A photo project about Nagorno-Karabakh’s birth encouragement program
Jenn recently shared a NY Times piece calledThe National Womb, which is a project that documentary photographer Anastasia Taylor-Lind underrtook. The focus is a “birth encouragement program” that the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh implemented in 2008: basically, the government gives cash to newlyweds each time they have a kid.
How can I display my collection of anthropological souvenirs?
I’m an anthropologist. I have collected a bunch of ridiculous souvenirs that, at the time, seemed like a good idea to lug back home. Some of my challenges include a Masai spear and a delicately beaded belt.
Touring the country with your band… and your baby (part 2)
What we’ve learned is that traveling with a baby isn’t a whole lot different than a regular tour — you just have, well, a baby. You might stop a little more frequently, or you might not — at least no more than if you have a tiny-tanked bandmate. You still stop to stretch your legs or to get gas, and that’s when you pop on a fresh diaper and feed the little guy. You set out to explore a city, and you stuff the little fella in a sling or carrier, and off you go.
5 lamps you can handmake to add sculptural surrealism at home
Cheap good lamps are hard to find, am I right? I’ve been on the search for them in big box stores, clearance aisles, antique shops, and thrift stores all over the midwest, and I’m still lighting most of my living room with clamp lights. If you’re in the same boat, I have been scheming schemes. Here are five lamps you can handmake.
Baby wearing is hard — but putting her down is harder
I spent a very big chunk of time the other day “wearing” and holding my three week-old daughter, Evelyn. The night ended with a bad stomachache (hers triggered mine) and by the time my husband got home and scooped Evie up in his arms, I was relieved. I slept for four hours, alone, in a pitch black room. I practically melted into the sheets. It felt good to be a separate entity, even if I was asleep for it.
Let’s take a moment to fantasize about off-limits offbeat pets
I grew up in the country. Pets were whatever I could bring home. I raised some baby mice, had a sand piper for a spell, and dreamed of having a pet raccoon like in Rascal.
I’m a grown-ass lady now, and know that I would never, ever keep a non-domesticated animal as a pet — but it is still SO FUN to pretend I can!
How and why I voluntarily became a single mother at 22
When I was little, my rendition of “house” always included pretending I was a single mother struggling to make ends meet. I’m not sure if my eight-year-old self could foresee the future, or if I was just making do with the fact that I didn’t ever have a boy to play my “husband.” I dabbled in dating as a teenager. By “dabble” I mean my relationships never lasted more than three months and most were more like a few days. I just never had much interest in men (or women, for that matter), sexually speaking.
3 tips for sharing baby news online without annoying your childless friends
Like many twentysomething parents-to-be, my friends can be put into one of two categories: those who are absolutely thrilled to hear I’m pregnant and want to know every last detail, and those who are quite frankly tired of seeing nothing but babies and wedding photos on Facebook. And despite being a recently-married mama-to-be, I understand where they’re coming from.