Heartily co-signed. This does not sound like failure to me. You've touched so many lives with your writing here. That Magic Mike XXL review alone is worthy of an entire career! Thank you for all you've shared with us here, and I look forward to all you do next!
I really enjoyed this piece, and I love your writing style. It's quiet, somehow? In a way that really appeals to me. I also loved the phrase, "fractal shoreline." Beautiful. Thank you for sharing this.
Congratulations, Mallory! What an exciting time for you.
As a woman with an 8-month old and a full-time job, I sometimes I get really down, and sometimes I feel really positive. If a family member or friend caught me during one of my down days (usually linked to how much sleep the baby has been letting me get), I might seem depressed. But I'm not, and it would make me uncomfortable if a friend suggested that I was depressed. To me, being a working mom is so hard that it gets to you sometimes. What I would want to hear from my friend would be that I was doing a good (or great!) job and that I could talk to her about anything. I would want to feel a lot of compassion and kindness from that friend, and not feel like the way I was being wasn't okay. However, I'm just speaking about my own experience, and if this woman is really suffering and doesn't know how to get help, then the advice probably doesn't apply. Good luck, though, that sounds like a tough path to navigate.
I can't believe I'm missing this! My 8-month-old daughter goes to bed at 7pm, so I can't attend, but I would be there if I could. Since I can't tell you this in person, like I would like to!, I would like to say thank you, Mallory for writing so honestly and humorously. Reading your world view has helped change my perspective in life and on feminism. I'm really grateful for your presence in this world and on this site.
Does anyone hate going to the (primary care) doctor? I do, and I know (at least) some of it is my own personal baggage, but I also think many modern doctor's offices are set up to be uncomfortable experiences. Just wondering if other people experience getting their yearly physical the same way.
Oh how cool to "meet" another toastie in the area, and one that shares so many reading interests (I read everything I could find by Alan Watts a few years ago). I'll email you tonight/ this weekend. I don't get to community nights because I'm in the suburbs now, but if I lived closer I would definitely be attending them. Take care and talk to you soon! :)
Just want to say that I hear you, and that I'm sorry you're suffering. I've experienced the same suffering and my heart is with you at this time. That stinks so bad that your insurance only allows for monthly therapy appointments; I wish our country had better mental health care.
I love the Shambhala tradition, it's helped me be much gentler with myself. I even gave my daughter the middle name of Pema in honor of Pema Chodron. :-) Noodge, what city do you live in, if I may ask? I've been to the level I warrior training here in Philadelphia and it was a wonderful experience. I'm looking forward to level II.
I've been listening to Tara Brach's podcasts recently and I find her just as inspiring as Pema. They've both changed my life, I think.
I'm not a tech-saavy person at all, but I am curious about this, because someone posted in last Friday's open thread, "Our Editors might not like this but I use a plugin to block Javascript, there is a LOT of weird tracking/ad/social media crap embedded in The Toast." I have no idea if that's the case or not, but it made me wonder if that was part of the reason the site is so difficult to load sometimes.
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Contraption