We have a vacation rental property, and it is ALWAYS the southern guests who leave the place covered in a thin film of tacky fried-food oil ... 

Hmm. That might be just the ticket for days when it’s not cold enough to justify firing up the woodstove to keep my teapot warm. (And who are these heathens going on about “cold coffee was good enough for me walking 5 miles through the snow to work”?) Small comforts are good things. 

All I want for Christmas is an Ivanka perp walk ...

Grew up in the Very Preppy White north shore of Chicago. Moved to California as an adult, as did my brother. We’re “home” one year for Easter, and friends invite our family to the old-school country club for brunch. Exhibit A: “how do you feel about living in a non-white-majority state?” Answer: It’s great! Everyone…

Interesting. My chronically-depressed mother had a major head injury in her mid-60s, that impacted her OFC. Her executive functioning had always been terrible, and got significantly worse for a while — but her depression lifted for several years (she even forgot for a couple of years that she hated me, which was…

Card-carrying union adjunct professor here, headed to a meeting this afternoon to learn about the new contract our union just negotiated. Because we’re unionized, I get paid pretty well for an adjunct, get health (really good) health insurance, and it looks like we’re getting a cost-of-living increase. Go unions!

NO FOOTBALL! GO OUTSIDE! (Also, as a Chicago native, the Cowboys are evil ...). 

When I first moved out west and discovered that we got to SKI ALL DAY then come home and eat, I was overjoyed. No more sitting on the couch all day eating boring brown food. Put that turkey in an oven bag, on low — go ski all day, come home and make a few sides, invite some folks over, and have a nice dinner. Beers…

One way to challenge the classism of our current govt might be to build/renovate a Congressional apartment building. Nothing fancy, just plain 1-bed apts for a reasonable rate, rented to Congressional reps who aren’t rich and for whom maintaining a residence at home, and one in expensive DC is a stretch. This isn’t a…

The ratio was perhaps the most satisfying thing I’ve ever seen on Twitter. I grew up broke among the rich, and between Marshalls, the much-lamented Loehmann’s, TJ Maxx, some hand me downs, and Ann Taylor’s sales rack, I too managed to cobble together “nice” outfits for the jobs I was being underpaid for because they…

This was a delight. My grandmother Did Not Cook. Apparently she cooked when my mom & her siblings were growing up, but by the time we grandkids came along, dinner came from a can because she was busy riding her horse. Which was good, because having grown up with servants, she never quite realized they were gone.…

Bozeman MT is THE WORST.

My little town in Montana has a community Christmas dinner at the Civic Center -- it’s the best. Lots of people come, and bring their kids, and there’s turkey and all the trimmings. We recently started a Thanksgiving too ... and they’re even organized to bring covered plates to elderly folks who can’t get out, or to…

It is weird. I live in Livingston, former railroad town, union guys, lots of artists and lefties. Next town to the east is totally deep red, was settled by ex-Confederate soldiers, still has a deep racist vibe. 

My favorite pair of tongs came apart this summer at a BBQ, and my beloved, the contractor, fixed them with a screw. Even with a pointy screw sticking out the top, they’re my best pair of tongs. 

Plymouth is my go-to everyday gin. 

I keep chickens. If you don’t wash your eggs (which removes the natural cuticle that keeps them safe for 28 days as if you were a hen sitting on them), they’re fine on the counter. US commercial eggs must be washed, hence must go in the fridge. EU eggs are not washed, hence stay out. (Room temp eggs are also better…

Schulman also wrote the terrific Gentrification of the Mind -- one of the best texts on the mechanics of these years of income inequality. 

WEAR SHOES people! SHOES. 

DO NOT FEED THE WILDLIFE! Jeez oh pete people!