![The Washington Post Magazine](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801im_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/magazine/images/magazine-front-header-logo.jpg)
The Washington Post Magazine
Telling the stories of the Washington region through narrative journalism
A matter of conviction
In 1979, Brian Murtagh put Jeffrey MacDonald in prison. Then came the hard part: keeping him there.
Stressed? Overworked? You’re alone.
MAGAZINE | A new poll reveals the true Washington worker bee, and the results may surprise you.
2012 Holiday Gift Guide
Local notables — including Olympian Gabby Douglas, news anchor Alison Starling, mystery writer Laura Lippman and chef Cedric Maupillier — offer their favorite gift-giving ideas.
Date Lab
Do daters know themselves as well as they think they do?
![Do daters know themselves as well as they think they do?](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/30/Web-Resampled/2012-11-30/date1209a--90x60--90x60.jpg)
We gave her three choices to see if she knows her match better than we do.
@Work Advice
Fiscal cliff notes
How to prepare for layoffs and related hazards.
I’m dreaming of a white elephant
Avoiding gift exchanges, and other survival skills for the office holiday season.
A bump on the road to recovery
These hired “helpers” are more interested in helping themselves.
Loud, but no longer proud
Does a chastised co-worker deserve her colleagues’ scorn or sympathy?
Those infernal ‘internships’
Sorting out legitimate programs from free-labor scams.
Below the Beltway
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Dating himself
How Mitt’s old-fashioned values lost all the single ladies.
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Frankincense and mirth
God’s got a million of ’em.
![](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/14/Web-Resampled/2012-11-14/1125Gene--90x60.jpg)
Chewish humor
The secrets of “Bazooka Joe.”
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Prose and cons
Good news: More people are writing. Bad news: More people are writing.
![](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/10/31/Magazine/Images/gene1111.jpg)
Writing poems and blowing it
Verse versus Breathalyzer.
More From Gene Weingarten
Tom Sietsema's Dining
Tom Sietsema: Innovation’s great, but it needs elevation
![Tom Sietsema: Innovation’s great, but it needs elevation](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/21/Magazine/Images/MGDINING1205_0031353467227.jpg)
New Minibar has some oohs, lots of blahs.
Closer Inspection
![ARLINGTON, VA-OCTOBER 17:Postcard of Memorial Ampitheatre with Writing on Back from the Arlington County Library Virginia Room Collection on October 17, 2012 in Arlington Virginia(Photo by Benjamin C. Tankersley/For The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/12/03/Web-Resampled/2012-12-03/CI_Postcards291350505986--90x60.jpg)
Greetings from Arlington
Postcards offer snapshots of county’s past.
![SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 9: Marji Lynn, right, and Sue Hopkins embrace before heading to City Hall to get married on the morning of December 9, 2012 in Seattle, Washington. The two are poodle enthusiasts and are surrounded by the five poodles of a close friend. Today is the first day that same-sex couples can legally wed in Washington state. (Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/12/10/Web-Resampled/2012-12-10/158030764--90x60.jpg)
Day in photos
Gay marriage ceremonies, snow across Europe, Santa run, protests in Egypt and more.
![WASHINGTON, DC-AUGUST 8: Detail of the Face of a Wounded Soldier on the Center Panel of The Tiffany Stained Glass Windows at the National Red Cross Headquarters on August 8, 2012 in Washington DC(Photo by Benjamin C. Tankersley/For The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/27/Web-Resampled/2012-11-27/CI_TiffanyWindow15_1346947620--90x60.jpg)
Closer Inspection: A mission in glass
At the Red Cross, Tiffany windows highlight its aims.
![BEIJING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 15: Members of the new Politburo Standing Committee Xi Jinping (C), Li Keqiang (R) and Zhang Dejiang (L) greet the media at the Great Hall of the People on November 15, 2012 in Beijing, China. China's ruling Communist Party today revealed the new Politburo Standing Committee after its 18th congress. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/15/Foreign/Images/156431549-5535.jpg)
New leaders in China
Chinese Communist leaders meet in Beijing for the party’s once-in-a-decade power transition.
