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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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

Girls at festival – Coral Springs , Florida – 1983

My brain keeps coming back to this observation on friendship. It runs counter to my upbringing, not being a “fair weather friend” was a big deal in our house, but I love the idea of it.

I got myself a a watchy watch. Punctuality rules.

These happy photos of Khoudia Diop are terrific, and full of little pretties. via @Afrobella

Shark baby! Ferocious. Also, the exact stripey, ruffle-yay, little girl swimsuit you’ve been looking for.

Dolphins will risk death to eat octopus, there’s a video. Hard to know who to root for in this bad-ass animal showdown.

I tried to bake brownies tucked inside Easter Eggs, and succeeded spectacularly.

Don’t know him, but Sam Altman seems like such an interesting, curious guy. He traveled across the U.S. to talk to people about why they voted for Trump, then summarized what they liked about him and didn’t. Neat project.

The NBA’s winning percentage has been rising steadily since the 1980s, perhaps because apps like Tinder, Instagram, etc. are making it less time consuming for players to find “companionship” while they’re on the road. Totally fascinating. via kottke

A nice line of poetry from Search and Rescue by Michael Chitwood:

“The busy gray nest
swallows hornets like words
returning to the mouth.”

Feminism,
Maggie

I lost some time to the Inbox of Forgotten Emails, a collaborative project between MailChimp and Creative Mornings.

The site lets you share emails you wrote but never sent, and it reminds me of something I once read about the appeal of the early personal Web, “Knowing someone without having to know them.” Also, reminds me of a long-form PostSecret.

Have you seen 20th Century Women? It’s a hopeful movie with complex, aspirational female characters. Go see it. I love it so much.