Cramming to Forgive and Forget
24 hours before the Jewish New Year, I’m scrambling to get my metaphysical house in order.
Image via Johnny Hughes
How To Change a Lightbulb
Before moving into my condo, I had a contractor install a track light fixture in the kitchen. My designer friend who picked it out, said the only glitch was that I might need help changing the bulbs. Today, when a bulb blew, I looked up at the ceiling, and thought: no big deal, I could do that. I’m shaky with heights, but on a step stool, I could just about reach it if I outstretched my arm. I tried a few times, but couldn’t get the bulb out. I flashed back to a scene in It’s Complicated, when Alec Baldwin replaces a bulb for his ex-wife, played by Meryl Streep, and she’s so satisfied by it, almost like sex. For a few minutes, I had husband envy, picturing this as something my father would’ve done. Oh well. Time to call the handyman.
Image: It’s Complicated by Anthony Zinonos
End of Week Positive Thinking
Image: Dominique Falla (constructed out of thread and nails)
5 Annoyances That Tear At My Soul
1. Taking forever to reach customer service, and when you finally get them, they drop the call.
2. Prescriptions not being ready at the time that the pharmacy promised.
3. Not knowing if the bad internet connection is the fault of Time Warner or an aging computer.
4. Exponential rise in my health care premiums even though I hardly use it.
5. Anti-vaccine hysteria.
Image from Beautiful Swear Words
Do You Like To Iron?
Some people tell me they find ironing relaxing. I seemed to have misplaced my iron about 15 years.
Image: Tatsuro Kiuchi
Adjusting To a New Home
6 weeks later, I’m finally beginning to get the hang of it. And so is my dog.
Image: Ungrounded by Ben Grasso
21st Century Happy Ever After
Don’t miss this post in the New York Times today, with some fascinating facts and figures about single Americans. I was glad to see that Bella DePaulo’s book, Singlism (to which I contributed) got a nice plug.
Cartoon by Tom Gauld
Image via Grab Tomatoes While You Can
Tomato season is short. I’m talking about good tomatoes, that are really worth eating. I gorge myself on them during the summer months, so when they’ve disappeared from the market, I’m pretty well sated. I love sweet 100’s, which are the tiniest and sweetest tomatoes you can find. For a favorite, quickie dinner, I cut them in half, macerate them for 10 minutes or so, in olive oil and shallots, and pour the mixture over tortellini (from a package that takes 3 minutes to cook). Shave Reggiano parmesan over everything, and you’ll have a perfect late summer meal.
Image: Tatsuro Kiuchi
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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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