First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

End of Week Zen

Happy weekend!

Do You Over-Organize?

Cartoon by Kim Warp from The New Yorker

Becoming My Own Superman

I turned on my BBQ to grill peppers and some sausage, and just ran out of propane. I’ve worried about this day, and it’s on my list of irrational fears of being single. There’s a full tank in the closet, which a friend hauled up late last year. But it’s way too heavy for me to lift. I really, REALLY wanted to cook the dinner I’d envisioned. So I got out a thick towel, and out of sheer will and desperation, somehow managed to move the tank onto it. Then I carefully inched the towel across the wood floor of my living room and hoisted it on the terrace, and  after a few feeble attempts, hooked up the grill. I’m feeling SO PROUD. And it made me believe that anything is possible.

Image from newyorkshitty

Irrational Fears of Being Single

Long before my mother got sick and passed away, I used to worry about being without a spouse when she died. On my first night back in San Francisco after the funeral, dear friends threw me a dinner party. I felt their love as they wrapped their arms around me and fed me a delicious meal. Worrying Solves Nothing by Stefan Sagmeister

What tops your ‘fear of being single’ list?

Not Sweating the Small Stuff (at Least for today)

After putting it off for a couple of years too many, I finally dragged myself to the doctor for a routine physical. Everything’s just fine. All in all, I consider this a perfect day.

Illustration by Wasted Rita

It’s Going to Be a Wet, Frizzy Oscar Weekend

Does This Woman Even Exist?

Whew. I’m exhausted just reading this list from an online profile:

I prefer smart women with pleasant personalities, high integrity, humility, poise, class, above average social, listening and conversational skills, an understanding of empathy and the ability to practice it daily, good physical and mental energy and self-awareness, and a personal sense of style. 

Artwork by Aliza Razell

Here Comes the Rain!

What a beautiful sound.

Illustration by Tatsuro Kiuchi

One More Reason Not to Smoke

A 37-year old man in my neighborhood who I barely know except to say hi when we pass each other with our dogs, blurted out that he has stage 2 bladder cancer. It was right after I was making small talk about the weather. The bluntness of his confession stunned me, especially as we’re practically strangers and I hardly knew what to say, except, “I’m so, so sorry.” He admitted that he had smoked for 22 years, which is the number one risk factor for his kind of cancer. After getting the diagnosis, he quit immediately.

Girl Smoking by Richard Diebenkorn

Better Than Diamonds

When I was a young girl and my mother was wearing diamonds, I used to go into her jewelry box and place her plain gold wedding band on the fourth finger of my left hand, and imagine what it felt like to be married. This ring seems like a lot more fun.