AFWKLY Archive

"You don't have a will?!" January 23, 2026 It's not (just) about how you're going to die, it's about who you love and what you value. Plus: Readers respond.

"You don't have a will?!"
January 23, 2026
It's not (just) about how you're going to die, it's about who you love and what you value. Plus: Readers respond.

Let's party, future ancestors! October 31, 2025 We can confront the horrors of this world while also celebrating the fact that we are alive. Or, it's Halloween.

Let's party, future ancestors!
October 31, 2025
We can confront the horrors of this world while also celebrating the fact that we are alive. Or, it's Halloween.

FAQ about your Friend* October 10, 2025 Imagine if human friendship had the marketing budget of an AI startup.

FAQ about your Friend*
October 10, 2025
Imagine if human friendship had the marketing budget of an AI startup.

What a time for a vocational crisis September 26, 2025 It's plaguing people who have aligned their work with their art or their beliefs.

What a time for a vocational crisis
September 26, 2025
It's plaguing people who have aligned their work with their art or their beliefs.

Turns out I'm a romantic August 22, 2025 I am bored with critiques that end after naming “late-stage capitalism” as the villain, Give me ambitious alternatives!

Turns out I'm a romantic
August 22, 2025
I am bored with critiques that end after naming “late-stage capitalism” as the villain, Give me ambitious alternatives!

The perks of being an in-law August 15, 2025 Join me in considering the unique anthropological opportunity this relationship presents.

The perks of being an in-law
August 15, 2025
Join me in considering the unique anthropological opportunity this relationship presents.

The optimism of borrowed nostalgia August 01, 2025 The very act of cherry-picking from the past signals a set of desires for the future.

The optimism of borrowed nostalgia
August 01, 2025
The very act of cherry-picking from the past signals a set of desires for the future.

In praise of the private meme June 27, 2025 I'm talking about a joke you tell only to yourself, its meaning fully understood by you and you alone?

In praise of the private meme
June 27, 2025
I'm talking about a joke you tell only to yourself, its meaning fully understood by you and you alone?

She doesn't even go here! June 13, 2025 On the rhetorical flips undertaken by the architects of fear and violence who are raiding this city and others.

She doesn't even go here!
June 13, 2025
On the rhetorical flips undertaken by the architects of fear and violence who are raiding this city and others.

Holy books May 23, 2025 As a kid, the library allowed me to slip into other worlds. Now it keeps me tethered to what's good about this one.

Holy books
May 23, 2025
As a kid, the library allowed me to slip into other worlds. Now it keeps me tethered to what's good about this one.

The wild gender romp Feb 21, 2025 Let me tell you how I really feel about trans women.

The wild gender romp
Feb 21, 2025
Let me tell you how I really feel about trans women.

Lovers in a dangerous time Jan 17, 2025 There is no time, and then suddenly there is too much. A climate disaster is boring sometimes.

Lovers in a dangerous time
Jan 17, 2025
There is no time, and then suddenly there is too much. A climate disaster is boring sometimes.

Jury duty in 12 vignettes Dec 13, 2024 I've been summoned.

Jury duty in 12 vignettes
Dec 13, 2024
I've been summoned.

The moral decision fatigue of modern life Oct 18, 2024 And making the difficult choice 70% of the time.

The moral decision fatigue of modern life
Oct 18, 2024
And making the difficult choice 70% of the time.

No community without effort Sep 13, 2024 It doesn't just "happen naturally." Some thoughts on where to start. Plus: Readers respond.

No community without effort
Sep 13, 2024
It doesn't just "happen naturally." Some thoughts on where to start. Plus: Readers respond.

The joyfully displaced Midwesterner Aug 30, 2024 On Chappell Roan, loving it, and leaving it.

The joyfully displaced Midwesterner
Aug 30, 2024
On Chappell Roan, loving it, and leaving it.

Rock the LOTE Jun 7, 2024 The lesser of two evils, or, no one knows how to deal with the collapse of the state.

Rock the LOTE
Jun 7, 2024
The lesser of two evils, or, no one knows how to deal with the collapse of the state.

The cliff and the curve Jun 7, 2024 I've always aspired to be an old woman.

The cliff and the curve
Jun 7, 2024
I've always aspired to be an old woman.

The parasocial looking-glass May 24, 2024 What do I want from you on the other side?

The parasocial looking-glass
May 24, 2024
What do I want from you on the other side?

"With everything going on..." Oct 27, 2023 The email caveat is empathetic but vague, friendly but removed.

"With everything going on..."
Oct 27, 2023
The email caveat is empathetic but vague, friendly but removed.

Against the "parent vs. childfree" binary Sep 15, 2023 "The kids question" has blurrier answers than we're led to believe.

Against the "parent vs. childfree" binary
Sep 15, 2023
"The kids question" has blurrier answers than we're led to believe.

The mugshot speaks Aug 25, 2023 On the screams of Trump's portrait parlé.

