vol #28: dancing in the street, bootleg therapy & purple
sent from mia's iphone with love
mia:
Hi, I'm Mia. I’m female. *Cough* How are you meant to start these things? Hahah.
I spend most of my time as a graphic designer. I also like gnocchi, swimming laps, complaining, diet coke, writing lists and long walks on the beach... I could go on.
I’ve put together six recommendations that made me the person I am today. I’m hoping I can help you become the person I am today, too. I always wanted a twin.
I have included alternative headings in brackets because I must intellectualise everything and I’d die if the subtext went unnoticed.
hey! you could be mia’s twin!
this is the online bit
Let your typos flow (embrace vulnerability)
There’s something really poetic about typing the same misspelled word over and over again, to the point where autocorrect realises you meant what you said all along. Almost like falling in love.
Typos are personal, thoughtful, carefree, vulnerable, sophisticated. There’s a certain clumsy elegance about sending snomeonw your rawest keyboard smudge and hoping they’ll understand it.
So in the interests of showing your authentic, flawed self, turn off your autocorrect, or at the very least your auto-capitalisation. We are anti-capitalists not auto-capitalists, say it with me! Don’t let the big letters win.
we are anti-capitalists not auto-capitalist! image a is teeming with personality! image b, you’d barely survive the first date.
Go to bootleg therapy (improve your self esteem)
Real therapy is great, don’t get me wrong – I love bawling my eyes out to my webcam while my therapist asks me, “what does Mia want?”
I just think I learned more from these 6 minute Psych2Go YouTube videos. I would recommend starting with the particularly self-indulgent ones like Are You More Attractive Than You Think You Are?
Yes, you are. Unless you’re a narcissist, which is covered in another succinct video from Psych2Go.
Listen to Life of Bi (be a good ally)
First of all, this podcast has a banging theme song. I sometimes skip back and listen to it twice. Life of Bi takes you through the tumultuous and largely hidden history of bisexuality. It’s hosted by a delightful British performance duo who are exes and also best friends (soo bisexual!).
Episodes are 28 minutes long and perfect for a morning walk. Which leads me to my next point…
this is the irl bit
Dance in the street (get over yourself)
In all honesty, this recommendation is purely for my own benefit. I need more recruits.
So far, I have only been able to muster a meek little jig, a nervous skip-hop-jump and a flaccid fist-pump. None of these movements scream “reckless enthusiasm” – which is what we’re going for, generally.
If more people danced alone in the street, I wouldn’t get so many concerned looks and the suburbs would be a safer place for all of us. Embarrassing yourself in public is awesome. You’ll see.
Get a new plate (aestheticise your life)
Look at this ridiculous salad I rustled up for lunch. Isn’t she so civilised? The plate made me do it!
the plate! made her!
Love the colour purple (embrace your past)
I think I gave up on purple quite early on, after my colour chart said that I shouldn’t wear cool tones or pastels. Or maybe I was boycotting the dreaded purple-green lesbian colour combo. See above reformation re: bisexuality.
My dear friend Lucinda suggested leaving the skins on your eggplant when you cook them as a way to embrace purple. Bless her.
It’s hard to love a colour that’s been so acutely assigned to magicians and Cadbury chocolate wrapping. But I think… it’s time to try.
Well, purple, here I am, standing at the doorstep with a boombox. Take me back?
tchüssiiiiiii