I am a Creative Renegade

It says so right here.

From the HOW Design Live 2012 brochure.

New Directions

I’m a writer. Oh sure, I’ve tried other things and scouted out alternative avenues (little known fact: I once owned a yoga and Pilates studio), but the fact of the matter is, I’m a writer. I’ve always been a writer. My husband delights in the ever-so-embarrassing book of haikus that I wrote when I was…

Lego for Girls

In the past week, I’ve heard lots of people talking about the new Lego Friends (a.k.a. Lego for Girls) and how they wished that they would be released in time for Christmas so they could give them to their daughters, granddaughters and nieces. Wired did a great overview of the forthcoming sets. The main characters…

The Volt

Here’s all you really need to know about the Chevy Volt: it’s a car that you want to drive. I used to have Prius envy, pretty much ever since my father got his in 2004. I rented them from Hertz at every available opportunity. There was something about the Prius that soothed my inner do-gooder…

Why You Hate Public Speaking

Everyone hates public speaking, right? Ask almost anyone, even the most accomplished speakers, and they tell you that they get twitchy before they go on stage. But why? Public speaking is just talking, and everyone I know can talk. I blame school. (I have no doubt that my teacher friends will be stopping by to…

Funny, It Doesn’t Mention Weight Loss…

This week, I went to a new dermatologist. I adored her from the start. Not only did she do the most comprehensive mole and skin check that I’ve ever experienced, she also told me that she could fix my psoriasis, the itchy, flaky plague that’s bothered me since shortly after moving to California 12 years…

The Three Jobs

I told my son that at this point in his young life, he has three very important jobs. Listen to your parents/teachers/grandparents. They’re telling you things for a reason, and no, you don’t know better than they do. Tell the truth. Always be curious and try new things. If he does these things, the rest…

There Is No Such Thing As One Size Fits All Pricing

A guy walks into a car dealership. “I want to buy a car,” he says to the salesperson. “How much does it cost?” “Well,” says the salesperson. “That depends. A luxury car or an entry-level subcompact? Do you want air conditioning? Satellite radio? GPS? Heated seats? Leather-wrapped steering wheel? Automatic or manual transmission?” The guy sighs….

In Search of Ballpark Courtesy

I grew up with baseball. My family had season tickets to Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, and there was a time when my mother and grandmother would go to every single home game of the season. I spent more hot, sticky summer afternoons stuck to those awful chocolate brown seats in the 200 Level than I…

Inspiration Comes in Many Forms

Two weeks ago, I wrote about the boost of inspiration that I expected to get from my annual pilgrimage to the Creative Freelancer Conference. As it turns out, I didn’t get what I expected. Usually I leave this conference with a to-do list that’s close to a mile and a half long. But this year,…

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In Defense of Food: An Eater's ManifestoLamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood PalThe Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's NestThe Weight of SilenceIn the FallShanghai Girls

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