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Archives for May 2016

Manifesto for adulthood: There’s no shame in shortcuts

May 25, 2016 by Leslie Leave a Comment

Manifesto- Take shortcuts

I woke up this morning and starting going through my mental “to-do” list. I do this every morning, and it dawned on me that I was super busy. How did this happen? I quit my fancy consulting job and took a part-time job to give me more time. In an effort to get some free time back, I started working on some shortcuts.

It’s a trial-and-error kind of thing, looking for shortcuts. You don’t want your life to get shittier because you’ve neglected stuff to get other stuff done. A shortcut is beautiful when it allows you to get the important tasks done while you reclaim precious moments of time.

Here are a few shortcuts I’ve been experimenting with:

  1. Simplify house cleaning. Instead of cleaning the whole room, concentrate on one thing. I vacuum one day. Then another day, I might dust or de-clutter a room. Breakdown “cleaning the whole house” task into smaller tasks. Also, try 5 minutes of cleaning per room.
  2. Hire someone. My brother-in-law saw his neighbor’s teenage son and offered to pay him to mow his lawn. It was a win-win for all involved: Inexpensive and the teenager gets some cash. Don’t spend unnecessary time worrying that chores aren’t getting done; delegate them.
  3. Frozen food/no-cooking meals. I keep frozen chicken and veggies stocked so that if the cupboards are bare, I can throw something together quick. We also make some of our meals super easy, like pre-cooked chicken on a salad. There are services like Blue Apron, which provide all the ingredients for three or five meals a week. And let’s not forget pizza delivery, because sometimes it’s better than spending an hour in the kitchen.
  4. Get organized. This takes some effort upfront but saves a ton of time in the end. Just as we wrote about sorting kids’ outfits while folding laundry, being organized will help everything run smoothly. Everything has its place, you just need to find it. Lots of toys? Get lots of bins. Lots of dishes? Keep that dishwasher empty, and you won’t have clutter on the counter.

Tell us: How are you are taking shortcuts to enjoy life more?

This is the second in our “Manifesto for Adulthood” series, where we share our philosophies for being a better adult in the modern world.

Filed Under: Manifesto Tagged With: chores, cleaning, housework, life hacks, manifesto, shortcuts

Our favorite smart podcasts

May 18, 2016 by Suzanne Leave a Comment

Smart PodcastsSometime in the last few years, I became a podcast junkie. I’m all over the map with them, from advice about creativity to spooky fictional tales to celebrity interviews.

My favorites tend to be the ones with great storytelling in each episode, either via the same hosts each episode or relying heavily on guests who tell their own stories.

Leslie and I are both hooked, so we’ve put together a list of our all-time favorites. Brace yourself; you’re going to need to clear some storage space on your phone to download some of these before your next road trip, or for your daily commute.

Suzanne’s picks

Criminal

  • Why I love it: This podcast covers one true crime story each episode, but with a wide variety of perspectives, from a female serial killer to a courtroom sketch artist, former prisoners who had unusual experiences in the system to an arboreal mystery.
  • Episode: No Place Like Home

Reply All 

  • Why I love it: The regular hosts of this sort-of technology-related show frequently burst into laughter, both at each other and at their chosen weekly topics.
  • Episode: Zardulu

The Longest Shortest Time

  • Why I love it: Parenting and family stories that manage to show how universal the experiences of parenthood (and childhood) are, and how wide a variety of families and children live in the world.
  • Episodes: The Accidental Gay Parents or When the Breadwinner Makes Dough

Suzanne has a tiny bit of an “internet problem,” so she has some additional footnotes.

So big we shouldn’t have to tell you about them:  

  • RadioLab: This science-themed show got its start on public radio, but I listen exclusively by podcast. My favorite heart-breaker is Gray’s Donation, but I also highly recommend the one about Elements and the one about Colors.
  • This American Life: Another public radio juggernaut. Honestly, it’s hard to pick one episode for you, so just go listen to a couple.
  • The Moth: While listening to Bathtub Sailor, Seamstress, Spy, I laughed out loud as a man chronicled crossing the English Channel while rowing a bathtub, then proceeded to get teared up as a mom talked about her teenage child.

