as everyone around you can’t shut up about how fun it is.

Ami! Hooray for you!

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Fluffy lady

This brooch is incredible. Via Swiss Miss

The Problem with the What Else Mindset by Jocelyn Glei
“The only way to counteract the what else mindset is to regularly, proactively define what “enough” means to you.”

Monkeys and chimpanzees understand trade and stone tools. So tick-tock, you know?

I ordered a pair of these handmade shoes, and they’re so lovely.

I’ve been thinking about this Jawanza Kunjufu quote, “Some mothers raise their daughters but love their sons.” from How to Raise a Feminist Son via Say Yes

Also via Say Yes, this comic on how women tend to be the project managers at home, You Should’ve Asked. Mental and emotional workload is something my husband and I talk about, it such a useful concept for people in partnership to understand.

Congrats to Cam and Doug Bowman, who just launched Greater Ink, a T-shirt company that donates 25 percent of profits to organizations like the ACLU, Lawrence Hall of Science, and the United Way. I got Science Matters shirts for the boys, and a Resist shirt for myself.

And our design consultancy Tall West published some nerd work over on Medium, “All Thumbs, Why Reach Navigation Should Replace the Navbar in iOS Design.”

Also, what kind of palms are these, does anyone know?

Fridaaaay! Links

Happy weekend! I have actual butterflies today, because next week Brad and I leave for a trip to Paris with just the two of us! It’s Brad’s birthday present, and also a delayed honeymoon now that our littlest guy is older. Our weekend is a hectic haze of packing, and cleaning, writing lunch notes, recording bedtime stories, a baseball game and post-game party. On Mother’s Day, we’re having a steak dinner prepped by the 10yo, which is part of our in-house grownup lessons. He’s coming right along. Some links for your weekend:

Mother’s Day–relevant posts from the archives:
9 Not-Stupid Gifts for Women
Handmade Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

Did you see this thread about the white lady who just wants to get ghost-murdered in a nice porcelain bathtub?

I think about this flamingo wallpaper. I think about it.

This was surprisingly time-consuming to find, so I’m putting it here. Long and short sleeved swim shirts for kids in lots of colors, with no stupid logos, or sports numbers, or dubiously feminist assertions written by people who still think feminism is a little taboo and edgy. Just a plain swim shirt that matches your kid’s bathing suit. So they can go swimming. If you find cheaper ones, hit me up.

This cotton candy dress is so cheerful, and it would travel so well.

Also, I ordered this $12 nude dress to wear as a slip, because basic cotton slips are a bear to find. And speaking of bears…

It’s Insane that Anyone Goes Camping “Outside is where bugs live. You’re in the bugs’ house now.”

“What it’s like to be the fat person sitting next to you on the plane.” I sat next to someone who was a bit too big for her seat on a plane recently, and she held her arms pulled up in front of her for the entire flight so she wouldn’t invade my seat more than strictly necessary. It must have been so uncomfortable, possibly even painful, and I was at such a loss about how to ease the situation for both of us. In retrospect, vodka.

A happy gif.

A gym in the UK is offering napping classes, so you can catch up on sleep but truthfully tell coworkers you’re going to the gym. More people should do this.

Nomadic gardener rents out people’s yards to grow produce, which he then sells at local farmers markets and to shops. Genius.

On Facebook, I asked for the one thing you wouldn’t miss in Paris, and I’d love to know yours.

Update on yesterday’s post about Rebecca Woolf’s upcoming movie PANS: What the what? Huge thanks to those of you who have donated so far! With your help, Bex met the goal of 100 new supporters within a few hours. So quickly that the film backer offered an additional $5K if she can make it to 700 supporters by end of day today (Friday, May 12). This level of interest gives PANS a huge boost in the film community. More lady writers, producers, directors! The shift is starting, because of you. Thank you so much.

