Jealousy: The Worst Human Emotion

This is going to be one of those posts where I constantly wonder if I'm over-sharing. I can tell because I've written and rewritten three different introductions, which I've since deleted. Whatever, I'm just going to dive right in. No take-backsies.

This last weekend, I got the opportunity to speak with a group of high school girls about what it means to be women -- as in, what makes women unique? In what ways might women struggle? As women, where does our value lie? Where do we try to find value instead? What does the world say about who a woman should be?

All of that stuff.

It was a conversation I have been a part of many times, both as a speaker and as a listener, but this time it struck a new chord in me. Or maybe an old chord. A chord was struck, but I'm not sure which kind.

In leading this discussion with these girls, I realized that their answers to what they struggle with are not that far off from mine. In fact, if I really think about it, my current fears don't stray all that far from the ones I had when I was their age. Sure, these concerns manifest themselves differently now (for instance, my fears of inadequacy no longer lead me to rehearse obsessively for the spring musical), but the point is I still have them. And, guys, I'm practically a million years old at this point.

I know that as human beings we learn and relearn the same lessons over and over again, but I don't know, at some point, I guess I just expected one or two to stick.

Anyway, the struggle I've been working through a lot lately is one of jealousy. I made that word look big, fat, and imposing for the sake of impact. It's a gross word, arguably one of the worst possible human emotions. It has synonyms such as "envy" that sound slightly better, cute almost (imagine a baby german shepherd named Envy. Adorable.), but I'm sticking with "jealousy" because it kind of sounds like it could be a disease of the intestinal tract, and I think that's more fitting to the way I experience it.

If you are not of this planet, and you don't know what jealousy is, simply put, it is anger inspired by the success, possessions, or status of others. If you need to see jealousy personified, here you go:

Via

If you need to see a scenario in which jealousy might occur, here you go:

If you need to see a picture I drew of the expression, "jealousy rearing it's ugly head", here you go:

I'm not an artist.

If you need to see a list of 20 stupid things that make me jealous in life, here you go:

1. Jennifer Lawrence
2. People who can afford to take taxis 
3. People who can afford to live in Park Slope
4. That person who got that opportunity I didn't realize I wanted
5. That person who got that opportunity that I definitely did not want, but now they are happy, and I wish I was the one who was happy
6. People who are able to sleep on airplanes
7. Girls who can french braid their own hair
8. Men who eat garbage all week long and are able to still look like Disney princes
9. People who can barely spell their own names yet they have some kind of exclusive, high-paying job
10. Dinosaurs because they know what happened to the dinosaurs
11. People who live in Hawaii
12. Birds because flying
13. Toddlers who can wear tutus and no one thinks it's weird
14. People who travel
15. Bloggers who just seem to understand how to run their blog
16. People who enjoy exercise
17. People who are eating Tex Mex right at this very moment
18. That girl wearing that dress I wish I was wearing
19. College students who don't yet know the rejection that awaits them after graduation
20. The guy in front of me in line who got the last croissant 

All of these jealousy-triggers are crazy, and when I see them all written out one-after-the-other, they seem even crazier. The thing about this twisted feeling is that it pulls from two other incredibly powerful emotions, anger & fear, and it confuses them so much that processing rationally is out of the question. Even if we don't want to admit it to the people around us, it is easy to assess whether we're starting to become jealous. There's that hot feeling that goes to your head, that punch-in-the-gut sensation that happens in your stomach. It's much more difficult, however, to diagnose where these feelings are actually coming from.

I would argue that our jealousy stems from one simple, yet very toxic lie -- that if we have this thing/opportunity/status in the way that someone else does, we will somehow become a more complete person.

And it really is a lie. Ugh, intellectually, we know that! Somehow, though, jealousy has the power to bypass our logic and fester in the ugliest parts of our mind. It defies reason, common sense, and it thrives on all of our deepest insecurities. It seriously is the very worst emotion, come to think of it. 

So how do we fight it it? How do we keep jealousy from rearing its ugly, stupid, wrinkly head? 

