Posts by Hillary
This is National Donate Life Month!
Donating a kidney was one of the best things I ever did, and I would do it again in a flash. Here’s the story of how I did it. If you ever think you might want to donate, email me and I’ll do my best to support you.
Read MoreMost Mad Men-era Men Didn’t Have it So Great, Either, But…
A moving New York Times essay about how most men didn’t have it so great during the Mad Men era. But the fact remains that most men had vastly more choices than most women, back then (and, to a lesser extent, now). Many jobs were closed to women, and classified ads routinely specified an age…
Read MoreHow to Read The New York Times
Every time I check out a substantive New York Times article, I do this: 1) skim the article 2) go to the comments and sort them so that the ones most recommended *by readers* (not the paper’s editorial staff) come first. 3) read the most popular comments carefully, and learn from them how to interpret…
Read MoreWhere Veal Comes From
I hope none of my friends eats veal, but if you do, here’s where it’s from. A tiny, newborn calf separated from its mother and raised in terrible isolation. This should be (but alas isn’t) a scene from a horror movie. These are all unwanted male calves from dairy cows, so please try dairy alternatives.…
Read MoreNew Study Shows “Tiger Mom” Wrong
Last year, I wrote about Amy “Tiger Mom” Chua, who wrote a book celebrating her abusive parenting practices, which she said were both typically Chinese American, and yielded a better outcome than supposedly permissive mainstream American ones. (“Better outcome,” of course, defined narrowly as a compliant child who excels in school and work). After widespread…
Read MoreIsolation and Invisibility as Key Tactics *and* Goals of Procrastination
From Chapter 6 of The 7 Secrets of the Prolific Procrastination makes you invisible and isolated. If you never finish your novel, you won’t be seen by agents, editors or your audience. If you never finish your thesis, you won’t be seen by your committee, colleagues and prospective hirers. Invisibility and isolation are, in fact,…
Read MoreShortsightedness as a Barrier to Weight Loss, Writing Productivity and Other Goals
Shortsightedness is a hallmark of addictive behavior: the classic image of an addict is someone who can’t see past her immediate need for a fix, and who will sacrifice anyone or anything to get it. One of the primary aims of my weight loss efforts was to learn to defuse the urgency I often felt…
Read MoreWelcome AWP People!
I had a blast tabling at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs meeting this past weekend. I met so many fantastic writers and writing teachers, and left very inspired. So many people dedicated to the written word, and to expression in prose and poetry. If you’re here after meeting me at the AWP welcome!…
Read MoreCool Science News: Paint-On Solar Cells for Any Surface
Imagine a world where any surface could be coated with solar cells, converting sunlight and even the glow of light bulbs into small amounts of usable energy. This is the goal of a new startup called Ubiquitous Energy, MIT Technology Review reports. – Link
Read MoreHow to Recognize and Cope with Success-Related Losses
I’ve become increasingly aware that: (a) success always involves some loss, compromise, disappointment, or sacrifice; and (b) that fear of that loss is a major barrier for many people. In the below excerpt from my forthcoming book How to Get Willpower for Weight Loss and Other Important Goals, I deal with this important topic. –…
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