Soaking In the Summer
There is something about hot weather that ignites my fantasy for a romantic weekend getaway. Maybe it’s the vision of cooling off with a lover by the beach and kicking back with a beer and some barbecue. This upcoming summer weekend, I’m heading to the mountains for a good friend’s wedding. (More about that tomorrow.) I’ll be driving up and sharing a great house rental with people I enjoy, and with a BBQ and artisanal beer on the schedule for Saturday, I can check most items off my list. Who knows what else?!
Beach towel by the artist, Barbara Kruger
Putting Your Best Foot Forward
When I put on a pair of shoes that I love, it can tip my whole outfit. My posture is lifted and so is my attitude. And conversely, with a bad hair day (like today), no accessory can make it work. What’s the bottom line for what makes you feel put together? (Clothing optional.)
Image by Jack Hughes
Helen Gurley Brown, RIP
Cosmo never spoke to me. But there was so much to admire about Helen Gurley Brown. She was a pioneer who popularized the notion that women actually enjoyed sex, and an entrepreneur who married late in her 30’s (which was ancient in 1959) only after she was a success. She famously said, “Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere.”
Having the Best Time On Your Own
One of the immense pleasures of my single life is going to the movies in the morning. I’m at my most alert, there’s no scrambling for good seats on opening weekend and I’m less likely to get stuck in traffic. I’ve found it hard to convince friends to come along with me at 11 AM on a beautiful summer day, and I almost prefer going by myself. I seem to have a deeper experience of the movie with no worries that the person sitting next to me is having a good time.
What’s your favorite activity to do on your own?
Hollywood Kiss
As a tween growing up in New York City, before I’d gotten the chance yet for a full-throated kiss, I used to have a romantic fantasy while riding the subway. I’d sit upright with my lips puckered, and imagine the train making a sudden emergency stop as the man of my dreams (who just happened to be holding the strap right in front of me) lurching forward into my arms for a passionate embrace. I’m waiting.
Kissing Magritte by Joe Webb
Boldly Go!
There’s so much inspiration to take away from NASA’s mission to Mars. Vision, passion, hard work, persistence, hope, trust, community and glee. Can you feel it?
Image: Curiosity’s parachute (in box) slowing its descent to Mars
You’re All the Greatest. But Here’s the Winner:
Last month, FPS launched a contest, inviting readers to choose an item they consider their kitchen essential, for a chance to win a copy of Marion Cunningham’s updated version of The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. Thanks so much for your spirited response of entries that were fun to read and useful, too. (Most often mentioned were favorite knives and cast iron pans.) I realize that narrowing your kitchen essential down to one was a near impossible task, and it’s practically as hard for me to pick one winner. But because I have to, here goes. Continue reading »
Heroes
This is not my dog. It’s a shot from a series, Maddie the Coonhound, described by the photographer Theron Humphrey as “a serious project about dogs and physics.” I’ve had this photo on my desktop for days. It makes me feel cozy each time I look at it, and afterwards I go hug my own dog, who is smaller, but every bit the hero.
Contest winner announced tomorrow.
Archive for August, 2012
About this Site
FIRST PERSON SINGULAR is a guide to surviving, thriving and sometimes just getting through a single day. Created by Wendy Braitman (more…)
Follow First Person Singular
Greatest Hits