Well, first off, allow me to remind you that I'm no expert. You saw that list up there -- it's not pretty. Still, I have found that there are a couple of things that I can do to help me stay in check. 

One is to remind myself, as a mantra even, that none of the things that make me jealous are ever going to be the things that fulfill my life. Not Park Slope, not traveling, not Tex Mex, not tutus -- ultimately, none of those things have the power to save my life. None of them. And to crave them so outlandishly is nothing short of idolatry.

The second thing that helps me is exactly what I'm doing right now -- confessing. It sounds crazy, I know, but seriously try it: admit your jealousies. Tell the person whose life you want that you want their life, and watch as they tell you about another person, maybe even you, whose life they'd swap for in a heartbeat. Allow it to be a conversation that reveals everyone's brokenness instead of yet another chance to try to one-up our neighbors. Try it, and see if you don't feel just a teensy bit petty. 

Still, even as I say these things, I know that creeping feeling is far more clever than I am, which is why I'd love even more perspective on all of this. How do you fight jealousy?

Something Winnderful: Love it Forward

After a quick weekend to Texas (more on that later), I'm back in Brooklyn with a stomach full of chips and queso, feeling sleepy and slightly disoriented. Thankfully, Katie from Something Winnderful is taking over the blog today with a far more coherent/entertaining post than I could ever hope to deliver at the moment (phew!). She's got some exciting news about a linkup she's hosting, so read on, and then bounce on over to her blog because it's full of pictures of her dog and some seriously wonderful (or, rather, WINNderful) posts. I mean it. You're going to love this girl.

Oh, and obviously, bloggers, link it up!

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Hey there all you Avoiding Atrophy readers! I'm Katie from Something Winnderful and I'm taking over the blog today! I've been hanging out on the sidebar for awhile and I'm excited to share a post with you all! Today I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you all about Love It Forward. It is a linkup I will be hosting twice a month along with Chasing Happy and As Always, Kara. But it's much more than just a linkup. It's a whole idea that each one of us can in some way spread more love into the world. We are working to create a community of bloggers (and anyone else) dedicated to sharing the love and inspiring others to do the same. So what exactly does that mean? We are encouraging everyone to do some sort of loving act every two weeks (or more!) and then share it in a post. YOU have the ability to brighten someone's day, whether it be from sharing a smile or paying for their food. The opportunities are endless. We want to encourage you to be creative and help inspire others to take action. Not sure how to share some love? Keep reading for some ideas.

 

TO YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER

• Do their least favorite chore for them.
• Make the 52 weeks of dates craft.
• Leave love notes in places they will be found, such as coat and pants pockets.
• Fill their car up with gas.
• Watch whatever movie or tv show they want to watch....and don't complain.

TO YOUR FAMILY

• Cook them dinner. Your parents spent 18 years making sure you didn't starve, might as well show some appreciation.
• Treat them to something nice that they would never buy for themselves.
• Send them a letter. Who doesn't want to get mail that isn't a bill?
• Say thank you and tell them you love them. Your parents and sibling(s) dealt with you from the day you were born, I'm sure it wasn't always rainbows and butterflies. Make sure they know how much they mean to you.

TO YOUR FRIENDS

• Send them a letter. Again, who doesn't like getting mail?
• Baby sit their kids. I don't have children yet, but I understand the importance of getting away from them sometimes.
• Bake them some treats.
• Don't judge or criticize. It becomes easy to give our opinions to our friends, regardless of how positive or negative those opinions may be. Remember to take it easy on them during the times you think they are acting a little crazy.
• Send them a box subscription to try. Birchbox? Stitch fix? I don't really know what those are, but they exist and people like them.

TO STRANGERS

• Pay for the person's meal in the car behind you in the drive through. A person did this for me once and it was so wonderful.
• Even better, leave a gift card at the register of a store and have the cashier use it on customers until it runs out.
• Leave several Operation Beautiful notes in the dressing rooms at the mall.
• Feed the parking meter for the person after you when you leave.

