I’m sitting in bed, typing, as my husband sleeps. It’s Christmas morning — my first here in England. For the holidays, we’re staying at my mum-in-law’s home in Kent, and I’ve been surrounded by new friends, new family members (including two weeks-old nephews), two mellow cats, and a playful dog named Dylan. In these quiet […]

He’s finally here. This past week, I’ve been adjusting to having a new “roommate,” sharing my space, and getting used to the idea of fusing two lives and trajectories. I’ve never lived with a boyfriend, so this is new territory: exciting mixed with surreal. My many visions of playing house as I’ve grown up have […]

I. I’ve been thinking a lot about constants: things in my life that ground me. Last spring, in a series of epic, thoughtful email exchanges with someone I was falling for, I expressed my belief in such a thing. He hoped to find that grounding, too. In a person. * * * * * Last […]

The first time I watched Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, years ago, I didn’t like it. The film, about two people who go through a procedure to erase each other from their memories, was made well, and I appreciated the vision of Michel Gondry. I also loved Jim Carrey’s more dramatic, tortured side à la The Truman […]

In January 2007, I found the one. Physical attraction. Mutual creativity. A shared passion for travel. And the quality you cannot fake: chemistry. In the beginning, the relationship was light and airy. Playful and curious. Effortless. Summertime. That’s what it felt like. But here, on this earth, the seasons change. And somewhere along the way, I […]

I moved to Montreal on a hot day in May. I felt summer in the air, saw it on the streets. Gorgeous women in sundresses. Blocks of Boulevard St. Laurent closed to traffic so food carts, funky clothing vendors, and DJ booths could set up on the sidewalk. I didn’t know anyone. The first Friday […]