Comfort Zones & Foreign Grounds
Spring in San Francisco and dancing feels. Plus, Sun-In and more!
Earlier this week, I was forced to think on my feet. Well, at first I was forced to think on the metro. Then, once I got off, it was the feet. For the second time in the past two months, my phone just froze. Completely wigged out for no reason. The podcast I was listening to continued to play, and I was able to use Siri to send a text message, but responses did not come in, and I couldn’t open any app or even shut the phone down.
At the time, I was halfway between chez moi and a restaurant in a neighborhood that I don’t visit often. When I put the address into CityMapper for directions, I only glanced at the route since I tend to anxiously check them along the way to make sure I’m on course. While I vaguely recall seeing that I needed to transfer to the 96 bus after exiting metro line 8 at Sebastien-Froissart, I had no clue as to where the bus stop was located and when to get off once I got on.
What to do?!
I looked around, looked at my watch, and looked around again. I could easily hop in a cab and tell them the name of the restaurant, but I didn’t really want to spend the money. Instead, I followed my instinct by walking in the direction I assumed the bus would go and found the stop. Win No. 1! When the bus came, I located the route map to guestimate where to get off. For the next 12 minutes or so, I looked at my phone every 10 seconds, wishing it back to life so I’d know whether I was right. Sadly, it remained comatose.
Eventually, after practicing what I was going to say in my head a good five times— because this is my life in France, even after 8 years—I worked up the courage to ask the guy sitting opposite me if I could use his phone. (No, this is not going there. I wish he was a handsome man, around my age, and single. But alas, he was not.) I explained my predicament; that I wasn’t sure where I was going and my phone was bugging out. (Do not ask me the French term for bugging out because I do not know it. I just did that thing Anglophones do when they’re speaking French and suddenly say something in perfect English.) Without hesitation, he kindly handed over his phone. Win No. 2! And it’s a good thing since I had guessed the wrong stop.
For the rest of the ride, I sat there people-watching and looking out the window since there was no point in staring at my deadbeat phone. And what a small joy that was! To be one with my environment without all the extra screen input. And how gratifying to figure something out like the good old days—Oof, did I say ‘good old days’?—by talking to a stranger, even if it was brief and butchered!
The whole fiasco made me even more excited to embark on the adventure I’ve got coming up next week: I’ll be spending the spring in San Francisco! Remember last year when I tricked you all on April Fools Day by saying I was going to move there?? Well, I’m not quite packing it all up in Paris, but I am doing an apartment swap for two months! I suppose while I wrote that in jest, it stemmed from a sincere place.
Without going into too much detail about what I’ve been discussing with my therapist, I’ll just say that I want to see what it feels like to be back in the States for a longer period of time. Not “home” in New York or “playing house” with my sister in LA. I’m still eager to be in an unfamiliar city—cause what is life if I can’t make things slightly more challenging for myself? But one where I do not have to think so hard about asking someone for directions. In other words, outside of my current non-comfort zone, but at the same time more understood in new (to me) territory. That is until I am inevitably reminded how nice it is to tune people out because their language becomes white noise if I’m not paying close attention. But hey, it’s an experiment! And, really, isn’t life in general? I feel very fortunate to have the freedom and flexibility to do this. So! I’ll see you again from the Golden State, mes amies. Not sure about wearing flowers in my hair, but I’ll be bringing a windbreaker, hiking shoes, and an open mind for sure. Oh, and for those wondering, my phone works again. Guess it just needed a time-out. Same, iPhone. Same. xx — Sara
Clickable
The women of network TV dish on Barbara Wawa. | The Cut
It may not be a “midlife crisis” — but it’s something. | The NY Times
Real life vs. TV life. | The New Yorker
The beauty biz of bitmojis, avatars, and the Metaverse. | Marie Claire
What’s the stinky story with all the trash in Paris? | WaPo
The overwhelming pressure of equity language. | The Atlantic
Boomer or Dazed and Confused? Pick your generation. | The New Yorker
On behalf of fake personal assistants. | The Cut
Why nostalgia combats unhappiness. | The Atlantic
Save the slice! Pizza joints are disappearing in NYC. | Grub Street
The saga and drama of up-hauling Penn Station. | The New Yorker
Watchable
I’m not sure where Jason Mraz has been until now, but I needed to hear this song and see this upbeat video today. I’m in a MOOD, but it reminded me how good dancing makes me feel. In fact, if I didn’t throw my back out yesterday (which might explain the mood), I’d probably turn on some tunes and pop and lock a bit rather than hit the couch for a nap. (And no, I didn’t hurt my back while attempting to pop and lock. I simply reached for something high. Sigh. Aging is so fun!)
Speaking of dancing, Sam Rockwell…rocks.
Currently Overthinking…
…what shoes/coats/bags to pack for shoulder season in Northern California…
Souvenir: Sun-In
It’s nearly spring, which means summer is also on its way, which means it’s time to go light! Remember the popular hair lightener teenagers put in their hair in the ’90s? I actually never bought any myself. Rather, I either borrowed some from a friend or just squirted lemon juice over my brown locks instead. Then, come senior year, I got really frisky and experimented with Jolene bleach. Yes, that Jolene bleach. The one meant to lighten facial hair, which the crush I had in Hebrew High School wouldn’t stop going on about. (Traumatized, much?) That Jolene bleach. But I digress. Did you Sun-In?
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