TO YOURSELF

• Buy yourself some earrings from Forever 21. They'll be cute and less than $4.
• Have a night to yourself. Send your man on a night out with the bros and stay in and pamper yourself.
• Start a gratitude journal. It's harder to be negative when you take the time to list all the positives you have in your life.
• Meditate. It doesn't have to be sitting criss cross apple sauce humming kumbaya. Just take a few minutes to be comfortable and enjoy the silence. Don't think about what you should be doing and solely focus on your breathing and relaxing your muscles.
• Don't be so hard on yourself. We are our own worst critics, make sure you give yourself a break every now and then.

There are so many ways to spread some love into the world. It can be creative or simple, elaborate or straight forward, time consuming or only take a second. There's no reason to not spread a little love. If you still need help, we even have a Pinterest board to help inspire you with ideas. Be sure to visit the Love It Forward page to get details on how to participate. Not only is it an effort to spread love from person to person, but also blogger to blogger. We want to keep the love going and create a community of positivity and inspiration.

How will you love it forward?

Connect with Katie: Blog // Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Pinterest

10 Pictures Missing From Buzzfeed's Wedding Photo Ideas List

Buzzfeed recently put out a list titled 42 Impossibly Fun Wedding Photo Ideas You'll Want to Steal. It really was a very cute collection of photo concepts that, yes, you'll probably want to steal for your big day, like this WEDDING GIF:

Brides & grooms of the 21st century: Do this. (Via)

But while I loved going through each of the 42 pictures, I noticed a few glaring gaps -- photos that definitely should have made this list, but somehow didn't. So here for your bridal edification are a few more pictures that you should aspire to on your wedding day.

1. "The Most Handsome Bridesmaid" shot.

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2. A groomsman just making absolute certain that the groom doesn't have breasts.

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3. The bride crying while walking down the aisle, but instead looking like she just doesn't care what's going on.

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4. The groom wiping away the biggest tear of his life.

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5. A shot of the bride holding up the ring bearer uncomfortably by his armpits, causing the world to wonder about her future parenting abilities.

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6. A loving moment captured between the bride and her new sister-in-law.

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7. A perfectly-timed photo of the bride looking embarrassed by something said by a relative.

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8. This masterpiece:

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9. The bride and groom being so careful while feeding each other cake that it looks as though they are attempting to remove each other's tonsils.

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And of course...

10. An action shot of the bride scarfing down Wheat Thins as though her life depends on it. Ideally, this scene would include nude bra straps and a rhinestone octopus top. 

I'll forgive Buzzfeed for this huge misstep mainly because they provided me with this article about an Alpaca being friends with kittens, but seriously, don't let it happen again, guys.

Are there any other photos that deserve to be on this list? Link to them in the comments section!

Insert Classy Here

Guys, I am really excited about today's Q&A with Steph from Insert Classy Here. I think you're going to love this girl. Steph is a woman living a hop-skip-and-a-jump away from me in a wondrous place called New Jersey. Her blog is hilarious, and I just love how she just keeps it super real. She's on Avoiding Atrophy today answering some questions, but make sure to go visit her afterwards and tell her I said hey!

1.  I love the name "Insert Classy Here"!  Can you elaborate on why you chose it as well as what it might imply about your blog?

While doing this whole growing up thing, the word classy has always been a word I want people to describe me as. When I started blogging, I figured it might be easiest just to include it in the title and magically I would be super classy. Get it? Insert classy here? Well, it's not that easy. I wear sweatpants, eat pizza rolls and I don't really understand the difference between a red wine glass and a white wine glass (I just like big glasses.) I write about my life and the things that I'm figuring out on my lifelong journey to become a little more classy.

