This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

To hear Darja Gutnick describe it now, entrepreneurship has always been in her blood. “I grew up with a mom who was an entrepreneur — very dynamic, very results-driven, very-determined. I grew up in her business, and I didn’t know how to live [other than] in an entrepreneurial way. I always wanted to know how things work and how I can use what I understand to solve problems.”

Getting to know Ms. Gutnick on a Zoom call, she’s every bit the entrepreneur — effervescent, discerning, disarmingly charming. She’s donning a wearable blanket…

Snaking lines of listless people waiting in queues. Scattered rushes of anxious passengers racing toward gates.

Airports are strange places. They are places between places. I haven’t set foot in an airport in almost two years and remember them as ungrounded, untethered spaces that put us on edge.

I’ve seen seemingly mild-mannered business professionals approach ticket counters, hear some undesired news, and morph into John McEnroe at his most apoplectic.

“What do you mean you can’t get me on a flight out tonight? This is ridiculous! I hope the f***ing airline goes under, and you lose your job!”

I’ve witnessed…

Thank you so much for the kind shout-out, Amy! It really means a lot--and I'm glad I'm not the only one enjoying some shared moments of lowbrow joy, as you say. Thanks again!

What’s the difference between someone who can cook and someone who can cook? Plenty of us can follow a recipe and make things edible. Can you turn your average baked chicken or spaghetti into a symphony of flavors? Can you create meals your loved ones beg for again and again?

Food is one of life’s great pleasures. Rather than preparing dinner like completing a chore, you can treat it as an opportunity to develop your cooking skills and experiment. You can take pride in your food, adapt it to your specific tastes and preferences, and savor what you’ve made. …

My writing demons are loud today. They are vicious, criticizing everything from my skill to my intellect.

Why do you want to write? There are so many writers out there who are better than you. You shouldn’t even bother.

Despite their intensity, I’ve tried to write. I have. I’ve got a half dozen, half-completed drafts sitting in Google Docs. The problem is that I don’t have the words to give these stories life. Every time I try, it’s like giving mouth-to-mouth to a corpse. …

I’ve often heard the platitude “difference is our strength” to describe America. What we don’t say is that living with difference can be difficult. As humans, we have a natural tendency to categorize people, to exaggerate our differences, and to see others as separate from ourselves. Our social programming, including our proclivity towards prejudice and racism, can make us uncomfortable with or suspicious of people of a different race, gender, or class.

I’m no exception. During the heady, pre-mask summer of 2019, I made my first solo trip out in public since my daughter was born six months earlier. …

It’s been two years since I gave birth to my daughter. Hers was a rough, vaginal birth via forceps delivery. Doctors wrapped metal salad tongs around my daughter’s skull to yank her too-big head through my too-small vagina. A rough pregnancy and rough childbirth in my late 30s led to postpartum urinary incontinence — meaning I can’t hold my pee.

It’s estimated that one-third of women struggle with incontinence after childbirth, so it’s a common problem. If you’ve had a baby, are thinking about having a baby, or have someone in your life with a baby, it’s an important fact…

As Inauguration Day in the US approaches, public concern over right-wing extremist attacks is mounting. Many Americans worry about a peaceful transfer of power and whether the fabric of our democracy will be torn asunder. These are serious times.

On the day of the US Capitol attack earlier this month, I shared a silly humor piece I had written called “I’m Never Taking Off My Wearable Blanket” to my personal Facebook page. My Facebook post said, “Sharing some silliness by yours truly! …