Category Archives: Domestic Life

Online Review Systems and the Service Economy

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Timothy Burke

I’ve already had a couple of recommendations to look at Angie’s List and Checkbook Magazine since posting earlier today about my homeowner blues. There have been some interesting discussions about Angie’s List in the past six months, particularly at Greg … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumerism, Advertising, Commodities, Domestic Life, Information Technology and Information Literacy | 11 Comments

Money Pit

Posted on May 30, 2007 by Timothy Burke

Pardon my banality, but what is it with expensive home repairs that causes them to come in waves? Within a week, we’ve found that our water heater needs replacement, we need a termite treatment (they’re not inside the house, thank … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life, Information Technology and Information Literacy | 5 Comments

Things Change

Posted on May 13, 2007 by Timothy Burke

My grandfather died today. I’m sorry largely for those of us who knew him, as he was a very interesting and charming person, pretty much the definition of a class act. We will all miss his steady presence. Like his … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life | 8 Comments

Bad Daddy

Posted on February 26, 2007 by Timothy Burke

When I was 6, watching George Pal’s The Time Machine on TV provided the fuel for a nightmare or two, populated by Morlocks. When my daughter was 6, watching Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy led her to remark that a hideous … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life, Popular Culture | 1 Comment

Homework: The Argument Clinic Edition

Posted on October 19, 2006 by Timothy Burke

With a child just starting kindergarten, I’ve been engaging in that popular pastime of parents and old fogeys: sitting around with other parents and old fogeys and saying, “Well, in my day, we didn’t have all this new-fangled educational stuff, … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Blogging, Domestic Life | 16 Comments

Dangerously Beautiful Days

Posted on August 13, 2006 by Timothy Burke

Weekends are weird once you have a house. A secondary labor regime takes over: there are weeds to kill, stumps to remove, bathtubs to re-caulk, closets to clean, bookshelves to make and so on. A beautiful day like today is … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life | 5 Comments

Chainsaw Music

Posted on June 30, 2006 by Timothy Burke

When I was a surly teenager, one of my certainties was that wherever I lived as an adult, it wasn’t going to be a suburb. The city or the country, but not a suburb. I think that’s a common affectation … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life | 10 Comments

Twenty Years

Posted on May 31, 2006 by Timothy Burke

Off to celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary. You can overlook in the day-in, day-out hustle of life what a mighty and lasting thing you’re building with someone and then wake up one day breathlessly startled at the cumulation of your … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life | 9 Comments

Seers of Suburbia

Posted on April 11, 2006 by Timothy Burke

The double-irony of the Atlantic Monthly’s April 2006 letters page replies to Caitlin Flanagan’s take on the alleged “oral sex epidemic” among America’s teenagers was pretty intense when I got around to reading it this week. I didn’t comment directly … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life, Politics, Popular Culture | 24 Comments

Theirs, Not Mine

Posted on December 29, 2005 by Timothy Burke

So I’ve been wrapped up in family life, grading and a persistent cold since about the 22nd. One thing I did have a chance to do is take my daughter down to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross’ house … Continue reading →

Posted in Domestic Life, Politics | 5 Comments