2.  You're currently an east coaster and a lover of NYC.  What do you love about living here (or nearby, rather)?

I am from St. Paul, Minnesota and spent my entire life living in the Midwest. I visited Boston for my first time about 9 years ago and knew I belonged on the east coast. I love the road trip options here. We just went to Smuggler's Notch, VT for the weekend to ski. How cool that you don't have to drive 14 hours to get anywhere cool?  I love the food, the speed of life, the food, the energy, the food and the people. I live in Jersey right across from Manhattan and every day I fall in love with that beautiful skyline all over again. Lastly, I love that in the dead middle of winter, I am required by law to have someone else pump my gas while I stay in my warm car. God bless Jersey.

3.  Besides blogging, what is one of your favorite ways to spend your time?

I'm an explorer - like Lewis & Clark style. It can be getting lost in the city and finding a new neighborhood or hiking a brand new trail or road-tripping to a little town that we read about in some travel magazine - I love it all.

4.  What are two post you've written recently that you particularly enjoy?

The Perception of Me is a different kind of "about me" post. I also came up with My Blogging Wishlist and admitted that social media makes me feel super awkward and awesome at the same time.

5.  What/who inspires you in life?

Wow, this is tough. I think it's difficult to answer because there isn't one thing or person that really sticks out to me. I walk away from most experiences feeling inspired to better myself, work harder, get healthier and be kind to others. I'm inspired by people who work their tails off and still have fun in life. I'm inspired by people who aren't afraid to fall down sometimes. You just have to observe and be aware of your surroundings and you can find inspiration all over the place.

Comments have been disabled for this post. Go say hi to Steph here!

Why We Work

Today, I'm linking up with The Daily Tay and Life of Bon to talk about this crazy little thing called love. But first, as always, allow me to ramble my way into it...

Last night, I went to a discussion on modern romance hosted by comedian Aziz Anzari and NYU professor of Sociology, Eric Klinenberg. Going in, I had no real idea what to expect. I had applied through Aziz's website a while back when they were looking for folks in committed relationships to participate in some sort of conversation. I figured it was a long shot, which is why my brain did a little irish jig upon receiving an email that said I had been selected. I was asked not to bring my significant other, so instead, I brought a significant someone else: my beautiful friend, Lauren.

Lauren and I gal-ing it up on GALentine's before the discussion began

At the top of the show, Aziz worked on some of his new material with all of us, and no surprises here, I was in absolute stitches. That man is such a treasure. From there, he invited Klinenberg to the stage to help facilitate a conversation with the audience. I won't get into the details of the discussion here since it will likely be used for their future projects, but let me just say that it was lively, hilarious, thought-provoking, and generally very respectful. A lot of the topics brought up didn't specifically pertain to my relationship (I haven't been single since I was sixteen years old, so I am not so familiar with the intricacies of modern dating). Because of this, I never added my two cents at any point, but it was seriously fascinating to listen to people working out what it means to be in a committed relationship at this stage in life. 

But of course, I'd still love to give you my insight, if that's okay. 

If you are a reader of this blog, you know my stance on romantic relationships, particularly of the marital variety -- overwhelmingly PRO. My husband and I have been married for two years, dated six years before that, and we are genuinely pumped by the idea of riding this old marriage train to its last stop ("last stop" being a fun euphemism for death, by the way). 

"Here we go!"

So while we are pretty jazzed about the whole marital concept, the question still remains: why exactly do Daniel and I "work"?

The truth is, we don't, or rather, we shouldn't. In many ways, our most stand-out qualities are totally at odds with each other. 

He's easy-going. 

I'm a Queen Victoria-level control-freak. 

I'm an introvert (frustrated with being mistaken for an extrovert). 

He's an extrovert (with the sometimes-appearance of an introvert). 

He's a science teacher.

I once (regrettably) told my 7th grade science teacher that her class was a waste of my time. 

He eats cottage cheese...just, like, on its own.

I...do not...because that's disgusting. 

We are different in so many ways, but it's mostly the compatible kind of different -- the kind which strengthens the other person in an area where they might feel lacking. I once described this concept of compatibility to someone as "filling each other's holes." This individual looked at me with an embarrassed expression, and then I took a beat and said, "Ooooh...no. Wait. Forget I said that."

