SoloStories: “Somebody Somewhere”
SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
In the HBO series “Somebody Somewhere,” Sam Miller (a brilliant Bridget Everett) returns to her native Kansas as she grieves the death of her sister. She befriends a high school classmate, Joel (Jeff Hiller), while dealing with her dysfunctional family. Sam is still figuring out what do with her life, and it’s OK. While the show doesn’t have complicated plotlines, it shows that a good life can be built doing simple things, such as going walking and getting ice cream with your pals. (The show – in episode two of season two – also features one of the best pooping scenes ever.) Eventually, Sam finds her voice as a singer and a human, and she realizes that friends can be stronger than family and platonic love is as valuable as romantic love.
The third and final season begins Oct. 27, which gives you plenty of time to catch up with the first two seasons. It’s one of the easiest and more pleasant binge-watches you’ll see.
It’s September. Here’s what to think about this month and for fall.
It’s the start of a new month — and the topic of one of our favorite Earth, Wind & Fire songs. Here are a few dates to keep in mind:
Monday, Sept. 2 - Labor Day – Most workers will enjoy the day off. If you’re not going anywhere, you can plan your next getaway with our Travel Kit.
Monday, Sept. 16 – Quarterly taxes are due for those who are self-employed or have side hustles.
Start thinking about …
The Jewish High Holy Days are Oct. 3-4 and Oct. 11-12.
Halloween is Thursday, Oct. 31. Start brainstorming costume ideas and begin buying candy because why not?
Diwali is Thursday, Oct. 31-Friday, Nov. 1.
Elections take place Tuesday, Nov. 5. If you’re not registered to vote, go to https://vote.gov/.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 28. If you’re going away, use our Travel Kit.
What personal care items should you have in your office drawer?
You spend at least eight hours at your job. You got to make sure you have some personal items at your desk. Bring a plant, photos or other décor to add some personality to the banality of cubicles. And you got to keep some personal care items in your drawer for maintenance and emergencies. We like to pack
Welly First Aid Kit, Advil Pain Reliever/Fever Inducer, Cora Organic Tampons and Kleenex Ultra Soft Facial Tissues. Some other items to consider: Purell Hand Sanitizer, Aquaphor Lip Repair, Ricola Original Herb Cough Drops and Cora Organic Pad.
Our New Life Starter Kit gives you lists on how to search for a new job and navigate the first days, including a list of those items and more.
What personal care items do you keep at work? Let us know in the comments.
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SoloStories: “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris”
We’re introducing a feature called SoloStories, in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
In the 2022 movie “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” Ada Harris (played by a delightful Lesley Manville) is a widowed housekeeper who is enthralled when she sees a Dior dress in one of her client’s homes. She becomes determined to buy her own Dior dress. With hard work, she starts saving money, but she also finds that a little luck and her kindness helps her achieve her goal. The movie has a wonderful message: We are all worthy of having beautiful things – whether it’s a dress or friends – no matter our background or status in life. It’s one of those movies that you’ll want to watch when you’ve had a bad day and you need something that makes you feel good. The movie is based on the 1958 book, “Mrs. ‘Arris Goes to Paris,” by Paul Gallico and an another movie was made in 1992 featuring Angela Lansbury.
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It’s Time to Think about Thanksgiving
We know it’s hot outside, but it’s time to think about … Thanksgiving. It’s one of those holidays, because it doesn’t have a set date, that can sneak up on you. The holiday takes place 100 days from now, Nov. 28.
We believe in planning ahead and there’s several things you can do now to make the holiday run smoothly.
· Start making your travel plans. Use our Travel Kit to plan a fun trip or a visit back home.
· Begin saving money. Even if you’re not traveling, there’s a lot going on this time -– including Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday – that could invade your checking account.
· Think about items that you could buy on sale. If you’ve been itching to get an appliance, furniture and other object, make a list and see if they have a good deal during the sales period.
