Just a little (link) love: 22 push-up Challenge edition
August 25, 2016
CAREER + MONEY THINGS
Interestingly I agree with TechDirt’s approach of “creating good content” (uh, just writing as well as I can?) to attract readers rather than trying to chase large readership numbers and page views. Naturally this means that I have about 30 loyal readers, but it also feels a lot more engaged here. Popularity has never seemed so attractive before but it’s still the empty calories of the social world, IMHO.
The sovereign citizen movement apparently believes that the law doesn’t apply to them, they don’t have to pay taxes, but that they can extort money. Wow.
When kids help careers. I’m wide open for inspiration, JuggerBaby!
A light read on open vacation policies. It really depends on the culture. Sometimes I think it’s prime set-up for abuse but if done right I mostly do like the idea. It does make me miss getting to accrue vacation to be paid out though.
Thanks to Little Miss Moneybags for this link to a retirement calculator.
FUN THINGS
Carrie Fisher roasts George Lucas and it’s wonderful
These people cannot travel with me either
INTERESTING THINGS
Thanks Laura Vanderkam, please stop with the “just you wait” and “just wait until”, please! I am utterly fatigued with how people whip that out every single time they hear anything about a child’s growing up. Yeah, this will pass and something else will happen, I get it already. Could you let me enjoy what’s happening right now, though? I’m neurotic enough about planning for the future, I’d like to focus on what’s in front of me.
The banality of doing evil: I don’t find it entirely implausible that those involved with the Nazi propaganda machine didn’t know the full story of what they were doing, but I do find it hard to believe that they never bothered to ask after their Jewish friends when they knew that things had gotten difficult for them since Hitler’s regime. Or is this how people who won’t vote for Hillary Clinton are ignoring what would happen to their neighbors, to the women, immigrants, the people of color, and those who aren’t Christian, if Trump is in power? Is it a matter of “as long as it’s not me, I’m sure it’s fine”?
Would you decide to not have children or to have fewer children based on a bleak future predicted to come to pass in 20 years?
22 Pushup Challenge with Chris Evans
I can’t stop laughing at his dog. Like the ALS ice bucket challenge, the goal is to spread awareness about the suicide epidemic among our service veterans.
Thank you to all the men and women who serve this country #22PushupChallenge @Renner4Real @AnthonyMackie pic.twitter.com/BbA5j67uaM
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) August 15, 2016
Oh my god that Chris Evans video is EVERY TIME I HAVE EVER DONE ANY FLOOR EXERCISE AROUND MY DOG. I’m pretty sure he thinks that me lying on my back is a cry for help, and I’ve never been able to do more than three crunches without getting a face full of dog kisses to make sure I’m still alive. It’s hilarious and sweet, but like, DUDE. I am OK, just like every time this has ever happened!
Desirae recently posted…Exactly How Much I Spent (And Saved) on a 10-Day Trip to the Canadian Rockies
I have more than a few unkind words reserved for that climate change ethicist guy.
Feel free to share them here if you want 🙂
I am super pro- support for families and children so there are some really mean things that come to mind reflexively that I will not write here.
The biggest thing that annoys me is his proposed solution for rich countries (tax the hell out of parents). Already women drop out of the workforce because cost of childcare. Adding an additional income-based tax on top of that would knock a bunch of families into single earner households.
I am also not sure that such disincentives would actually lower birth rates. Kids are known already for being expensive. It’s not like adding to that expense will change the narrative. Given how little we do for kids in the US you may expect our native-born fertility rate to be greater than that of generous European nations but that’s not what you see.
And in general I think the focus on reducing number of children is a red herring. Fertility rates for native-born Americans are already below replacement rate (and fertility ratea for immigrants are dropping below rr as well). Other countries with populations much larger than ours are increasing their per capita consumption and will continue to do so pretty drastically. I think the focus should be on reducing consumption and generation of carbon neutral energy. I also think it’s an easier sell than the don’t have kids argument too.
I think that the guy’s argument is either not articulated well in the article, or just off. It seems like he’s talking about a major cultural shift away from praising and rewarding the desire and action of having children. Climate change may be the latest reason to do make this feasible, but there are other reasons, too. I’m child free and quite grateful that I live in a time when I had resources (birth control and cultural support to develop a career) that allowed me to pursue a good life without having kids.
Linda recently posted…Laying low
I agree at least part of my ire is probably drawn out in part due to incomplete or inarticulate expression in the piece.
I actually didn’t know that American fertility rates were dropping, I was only aware that maternal health and childbirth was getting more dangerous due to poor and inadequate healthcare.
But you’re so right, childbearing and child rearing are just about completely unsupported here in the US
I have no patience for the “just you wait” mentality. Early on, I heard “everything’s a phase, even the good stuff,” and that was helpful for perspective. But I have NEVER been able to live in the moment–until I had Baguette. I don’t need anyone telling me to just wait, because that’s what I’ve spent my life doing. I’m going to revel in this.
Tragic Sandwich recently posted…Next Steps
Yes my experience is the same – it helped to know that no particular thing is forever but I hate feeling hurried to the next thing when I so rarely get to enjoy the moment.
The Chris Evans video is terrific, and reminds me of every time I used to do yoga. We don’t have a dog, but Little Bit thought it was hilarious to climb on my back every time I tried to plank.
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Hah! I used to put JuggerBaby on PiC’s back to help him with push-ups 🙂
Sometimes I think people think I’m inviting a “just you wait” story when I tell them about something “bad” or negative that’s happened with my kids. Generally, though, I’m telling these stories from a perspective of humor, so it just irritates me.
I’m really enjoying this stage of my kids’ lives, quirks and all, and I don’t really want to overanalyze what’s next, because I’m sure that, just like now, there will be great parts and hard parts.
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