How to Salvage a Disastrous Day in Your Covid-19 House Arrest by Aisha S. Ahmad (from chroniclevitae.com)

You are in “remedial” life class. For scholars and other high-achieving professionals, performance is an important part of our identities. We are used to tackling hard challenges, and we thrive on achievement and excellence. But that approach will not help you fix a hot mess of a day. This sort of day needs a different perspective.”

How to Write the Story of Your Life: Some advice from outside the white male literary canon by Terese Mailhot

“There were no Native women writers in our libraries. It was all too hard, and I eventually dropped out at thirteen. It took a lot of time to get back on track and become a professor of English and a published author. And I still have no desire to read certain canonized work — it’s just not good for my soul.

I’m not arguing that people shouldn’t read the white literary canon; I’m saying that it doesn’t have to be our lodestar. I’m saying that a woman doesn’t have to read all the books deemed “necessary” by the white literary world to be a writer. If a classroom has made learning impossible or violent, she can still be a writer. That simple. Allowance is important. I did not feel much of it when I was coming up as a writer. So, I lied about what I read.”

Coronavirus: Irish donate to hard-hit Native Americans to repay famine aid from the Irish Times (via word of mouth)

“In 1847, members of the Choctaw tribe raised $170 in famine relief for Ireland, a huge sum for a time when they had very little, as it came after they had been driven from their land in the devastating so-called Trail of Tears.

Many comments on the GoFundMe page referenced the Choctaw donation. Some read “Ní neart go cur le chéile” and others simply “Ireland remembers”.”

Nadiya’s Time To Eat (iPlayer in UK, Netflix in US)

Haven’t watched this yet, but LOVED her on bakeoff! How am I just now finding out this show exists!?

Turn Your Demanding Child Into a Productive Co-Worker by Michaeleen Doucleff (from NYT)

Honestly, I feel like this must depend at least some on the kid you have – but very intriguing for all of us trying to work with little ones at home!

“For the past three years, I have been reporting for NPR on cultures around the world that raise remarkably cooperative and generous children — children who voluntarily hop up from the dinner table and start doing the dishes. Children who want to share their candy bar with a younger sibling.

In these cultures, you find a striking commonality: Mothers and fathers do not feel the need to constantly entertain and play with children. Parents don’t see it as their job to tell the child what to learn, how to learn and when to learn. Instead parents give children an opportunity that many American kids do not have — to participate in adult work. Parents welcome children into the grown-up world and then have confidence that children will learn and grow, at their own pace, by watching adults, helping adults and helping other children.”

Photo by Terri Bleeker on Unsplash