Twirling a satirical spin around life’s idiosyncrasies
Posted in Philosothings on Mar 29th, 2009
I am, admittedly, a person who admires the handiwork of etiquette guides. Call me old fashioned, but there’s something refreshing about good manners and people who acknowledge them (those who write etiquette books) and who exercise them (the few and far between who circulate somewhere out there). Aside from a long, mind-clearing run, nothing perks [...]
Posted in Beauty babble, Oh, no he didn't! on Mar 27th, 2009
As a creative person, I’ve always likened my emotional thought processes to being right-brained. Having been advised to give logic a try, I present a series of activities in which I can test the psychological waters of rationality.
For example, shopping:
Emotional: I need these Cole Haan pumps immediately, if not sooner.
Logical: These Cole Haan pumps are [...]
Posted in Philosothings on Mar 23rd, 2009
My mentor once discussed with me the act of showing up for one’s own life - “to be present and not simply there,” as she explained it one April afternoon. I always assumed it had more to do with showing up on time for appointments and the like, a task which has never been my [...]
Posted in City grit, Oh, no he didn't! on Mar 15th, 2009
Dear sharply dressed fellow sitting to my right on the subway this morning:
Thanks for not-so-subtly reading over my shoulder on the trip in to Boston this morning. I trust your garlic bagel with smoked salmon cream cheese treated your esophagus kindly. Likewise, I’m sure you enjoyed the taste of Romain Gary, whom I myself was [...]
Posted in Oh, no he didn't! on Mar 15th, 2009
Face flushed, a stranger will excitedly point to whatever identification I present - be it driver’s license or blind carbon copied email - to my last name, the elephant in the room. On cue, I automatically spell my names - first and last - for virtual unknowns to not only save time, but also embarrassment [...]
Posted in Philosothings on Mar 15th, 2009
I called my mentor in a state of panic the other afternoon. I’d been procrastinating with my writing, allowing deadlines to draw dangerously close before a project was completed. This game of Russian roulette didn’t just puzzle me; it also exhausted my mental and physical capacities. And I couldn’t figure out why I’d hold a [...]
Posted in City grit, Philosothings on Mar 15th, 2009
Coping with stress well is not my strong suit. I binge on “piece” food - raisins, animal crackers, cookies, chocolate chips - or don’t eat at all, sucking down one caffeinated beverage after another in an attempt to fuel my body. Oversleeping is never a problem; but working until 2, 3 and 4 in the [...]
Posted in Beauty babble on Mar 15th, 2009
I waltzed into my eyebrow wax appointment this afternoon in a particularly chipper mood - not only because I was early and would be able to enjoy a dizzying selection of European fashion magazines at my leisure; but because there’s nothing quite like the feeling of hot wax sizzling against the delicate eye area to [...]
Posted in City grit on Mar 10th, 2009
The loud clump grabbed me first. I, in “How is the weekend already over?” mode, peered over the top of my book at the well-groomed woman sitting across from me in the subway car. We uncomfortably made eye contact. The trolley screeched to a halt as it approached the Harvard Square stop. My neighbor rose; my [...]