The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, expat guide

Maslow Updated: Reworking of the famous psychological pyramid of needs puts parenting at the top

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 1 weeks ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

The story connected to the link below is rather amazing to me. I've known about Maslow's pyramid since my high school psychology class, and the basic idea of it always spoke to me: Human beings have a hierarchy of needs and you must fulfill those at the bottom before you can work those at the top. Needs like food and shelter to survive are at the bottom, and then comes other concerns like security. And at the top is self-actualization, the artistic and intellectual expression of one's self,... Read more

Interresting ? 0

What Have I Been Reading on Summer Vacation'

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 3 weeks ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

I know it's wrong to waste all those beautiful summer days with my nose stuck in a book. But in fact summer vacation is my favorite time to read. And there's no better place than my family's lakeside cottage in Vermont. In fact, one of my favorite daydreams in wintertime is to imagine myself on the beach, the sun warming my legs as I read a juicy YA fantasy or some loft book on the meaning of God. Occasionally I'd look out onto the sun-sparkled waters and listen to kids playing nearby, or... Read more

Interresting ? 0

All Joy and No Fun

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 1 month ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

While driving to the airport to pick up Henry from his week-long trip in Chicago I listened to a radio show about why we have kids. The writer of the article linked below summed up her interviews with parents with the observation that they weren't having any fun with their kids and had made their lives much worse having them but were too socially constricted to admit it.I was so intrigued by her conclusions I went and looked up the article. It's true that most studies show parents having less... Read more

Interresting ? 0

Yay! Vermont-Bound

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 2 month ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

On Sunday morning I leave for Vermont with Henry and Niek. Sure we have a 7 hr layover in Gatwick and then an 8 hr plane ride with a very wriggly baby. But still! Vermont! Vermont! VERMONT!!! I didn't go last year because I was pregnant and I got so depressed about it, I couldn't believe it. But now I'm finally going to my favorite place in the world. Ah!Plus, the Netherlands just beat heavy favorite Brazil to get into the World Cup Semi-finals. And tomorrow I'm seeing the Tour... Read more

Interresting ? 0

Lovely summer days and very dark reading

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 2 month ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

My mom is here and so life is no longer quite as hectic, running between work and daycare and revising my novel. In fact, I just sent my revisions off to my agent, so I have even more free time to catch up on reading (and work on my other novel).I'm halfway through "Half of a Yellow Sun" and it's trememdously good--a novel all about the history of Nigeria after the British left it, and how all its tribes started massacring each other and then waged war for years and then starved... Read more

Interresting ? 0

The ?Beauty Bias' at Work, and What Should Be Done About It - Working In These Times

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 2 month ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

This is really upsets. And it starts happening in primary school. I read a recent study that attractiveness was still the most important signifier of popularity in 1st grade!The ‘Beauty Bias’ at Work, and What Should Be Done About It - Working In These Times Read more

Interresting ? 0

New Yorker article on current young adult dystopian craze

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 2 month ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

Suzanne Collins’s “The Hunger Games,” review : The New YorkerI diagree that this is a new thing. When I was in jr high I devoured dystopian books. My favorite was Children of the Dust by Louis Lawrence Read more

Interresting ? 0

Just me and the baby--all day long

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 3 month ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

Friday is the day I normally stay home with Niek. I know I'm supposed to enjoy being with him, but instead I get so caught up in getting other stuff done--like housework or work-work or novel revisions---that I end resenting him a lot. So today I took Ted's advice and just accepted that nothing would get done except meeting Niek's needs. It's been an okay day--I feel like my brain is getting soft just sitting and talking to Niek for hours, but I did at least go for more outings... Read more

Interresting ? 0

distracted and subtracted

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 3 month ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

Too busy to write, too busy writing stuff I don't want to write. That's the worst of it--when I write all day at work and then try to get more writing when I get home (after the baby goes to sleep). I'm starting to fantasize about chaining myself to a chair or even (gasp) forgoing all books until I get some writing done.Then there's the new iPad my father bought my husband. What a horrendous timesuck. I really wonder how younger generations will get anything done now that there are so... Read more

Interresting ? 0

rejection

From The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, 4 month ago, Read 0 times. Similar articles

My agent just forwarded me 3 editor rejection emails. Though it's painful to read why they passed, all of them said very nice things about the book. The best comments were about the main character's funny, quirky voice. Since I struggled with my main character for so long, it's good to hear she's finally someone that inspires affinity. So I feel close--now I just have to up the tension and romance a bit more. If only I had time! Is it wrong to wish my baby slept 18 hrs a day' I keep... Read more

Interresting ? 0

The Mind Takes Back What it Can:, everything about life abroad

Blog