Weird/niche/recommended with reservations:

  • Hello from the Magic Tavern: For nerds who are into fantasy and also enjoy improv. The premise: A man from Chicago falls through a “dimensional portal” and ends up in a magical land called Foon. He interviews magical creatures and weirdos, co-hosted by a talking badger and a wizard.
  • Love + Radio: Often-uncomfortable topics told by real people. Think: A convicted sex offender who has been attacked for his crimes, or an internet insult-dominatrix.
  • The Black Tapes, Limetown or The Message: Creepy, serialized fiction. The Message is a single-season podcast about an alien transmission from outer space. The Black Tapes tackles supernatural investigations and a researcher who wants to debunk any ideas of dark magic. Limetown is about a mysterious scientific experiment set in a small town.

Leslie’s picks

Suzanne is right on the money with the podcasts she listed. I got hooked on This American Life listening to the Slow to React episode. I was literally on the edge of my seat (warning: it is not for the faint of heart). Podcasts are totally replacing radio shows: They’re downloadable and easy to produce (so we hear), and there are a ton of options. If you happen to jump into the passenger seat of my car, this is what I’ll probably be listening to.

Sawbones

  • Why I love it: This podcasts is for those who like learning tabout medical history. A husband and wife couple lead you through topics like hemophilia or ear wax with the historical treatment of it. Dr. Sydnee McElroy is a practicing physician and her husband Justin is the common Joe who asks all the important questions. It is usually light hearted and fun for everyone.
  • Episode: Trepanation

Hardcore History

  • Why I love it: Where else can you get three hours of World War I history for your listening pleasure? If you liked your college history lectures, now you can listen and learn without having to take any tests!
  • Episode: Blue Print for Armageddon I

All Songs Considered

  • Why I love it: This is a great source to listen to interesting new music and hear about the songs and learn about the artists. I don’t actively search out new music, but this is an easy way to hear new stuff. Plus, the hosts won’t treat you like your snobby music friends who listen to all the right music.
  • Episode: The Year in Music 2015

Filed Under: Miscellany Tagged With: internet, podcasts, storytelling

Teach your kid to make their own way

May 12, 2016 by Suzanne Leave a Comment

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Pulitzer Prize-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda shares some thoughts on parenting (via GQ).

Filed Under: Quotes Tagged With: advice, lin-manuel miranda, parenthood, parenting, parenting quotes

Decisions: We moved from NYC to Germany

May 10, 2016 by Suzanne 1 Comment

IMG_1480 Decisions is a series dedicated to the choices we make in our lives and the factors that led us to our given resolutions. We welcome guest posts to this series to hear about how you’ve tackled a life decision. Email your story ideas to thesmartdomestic@gmail.com.

Today, Natasha Rivett-Carnac discusses her experience of moving to Germany with two kids and a limited German vocabulary. 

The Chrysalis: How One Family Decided to Move from NYC to Germany

By Natasha Rivett-Carnac

One morning on a hot summer day in New York City, the phone rings. It is the climate change office of the United Nations. The man on the phone says, “We want someone for the job of strategic adviser to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations.”  

“But I have no idea how to do that,” my husband says.  

“Perfect. That’s what we want.”  

My husband hangs up the phone. He looks at me with a now-familiar mixture of anticipation and apprehension.  

“How do you feel about Germany?” he says. …

Read More »

Filed Under: Decisions Tagged With: adventure, expatriate life, Germany, living abroad, marriage, parenting

In real life: How will you spend Mother’s Day?

May 6, 2016 by Suzanne Leave a Comment

art-statue-child-mother

I realize that Mother’s Day is fraught with emotions for a lot of people: Joy, sadness, grief, love, loss. But the overwhelming intention of the day is to celebrate the role of women and their work to care for others, whether they’re genetic offspring or not.

We asked our friends how they plan to spend Mother’s Day (whether they are mothers, or they celebrate the women in their lives). Turns out, the most important thing for most of us is to enjoy quality time with people we love….

Read More »

Filed Under: Real Talk Tagged With: moms, motherhood, mothers day, parenthood, parenting

A ticket to fly: Infant edition

May 3, 2016 by Leslie Leave a Comment

Ever thought of traveling internationally with your infant?! I didn’t want to pass up the chance to visit Munich, Germany with my husband, who had a work-trip scheduled. I packed us up for a week-long adventure with baby! While we prepared for the flight, more than one person asked me to tell them how it went traveling with Ada, so I figured I’d share for posterity on the blog.

…

Read More »

Filed Under: Miscellany Tagged With: babies, flying, international, travel

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