For those of you who found your way here because you were looking for something different, I am sorry. But maybe stay with me anyway... There are many things you can say about Donald Trump. So, so many things. So many things it makes my head hurt. So many things I get dizzy thinking about it. So many things I...
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Two years ago I had a stroke and last week I had an episode where I lost consciousness, fell, and did some damage to myself upon landing. I have lost consciousness and fallen about five times since the stroke, and have come very close to losing consciousness (but able to sit down and recover before falling), about five more times. ...
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I have many friends navigating the transitioning identities of their transgender kids. They all say the same thing: they want and need to mourn for the son or daughter they thought they had. And I always think the same thing: “Don’t we all?” Don’t we all need and want to mourn for the kid we thought we were going to...
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In 2014, I wrote a piece called Walk With Grace and Other Shit to Say to Your Kids. It was a list of phrases my husband and I use in situations that can sometimes leave you frazzled. My husband and I say these phrases because we have thought about them. They reflect a message we want to send. Since then,...
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I am in grad school now and I love everything about it. Well, almost everything... There is a part of academia that just really loves itself. It loves creating a scholarly tribe where the price of admission is knowledge, and the unspoken wage is a feeling of superiority (over those who do not yet know). Of course, on the positive side...
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I was at a party the other night and someone started talking about my birthday. It was me. I am that someone. I love talking about my birthday and I love having birthdays and I love people singing to me and I love cake. There. I said it. It is not keto and it is not healthy but cake is...
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The last month has been so packed with feels I am a little numb. We had our re-wedding with our closest favorites gathered, reminding us that we don’t see enough of any of them. We got to hang out, laugh, dance, sing, cook and talk talk talk - but then we had to say goodbye and whoosh… just a lot...
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Last week I wrote about what happens when boys torment girls, and I asked that we all think about a different response... for the girls. And there it is. Even I, the great and powerful Oz, er, Karen Mangiacotti, over-thinker of all things gender, watchdog of injustices toward women, everly mindful feminist - put the onus for fixing the problem...
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I have seen a number of articles recently claiming that when boys tease and become physically aggressive with girls, it is because the boy likely has a crush on the girl. These articles say that we are setting girls up to equate love with abuse. We are romanticizing these interactions and victim-blaming the girl in the situation. Girls should never...
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As you know, my husband and I renew our marriage every 5 years. This marriage may just be my favorite one ever. Time brings a closeness that, as it turns out, is a pretty good thing. So, I thought I would tell the story for this week’s blog - because the story is long and intimate and layered and beautiful...
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Karen is an outspoken comedian, writer, artist, teacher, speaker, podcaster, Mom of seven children, and an adventurous thinker. She is a strong advocate of mindful thinking, asking for what you want, and living an empowered life. Karen speaks with expertise and humor on gender issues, parenting, homeschooling, autism, co-housing, sex and sexuality, positive self imagery, and being ridiculously happy and super-cool.
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