Heather is an essayist, editor, CMO, mommy, and wife seeking stillness while in a state
of nearly constant motion. She lives, walks, and eats in the greatest city in the world: Chicago.
When I was one month old, in December 1971, Ms. Magazine debuted, and Steinem, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, and others founded The National Women’s Political Caucus the same year.
In 1971, Dolly Parton was on the cusp of her own debut. With the release of her first solo #1 country single, Joshua, and after following up with Coat of Many Colors, she was on her way to becoming the Dolly we’d all know and love.
Read MoreMy road to rowing (should I say river?) is a long time coming. My freshman year at Northwestern, I heard there was an open call for women to come find out about the rowing program, and I was intrigued. I was not an incredible high school athlete, although I did play varsity basketball for two years, and I loved sports in general. I mentioned this opportunity to my boyfriend at the time, and he somehow talked me out of doing it. I don’t remember his logic, but I’m sure my teenage brain didn’t need much of a push from my first love to be convinced. Truly, I’m sure it was more about him than me, but I’ll save that for my therapist. So I didn’t go.
Read MoreThere in the grass just off the sidewalk was an empty bird's nest, intricately woven from twigs, grasses, and whatever else a determined mother could gather. It was sturdy, beautiful, and unmistakably empty.
Read MoreHello, Passenger who lives in my house! Welcome to MomUber! I’ll be your driver, Mom. Buckle up! Current passenger rating: 5.0 stars. Driver rating: under constant review.
Read MoreIn the 1990s, when I was figuring out how to “make house”—starting with roommates and then with my first husband—Martha Stewart’s Omnimedia was in full swing. The “Upscale Domesticity” phenomenon was everywhere, and Martha was the walking, talking, flower-arranging face and voice of the brand. I was a devotee. I subscribed to Martha Stewart Living, saved recipe cards, collected cookbooks, and pored over seasonal offerings like Martha Stewart’s Homemade Christmas.
Read MoreIt’s not just the fashion of The West Wing that feels distant; it’s the seriousness. The level of discourse. The respect for knowledge, for history, for precedent. The willingness to engage thoughtfully with opposing views. To rise above. To demonstrate care.
Read MoreFor every insecure, orange-tinted man whose only feeble-minded defense is name-calling female reporters, I hope my boys see how their incredible teachers model patience and grace and show up with empathy and enthusiasm every day. How they build up their students and demonstrate respectful dialogue between classmates, helping make our school a safe place for everyone, no matter which boxes they check on census data sheets.
Read More
The 5 Love Languages (and its many sequels, including The 5LL of Children) have sold more than 20 million copies. Clearly, people are looking for something.
I sometimes poke fun at this armchair psychology, but despite actual scientific evidence to the contrary, it still rings true for me. My love language? Care and Feeding.
Read MoreAbout once a year, I scroll through the last few weeks of emails, maybe a month’s worth if I’m feeling ambitious, and then: delete all. Thousands of unread, unimportant, outdated messages vanish with one click. Is it a permanent solution? No.
Read MoreI put up the Christmas tree on November 30th this year, couldn’t wait. Something about the way the air changed, the early dark, the heaviness I’d been carrying around like a second coat... I needed twinkle lights and garland now, not in two weeks, not after the rush of shopping or the wrapping of deadlines. I needed to believe I could manufacture cheer from muscle memory.
Read More