Martha, is that you?

The names that are known but not common will suddenly become common and all your planning will bite you in the butt. Well, unless you're lucky!

I know a 16 year-old Jackson. It was unusual in 1998. Poor kid, all the toddlers took his name.

We bought our kids giant suitcases full of mixed up Lego on eBay. We had to leave our house and live in a small apartment for six months or so; the Legos were all the kids brought. That was some awesome, intense play.

His best friend didn't like me. I was like, WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE???? That he didn't totally mash his friend into the ground was the end of it for me.

Well... I'd reconsider the dishes thing. I used to be a terrible dishes-leaver. It was how I was raised! But my boyfriend showed me the light. I'm as obsessive as he is (almost) about it now.

Those stories about mothers dying and their children dying much later of starvation KILL me. My husband and I were new in town and we had a three month old baby. If we died, it would be a while before anyone checked on us. I used to have this horrible fear that someone would come in and kill us, but leave the baby to…

Killing a rabbit in a classroom in front of an audience is creepy. I get a weird sadistic vibe from this: killing so people can watch something be killed. Ick. It's one thing to do it at home, or on your farm. I've killed animals — sick chickens. But I don't like it. Which is why I no longer eat meat. I just don't…

Yep. Every day the morning me thanks the night-before me for cleaning up, getting the coffee pot loaded, cleaning the litter box, packing lunches and putting bfast in the fridge to warm up in the morning. It is SO much easier to get out of bed if that annoying crap is not on the agenda—if I can just read the Internet…

Could not agree more to this. Do it for the TEAM.

I have had a number of friends in this position and I keep my mouth shut unless asked for advice. Don't think anyone has wanted said advice, but yeah, the main issue for me is that the guy is Not A Good Guy if he's doing this to his wife. Why date a creep like that? Women who date married men always tie themselves…

If you have a good DA anything is possible. That and strong social services, and POW. The mother wouldn't necessarily have to be that involved at all. There are a few people out there—not enough of them—who really do their best to look out for abused children. ANGELS, I tell you.

Yeah, I agree. It's actually possible to be a loving person and to have really poor judgment—or to be smart in some areas and really dumb in others. I used to watch the show once in a while at the gym and I grew to like them. But, hoo boy.

At first I said no, now after a moment of reflection I'm like, dafuq? This is a question? A killer? What's going on at this site? Edginess? Geez Louise.

I am a writer, I have work out there, and I'm on GoodReads. I'm just an occasional visitor, though, because I'm a sensitive flower and I DO NOT WANT to see nasty reviews. Negative, fine— no, no, I take it back. No reviews at all. Even positive ones can warp your mind a little.

Yeah.... no. After witnessing two decades of friends/family/acquaintances/myself have and raise babies, I've come to believe that there is NO easy calculation about what has the best outcomes. Being the most "caring" parent is not always best. Sometimes, children thrive best — become more independent, self-motivated,…

My grandparents were awful racists. I didn't say a thing, I just went into another room and cried. (Some of the things they said were really upsetting.) And then... a few years later they died. Gone, their racist attitudes with them. They didn't affect me at all—I don't think kids adopt their grandparents' opinions so…

My guy was transverse, only discovered once the water broke (I think he turned during early labor at home; he had never dropped into position). Also 9+ pounds. He was, in a word, unbirthable. We would definitely both be dead—like so many of the 19th century women on my family tree. Seems like each husband had at…

My first post-birth meal was a specially requested root beer float (made my husband go find one). It was deeeelicious. Still think about it.

Ugh, Jezebel is already less good. I can't put my finger on it, but it feels a little shallower and there are definitely fewer articles I want to read. Oh well, nothing stays excellent forever...