A woman tries to stay positive while the personification of her depression follows her around, telling her how horrible everything is. Example: Woman: This is only temporary. Depression: Who knows how long it will last? Woman: I may have lost some income, but I will be back on track soon. Depression: You never have […]
REVIEW: Bojack Horseman Season 2
Season 2 of Bojack Horseman, an animated Netflix original series, is now streaming. And it is perfection. You should stop everything else you’re doing and watch it right now. That includes reading this article. You can finish reading of course, if you need more convincing, but then clear everything else off your schedule for the […]
Invisible Illness
So far, July has been a pretty low point for me. The Tuesday before the 4th of July, I fell backwards down the stairs of a friend’s hot tub. It had rained earlier, and wet stairs plus wet food equaled me on the ground before I knew it. If you look closely, you can still […]
Play a Day: Here to There
Two signposts. One, stage right, says “Here.” Another, center stage, says “There.” A woman stands at the first signpost. No matter how many steps forward she takes, she never gets any closer to the second signpost.
Play a Day: The Struggle
Two vagrants sitting by a tree. The first turns to the second and says, “What if life IS the struggle? The pain? The not-knowing of it all? What if we’re not supposed to push past all that to some idealistic future of perfection, but just to live in it?” The second snores, asleep. The first […]
What Bill Cosby Highlights About Rape Culture
Though there have been sexual abuse allegations against Bill Cosby for over a decade, women have started coming forward in increasing numbers with accusations against him ever since comedian Hannibal Buress called Cosby out as a rapist in his stand-up act last fall. No matter how many women came forward, however, there was always a […]
Play a Day: Sorry
You ask me what I’m sorry for as I sob and hide my face. I’m sure in your eyes there’s no transgression. But I learned long ago to apologize for my emotions and it’s a hard habit to break. I’m sorry for being vulnerable. Messy. In pain. For not better maintaining a shiny exterior of […]
Play a Day: Perspective
The following dialogue is repeated twice. The first time the interaction is filled with joy, mutual interest, connection, and good intentions. The second time, emotions get in the way – jealousy, irritation, frustration, and everything is taken personally. 1: Hey 2: Hey 1: What’s up? 2: Have you seen my green mug? 1: The one […]
Less is More
Earlier this week, I hit a bit of a low point in a depression-anxiety spiral. I hadn’t been sleeping well, and having been laid up with my period, was feeling guilty and useless for not getting “enough” done, among other things. Reaching out always helps because I have a tendency to go inwards with those […]
Female Viagra and the Pharmacologization of Desire
What is a normal level of sexual desire? How are our conceptions about appropriate sexual desire shaped by culture? By gender norms? Is pharmaceutical intervention the best method for dealing with low libido? These are among the questions raised early last month, when an advisory committee voted in favor of conditional FDA approvel for the […]