So instead, think of it as filling each other's...cracks? Gaps? Gaps. There, that's better. Nailed it.

To give an example of this: Daniel's patience is a powerful antidote to my anxiety. His calm demeanor is like someone holding up a mirror to all of my life's overreactions. On the other side of things, according to Daniel, I help him see the world -- and particularly his relationships -- differently because of my sensitivity to the people around me. No big thang.

But if our relationship is a time piece then all of these little, happy differences are just the screws and cogs, but they are not what make the whole thing function. I think (and Daniel agrees. We talk about this a lot.) that the most basic thing that makes us "work" is the fact that we are profoundly FOR each other. My dreams are Daniel's dreams, and his are mine. We want, in a very real way, for the other person to have a wonderful life even to the point of setting aside our pride (sometimes). 

And I don't actually think this makes us very unique. This is probably the trademark quality of a lot of relationships. I've been observing this recently while watching the Olympics (a thing I never would have done without Daniel, by the way). There a lot of things I love about the Olympics, but I particularly appreciate watching the faces of moms and spouses moments before their favorite person in the world prepares to hurl themselves down a snowy mountain. There is that look of anticipation, joy, fear, but most of all, belief. 

That's honestly how I feel every day with Daniel -- like I'm on the sidelines of the most important figure skating routine of his life (just kidding, he would obviously do the louge), and all I can do is hold up some ridiculous, homemade sign and pray he doesn't die.

Yana Plushenko cheering on her hubs, Evegni, in the classiest way she knows how. (via)

And simultaneously, he's in my corner too freezing his ass off, willing me to land that triple axel. 

Or maybe we're pairs skaters. I don't know. This metaphor is falling apart.

But you get my point. We believe in each other. We are each other's biggest fans. 

Oh, and also, we're super into each other. That should not be overlooked in all of this because being fans of each other is not enough. I should know because I used to be Kevin Richardson's biggest fan, and now if I saw that guy walking down the street, I'd probably just keep on walking. Admiration for each other does not make up for broken expectations, moments when we essentially fail each other. That's a thing that really happens in marriage, and it's the scary part that makes a lot of people walk away. 

But love trumps all of our conditions -- the ones we all say we don't have for each other, but really we do. Love ushers in forgiveness, understanding, and joy. Daniel and I work because we really love each other.

And all of the joyful things of marriage after that just become bonuses. Watching Planet Earth together before bed, making fajitas, Daniel's ability to cheer me up instantly by saying "I'll sweep...I'll sweep the floor!" -- all of these things don't necessarily make us work, but they do make us awesome.

And speaking of awesome, here are some fantastically awkward pictures of Daniel and I back in the day:

Daniel, the first week I met him. At the time, this was the most beautiful person I had ever seen in my entire life. I mean, he still is, but I'm now partial to the updated version.

Sneaking a selfie circa 2005, a month before we started dating and before selfies were even called selfies.

And here's a more recent selfie of us for comparison.

What makes your relationship work? Let me know in the comments section, or write a post of your own and link it up!

Galentine's Day

If you're a fan of the show, Parks and Recreation (which, like, who isn't?), then you know that GALentine's Day is just around the corner. It's a holiday invented by Leslie Knope, played by the always-brilliant Amy Poehler, which celebrates the friendship of gals. Here's the breakdown:

Via

While I'm sad to say that it is not yet recognized as a national holiday, I'm definitely holding out hope for the future of Galentine's. Today I celebrated this sacred day a bit early with some of my favorite women in all of New York City. Here are their faces:

My face is also in this one.

We enjoyed a truly scrumptious brunch from the good people at Boulton & Watt, and we talked about the French language, cheap manicures, and some of our life's greatest ambitions. It was wonderful, something I've been looking forward to all week, and in honor of this gathering, I made my lady friends some crafts (I crafted!).

True story: I had planned on stopping at a drug store on the way to buy a bunch of candy to put in these jars, but as always I was running late, so I just told them to fill them with their hopes & dreams. Thankfully, they were good sports about it.

