Author: dadinautumn

The Parents My Daughter Left Behind

It’s her birthday soon. I can feel her birth parents’ love.

In just less than three weeks, it will be dear FD’s birthday. Every year on this day, I think of her biological parents. more…

And… There Are Job Sites on the Internet, Part 2

Since our last installment, I’ve been checking out a few of the more popular sites, and one app, for freelancers. more…

I’m Wondering If Our Children Are Too Safe, Part 2

In addition to not letting our kids out of our sight, we’ve got other ways of coddling our kids into uselessness. more…

There Are Job Sites on the Internet, Part 1

There are dozens of job sites on line, but if you’re just starting to rebuild your career, I wouldn’t bother. Here’s why. more…

Vegan Junk Food No Sane Person Would Eat. But I Do.

Because manufacturers are so cheap, there’s lots of vegan junk food.

So let’s be clear. This is not a post about all of the nutritious, healthy vegan foods and recipes there are. It’s about Evil: The standard America garbage grub that’s vegan junk food just because its manufacturers are too cheap to pay for anything but chemicals. more…

I’m Wondering If Our Children Are Too Safe, Part 1

Finding the right balance between your child’s freedom and her safety.

Friends of mine will tell you I’ve been pondering this for years: Do we try so hard to keep our kids safe that we’re holding them back? I worry we’re infantilizing them, and maybe worse. But I’m not sure. more…

Spicy Seared Kale — A Recipe, Sort Of

I know, I know. It’s the Beatles vs the Stones all over again. Broccoli vs. brussel sprouts. Life vs. Art (No, wait, that’s wrong.) Kale vs. Not-kale. Here’s a smoky, spicy dish I make several times a week for lunch. more…

Explaining Big Things to Your Child

A member of an Facebook adoption group recently posed an question: How should adoptive parents talk adoption with their children? It got me thinking, and I realized the question goes beyond adoption, to other Big Things like death and sex. more…

Reinventing Yourself Professionally

One evening, I spoke by phone to my friend John Murphy, AKA “Murph,” now of Human Arts Media. I was desperate for a way forward after losing my longtime job as a technical writer. more…

Defender of Our Poor Cat-Upon Carpets: Fizzion

Yes, healthy cats are extremely clean. That is, if you don’t count their mouths, which a bite can reveal to be a lacerating pit of tiny infectious monsters. But a cat’s cleanliness extends mostly just to the cat him/herself. As far as your home goes, erm, not so clean. more…

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