Stuff We Like :: 1.20.17

Let’s make America KIND again, y’all. Also capable of critical thinking and fact-checking. Sigh.

around the web

• I so agree with this: The general problem with math is that we teach kids how to pass tests, not how to, you know, actually do math.
• I love the idea of these little neighborhood food pantries.
• Don’t we all want to be Idris Elba’s Valentine?
• I did just buy my daughter a subscription to Teen Vogue for this very reason.
• I have a new dream vacation destination.

at home/school/life

• on the blog: Suzanne walks you through the rules of Library Chicken.
• one year ago: Learn more about Mary Tudor
• two years ago: Lisa made time for herself by joining a writers group
• three years ago: Shelli made our very first HSL blog post

reading list

• I discovered that the author of The Rose Garden Husband (which, as you know, is one of my favorite comfort reads) wrote another book called The Wishing Ring Man that also features Phyllis and Alan, who play matchmakers for the couple featured in this book and who are just as glowingly in love and perfectly matched as you knew they would be. It’s been a hard couple of months. Reading this made it a little better.
• I’m teaching a feminism in pop culture class, so I’ve been brushing up on the feminist canon with my Norton Feminist Literary Theory and Criticism. (You know, I am not a textbook fan generally, but the Norton collections are usually pretty solid. It pays to price watch on these -- I snagged my copy for $20-ish this fall, but it looks like the cheapest ones now are going for twice that.)
• For once, our readaloud of the week coincides with the official HSL readaloud of the week: We’re reading Skating Shoes. This rarely happens because my recommending a book is usually all that's required to get that book knocked off the consideration list! (Someone asked me about keeping a running list of our weekly readaloud picks, so I’ve added that to the bottom of the subscribers page.)

at home

• Of course we are watching A Series of Unfortunate Events together.
• I’ve been making this sunny yellow soup a lot this month—partly because it’s so cheerful to look at, partly because it’s so easy, and partly because I don’t know what to cook when it’s 69 degrees in January.
• My best friend is in DC this weekend—I contributed by knitting her chapeau for the march. (She may also be wearing my new favorite t-shirt.)

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