My shelves arrived! I have a sort-of organized garage! Now I just need to decide what to do with some of the extra stuff (like two kitchen chairs) and I can start parking in the garage again. Woot!

Is her hair too short and his hair too long? What's their grief?

Pretty much (although they both have short hair now). Plus there was the whole thing when my toddler boy wore skirts and dresses and my brother and brother-in-law were positive it was going to ruin him in some way. And my girl definitely sees herself on the non-heteronormative tip. I have to say, it's kind of wonderful to watch how much not just the vocabulary but the actual possibilities for negotiating gender and sexuality have changed.

I have to say, it's kind of wonderful to watch how much not just the vocabulary but the actual possibilities for negotiating gender and sexuality have changed.

It's true. I couldn't have imagined an LGBTQ Club at my HS, and Matilda has one in her elementary school. (And was doing readings in it to kindergartners the other day.)

Side Note: I was just reading a long history on the practice of "breeching" and it was so illuminating about notions of gender enforcement. And all of the mothers who were sad about their boys being breeched were considered to be silly, sentimental fools whereas it was the beginning of a rigid, often brutalizing enculturation.

Oh, 'istas! Hello. I've been a bad, bad poster, and kindda turned into a mostly-lurker in the past year. So imagine a rain of buckets of ~mas to everyone here, and thank you for keep being a bunch of awesome folks in a great place as you are. You are a constant promise-distraction that reality is better than what it seems to be at times.

(Also, just to say I wanted to drop everything and show up by so many of your doors with food so many times in the past few months. Lots have you have been through too much, and I am so sorry for this. Sadly, space-time continuum and silly work were in the way of my cunning plan).

I came by posting on behalf of a friend, thinking you might have ideas for her, because she's looking for rental info in Chicago, NYC, and/or Washington D.C.

She'll be spending one semester in Northwestern, Chicago during Mid-July and Mid-August. She's looking for people who are or might know people who live around the faculty of law in Chicago (not in the university campus) and who might be interested to switch their 2 bedroom apartment with a her apartment for the time period.

In case that won't work out, she's looking for folks who would like to rent their place in Chicago (for 2 roommates) or someone who would like to rent her place in Tel-Aviv for the summer.

More information available here (English after Hebrew), including her email: [link]

(Also? She's a fantastic person. So I'd be happy if any of you will get to know one another while she's in Chicago).

You guys!!! I met Aurelia last night! Was awesome. Pic on fbook.

Saw the picture on FB! It brings a spark of joy when I see mini Buffista F2F pics.

Shir! Not in Chicago, but I was thinking of you a couple days ago. Well, I do randomly think of Buffistas often, but this was more specific. A friend of mine was on vacation in Israel with her family and her husband had a stroke. He is Israeli, but she is Indian and doesn't speak Hebrew. they have 6 kids and she is a physician so she had to come home and get back to work. He can't leave. He is in rehab, which is costing a small fortune each day, but they won't release him to fly home. Apparently they would let him take a ship, but that obviously has a whole other set of complications. Its a big mess. Apparently he has been there a while now, but I just found out from his brother-in-law. Life, she is full of complications.

Oh wow, Laura. That's terrible. If you'd like to ping my profile addy with more details (say, where he's at), I'd be happy to see if I can help in any way.

He is in Tel Aviv. You are in Jerusalem? Mostly it is jumping through bureaucratic hoops. Ugh.

Coffee: It is just a feeling of helplessness. It must have killed his wife to leave him there.