reflections of an urban cyclista, part 1

I never thought that the act of riding a bicycle was such a powerful political statement until I started riding one every day around Boston. What is it about cycling — or indeed,… Continue reading

considering color at the ICA & MFA

I am back from visiting family in Hawai’i, where we were surrounded by color: soft blues and greens, mostly. Coming home to Boston wasn’t as dismal and grey as it usually is, thanks… Continue reading

modern children

I saw two movies recently that should be required viewing for a parents with teens, and for teens themselves—and no, one of them isn’t The Hunger Games. My mother, a public school teacher… Continue reading

sluts to watch out for

Back in the 1980s, when I was at Barnard, there was a pioneering comic strip we used to read called Dykes to Watch Out For. Written and illustrated by Alison Bechdel, the series explored… Continue reading

Dumb and dumber: an American education

The dumbing down of America seemed to hit a new low last week. If wanting your child to get a college degree is a sign of snobbery, like the sanctimonious Mr. Santorum says,… Continue reading

a big pink stink, One Million Moms gone wild: this week in womanhood

OMG. I mean OMM. It’s been a wild week for us womenfolk. One Million Moms, the American Family Association‘s crankier half, wants us to stop buying our mom jeans at JCP. Why? Well,… Continue reading

Blue Bras and Personhood Laws

Have you seen the video of Egypt’s “Blue Bra Girl”? . Brutalized on the street by Egyptian soldiers on December 17th, her abaya pulled over her head and her torso and blue bra… Continue reading

Christian Marclay’s The Clock

Do not squander time. It is the stuff life is made of. –The Clock, 3:38 PM Why, my son asked me recently, does time fly when you’re playing a really cool video game,… Continue reading

MIT’s big FAT Chain Reaction

On Black Friday, that darkest day of the year for advanced shoppers like myself, I experienced the antithesis of a Wal-Mart parking lot at midnight: MIT’s 14th annual FAT (Friday After Thanksgiving) Chain… Continue reading

on working in America

Is making a living starting to kill you? What do you think about your work life? Is it still working for you? I keep wanting to blog about work, but work keeps getting… Continue reading