![HYATTSVILLE, MD-SEPTEMBER 14:Royal Blue Luchinny Platforms with Metal Spikes by Dominique Wells, Designer of Jezabelles Shoes on September 14, 2012 in Hyattsville Maryland(Photo by Benjamin C. Tankersley/For The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/10/11/Magazine/Images/CI_JezabellesShoes_111349980509.jpg)
Closer Inspection: Fancy feet
She aims to add flair to what you wear.
Trend Report
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There’s a pattern to it
How to wear this trend without looking like a couch? Some choices and advice.
![Jeweled clutch](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801im_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/rw/sites/twpweb/img/blogs/spacer.gif)
Trend Report: Isn’t it rich?
Fall fashions mimic the luxe looks in a new movie based on Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina.”
![Maisie cape](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/10/30/Web-Resampled/2012-10-30/Maisie Cape--90x60.jpg)
Trend Report: Take cover
Fashionable coats for fall and winter.
![Bunny Hop intarsia sweater from C. Wonder](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/10/22/Web-Resampled/2012-10-22/Bunny Hop Intarsia Sweater, $78--90x60.jpg)
Knit picking
A menagerie of animals adorns fall’s new crop of knits.
![Oxblood Mary Jane heels](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/10/16/Web-Resampled/2012-10-16/13822_PR5831_fsw_B_V2--90x60.jpg)
Trend Report: Sole comforts
New shoes for fall: the highs and the lows.
First Person Singular
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Aniekan Udofia, 36, Washington, artist
An artist talks about creating his work in public — and the pitfalls of having an audience before a work is finished.
![Alexandria, VA - November 8, 2012: Neil Bailey-Harper (center) performs his 'The Mr. B Show' for the students at Children's International School in Alexandria, VA on Thursday November 8, 2012. (Photo by Joseph Victor Stefanchik for The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/21/Magazine/Images/firstperson1202b.jpg)
Neal Bailey-Harper, preschool music instructor, Mr. B Music and Drama
He says teaching preschool children is all about finding your rhythm.
![GAITHERSBURG, MD - SEPTEMBER 05: America 'Mecky' Caballero of Family Services, Inc. poses for a portrait at the organization's Gaithersburg, MD office on Wednesday September 05, 2012. (Photo by Matt McClain for The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/19/Web-Resampled/2012-11-19/MGcaballeroFP252_1346875680--90x60.jpg)
America Caballero, 52, Montgomery Village, early intervention specialist
Helping at-risk mothers requires a delicate balance of support.
![WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 31: Gail Ross, Esquire, who is President of the Ross Yoon Agency poses for a portrait at their location on Wednesday October 31, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Matt McClain for The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/09/Web-Resampled/2012-11-09/MG-FirstPersonRoss1161351702330--90x60.jpg)
Gail Ross, 57, Washington, literary agent and president of the Ross Yoon Agency
A literary agent talks about the future of books and why she’s the ideal party guest.
![WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 17: Nita Robinson, who is a cashier at the Safeway store along 14th St. SE poses for a portrait on Wednesday October 17, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Matt McClain for The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/02/Web-Resampled/2012-11-02/MG-RobinsonFirstPerson0361350568691--90x60.jpg)
Nita Robinson, 67, La Plata, Safeway cashier
“I’m not afraid to talk to anybody,” she says.
Editor's Query
Tell us about a time when you started a family tradition
One person’s experiment becomes another’s treasured recipe; a reader’s tribute to a beloved family pet.
Tell us about a time when you granted someone’s wish
She fulfilled a child’s wish — in a way she never imagined.
Tell us about a time when you started a family tradition
Forget the turkey and trimmings.
Tell us about a time when you started a family tradition
One reader gets “inked”; another finds a way to spend quality time with her family — and save money at the same time.
What Happened To
![name of girl to come: school project done at Cheetah Camp Muslim slum earlier this year (Feb-Mar) 2012](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801im_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/rw/sites/twpweb/img/blogs/spacer.gif)
... the woman who lost her family in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks?
Kia Scherr publicly forgave the terrorists and helped found a nonprofit organization that emphasizes conflict resolution.
