On taking up space

Somehow, over time, I've constructed an internal image of myself.  Like some kind of warped party trick, I can conjure it up anywhere.  I can imagine how I look to others from this angle or in that outfit.

Catching askance glances of myself in windows, I covertly scrutinize - seeking to validate whether my omnipresent mind-self is actually substantiated by reality.

This heightened awareness is like a sixth sense, except instead of granting me a useful ability, my only special skill is that I can visualize in sharp and vivid detail what I look like in yoga pants.

Ever-perceiving the space I occupy, I'm left with a nagging feeling of obtrusiveness.  I wonder if I'm taking up too much space.
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Why I hate Coldplay

I hate Coldplay, but it's not really their fault.

If I met Chris or Jonny or Guy or Will, I'd say, "I'm sorry, guys.  I'm sure you're actually pretty awesome.  It's not you, it's me."

This is the problem with break-ups.  In their wake, they leave a memory minefield, but you don't figure it out until it's too late where the mines actually are.  Someone with the same cologne walks by and it's a visceral and immediate trip down memory lane.  The world is suddenly full of sights, sounds, and scents that take you back where you don't want to go.

Chuck out that perfume you wore every day, and forget about using that shampoo or tuning to that radio station.  Can't go to that restaurant anymore.  All the memorybanks must be wiped clean.

Unpacking gender essentialism

I originally posted a bit of a rant to Facebook regarding this Psychology Today article claiming that women need love, while men need respect.  Excerpt:

"Choice quotes:

• "we [women] are naturally physically affectionate and nurturing, and we just love signing emails and cards with lovey dovey phrases and long lines of xoxoxo’s."
  
  (We do? We are? Man. I am totally failing at being a woman.)

• "It was determined out of this research that a woman’s primary need is for love, and a man’s primary need is for respect."
  
  (It's all right guys; don't worry about respecting me anymore. All I need is your looooove.)

Acerbicness aside, I would love to point out all the flaws with this, but it's kind of making me too angry to really pick apart right now. Someone else is welcome to do it for me. [...]

I'm going to go run in circles, wave my arms around, and headdesk until I no longer feel ranty. Perhaps when I'm done I will no longer possess enough braincells to care about this kind of thing. Thank you and goodnight."

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I was being tongue-in-cheek, sardonic, and probably a bit hyperbolic.  I wasn't really planning on going into a detailed analysis of why I found the article to be problematic.