If you act fast, many stains can be removed without a trace. But for those that won’t come out, a creative approach might be your best optionOnce upon a time, I was wearing all white at a dinner party (remember those?) when someone I had just met (reme…
‘There’s risk in everything, right?’ The serendipity and agony of dating your neighbour
Finding love across the back fence or apartment corridor is a high risk, high reward proposition. Convenient? Yes. But also, potentially, mortifyingOne night, Hayden Starr returned home to find his neighbours having a party. He lived in an apartment co…
Electric sleep: the gadgetry tracking and hacking the way we rest
As activity tracking goes mainstream, an arsenal of consumer technology is rolling out for sleep. But how much do these interventions help?At 2.16am, I stumble to the bathroom. I catch a glimpse of myself. The light from the red bulb is flattering – I’…
‘Loving ourselves is an act of defiance’: tender and heartbreaking letters to fathers and sons
The historical oppression of Indigenous men has shaped perceptions of First Nations masculinity. A lovingly curated book of letters challenges stereotypesWhen Wiradjuri woman and Miles Franklin-winning novelist Tara June Winch met Torres Strait Islande…
Do as I say, not as I do: the struggle to follow your own advice
From a cardiologist with a penchant for snacks to a life coach coping with burnout, five professional advice-givers share their difficulties walking the talkIt’s easy to imagine the professionals we turn to for help are paragons of virtue. That doctors…
I have a good life. But how can I experience joy when there is so much suffering outside?
So much of our polity drenches us in pain, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith, but even within torrential misery there are sparks of brightnessI had thought I had come to terms with suffering in the world. I have a good life, good husband, en…
Zoom dilemmas solved! Expert advice on making video chats less awkward and more fun
Whether it’s chatting with small children, planning occasions or finding ways to socialise off-camera, after 18 months of lockdowns we’ve learned what worksWith many parts of Australia still in lockdown, connecting with others can feel increasingly cha…
What’s it like living with a phenomenal memory and can it be learned?
Both nature and nurture contribute to incredible recall skills and for those who have them there are benefits and drawbacks“17 April 2001?” I ask Krystyna Glowacki, 24, over Zoom.“That was a Tuesday,” she shoots back after less than half a beat. It was…
Building a bare-bones home gym: ‘A small bar with weights and two dumbbells can do a lot’
With a few cheap items and a good routine it’s possible to start or continue a fitness regimen at homeThe longer lockdown progresses, the more ovals and homes around Sydney resemble makeshift gyms. Some trainers have shifted everything but treadmills a…
Early risers: from flatbread to grissini, instant yeast is easy and dependable
Lockdown baking might have launched thousands of natural ferments but for top cooks dried yeast is a quick win, not a cheatSourdough starter show and tell was a thing well before collective lockdowns. There’s a modern impulse to Instagram bubbling or o…