When I scheduled myself to speak about place attachment to a group in Cleveland, I did not give one single, solitary thought to the fact that the event would be the day after the election. Until I woke up in the Cleveland Marriott, checked my phone, and thought, “Oh crap. What have I done?” As feared, people were like zombies … Read More
Why You’re Miserable after a Move
No one who packed up a U-Haul this summer would disagree with the notion that moving is a miserable experience, especially if you going abroad. Whether you went 20 miles or 2,000, the sheer stress and exhaustion of packing up your entire life and setting it down again in a different place is enough to induce at least a temporary … Read More
Issue 4: Don’t Ask for Permission
Thomas Knox is a guy from New York City who wanted to get people to slow down and talk to each other. So as a social experiment, he dragged a table and some chairs down into the subway, set out a board game, and waited. People rushing for the trains eyed him warily, but after a few minutes, a stranger … Read More
Issue 3: Find 10 Things in Your Town to Brag About
I grew up in Southern California. Summertime is my jam. Especially this summer, which involved me going on an Alaskan cruise, thereby hitting #48 in my quest to visit all 50 states. (Only Connecticut and Rhode Island to go!) I also managed to fall a little bit in love with Victoria, Canada. This happens a lot, lured as I am … Read More
A 2-Minute Exercise for Feeling Happier Where You Live
When I was a bummed-out teenager, I hit on an exercise that seemed magically to make me feel better. I called it the Happy List. I took out a few sheets of notebook paper and brainstormed as many things that made me happy as I could. Sleeping in crisp white sheets. Sitting in the sunshine. Cuddling with my cat. Watching … Read More