Having a strong female community is literally one of my favorite things about being a person, and I am so glad to have had an opportunity to celebrate these lovelies. My life has been powerfully impacted by the encouragement of women, so to my friends all over the world of the female variety who have dazzled me with your friendship --

Happy Galentine's!

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Speaking of great gals, I'm excited to introduce you to Ashley who blogs over at Mint Sparkles!

First off, it should be noted that when I visit Ashley's blog, I just immediately get happy. Seriously, go there now because it has to be one of the most cheerful blog layouts ever! I'm a sucker for bright colors and sparkly goodness, so her aesthetic is right up my ally.

What I love about Ashley is that she has an eclectic combination of interests. She writes on a seriously impressive array of topics, but one of my favorites is her series called "Student Sessions". She's currently a student now, and she offers some awesome insights into how to make the most of your college experience. I definitely wish I could have had someone like this girl guiding me through college life (and on that note, I also wish I had a time machine to take me back to those good old days because, guys, college is awesome. Ashley, if you're reading this, stay in school forever.)

Another series you shouldn't miss on Mint Sparkles is "Techie Tuesdays" where Ashley introduces you to all of her favorite apps & gadgets while also providing some much-needed tech tips and tricks. If you're trying to decide which iPhone photo editing app to use, you should probably check out this post. If you want to know when the cheapest time to buy a flat screen TV would be, Ashley's got you covered with this post. Basically, anything tech-related -- this girl is writing about it in a super fun way. 

So seriously, if you're looking for a blog written by someone fun, smart, and down to earth (Ashley loves spending time watching instant Netflix and shopping in the dollar-section at Target...just. like. YOU!), do yourself a favor and hop on over to Mint Sparkles now. Tell her Christy sent you! 

7 Things To Get You Through This Never-ending Winter

Let's face it. Winter is your life now. It will never end. For the remainder of your time here on earth, you will be forced to wear tights under knee socks under wool socks under leggings under jeans. You will step in puddles of slushy, frozen water and your trains will always be delayed. Even now, you may have faint memories of your former carefree, jacketless life full of sunshine and smiles. Heck, you might even have photographic documentation.

But that life is over now. It is best to forget it ever existed. Instead, delete any evidence of springs and summers past, and embrace your new existence of enormous down coats, water-damaged boots, and constant grimacing.

Truthfully, though, there are 41 days until the first official day of spring, but that may as well be a lifetime away. Here in New York City, we've gotten to a point where the snow is no longer cute. It's no longer fluffy, white, and Instagram-worthy. It's black and brown and sometimes yellow, and I hate it so much.

I remember reading a story as a kid wherein the main character didn't want bubbles in his bath because they somehow reminded him of snow. I don't even know what the book was called, but I remember this odd illustration of some kind of anthropomorphized rodent lying expressionless in a bubble-free tub of water. I imagine him now listening to Joni Mitchell with a glass of white wine balancing atop his toilet lid as he lay perfectly still in the soothing bath.

Growing up in Texas, this idea seemed insane to me. Snow is this magical, once-in-a-lifetime wonder element, right? Wrong. Snow is this thing you play in once and then you simply must endure it a thousand times after that. Now that I live in a place with snow, I can safely tell you that I have taken that very same bath. I have sat there motionless, my expression glazed in a pool of scorching hot water. No bubbles, not because they remind me of snow, but because even squeezing the bottle into running water seems like it would take too much energy.

The winter is draining, friends, which is why I would like to provide you now with some defenses against it. The following is a list of things that I personally endorse, most of which aren't even really winter-specific. These are a random collection of things that make me happy, and happiness is the only way to defy the evils of this season (that's what I learned from all of those claymation Christmas movies, anyway).

1. Having a pet

Cuddling with this little guy is the equivalent of nuzzling a small space heater, only much safer. Having a cat has gotten me through many a snowy day, and I am sure you can substitute this scenario with a dog and it would be just as effective.

