Like an Advice Column on Steroids
I’m in a reader’s dream and a writer’s heaven
Where am I? YOU know where I am. Welcome to 50 bits and pieces of my world.
They didn’t know I was a transgender girl. Murder at Turn-About Ranch: did Dr. Phil know he was sending kids into abuse? Completely random facts about bathrooms. (1, 2, 3)
Words of comfort from the tub-cut guy. Multi-factor authentication is inaccessible. How to keep online readers engaged in long articles. (4, 5, 6)
I refuse to write to be read. Why Scandinavians leave their babies to nap outside all year round. Burning snow: false prophets in the heart of America, sublimation in the southern states. (7, 8, 9)
What happens when we die? Sex, women and men: the view of a 77-year-male. This is how to raise human consciousness. (10, 11, 12)
Owning a decrepit shack in the middle of nowhere is the new American Millennial dream. No TV in the bedroom. Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping. (13, 14, 15)
That time my mom sprayed Mace in a bakery. My 5 steps to success are better than yours. You will not be single for the rest of your life. (16, 17, 18)
Why I think penises deserve more aesthetic appreciation. Stop saying half of Americans chose Trump. No, they didn’t. I’m an old man. (19, 20, 21)
Warning: everything is copy. Why I’m okay knowing my friends don’t read my articles. I resent that my husband does the laundry. (22, 23, 24)
Why the attack on the Capitol was worse than 9/11. Let’s talk about the young man I met from South Sudan that changed my perspective. Supernormal stimuli — why TV, social media, and the modern world captivate you. (25, 26, 27)
An open letter to the unmasked man in my local grocery store’s pharmacy. 5 reasons why Norwegians are so happy. We’re inviting you to contribute. (28, 29, 30)
‘Animals are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time.’ A divorce lawyer just gave incredibly powerful marriage advice and it’s only 4 words long. So you want to live forever — part 1. (31, 32, 33)
These gay men are partners, not predator and victim. A fake ID? At my age? Florida’s invasive python problem could be solved with dogs. (34, 35, 36)
What do we do about women with a penis? We laughed about my sexual assault. The sex act you’ve never heard of that’s haunted queer women for centuries. (37, 38, 39)
Please stop telling us how much money you have earned through writing. The one sentence that can change your luck forever. Self-help advice from a single-celled organism. (40, 41, 42)
A story for falling to sleep. On human misunderstanding. Dolphin boy. I’m an environmental scientist, and I don’t care if you recycle. (43, 44, 45, 46)
Why I write and who I write for. Your attitude belongs to you. Let love be. (47, 48, 49)
And last, but certainly not least: Prepare for the ultimate gaslighting (50). It’s the first story I ever read on this platform last year; it took me a while to realize it was a platform and join in, following writers, saving their stories, then starting to write my own. I don’t remember how this viral story, the first of three, came to my attention — perhaps on Facebook.
For those snappy/thought-provoking/reassuring/intriguing titles, many of which came somewhat randomly from my Reading List, thanks! to:
Phoenix Huber-1, Fatim Hemraj-2, Daniel Ganninger-3, Lena Ciolfi Donley-4, Devon Price-5, Katlyn Roberts-6, North Black-7, Sara Melissa Frost-8, Aaron Mitchell-9, Nancy Peckenham-10, Michael Trigg-11, Tim Denning-12, Jessica Wildfire-13, ChrisIvy901–14, William Cho-15, Gabrielle Moss-16, Deborah Weir-17, Shani Silver-18, Yael Wolfe-19, Linda Caroll-20, Quasimodo-21, Elisabeth Ovesen-22, Lindsey (Lazarte) Carson-23, Erin Hendriksen-24, Jacqueline Dooley-25, Seth Gebhart-26, David B. Clear-27, Michael Burg, MD (AKA Medium Michael Burg)-28, Srini-29, Noah Levy-30, Gavin Lamb, PhD-31, Jessica Stillman-32, Max K. Erkiletian-33, James Finn-34, Cindy Shore Smith-35, Sean Kernan-36, Cassie Brighter-37, Christine Schoenwald-38, Nadège-39, Chrissie Powers-40, Julien Smith-41, Angela Volkov-42, Diane Gillespie-43, Kevin Erazo Castillo-44, Brown Lotus-45, Ono Mergen-46, Tessa Palmer-47, Annisa RT-48, Melanie J.-49, Julio Vincent Gambuto-50
I’m glad to have found and be following all of you — whether for months or just lately. I clapped for and in many cases saved the above-titled stories. Perusing them again for this story was interesting.
Your titles draw me in, and your writing keeps me reading to the end. I’m learning so much and am inspired by your willingness to share personal joys and pain, moments of awkwardness and triumph, the minutiae of your lives, and the wisdom you’ve acquired. No boredom here! We can showcase our wide-ranging opinions and experiences and cater to our own whimsical interests.
I’ve been a faithful Dear Abby reader since childhood — her sister Ann Landers too, back in the day, in the newspaper. Along came the internet, and I started “following” Miss Manners, Ask Amy, and Carolyn Hax, with an occasional look at Dr. Nerdlove et al. Advice columns have entertained me, reassured me I’m not alone, and to some extent made me think. I get that here in spades — with no waiting for new stories to appear — plus I can write, comment, and be an editor fairy. And it always makes me think.