Do You Wear Comfortable Shoes?
Last night, I was out and about with a stylish gay friend of mine, who was wearing the cutest pair of lace up boots. A passerby in sneakers asked him if the boots were comfortable, and my friend replied that comfort wasn’t something he insisted on in a shoe. How about you?
Relationship Advice?
“It’s better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone.”
Marilyn Monroe, 6/1/26- 8/5/62
Ballerina Sitting, 1954, by Milton H. Greene
Stumbling Onto Gratitude
Apparently, I don’t follow my own advice. After grumbling about the importance of planning well for holidays and weekends, this one crept on me. I had pockets of pity time where I imagined everyone hanging out with loved ones, except for me. Hate that! What a delight to come across Leah Dieterich’s blog, thxthxthx, in which she posts a thank you note a day. It brightened my mood.
Trying To Belong
Photograph by Dorothea Lange (born on this day in 1895). A day after Pearl Harbor, a Japanese American grocer in San Francisco unfurled the banner, “I Am an American,” on the window of his store. Lange took this shot in March, 1942, right before the man’s internment.
Do You Find Cleaning Therapeutic?
Image: Christopher Boffoli from his series, Disparity.
A Handy Tip To Manage Longing
There are days I feel so filled up with longing, and I’m not sure where to put it. At lunch today, a friend who teaches yoga, told me that she’s learned, through practice, not to get too attached to thoughts. She watches them from a distance. I might have to try that. Especially, after a stiff drink.
Image: Desire, Despair, 1996, by Jack Pierson
Swooning for Midnight in Paris
http://youtu.be/z1iR1CErfsg
On Saturday, I went to the movies, which is one of my favorite things to do alone. There’s no compromising what to see, where to sit, and how early (or late) to arrive. And not having to worry about whether the person I’m with is enjoying the film, allows me to have a deeper experience. About halfway through Woody Allen’s sweet and pleasurable new movie, I felt my whole body relax. I literally thought, “I’m happy to be alive.”
5 Ways To Be Tactile Without a Date
1. Hug a pet
2. Wear silk charmeuse
3. Roll around on a shag carpet
4. Caress a plush, leather purse
5. Slip into high thread count, Egyptian cotton sheets
Illustration: Lazy Girl by Mel Kadel
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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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