How do you like to go up in a swing, Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do! Those are the opening lines of a poem from one of the My Book House books that I loved when I was a little girl. It … Continue reading Swinging for Fitness
city life
Come Here! Go Away!
My dad used to play this game with me when I was little, and now I play it with my son: Place your child in a swing and stand in front of it. Frown. Say, "Go away!" and push the swing. Now open your arms and smile. Say, "Come here, Nicholas!" [or, for best results, … Continue reading Come Here! Go Away!
An Everyday Educational Game
As we walked along our neighborhood's main street this afternoon, my four-year-old son asked me about a strange-looking contraption on the sidewalk. I explained that it's for the safe, sanitary disposal of cigarette butts. Sadly, Nicholas knows all about cigarettes, even though nobody in our family smokes them, because in our urban habitat we routinely … Continue reading An Everyday Educational Game
Excuse me, are you Jewish?
My neighborhood has a large Jewish population, and every so often a person will approach me in public and say, "Excuse me, are you Jewish?" I always say no. Sometimes this earns me a Good Card, the version for non-Jews. Most times it results in the person leaving me alone--he was looking for a Jewish … Continue reading Excuse me, are you Jewish?
Show. No. Fear.
A few years ago, my mom and I saw a toddler having a tantrum about leaving an outdoor tourist attraction at closing time. She wanted to walk--NO she wanted to be carried--NO she wanted to ride in the wagon--NO she wanted to shriek and thrash in the gravel!!! This went on and on and on … Continue reading Show. No. Fear.
Stroller Madness
Long before we became parents, Daniel and I decided we would not be transporting our child in a stroller on any regular basis. We live in Pittsburgh, a city of steep hills, stairs, and sidewalks cracked by frost heave and tree roots. Our neighborhood has heavy pedestrian traffic on sidewalks that are narrow in places. We often … Continue reading Stroller Madness
Pittsburgh: A Love Letter
As of last August, I've lived in Pittsburgh longer than in any other town. Sixteen years, and I still love it! Pittsburgh is the #1 most livable city in America. I grew up in Oklahoma, so that's my basis for comparison, and Pittsburgh wins in many ways: I like walkable neighborhoods, not spread-out ranch houses and strip … Continue reading Pittsburgh: A Love Letter
There go the helpers!
One day when my son was a tiny baby, I was walking with him along the main street of our neighborhood when an ambulance went screaming past. Just ahead of us on the sidewalk were a little boy and his mother, and they jumped up and down shouting happily, "There go the helpers!" Wow. What … Continue reading There go the helpers!
response to “The Urban Archipelago”
I just learned that an article several people forwarded to me just after the 2004 election now has its own Website. "The Urban Archipelago" has one very clear, important point: The states of the United States are not as different from one another as the cities are different from the small-town and rural areas. But after … Continue reading response to “The Urban Archipelago”
Quit faking it. They need the bed.
Back in 1997 I got kind of crazy for a while, and one day when I was on my way to work everything was so horrible and seemed so hopeless that I started crying on the bus, which is in itself an incredibly depressing experience: Nobody will look at you; they just pretend you don't … Continue reading Quit faking it. They need the bed.
Don’t take out the trash!
Here's an idea for reducing your garbage output: Don't take out the trash until the collection day. Store all of your trash inside your living space. Is it taking up too much room? That motivates you to throw away less stuff. Does it stink? That motivates you to think about better ways to dispose of … Continue reading Don’t take out the trash!
The Earthling's Handbook 