2. Birchbox

If you don't know what Birchbox is, prepare yourself because I am about to rock your entire world. Birchbox is a fantastically brilliant service that sends you samples of high-quality products every month RIGHT. TO. YOUR. DOOR! My mama in-law signed me up for a full year of fun packages like the one shown above, and I await my next one like it's Santa Clause. It fills each day with anticipation, even in temperatures that should only exist in a meat locker.

3. Grubhub

Are you just done? Done with the concept of going outside entirely? Well, you know who doesn't have the freedom to make that decision? Delivery men/women! Braving the elements to bring things to people is literally their job. That works to your advantage, though, because instead of dawning all of your itchy layers, you can sit stark naked at home and wait for delicious, hot meals to be delivered right to your door. I have no shame in letting you know that I do this kind of thing a lot, and I always use grubhub.com to place my orders because they offer fun perks like FREE DESSERT. Yes. Yes. Yes.

4. Anthropologie Candles

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I bought a bunch at Christmas time, and now I am just burning them away as though they were my own personal campfires. Every woman worth her salt knows that Anthropologie has the best candles.

5. Polenta

Forget chili (no, actually, never forget chili. Chili is delicious)! Thanks to my sister, Jo, I have discovered a new cold weather food that will knock your socks off. Polenta. Polenta polenta POLENTA. Use tons of butter and eat it straight out of the oven. I've made this recipe from Joy the Baker twice with absolutely no regrets.

6. Laughter

When the sun sets around 4:30 PM each day here in Brooklyn, it's pretty easy to feel drained of energy (remember, I'm too exhausted to even put bubbles in my bath water). A great way to level-up, to get that boost of energy we all so desperately need is to laugh. Laughter triggers endorphins which is that same rush you get when you scale a mountain, have sex, or do anything particularly exhilarating. A lot of things give me the giggles, but for a good laugh-on-the-go, I would highly recommend listening to my favorite podcast, Professor Blastoff. It features comedians Tig Notaro, Kyle Dunnigan, and David Huntsberger discussing matters of "science", but really it's just them hanging out. I frequently find myself laughing suddenly on quiet subways while listening to Professor Blastoff. Like, deep belly laughter. I look like an insane person, but it helps me to forget, if even for a moment, how awful winter is. Do yourself a favor and go listen to it now.

And speaking of laughter...

7. This video of this girl saying "How about cupcakes?"

You've likely already seen this video, but I truly believe it has magical powers. I don't know, it just gets me every single time. So far, it has yet to disappoint. I dare you to watch it every single day for the rest of your winter, and I defy you to get bored with it. It's just not possible.


Hopefully these things will help get us all on the fast-track to an early spring (screw that groundhog and his stupid predictions and his stupid shadow). How are you getting yourself through winter? 

A Cold War with Writing

Today is one of those days where I am engaged in a Cold War with the entire concept of Writing. Both sides are building up their artillery. My weapons of choice are Twitter, cleaning, and googling neti pot cleaning. On the other front, Writing is using guilt as its standard, yet highly lethal form of ammunition. Because I have finally put words on a page, you could say that Writing is in a good position to win this war, but I don't know, the day is not over yet.

The responsibility of writing when you have nothing to write about really does feel like this sometimes -- like two enemies at a total standstill. Only, it's not as dramatic as warring nations. It's more like two middle school BFFs in a silent argument over godknowswhat. I mean, Writing and I are usually friends. We talk late into the night about ridiculous things, we defend each other, we joke about getting glamour shots together. It's a real, genuine bond. So I don't know what I said, or did, or thought (obviously, Writing can read my thoughts), but all of a sudden, Writing just doesn't show up when I need her to. See, this metaphor isn't even particularly clever. What the hell, Writing?

And no joke, between writing that paragraph and starting this one, I got up to get some water, sat down determined to write something of value, and my chair broke in the most painful way possible.

So seriously, screw writing. It's been a real pain in the ass (literally). I'm going to go read instead. And then go to the gym forever.