![Rachel Harris for the washington post](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/11/12/Production/Food/Images/Final_Turkey_illo.jpg)
Tradition reigns supreme
at a White House Thanksgiving
Jell-O molds, Saltines and possum have found a place on the first families’ tables over the years.
![](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/06/28/Magazine/Images/whtcrop.jpg)
... the infertile couple who went to South Africa?
A family that is “full to bursting.”
... the family who shared the story of a young woman with bulimia
Leah Siskin’s sister, Sarah, died nine years ago at age 19 after a long battle with bulimia. Today, Leah and friends are raising money to support the National Eating Disorders Association in Sarah’s memory.
![SLUG: ME-MAYOR-1 PHOTOGRAPHER: NIKKI KAHN/THE WASHINGTON POST DATE: 9/9/2006 LOCATION: Washington, DC CAPTION: Mayoral candidate Linda Cropp (D) campaigns in northwest Washington, D.C., on Saturday, September 9, 2006. StaffPhoto imported to Merlin on Sat Sep 9 23:39:01 2006](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801im_/http://www.washingtonpost.com/rw/sites/twpweb/img/blogs/spacer.gif)
... the councilwoman who lost to Adrian Fenty?
Former D.C. Council chairwoman Linda Cropp lost her race for mayor to Adrian Fenty in 2006, but she figures she added years to her life.
Your Turn
![LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 10: Famed architect, Frank Gehry poses for a portrait at Gehry Partners, LLP on Tuesday April 10, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. Gehry has created a design for a memorial to Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Eisenhower family have spoken out against his design. (Photo by Matt McClain for The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/04/16/Magazine/Images/MGgehry13148_1334607240.jpg)
Readers react
Readers write in about Frank Gehry’s memorial to Eisenhower.
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Readers react
Readers write in about Gene’s anti-PR column, the “The Good Guy” and “Lost in Space” in the March 6 issue.
![COLLEGE PARK, MD-SEPTEMBER 13, 2011 Raymond Stanford has thousands of dinosaur fossils in his home in College Park, Maryland on September 13, 2011. Raymond Stanford recently found a dinosaur fossil in Maryland, that is now on display at the Smithsonian. HEALTH /SCIENCE: Raymond Stanford, a local dinosaur enthusiast has found a fossil important enough to be exhibited at the Smithsonian and to be the subject of a paper with a paleontologist at Johns Hopkins (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/04/23/Magazine/Advance/Images/HEdinosaur10_1315951380-1382.jpg)
Readers react
Readers write in about ‘Dinoman,’ Bergers cookies, the Education Issue and Gene Weingarten.
![POOLESVILLE, MD- MARCH 03 Goats enjoying an afternoon of fresh air and hay nibbling at the Polar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville, Maryland on March 03, 2012 Photos for a SUNDAY MAGAZINE: secondary piece for 4/15 Education Review on the growth of animal studies. We are focusing on a BA and certificate program offered at The Humane Society University in Washington. Jonathan Balcombe teaches the class 'Animal Behavior, Animal Minds and Animal Protection' on Wednesday nights. He spends his Saturday mornings with animals at the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_90x60/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/03/05/Magazine/Images/MGanistudies228_1330979041.jpg)
Reader reaction
Readers comment on stories from the April 15 Education Issue and Gene Weingarten’s column.
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Readers react
Comments on Gene Weingarten and a travel story on Los Angeles
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Top 40 picks: Fall dining guide
Food critic Tom Sietsema shares his personal list of the best fall flavors in the Washington area.
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Humor Contest winners
More than a thousand tweeted jokes to us, penned essays and 156 sent photos. Here are the best and a few honorable mentions in each category.
![](https://webharvest.gov/congress112th/20121212061801/http://img.wpdigital.net/rf/image_172x114/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/03/27/Magazine/Advance/Images/peeps-cover-crop.jpg)
Power to the Peeps!
Creativity, topicality and a keen eye for detail — as well as a sweet tooth — were keys to success for the winners of our sixth annual Peeps Diorama Contest.
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