DISQUS

I'm just amazed that someone who's been writing for 13 years has never before encountered a situation in which he or she hasn't been paid for work. This has happened to me so many times -- with publications that have folded and with "respectable" publications that are still in business -- that the non-freelancers I know can't believe it. I'm now very paranoid about who'll I'll even pitch. But more power to this group of writers. I hope they fight for and get every dime that's coming to them. Hell, I think it's time we unionize.

I was 32 then:
1) Actually, it's really not amusing to go out with a string of men who all have major issues. You are not Bridget Jones and your life is not an anecdote.
2) Go ahead and get your lips done; it's just not that big of a deal and you'll be so much happier with how you look. SCREW ANYONE ELSE'S OPINION. That goes double for decisions that are actually important.
3) Don't take that job. Going to a bigger company is not necessarily a step up. Conversely, you never know how things would have turned out, so you may as well stop beating yourself up over it.
4) Be present. Slow down. Stop thinking you have to get everything right in the next six months.
5) Therapy is probably a waste of time and money; life is going to teach you those lessons anyway.
6) Actually, you ARE a good person.

The title sounds as though the book is silly or mean-spirited, but "Why Men Love Bitches" is actually full of solid advice. Of course, what will be the "best relationship book" for you depends on who you are and the particular issues you have. That said, when I found this book I had just come out of a horrible relationship in which the guy expected me to run around after him, neglecting my own life to look after him. I think that's a pretty common problem. "Why Men Love Bitches" shows how NOT to do that and also shows (with humor, yet!) that if any man expects you to, he's the wrong guy and it's the wrong relationship. It definitely snapped me out of being a doormat-slash-"nice girl." Now I have a wonderful relationship with a healthy balance of give and take.

Hah! A 1966 Sunbeam Tiger. A Robert Genn painting. A Gordon Smith painting. And my very own piece of land to garden on.

When I was younger I went through repeated bouts of sinus infections. Anybody who's had them knows how they can suck the joy right out of life. Finally I hit on the best remedy: boil water, add a *few* drops (not too many!) of tea tree oil (a strong natural antiseptic), put a towel over your head and inhale the steam. It stings at first -- don't overdo it and don't use too much oil. You'll need to repeat the treatment a few times but it's worth it.

Also: if you're getting a sore throat, gargle with warm salt water. The doctor who delivered me told my mom about this one and it absolutely works.

Very occasionally, and usually while out in nature (working in the garden or just staring into space) I realize I am not really thinking about anything in particular -- that my mind has quieted down and that without struggling to be in the present, I actually *am* in the present. Those moments bring such a profound feeling of well-being and bliss that "falling in love with the world" is the best way to describe them.

Also, if you get a chance to try manna (ash tree syrup)-flavored gelato, that can do it too.

Bring a laptop and the means to connect it. I am writing this while sitting in a laundromat in Beaune, France so you can see I practice what I preach. If you need to change travel plans on the fly, look up hotels, b&bs, etc it's invaluable.