Civic Engagement
I used to think that complaining about politics was involvement enough. And then, 3 years ago, I became an advocate for immigrant rights. By building coalitions and being persistent, we were able to change an entrenched policy in Los Angeles that was having a devastating financial impact on low-income families. Now I feel like a real citizen.
This Time, With Feeling
I’d like to laugh till my stomach hurts. How many of these have you done lately?
Image: Take Chances Poster
Radical Amazement
Yesterday, in the supermarket, I saw a giant display for Valentines Day candy. It was a shock to my system. Here I was lingering in the New Year’s glow, as commercialism was dragging me forward towards the next opportunity to empty my pockets. Can’t we all just be here now? I first heard the phrase radical amazement, in reference to the philosophy of the great theologian, writer and social activist, Abraham Joshua Heschel, who urged people to slow down, look around and soak up the ordinary miracles we take for granted. I’m going to remember this as I walk my dog tonight.
Image: Maurizio Nannucci
Preemptive New Year’s Eve
I’ve invited a few good friends over for drinks and dinner tonight. By celebrating New Year’s Eve a day early, I get to bring in 2012 with good cheer and no pressure. No worries about who to kiss on midnight or feeling the need to appear overly enthusiastic. Tomorrow night, I’ll be relaxing in my cozy apartment, eating tasty leftovers, watching a movie, drinking a martini, and hanging with my dog. Sounds like perfection. Wishing you all your perfect night!
Image: Marc Johns
Slogging Through the Holidays
This is the limbo week, and among my favorites to be in L.A., because there’s less traffic, and with the exception of exhausted retailers, you can sense the vacation in the air. I’m surprisingly cheerful. Part of it, I think, is the sheer relief of making it past Christmas, intact, though the specter of New Year’s Eve does lurk in the distance.
Image: Nicola Vruwink
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FIRST PERSON SINGULAR is a guide to surviving, thriving and sometimes just getting through a single day. Created by Wendy Braitman (more…)
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