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The Downtown Kid
  • Ah, Valentine’s Day…

    If you’re like me, you’re probably none-too-pleased for Valentine’s Day to be upon us. Don’t get me wrong, I WANT to like it, but it doesn’t seem to want to like me. In preparation for the dreaded event, I thought maybe I’d offer a few ways to survive it when you’d rather crawl under a rock — and secretly hope it crushes you. But, Kid… it’s a manufactured holiday driven by consumerism. I get that. I’m not looking to rack up material things as “proof” that someone loves me. Even worse, I don’t like the pressure society puts on guys to get it right or end up some failure in…

  • Thank you, Main…

    Because Main Street Makes You Feel Beautiful Most days, I like who I see in the mirror. I mean, enough anyway. Been working on that self-worth and all. As a woman, though, I’m societally trained to tear myself apart any time I pass a reflective surface. You don’t really mean to, but there you are, trying not to criticize yourself in a passing window. Since I can’t help looking sometimes, I stare at the ground more now. Hence the pennies. So this past weekend, I was standing on Main waiting to cross Union. I’m in front of Gould’s, and there’s a woman a few years younger than I am on…

  • 15 Things to Know about Being Mental

    I’ve learned that if you can’t laugh at your mental illness(es) sometimes, you really will lose your damn mind — and your sense of self. I’ve lost both. Then I found ’em chasing each other through the broken glass of a downtown alley, cut myself up dragging them back against their will. If you love someone who’s living life despite their mental illness, there are some things you might appreciate knowing so you both stay a little more sane. That said, I’m not a licensed professional and this is purely anecdotal and from my own experiences and work with my therapist. This kind of took on a life of its…

  • Well, that’s new…

    This evening, I’m walking home from my favorite place, and I swing through the Family Dollar for some paper towels. (I totally bought two packs of toilet paper instead of those the other day, but whatever. Don’t make fun of me.) I pop out, purchase in hand, and I head towards the a-p-t. To do so, I have to cross Main Street, which has trolley tacks on it. Now I tend to look down when I walk, especially across the brick streets that’ll trip you up and send you downward into liquids you don’t want identified. I’m usually looking for pennies, which are weirdly everywhere. My BFF laughs at how…

  • january calendar month at a glance

    Day 19: The Week in Review

    I don’t know if it was just my way, but this week felt like time was slogging through a vat of cold molasses. Here we are finally, though. Friday. Let’s do a little blogging challenge week in review, shall we? Here’s a look at my fave news pops from the week. Join the discussion! Monday I had to go see a guy about a possible concussion — a great story for another time — and I was lightheaded and jittery. My anxiety was high and my nerves were shot after a crap weekend. With shaky hands, I filled out a mountain of paperwork and waited to hear my name. Scrolling…