Nov 6, 2020Things I Saw While Working the Polls on Election Day in PAMy husband Chris and I worked the polls all day Tuesday here in our hometown. Our official role was as designated Poll Watchers, as members of our town’s Democratic Committee. At my request, I spent the day outside working the Democratic Committee table, directing voters and handing out sample ballots…Election 20209 min readElection 20209 min read
Aug 11, 2020A Diary of August 11, 2020 — The Day Campus ReopenedI thought I would be okay today. I’m not. I just watched my husband pull away from the curb to drive in to work for the first time since the shutdown in April. His name is Chris. He works IT for the library of Villanova University. We begged for permission…Pandemic18 min readPandemic18 min read
Jul 30, 2020Some Market Feedback for My Favorite Personal Care Brand, Dollar Shave Club, From Their Hairiest CustomerRather than get actual client work done today, I spent most of my writing time composing a love letter in the feedback box of my on-demand-personal-grooming-subscription-service-of-choice, Dollar Shave Club. Yes, I really sent them this, no, they didn’t hire me as their copywriter or paid influencer, as though I’m important…Feedback4 min readFeedback4 min read
Mar 18, 2020How To Work From Home Without Giving Your Cat Up For Adoption, and Other TipsWorking from home for the first time ever? *cracks knuckles* my time to shine. I’ve worked from home for six years, and I’m here to help with tips from the veteran self-employed, presented here in the order you will experience them. Please review carefully: 1. You will feel a thrill…Remote Work3 min readRemote Work3 min read
Sep 4, 2019There’s Never a First Offense When You’re a Nice White BoyContent warnings: mentions of assault, abuse. I looked up from my bowl of cereal, and noticed that all of the acrylic squirrel figurines decorating my dorm room shelf were gone. On inspection, there were little gaps in the dust where each figurine had clearly been until quite recently, with little…Sexual Assault9 min readSexual Assault9 min read
Sep 6, 2017When I Ask for a Life Preserver, Don’t Tell Me to Say PleaseSure, fight for your rights — but don’t inconvenience me when you do it. That’s the message I heard thunderously loud and clear at a BarCamp event here in Philadelphia last fall. BarCamp is an “unconference” — members of the Philly tech scene show up every year, and sign up…Feminism8 min readFeminism8 min read
Sep 1, 2017Why I Don’t Use an Androgynous Pen NameFirst published on Raging Chicken Press Yesterday, I was asked by a Twitter follower why I didn't choose to change my name on my online work. She asks because I am most well known online at this point for an experiment I did at my old technical writing job three…Feminism3 min readFeminism3 min read
Mar 10, 2017Pinkwashing: Or, How Not To Market to WomenLet me tell you a story about my first real published blog post. I was working as a technical writer for a guy who had just purchased a women’s career blog without any real idea of what he wanted to do with it. (And if you found me via this…Life Lessons6 min readLife Lessons6 min read
Mar 9, 2017Working While FemaleA Twitter thread has gotten some attention recently, where my former-coworker / current-best friend, Marty, recounted the day he realized just how bad, and insidious, workplace sexism could be. After noticing that a client was treating him like crap while his email signature was accidentally set to my name, we…This Happened To Me4 min readThis Happened To Me4 min read
Nov 18, 2016Therapy for the Man Behind the CurtainIt’s 10:13am, November 9th, 2016. I’m sitting in a room with four other women, and we’re learning skills and coping mechanisms to get us through our days when our traumas and the chemicals in our brains are telling us that we surely can’t. I’m crying. (What’s new.) I’m scared. Trump…Politics5 min readPolitics5 min read
