Coffee & Blogs No. 24

Welcome to the first links round up of our lovely new year! My 2016 has started a bit tumultuously, with big decisions to make about my children's schooling, our parenting, and our future home. Ben and I have been having way too many serious talks and following it up with lighthearted episodes of Making a Murder. (I cannot begin to express my rage here. I know we are all mad at the Manitowoc law enforcement, but my personal exhaustion extends to the schools, the media, the community in general. Heartbreaking.) At any rate, I am ready for videos of cats learning how to knit, or something along those lines.  Hopefully some of these links will brighten your weekend!

I like selfies, but don't consider myself so invested that I needed this article with tips from a model about how to take great ones. I "read it anyway, for science" or whatever and I actually use the tips all the time now.

The "inner good girl" and how not speaking up can be damaging to the point of literal physical danger. We need to practice saying what we think and feel. We need to start in the classroom by encouraging children to speak their mind. I love that this article includes steps for drawing on power and feigning a sense of confidence.

How I Discovered I Am White. Read it.

Susan Miller does eerily specific horoscopes. I have been following moon cycles and learning more about Tarot cards for awhile, but my January horoscope lined up so much with already planned events that I was kind of blown away. Check yours out!

I wanted to do a list of tiny things you can do to get a fresh start feeling without making any big commitment resolutions, but then I realized that Sarah already had. Seriously love 2, 3, and 10. My favorite way to feel AMAZINGLY FRESH with little effort? Clean out my wallet and purse.

Gala Darling is one of my favorite sites to follow, and I was really pumped for her Radical Self Love January Instagram challenge. The prompts are lovely (and carefully explained to give each one more purpose) and when I was following along at the beginning of the month, I was meeting new people and having a ton of fun.

Ready to feel some rage? This piece on the history of teaching and the way it has traditionally viewed as "women's work" (not a compliment) hit close to home. Especially this:  "Historically, women were thought to be suited to teaching because they “in [their] own hearts, love, hope and patience, have first kept school.” In other words, women were seen as born nurturers, naturally inclined to keep their students and the good of the school as their first priority. Therein lies the crux of the issue: the fact that women are expected to do this job out of love or biology. The work is seen as “fulfilling” for us; satisfaction the only reward we should need. This mentality still informs how we think about teachers in the present." 

Kind of old news at this point, but casting is complete for the new Harry Potter play that will be going up in London, and a black woman was cast as Hermione. My absolute favorite fanart about the trio depicts Hermione as black and Harry as Indian, so I am super excited about this.

I'm also excited about this HUGE list of new YA titles hitting the shelves this spring. I've been able to read some of these before their release dates (total humblebrag, def one of the highlights of my year), and I am truly pumped for what's to come.

More things you should read: books for after you've heard Hamilton, life lessons from Ms. Marvel (Muslim teenager super hero you should know and love), picture books on the theme of color.

For fun, I took this personality test and then overanalyzed myself for an hour because I am an ENFP-T and that's how I roll. 

I'm currently reading: Sex Criminals No. 1 (a comic about a librarian who can freeze time when she climaxes- I WANTED TO LIKE THIS SO BAD but I'm enjoying it less than I thought I would), Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate, and Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed (#beyourownbookclub!)

I'm currently watching: Making a Murder (ew), New Girl Season 4, Buffy Season 7, Gilmore Girls Season 1

I'm currently exhausted. Send coffee and confidence my way. Adulting is hard. Much love to all of you!