January 2011
7 posts
9 tags
The Bell Tolls in February, Too
February is a weird time. It’s been winter for long enough that snow and long johns have lost their novelty, but it’s not close enough to the end of the season for spring to peak through for a few days. And even though it gets dark earlier in December, it feels like winter is closing in around you all the time.
But at exactly four weeks, February is ripe for a cleanse or some sort of absurd,...
3 tags
Just Something Philip Roth Wrote About Politics...
I had decided no longer to be overtaken every four years by the emotions of a child—the emotions of a child and the pain of an adult.
from Exit Ghost
6 tags
I Have Measured Out My Life in Fruit Snacks
I’m running my first marathon on my 28th birthday. What’s up, aging?
There’s a transition between running half-marathons and real marathons. For one, when you’re training for a full marathon, you think an 8-mile pace run is an acceptable thing to talk about in public. It’s not, but it’s easy to let training take over your life.
And in my life, which includes a book on hold, weeks of waiting...
4 tags
IT WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE THIS
jamesnord:
Rebecca: So I got sucked into a James Nord black-hole last night Me: Oh, I am sorry. How bad was it? Rebecca: Pretty bad, I went through the blog, then made it all the back through your college Facebook photos Me: Sweet Jesus. Rebecca: Yea, but you know what? It is nice to know that being James Nord didn’t always come so naturally to you.
Everyone involved in this story has a...
4 tags
Losing Things
About two and a half years ago, I went through a phase of losing things — $20, a watch, headphones. I just couldn’t hold onto anything. About three years before that, I stopped working full time. Clearly, there was some correlation.
But it wasn’t like I was unaware of the fact that my life was changing. When I first stopped working full time, I would wake up on Monday mornings in a panic,...
1 tag
Sad Smelling
Recently, I was complimented on the way I smell. I suppose I did smell good – I was wearing Emporio Armani She, the same scent I’ve had since sophomore year in college. (Not coincidentally, I’m still on the same bottle I bought at Duty Free after a trip to Europe.)
I liked the smell of the perfume when I got it, and it does have an elegant, subtle scent. Maybe it’s the gardenia base. But I only...
2 tags
Year in Read, Year in Living, 2010
2010 brought the heat, but as the year closed off, I felt like I had met its every challenge. It’s weird to see people on Facebook thanking 2010– I mean, I guess for some people the year included marriages and babies. Less so for me, but if I were the type to thank years on the internet, I would say I’m glad I went through 2010. I’m stronger, as a writer, person, runner and reader, for it.
But...