If you are planning to host a Friendsgiving, we hope you stuff yourself with food and fun. If you plan on spending the weekend alone, watching TV and reading and doing nothing, that sounds awesome. If you work in retail, health care or other industry in which you are busy during the holiday, we send you all the good vibes.
What are two items you must take with you for your overseas trip?
If you’re taking a trip abroad, you need two essential items – a passport and an international outlet. The passport is an obvious need, but the outlet is an item that you wouldn’t think about if you haven’t been overseas. Other countries don’t use the same type of outlet as we do in the U.S.
But that’s why we’re here. Our Travel Kit gives you all the steps you need to apply for a passport – as well as Global Entry. We also include a packing list with items such as the outlet. The kit also helps you plan our vacation with itineraries, planning worksheets and more. Planning a trip takes time and effort, but it’s all worth it when you find yourself in some incredible places.
book review: “i’m mostly here to enjoy myself”
“I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself: One Woman’s Pursuit of Pleasure of Paris” by Glynnis MacNicol is the type of book you’ll want to have a pen, highlighter or pad of sticky notes handy.
Single women will be annotating the memoir with the passages that make them nod in agreement and say, “Finally, someone who says what I’ve been feeling.”
MacNicol, a freelance writer who is based in New York City and grew up in Canada, writes about the summer she spent in Paris in 2021, just as the world is starting to come alive after the COVID-19 lockdown.
And MacNicol feels alive in Paris, partaking in brunches with her group of single friends, bicycling around the city and indulging in sex with men.
She knows that being single means freedom. She is comfortable with her she is, but she also acknowledges the tricky moments. There are times when she worries about finances. She notices she can feel invisible, or she isn’t represented as characters in films, TV shows or books.
In one chapter, she goes dancing with a group of friends, but the night doesn’t match her vision.
“I’m not sure why, but I can’t see to fit it in anywhere. I’ve slid out of the rhythm of the night somehow. The night I’d been coveting all this time hasn’t arrived. I’m the wrong me, or this is the wrong place. … This feels awful. Like I’ve inadvertently plummeted through some wormhole and am once again the awkward girl at the high school dance.”
Who hasn’t felt like that?
But, as the title indicates, being single means joy. Being able to travel and navigate life all by yourself is an accomplishment.
“Not having to ask for anyone’s permission, leaving on a whim, walking on a high tightrope, is exhausting and scary, but once you’re hooked on having control over your life, it’s a hard drug to kick.”
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What Do You Have in Your Snack Drawer?
When you start a new job, there are important things to remember – update your social media posts so you can brag to your friends; enroll or roll over your 401K; and bring a healthy supply of snacks. Vending machines are expensive, and their selection is iffy. You never know when your tummy will demand to be fed and it might be when you’ve been hit with a deadline.
Get our New Life Starter Kit to help navigate your job search and first days on the job.
What are your favorite snacks at work? As you can see, we’re partial to Nature Valley Granola Bars Value Pack, KIND Nut Bars Favorites Variety Pack and Jif To Go Creamy Peanut Butter.
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The patron saint of single women
If there is one character in pop culture who was unapologetically single, it is Kinsey Milhone.
Kinsey is the protagonist of Sue Grafton’s alphabet series that Grafton began writing with “A is for Alibi” in the 1980s and continued through “Y is for Yesterday” in 2018. (Grafton died before she was able to complete the alphabet.)
A private detective in fictional Santa Teresa, California, Kinsey’s crime investigations are the focus of the books. But twice-divorced Kinsey’s narration, with her feisty attitude, is the main reason for reading.
Kinsey is a total introvert who loves nothing than spending the night at home, munching on peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. She occasionally has a fling with a local police officer, but she doesn’t spend her days thinking about her status. She is happy with who she is, and she doesn’t want to change.
As Kinsey says, “'I love being single. It's almost like being rich.”
Kinsey is the type of character that becomes your friend. When you’re going through a rough time, you can grab one of the books and get wrapped up in her life.
Do you have a favorite Kinsey Milhone book or quote? Let us know in the comments.
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