True story. My husband and I — two PhDs, who loved school so much that we stayed in graduate school until our mid-30s — did not save for our own children’s college education. We basically had no money to put away for their college education due to the delayed employment issue. One of our kids … Continue reading College is a Pyramid Scheme: But We Can’t Quit it| Apt. 11d
I passed a traumatic milestone birthday in August. There were no celebrations. I didn’t mention it to anyone at work. I told my friends not to give me gifts. I accepted this new stage of life with grace, humor, and humility. Or not. And then I ordered more skin cream from Instagram advertisements. On the … Continue reading Milestones, Mine and Ian’s: As time goes on, things always get better.| Apt. 11d
Steve and I are binge-watching The Gilded Age, a historical drama set in the 1880s. It features real historical figures, like Carrie Astor and J.P. Morgan, as well as fictionalized versions of…| Apt. 11d
A summer cold has settled into my throat. I have the voice of a granny with a three-pack-a-day habit and a taste for whiskey. I kinda like it. Being sick has gotten me out of a couple of work commitments and dinner responsibilities. Steve and I are picking up ramen soup from town. Which suits … Continue reading Groomers, Bullies, and Raging Waters: Five for Friday, July 25, 2025| Apt. 11d
I love a good plot twist. At an age when others are slowing down their work commitments, I have embarked on a whole new adventure. Without going into details, it’s amazing. I’m thrilled to be…| Apt. 11d
Hello, loyal friends! Thanks for coming here to check in. I’ve been a terrible online correspondent for the past three months, because I’ve been engrossed in launching a new start-up. And I mean totally engrossed. I’m waking up at 2 in the morning with ideas and working on weekends. It’s fun and a whole new … Continue reading What’s Going On?| Apt. 11d
Because I’m a shallow creature who follows gossip writers, my social media feed is awash with images of Lauren Sanchez Bezos with her ice-cream scoop boobs encased in yards of Italian lace. Understanding the assignment, her wedding guests squeezed their sculpted bodies into pink leather and tulle. The event was an exercise in excess. It was unapologetically grotesque. I … Continue reading Trump’s Bill Benefits the Bezos Crowd: And there’s no serious pushback.| Apt. 11d
Something about autism seems to attract conspiracy theories and quackery. Maybe because the inability to talk is something out of a horror movie. Maybe because some autistic people also have&n…| Apt. 11d
This is Part 1of a series of posts on Harry and Meghan. Here’s Part 2 and Part 3 and Part 4 and Part 5 and Part 6. A few years ago, I developed a problem with insomnia. I would go for d…| Apt. 11d
The employment rate for people with autism is horrific. Something like 85 percent of people with autism — even those who finish college — are never employed. In addition to being deprived of a salary and benefits, unemployed young people remain dependent on their parents. They are isolated, bored, lack purpose, and stagnate. Employment is … Continue reading Flirting With Employment: An internship is giving my autistic son a taste of employment| Apt. 11d
Sometime this summer, I’ll exit my fifth decade. Periodically, I get a little freaked out by that number. I’m on the ground floor of old age. My husband is younger than I am, so I’ll be in the old age building by myself for three years. I really hate when he’s in a different decade … Continue reading There’s No School Like the Old School: Five for Friday, May 30, 2025| Apt. 11d
People have been moving out of blue states and urban areas for a while. Due to results from the last census, New York lost a congressional seat, and Texas got two. The pandemic has created more shi…| Apt. 11d
Last weekend, Ian had a 48-hour EEG. We recently reduced his dosage of his epilepsy medicine drastically, because of side effects. The doctor wanted to see if the micro-dose that he was taking was …| Apt. 11d