on bestsellers

notes
Originally uploaded by kristalynn.

i know i have to update my links. i know i need new, fresh, vibrant material.

trouble is, when i go exploring, i rarely find any thing that does it for me. i don't need to know what you're wearing, how wonderful your mother-in-law is, or if you hate your hair.

give me your troubled, your flawed, and your malcontent.


the other day, before going to work, i was waiting in line at the coffee place. i overheard this conversation:

Man: It's a little chilly this morning.
Woman: Yes. I took the dog for a walk this morning and froze!
M: I wanted to eat lunch outside today but...
W: Oh, I think it'll warm up by noon.
M: [leaning in] Can I hold you to that?
W & M: [chuckle flirtatiously].

i roll my eyes.

the woman catches me mid-roll and checks out my outfit.

i feel grossly out of place.

i've beat myself up for so long for finding the majority of people just so damn boring. i've wondered what was wrong with me - why so much disdain? why so many eye rolls?

what do you expect me to do with the person whose life is just perfect? they love their job and the perks it affords them and elucidate this at every opportunity possible. how interesting is it, really, to hear just how safe someone’s automobile is?


i know a couple. on one occasion the male component said to me: "i love my wife more today than on the day we met."

i forced a smile, "that's really great."

then, on a separate occasion, the wife repeated the exact same phrase to me: "i love my husband more today than on the day we met."

i cocked my head and squinted an eye.

"how cute," i said.

i can't put my finger on why, but i found those statements to be creepily disturbing. why the need to inform/convince others of this exponentially growing love for one another?

i know a second couple. during a dinner party, three of us ganged up on the male constituent, because of his straight laced nature. after a healthy number of drinks, we were questioning him on his passions in life.

and he just couldn't reply. he had no answer for us.

"my priority is to my girlfriend and my daughter, " he stated in a mechanical like manner.

"what are you SAYING?" i pressed.

"my priority is to my girlfriend and my daughter," he repeated. he was incapable of offering anything more.

i looked to his girlfriend.

"i can't believe he’s my boyfriend," she said shaking her head.


i was having drinks with a woman i used to work with and have since befriended. she divulged the reason as to why she hired me.

"i got a pile of resumes and when i got to yours, i felt like i had to meet you. so i hired you. you weren't exactly qualified, but i knew i had to meet the hippie girl."

i was touched.

on the first day of that job, i had shown up close to 3 hours late. i had to drive to another city - in a sleet storm.

"i'm here to see shawna practicone (not real name), " i announced at the front desk, soaked and exasperated.

"she'll be up in a second," informed the security guard.

i turned around and this woman with the warmest smile and friendliest eyes bounded through the door.

"krista?" she asked, thrusting her hand forward.

"yeah," i replied, smiling for the first time that day. i like this girl. i thought.


aristotle in his poetics postulates that a central character's fortunes must not change from misery to happiness, but, on the contrary, from happiness to misery.

please let your stories, your blogs, your emails, your conduct, your dinner parties demonstrate your vulnerability and defectiveness. it keeps my interest. it makes you inimitable.