First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

Stretch Out

Illustration by Lee Crutchley

Meet the New Host of The Daily Show

In December, when I first watched Trevor Noah making this debut on The Daily Show, I was floored with how good he was. Relaxed, poised, funny, handsome. Today, reading the news that he will be replacing Jon Stewart, I got a little choked up. I will miss Stewart, terribly. He is so embedded in my nightly route. But I’m excited about the possibilities. Well done, Comedy Central.

Anger Management

Because of the dog, I spend a lot of time walking the neighborhood. Depending on my mood, it can feel like a collection of slights. Most offensive are the departing renters who leave ripped furniture and soiled mattresses on the street. Then there’s the guy who doesn’t trim his ficus hedges to the point where it’s blocking the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians onto the grass. And there are always dog owners who don’t pick up after their pets. But it’s Friday night, my weekly dive into calm. Wishing you all a beautiful weekend.

Illustration from Ella Frances Sanders

Love the One You’re With

Painting by Brent Holland Baker

Gloria Steinem is 81 today

“(Black Women) invented the feminist movement. I’ve learned feminism disproportionately from black women. I realize that things being what they are, the white middle-class part of the movement got reported more, but if you look at the numbers and the very first poll of women responding to feminist issues, African American women were twice as likely to support feminism and feminist issues than white women.” – Steinem at Black Enterprise’s Women of Power Summit

1971 photo of Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman-Hughes by Dan Wynn

Why We Need to Be Wary of Studies

Occasionally on this site, I rail against studies that imply single life is not on par with married life. According to their data, we’re not as happy or healthy and we don’t live as long as couples. And on a gut level, this has never made sense to me. Finally, here’s a clear and less anecdotal explanation as to why studies shouldn’t always be trusted.

24 Hours Without Trash Talk

Saturday was the yearly anniversary of my mother’s passing. As is the Jewish custom, I lit a memorial candle that burns for 24 hours and said the Kaddish, the prayer for the dead. Now, I almost looking forward to the date cycling around. I use it as a context to feel close and offer gratitude for all that she gave me, which I neglected to express while she walked the earth. No gripes about my Mom during these 24 hours. I save that for another day.

Never Say Goodbye by Michael Dumontier and Neil Farber

To Spring!

Cover of The New Yorker by Christoph Niemann

Tomorrow is Free Macaron Day in NYC

In honor of the first day of spring, select bakeries around New York City are giving away French macarons to their customers. How do we export this holiday to L.A.?

Why I Posted My Dog’s Photo on Facebook

Rose turned 10 yesterday. And as an experiment, I posted this shot of her on Facebook. For years, I’ve scrolled through countless images of friends’ engagements, marriages, anniversaries and babies with some envy at how many likes they amassed. Now was my chance, and I was curious to see the response. The results were stellar. But of course. She’s a rockstar.