nicycle.

For the first eight years of our marriage, [Michelle and I] were paying more in student loans than what we were paying for our mortgage. So we know what this is about.

And we were lucky to land good jobs with a steady income. But we only finished paying off our student loans—check this out, all right, I’m the President of the United States—we only finished paying off our student loans about eight years ago.

—President Obama in North Carolina today on why Congress has to act to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling (via barackobama)

By 30, you should have … 1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come. 2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family. 3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour. 4. A purse, a suitcase, and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying. 5. A youth you’re content to move beyond. 6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age. 7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age — and some money set aside to help fund it. 8. An email address, a voice mailbox, and a bank account — all of which nobody has access to but you. 9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded. 10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry. 11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra. 12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it. 13. The belief that you deserve it. 14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30. 15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship, and all those other facets of life that do get better. By 30, you should know … 1. How to fall in love without losing yourself. 2. How you feel about having kids. 3. How to quit a job, break up with a man, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship. 4. When to try harder and when to walk away. 5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next. 6. The names of the secretary of state, your great-grandmothers, and the best tailor in town. 7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to. 8. Where to go — be it your best friend’s kitchen table or a yoga mat — when your soul needs soothing. 9. That you can’t change the length of your legs, the width of your hips, or the nature of your parents. 10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over. 11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love. 12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or not flossing for very long. 13. Who you can trust, who you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take it personally. 14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault. 15. Why they say life begins at 30

—Turning 30: 30 Things Every Woman Should Have And Should Know

What we need to let ourselves do is acknowledge that sex is a big deal for some people, and really not a big deal for others. We need to get better at saying “Eh, that’s not really my thing, but if you like it, rock on with your cock on” and meaning it. Otherwise, we will only continue to be opaque to each other. We will miss the enormous pain in someone who would really like to get some, but isn’t. We will miss the pain in someone who doesn’t want to have sex but feels obligated to. We will miss all the people who can’t reconcile the contradiction between their utterly filthy fantasies and the social role they find themselves in. Understanding can only arise from acknowledging our mutual incomprehension.

—Libidos, Assumptions, and Miscommunication | No, Seriously, What About Teh Menz? (via sexisnottheenemy)

(via sexisnottheenemy)

Yes, I get a little sad when I remember I’m too neurotic and too sarcastic, and that I choose to be loud or quiet at all the wrong times, to be a Sofia Coppola character, but also too vapid, too easily amused, to be as cool as Daria. But I’m not a Sofia Coppola character, and I’m not Daria, I’m me, and I want to look and act like me. And I’ll define me for myself, and it can be, like, this whole other thing that exists outside of body types and comparisons and references.

—Rookie » How to Not Care What Other People Think of You

We found each other. Love. A truly life-altering, time-bending kind of love that makes you understand for a moment what the fuck Joni Mitchell has been singing about all this time. The kind of love where it’s barely enough for me to be around him, I want to find some way to live inside of him in a way that is hard to describe without it sounding like a crappy made-for-TV movie.

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This one’s for Nora « Notes from the Bench

My childhood friend Nora truly is amazing.