Objects of My Affection

All my for-sale stuff was getting mixed up with all my can’t-buy-it stuff on Pinterest, so I just started a few shopping boards. Rectified.

ladywear
This is where I’m putting all the lady clothes I love while I wait for everything to go on sale.

fleamarket
This is vintage stuff I find for sale that’s the wrong size, or redonk expensive, or so crazy perfect but I live in a one-bedroom apartment with a spouse and two children and I’m trying to keep the pathways open.

try it, you’ll like it
An almost-never-updated board of things that are perfect. Peeeerrrrrfect. The best of everything for you, my friend.

In other stuff news, I love this super simple grey backpack with charging capability, $200. Good fancy gift.

Love,
Maggie

Duolingo

If you’d like to learn another language in your (limited) downtime, the Duolingo app is incredible. It has quick, simple practice sessions that let you accumulate the basics fast. You can set it to how many minutes a day you want to practice, and it tells your percentage of fluency at the end of each practice session. It front loads the commonly used words and phrases, so I’m at 14 percent after only two weeks. So motivational and gamelike, try it!

(Thanks, Swissmiss!)

The Best Parent Hacks from the Book

My friend Asha Dornfest runs the site Parent Hacks, and just published the terrific Parent Hacks Book. It’s a quick read, but I learned so, so much, even as a second-time parent. Three of my favorite tips:

#25 After a diaper blowout, take the onesie off top to bottom.

#51 A dry washcloth keeps shampoo out of kids’ eyes.

#119 Use glowsticks as travel nightlights.

Super informative, and a great baby shower gift. Congrats, Asha!

Balanced App

Hi, this isn’t an ad.

Have you heard of Balanced App? If you’re trying to form a habit, or achieve a goal that requires repetition, try it. It’s simple, and lovely, and I want to kiss its little digital face.

Selling points:

• It does not pressure me to seek Facebook validation every time I floss my teeth.
• It’s easy to input daily, weekly, monthly, and annual habits.
• It does not suggest I meditate whenever I open it.
• It offers simple metrics for each habit, and the overall list.
• It does not auto-Tweet when I lose weight.
• The text does not remind me of someone on cocaine.

But perhaps most importantly, the interface does not make me recoil. Balanced is beautiful, straightforward, and intuitive. You will like it.

Old Stuff I Bought

Brad needed a desk lamp, so I went hunting at an antique shop last weekend. Finds!

I got this ’50s desk lamp with the original fiberglass(?) shades. The lights bend to shine wherever you want, and you can turn on each bulb individually or both at once. When we got home, I considered stealing it for my own desk because I wasn’t sure Brad understood the lamp like I did. Then he got agitated when I moved it to my desk to take this photo, even though he had not yet plugged it in. So he gets to keep it.

Bakelite salt and pepper shakers. You press that button on the top, and it moves this little plug at the bottom to dispense. It dispenses a lot of salt, which is delicious.

Ugly ’70s purse! So divine.

Also, I bought another architectural vintage hat without a specific plan of where I’ll wear it. I’m like a cat lady, but with hats. Except hats don’t eat your face when you die alone in your apartment. So that’s an upside.

Great Ideas Tuesday

What happens when you send me out for booze in a college town.

Valentine’s Basics: Gifts for Him

He has everything he needs. But for Valentine’s Day, you want him to have a little more. Some simple gifts to let him know he’s loved.

I Like Your Face Mug, $14

Best delivered first thing in the morning with fresh-brewed coffee inside.

The Rap Year Book: The Most Important Rap Song From Every Year Since 1979, Discussed, Debated, and Deconstructed, $12

Maybe give this to him the day before Valentine’s Day. He’s not gonna look up for a few hours.

Men’s Cotton House Slippers, $17

Slippers that keep his toes warm, but don’t make his feet sweat. Key.

Calvin Klein Modal Boxer Briefs, $23

Sexier than silk boxers with hearts all over them. Plus he might actually wear them.

Lagavulin Scotch 16 Year, $90

He buys you lingerie, you buy him top-shelf booze. Both of you so selfless.

P.S.
Gift Guide: Classic Gifts for Men
Sexy Times Gift Guide

Lance Arthur is Famous

I met Lance Arthur in the early days of SxSW Interactive, when it was possible to know or at least recognize everyone who was attending.

He started blogging at Glassdog in 1996, and stopped in 2011. He just finished up a series of personal essays on Medium called Conversations with Myself. I’m still reading all of them, but maybe start with Odd Man Out.

If you weren’t around for the early days of blogging, these essays are just how it felt. If you were, you’ll remember Lance. Hello, mister.

Let’s Talk Orgasms

If you don’t want to talk about sexy things, here is a link to that panda rolling in the snow.

For the rest of you, there has been a recent advancement in sex technology. It’s offensively named, air-through-your-teeth ugly, and expensive like you don’t need to eat. Still, I want to give one to everyone I know, like the world’s creepiest fairy godmother.

Meet The Womanizer.

So beautiful, no? As I mentioned, the designs come in different variations of eye smack, but we all need to get past that. Because, damn.

“The Womanizer” is like a vibrator, but it doesn’t necessarily touch your clitoris. Instead it provides light suction and varying speeds of vibration that combine to make things happen… quickly.

Here’s a more thorough, educated Womanizer review. I just thought you should know this existed. Solidarity.

Sexy Times Gift Guide

He thinks Valentine’s Day is stupid. He thinks it’s a Hallmark holiday perpetuated by gift-shop owners and florists. He thinks if you’re really in love, you’ll naturally celebrate that year round anyway. He… should probably shut up now.