Page Turner's Blog, page 53

What Are Doomscrolling & Doomsurfing? How Do You Stop?

As regular readers know, I love when new terms pop into existence. I’m not the person who sighs, screws up my face, and asks, “Ugh, do we need another label?’

Nope. It “not me.” Absolutely, positively, 100% not me.

I’m the person who sits up a little straighter in their seat and goes,  » Read more

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I Can’t Care Enough for Both of Us

It was a simpler time, once upon a time.

I can still remember believing that most people were reasonable, open-minded. I can remember assuming that people cared about other people.

I didn’t realize back then that empathy wasn’t universal. That life had a way of hardening us to the pains of other people.  » Read more

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If You’re Wearing a Face Mask & Sunglasses, No One Can See You Cry

Today I learned that if you’re wearing a face mask and dark sunglasses no one can tell you’re crying.

Not that I ran into that many people when I was out. And not that I spent very much time with them at all when we did, everyone (rightly) keeping our distance as covid-19 ravages Texas.  » Read more

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I’m in Love With Clutter, But We Need to Break Up

Growing up, I was the kid with the messy desk. The one that looked like it was spewing paper everywhere. My backpack was a snarl of random accoutrements. My room wasn’t any better.

It drove my neatnik mom crazy. Because it always looked wrong to her. Like chaos personified. It was the wrong way to be.  » Read more

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I Never Forget That Being Loved Is a Miracle

“The previously unloved may find it hard to believe that they are now loved; that is such a miracle, they feel; such a miracle.”

-Alexander McCall Smith (The Good Husband of Zebra Drive)

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There are moments even now, a decade into knowing you, that I expect to wake up alone.  » Read more

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We Were Told to Follow Our Dreams. We’re Lucky If We Can Afford to Not Live With Our Parents.

“Do whatever you have to in order to get to college. Because that’s your golden ticket. Education.”

In the pitches our parents gave, it looked an awful lot like the fast track to success. Graduate college. Get handed a good job. Buy a house young. Be able to have a bunch of kids and provide well for them in turn.  » Read more

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Is There Such Thing as a Wasted Day?

My ex-husband really loved to relax. It was his Thing. The best day for him was one where he played either computer or video games all day long. And had lots of tasty snacks. Maybe order in some pizza. Or go out to eat for Chinese buffet.

That was his happy time, if he could sit and play games and relax.  » Read more

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Both Ambition & Fear Can Make a Person Move Quickly

It’s a strange morning. I’ve been pedaling hard for weeks. Sometimes when you’re working this hard, it’s because you’ve got your eye on the prize. You’re going somewhere in a hurry. Working towards a specific goal puts a fire in your belly and you go go go.

But there are other times when you work just as hard not because you’re working towards something —  » Read more

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I Wonder If I’ll Ever Get Used to Being in a Relationship Where We Both Want the Best for One Another

“I’m sorry I slept so late,” he says, and I’m confused.

Because I had just heard him starting to stir, to get up out of bed, and my first thoughts had been Oh, I hope he got enough sleep. 

I hope I haven’t disturbed him.

He works so hard during the week.  » Read more

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It Takes Longer to Find Yourself than Most People Like to Admit

I woke in bits, like all children, piecemeal over the years. I discovered myself and the world, and forgot them, and discovered them again.

-Annie Dillard

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It can be humbling looking at things you wrote before, long ago and far away. Whether this is in a classical form,  » Read more

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