HAUSFRAU LINKS

Ariel Gore: Ariel's books (The Mother Trip and The Hip Mama Survival Guide) saved my life when I was a new mom and didn't know my ass from a sippy cup. Still don't, of course, but Ariel helped me feel OK about that. Her Hip Mama magazine and the online community (Hip Mama) run by Bee Lavender are still a lifeline.

Aural History, a CD of lullabies by Megan Haas: Is there a musician out there who is capable of producing smart, soulful music for children--and their adult companions? Yes, there is! Her name is Megan Haas. Aural History is a compilation of children's lullabies (originally intended as a present for Megan's young nephews) that simultaneously soothes and engages four-year-old Dora while stimulating the brain cells of her 39-year-old mama. Megan's voice is at once earthy and transcendent, despairing and hopeful, which reinforces the song's themes. Tracks like "Waltz Across Texas" (Ernest Tubb) and "Walk Right Back" (the Everly Brothers) have had me and Dora dancing and singing together in the living room. And others like "Fly Away Baby" and "Hungry Bird" (written by Michael Ondaatje) have made me weep while preparing dinner. Dora now asks for the CD daily, and I oblige--most willingly.

Ayun Halliday: One of my favorite things to do is sit on my fat butt whilst drinking a large cup o' coffee, and read Ayun's zine, The East Village Inky, from cover to cover, as soon as it arrives in the mail.

Betty Butterfield movies: You must experience the tragic madness of Betty.

Brenda Surabian, homebirth midwife: She was my midwife when Dora was born and I love her. Also check out Midwives of Maine if you're thinking of having a home birth.

Democracy Now!: A beacon of truth and solid reporting in the modern-day media/propaganda quagmire.

Fertile Ground Zine: So groovulous! Stacey Greenberg's zine out of Memphis, TN.

Grrlzines: Check out this interview with me in Elke Zobel's great online grrrlzine resource.

The Home Dad Radio Show airs every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. on Portland's WMPG (90.0 and 104.1 FM or streamed at http://www.wmpg.org/). To hear the Hausfrau's Halloween 2006 appearance on the show, during which she discussed her un-hip tatoos and piercings, click here: http://www.wmpg.org/archivefiles/Homedad/2006mp3s/wmpghomedad20061031.mp3

Leticia Plate: Wondering who drew the bad-ass cover of Hausfrau #9: The Bad Muthah Issue? That would be Leticia Plate, artist and illustrator and creator of the Frazzled Parent Activity Book and Adventures in Parenting. Check out her web site to see these and other creations.

Longfellow Books: My favorite bookstore.

Lulu Beans is the name of my friend Aprill Newman's gorgeous hand-spun and dyed yarn company. Knitting with Aprill's yarn gives me extreme pleasure. It is lucious, soft, chunky, and fun--and comes in a rainbow of mod colors.

Madre Zenith: a little zine from Ithaca New York packed full o' parenting escapades. Jen's compare 'n' contrast charts are especially hilarious.

Mamaphiles: Order up a whole compendium of writings from mamas and their zines.

Mirandazine: I got to have brunch with Kate Haas and her sister, Megan, last spring in Seattle! Kate's smart and funny zine, Miranda, is a must-read for literary moms. Her book reviews are the best.

PixieGenne: I wish my house looked like Meg Rooks' web site: lush with color, thoughtfully organized, fun, warm, inviting. I aspire to Meg's craftiness. Check out her decoupaged suitcases; they're fabulous! I bought one for Dora several years ago, and it's still one of her favorite belongings.

Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean is the cookbook I helped chef extraordinaire Ana Sortun write. Ana's restaurant, Oleana, in Cambridge, Mass. is my favorite in the whole wide world. Spice, the cookbook, is in bookstores now.

Swallowfield is my friend Jen Judd McGee's crafty blog that cheers me up when I feel blue. Her beautiful images and cozy domestic corners are the blogger's equivalent of a warm chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven with a glass of cold milk. Yum!

Tanya Boggs and I used to hang out in Boston in the 1990s B.C. (Before Children), and now this amazing photographer and Hausfrau extraordinaire lives in Colorado and has solo shows in Vail and San Francisco. To see her hauntingly beautiful images, go to http://www.tanyaboggs.com/