janis jaquith


Shared vision: The quest for beauty has deep roots Published on Jun 27th, 2013 10 comments Remember the story of “The Red Shoes,” where the girl cannot stop dancing? These past several days have been like that, except with clippers and a saw. I’ve been gripped by this obsession for a week...
Whose hands? Your clothes hold stories Published on May 30th, 2013 4 comments The sewing machine motor surged again and again, a comforting rhythm as I closed my eyes and sank into sleep. A few days before, a pile of red blazers had appeared on the table by my mother’s curvy,...
Boston horror: 'Sore in my legs, sad in my heart' Published on Apr 16th, 2013 0 comments Free Union resident Harry Landers finished his fifth Boston Marathon in three hours and 39 minutes. He was showering in his hotel room at around 4:10 into the race when the bombs exploded. "I just...
Flash of insight: Get used to no power Published on Apr 4th, 2013 30 comments Silent flashes lit up the sky in fast succession, like paparazzi, for a good two minutes. The night was dark, and our power had clicked off about a half hour earlier. I stood at our bedroom window,...
View, interrupted: It's unneighborly to start a row Published on Jan 10th, 2013 59 comments Oh, you should have seen me. It was a double-take right out of vaudeville. (Had I been drinking from my water bottle, I guarantee it would have been a spit-take.) As I skidded to a flailing stop on...
Jaquith points in the right mirror Published on Aug 22nd, 2012 6 comments Janis Jaquith is right that it’s the consumer, not the energy companies, to blame for the problems caused by energy consumption. [August 9 essay: “Post-derecho: I realize I’m the eco-catastrophe”]But...
Shingle-hanging 101: The little philosophy shop that never was Published on Jul 6th, 2012 20 comments “A philosophy course? Oh, that'll come in handy," he said. "Now all you have to do is open up a little philosophy shop. You’re all set!” After all these years, I can still see the smirk on that man’s...