PicoBlog

There is a single name pinned to the top of my messages app, a portrait of everything that I have lost along the path of recovery from cults and coercive control.  There used to be nine names in three neat rows of three circles, a mix of friends, lovers and family. Nine names representing a tangle of pleasure and pain, love and mistreatment, curiosity, confusion and rejection. I have loved all nine of those names ferociously, oftentimes in willful ignorance of who they really were and all they represented.

One of my all-time favorite movies is the Greta Gerwig version of Little Women. The story of the March sisters is one that’s very near and dear to my heart, and I absolutely loved Greta’s interpretation (can’t wait for her take on Chronicles of Narnia!) In the movie, as Meg prepares to get married, her sister Jo is horrified. Why would she abandon a life of freedom? Shouldn’t they run off and have adventures together instead?

Quick update for you free subscribers: I’m dropping the price of this blog to the minimum allowed by Substack—$5 a month, $30 a year. If you read this, you appreciate the content, and you’re in the place to do so, I’d appreciate you considering this. This blog isn’t gonna be daily forever (the school year is indeed a thing), and if I had my way it’d be cheaper than that, but if you’re in a spot to think about supporting, I appreciate the thought.

In elementary school, several of my friends were vegetarian because their families were vegetarian. They seemed to be indifferent about abstaining from tandoori chicken during summer BBQ season, which baffled me, a 10-year-old who was smug when eating meat, much like some influencers are when they post themselves eating ice cream with a caption like “POV: you found food freedom” (usually preceded by an unsolicited body check, but we won’t get into that).

The 2 point stance has become more and more popular in modern day football. Players like Khalil Mack and Von Miller show just how effective a 2 point stance can be when used correctly; however, when used incorrectly it can lead to an ineffective pass rush and big holes in the run game. Below is my take on the pros and cons of the 2 point stance.... Pro: Vision Blockers are usually the biggest guys on the team and if the end has their hand in the dirt they won’t be able to see much other than what’s in front of them.

Lots of people love having one dedicated vocation; and I am all for that, we need those people. But I tend to write for the ‘career misfits’, the people who were constantly told they were doing life wrong (especially for refusing to pick One Thing or changing their mind too often.) For years I was told I was indecisive and scatty. In reality, I just thrive when I have multiple projects on the go.

Pumpkins were everywhere. The tiny town of Half Moon Bay, about 45 minutes south of San Francisco, were dotted with massive pumpkin patches, while downtown, farmers from as far away as Minnesota had driven in to have their abnormally sized pumpkins weighed in. It was time for the 50th annual 50th annual Half Moon Bay Pumpkin festival and pre-festivities… ncG1vNJzZmiilZuzpr7SqKWgqpGdrq560q6ZrKyRmLhvr86mZqlnmJa5p3nMqKanZZKWxm7Ax55kqa2dpbiquoycmKmhpJa5

This week’s newsletter builds on the previous issue of the Wild Card, “The Varieties of Historical Genres.” There, I shared some book recommendations but used them to show different approaches to writing history. This time I’m doing something similar but thinking about some of the purposes of writing history. Read on! “What do you do?” “I’m a professor.” “What do you teach and research?” “History.” For decades, I participated in countless versions of this exchange.

Talking about money, motherhood, careers, and all that good stuff. From the founding editor of Refinery29 Money Diaries. By Lindsey Stanberry · Over 8,000 subscribersNo thanks“Smart takes from a sharp editor on money, motherhood, and more.” “Exploring women and money -- lots to learn here!” “If you love Refinery 29's Money Diaries, you'll love this honest account about women and money from previous R29 editor Lindsey Stanberry.” ncG1vNJzZmismJq9tr7SnmWsrZKowaKvymeaqKVf