The mugshot speaks
Aug 25, 2023
On the screams of Trump's portrait parlé.

This Barbie is a journalist Jul 21, 2023 No movie can be as good as the narrative I wrote and rewrote with my own dolls 30 years ago.

This Barbie is a journalist
Jul 21, 2023
No movie can be as good as the narrative I wrote and rewrote with my own dolls 30 years ago.

The Hot Mess Years May 12, 2023 I have no advice for my younger self. I'd treat her to a really nice dinner to say thanks for doing the messy part.

The Hot Mess Years
May 12, 2023
I have no advice for my younger self. I'd treat her to a really nice dinner to say thanks for doing the messy part.

The phantom timeline Mar 17, 2023 Stop holding me to a 60-year-old standard of American adulthood.

The phantom timeline
Mar 17, 2023
Stop holding me to a 60-year-old standard of American adulthood.

The super-kinkeepers Feb 3, 2023 We have managed to socialize generations of women into this role. Imagine if we tried to expand it.

The super-kinkeepers
Feb 3, 2023
We have managed to socialize generations of women into this role. Imagine if we tried to expand it.

What if, what if, what if Jun 17, 2022 There are not millions of other yous out there in parallel universes.

What if, what if, what if
Jun 17, 2022
There are not millions of other yous out there in parallel universes.

I'm hot blooded Apr 15, 2022 At the end of Roe, angry that these are our choices. Angry that these aren’t our choices.

I'm hot blooded
Apr 15, 2022
At the end of Roe, angry that these are our choices. Angry that these aren’t our choices.

I just don't wanna Apr 15, 2022 The injustice of life admin.

I just don't wanna
Apr 15, 2022
The injustice of life admin.

Clink-clink to my bad-ass sisters!!!! Mar 11, 2022 No, for real, cheers!!! And happy women's history month!!!

Clink-clink to my bad-ass sisters!!!!
Mar 11, 2022
No, for real, cheers!!! And happy women's history month!!!

Birthdays are like Coca-Colas Jan 7, 2022 And you should be celebrating yours, every year.

Birthdays are like Coca-Colas
Jan 7, 2022
And you should be celebrating yours, every year.

Singular visions Dec 10, 2021 On living in the era of "make it til you make it."

Singular visions
Dec 10, 2021
On living in the era of "make it til you make it."

Whose utopia is this? Sept 3, 2021 On anti-choice people who need late abortions and anti-vaxxers dying of Covid.

Whose utopia is this?
Sept 3, 2021
On anti-choice people who need late abortions and anti-vaxxers dying of Covid.

Has a hay bale ever left an impression on you? May 7, 2021 The best questions ever posed to Yahoo! Answers.

Has a hay bale ever left an impression on you?
May 7, 2021
The best questions ever posed to Yahoo! Answers.

Me and my algorithm Apr 30, 2021 A digital elder's case for TikTok.

Me and my algorithm
Apr 30, 2021
A digital elder's case for TikTok.

Assignment: Earth Apr 23, 2021 On being raised with the illusion that you can do something about climate change.

Assignment: Earth
Apr 23, 2021
On being raised with the illusion that you can do something about climate change.

This week's Thing Jan 29, 2021 The internet has settled into a predictable rhythm.

This week's Thing
Jan 29, 2021
The internet has settled into a predictable rhythm.

How to make an Americanquilt Nov 13, 2020 On the 2020 presidential election results.

How to make an Americanquilt
Nov 13, 2020
On the 2020 presidential election results.

Big little decisions May 22, 2020 Every single thing is up for negotiation and renegotiation.

Big little decisions
May 22, 2020
Every single thing is up for negotiation and renegotiation.

Proceed with caution Mar 13, 2020 On avoiding panic and living on the line between caution and courage.

Proceed with caution
Mar 13, 2020
On avoiding panic and living on the line between caution and courage.

A pseudo-democratic experiment in a school gymnasium Feb 7, 2020 A no-longer-local's dispatch from the Iowa caucuses.

A pseudo-democratic experiment in a school gymnasium
Feb 7, 2020
A no-longer-local's dispatch from the Iowa caucuses.

Five approaches to gift giving Nov 29, 2019 An evergreen gift guide.

Five approaches to gift giving
Nov 29, 2019
An evergreen gift guide.

No regrets, coyote Sep 20, 2019 On the things that were here before us.

No regrets, coyote
Sep 20, 2019
On the things that were here before us.

Ambivalent to be an American Jul 26, 2019 On the only "right" way to immigrate.

Ambivalent to be an American
Jul 26, 2019
On the only "right" way to immigrate.

How Ghostbusters II Explains the Trump Era Nov 30, 2018 The pink slime both creates and feeds on society's worst collective impulses.

How Ghostbusters II Explains the Trump Era
Nov 30, 2018
The pink slime both creates and feeds on society's worst collective impulses.