Fridaaaay! Links

Happy weekend, nice people. What are you up to? Hank’s baseball team is in the playoffs (hooray, Hank’s team!), and a friend of ours organized a kid-friendly evening of s’mores. Doesn’t that sound cozy? Sunday is the Alameda Flea, which we may actually skip because I think we’re at stuff-capacity. But they have Kettle Corn there, so don’t hold me to it. Here are some links for you to click on:

I am a Tinder Guy Holding a Fish and I Will Provide for You

Two things via Ashley C. Ford, who you should follow on the Twitters:
– This brief video of Kim Cattrall made my eyes water with discomfort.
– And what it would sound like if Michael Jackson recorded trap music

An update on yesterday’s post: Because of you, Rebecca met her grant challenge

This toddler suit is the best.

The blushing nail trend is pretty.

Photoshopping heads from old masters’ paintings and Disney princesses onto photos of regular people. (Thanks, Tess!)

PoopQuest — your stool diary is a weirdly pretty and charming app, and just the ticket if you have a toddler with a scatologic obsession.

Flat-chested rich ladies, I have found another bikini for you!

What are you thinking about, little duck?

The Most Interesting Thing in the World

I came across a good guiding question recently in Career Advice for Undergrads. It’s a succinct way to put something I think about a lot:

“First, what is the most interesting thing going on in the world right now? Second, how can I put myself at the center of that?”

Isn’t that good? I so want to know what fascinates you right now. I’ll go first.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how our workforce is being changed by robots. I wonder how can we best evolve as a world community when robots can do most of our heavy lifting.

This is already happening, obviously. Robots have taken over lots of the old assembly jobs, even lots of the new customer service work that used to be done by phone banks.

So how can we be sure everyone has meaningful work so all of us are fed, have clean water, have access to education, and feel included in society? We need to re-train our workforce so we use the things about us that are uniquely human. It seems like we can create engaging work for people, work that could bring us up a step or two on Maslow’s Hierarchy and raise our global well being, but it’s such a huge undertaking.

I also think about the dark side of this, specifically whether we’ve been too radical about using drones and other tech to sanitize war, thereby making peace a less palatable option. Blurft.

OK, your turn. What’s the most interesting thing in the world right now? It doesn’t have to be a big deal to anyone else, maybe just an artist who’s blowing your mind, or a field you want to know more about. I’m more curious about the quirky individuality of it. I am also game to talk more about robots. Your call.

Fridaaaay, Links!

Let’s all live in Muji Huts and have tea together in the yard.

Have you used the new Pinterest-like feature on Instagram? It lets you categorize your Instagram bookmarks into boards. They’re private for now, but I assume the option to make them public is coming.

Pretty disposable water bottle design.

5 Ways to Teach Kids About Consent is simple, useful parenting advice.

“The 25 Most Useful French Phrases I Learned While Studying in France”

Sweet gift for a writer.

Jimmy Fallon hosted some robots on The Tonight Show. Sophia at 2:30 is chilling and magical. via Laughing Squid

Good tool if you’re feeling anxious: The Catastrophe Checklist (20-30 seconds)

Side eye at this coat that functions as an extra suitcase. The poor flight attendants who have to assess your threat level when you’re walking like you have a bunch of electronic equipment inside your clothes. Nope.

Who does this little girl grow up to be? Gah! Babies, you’re the best.

Fridaaaaay, Links!

Photo by Katie Stratton

Roundup of the “most Coachella” outfits at this year’s festival. I particularly like the line of girls laughing mirthlessly and gazing into the middle distance.

Terrifying Glass Bottom Pool in Houston Lets You Swim 500 Feet Over the City Noooope.

I’m curious about these Moment iPhone Lenses. Supposedly they’re high quality telephoto, macro, and wide-angle lenses that mitigate the need to carry a huge DSLR. Which would be good because I keep taking my DSLR places and failing to remove it from my bag.

Did you hear that Taser is offering free body cameras to all U.S. Law Enforcement?

This video of the system for crossing the street at the Boston Marathon is efficiency porn.

Truth.

Army Guy gummies via Laughing Squid

A solar-powered device that pulls water from desert air.

My fully optimized life allows me ample time to optimize yours.

I got you something,
Maggie