What I Want To Teach My Baby Niece About Heartbreak
She wriggled in my arms, the newest, pinkest member of our family. Just over 30 days old.
(fka Danielle Ma) Rediscovering writing in NYC. I used to Carrie Bradshaw my way through my 20s, processing the chaotic throes of dating, love, and passion on the page, back in the era of Thought Catalog and xoJane. Multiple moves, degrees, and jobs later, I'm back in the best city in the world. Same heart, same itch for that pen. Different name, different decade, different set of facts and feelings to work through.
I Watch You And I Wonder
I watch you from afar because that’s the only thing that could possibly count as healthy at this point.
8 Uncomfortable Things You Should Be Talking About With Your Friends
Friendship feels like magic sometimes, in the way it seems to build and grow and take on a life of its own.
Before You Cancel Your Date, Read This
Everyone you’ve ever liked or loved was once a stranger waiting to be met.
When You Really Love Someone, You Never Stop Wanting The World For Them
Like a silent wish or prayer, like a negotiation with Destiny, asking Her to make sure their journey is a good one, a beautiful one.
How To Respond Honestly When Someone Asks You How You’re Doing
Don't say you're fine if you're not.
Breaking Up: The Present Participle
"We broke up." As if there was a beginning, a middle, and an end. Curtain call, 10 minute intermission, and applause at the close.
A Farewell to Adam
Maybe tears were a limited resource, and mine for him were used up.
Boomerang
Blame the chaos that is love.
And Then I Met Adam
The one who reminded me of magic and wonder and the sparkly white version of winter.
Postscript
We were a tale that couldn't quite decide whether to end with a sensible moral or to live on into eternity, with an ellipse and a happily ever after.
How To Deal With Criticism
You observe the rushing water, you experience the emotions, maybe even reach out and touch. But you don't jump, you don't drown.
The Precipice
And the very next second, I'm falling.
How To Make A Decision
We’re here to remind you of some of the tried and true methods to make sense of the madness.
Something Cosmic
There’s a man in my life I can’t be with. A man who isn’t right for me and whom I am not right for in return. I’ll just say the things we have never said to each other but know without needing to. He’s too old for me, and I’m too young for him. Our families wouldn’t understand, our friends would maybe indulge in empathy but ultimately succumb to confusion as well. We’re at such different points in our lives that we would both need to give things up for the other. Not the regular relationship compromises that are necessary when merging worlds, no—the big things. He’s already lived the life I want with someone. The love, the marriage, the child-rearing, the family. Our generations just barely missed each other, not enough to affect our incredible ability to connect, relate, and make each other laugh. But enough to mean that we can never be a we.
Unnecessary Expenses To Cut From Your Budget
Among the many plights of the 20-something, budgeting an entry level salary is certainly up there on the list.
Good thing we're scrappy though, right? If you're seeking some places to trim the fat spending-wise, look no further! Here are a couple ways to increase your cash flow.
Good thing we're scrappy though, right? If you're seeking some places to trim the fat spending-wise, look no further! Here are a couple ways to increase your cash flow.
Almost Lovers
They walked along the streets of the most romantic city in the world, the Eiffel Tower breaking the skyline ahead of them. Five friends with careers in various states of disarray—not in a bad way, just in a twenty-something way—choosing to take a break from it all and explore for the good of their hearts and sanity.
Your Mid-Year Resolutions
Some of us have summer break or summer Fridays, and for those of us that don’t, days are still longer and spirits brighter. Summer is the perfect time to take a breath and give yourself some TLC.
We’ve hit the halfway mark since making New Year’s resolutions—what better time to do a mental, emotional check in?
We’ve hit the halfway mark since making New Year’s resolutions—what better time to do a mental, emotional check in?
In The Name Of Friendship
In a few short hours, I’ll be boarding a plane and crossing an ocean to reunite with my best friends in the entire world. Between New York City and Paris lie 3,625 fateful miles, and those little miles are all that stand between us and our happiest, silliest selves. It’s a much needed break from this crazy city and demanding job—in short, I cannot fucking wait.
Nerd Culture & Its Effect On Dating
Nerd is the new black. Smarts and passion are in, and that's a cool thing in a lot of ways. With the rise of startup culture and the maker revolution, we're seeing this intense and unapologetic value in ideas and creation. Welcome to nerd culture—in that group, we have academics, comic book geeks, techies, and everything in between.
My 36 Hour First Date
“So I’m never going to see you again, am I?”
She held her iPhone to her ear, head tilted, body propped up against the wall next to her tiny twin bed.
“It was just too much,” he answered.
She held her iPhone to her ear, head tilted, body propped up against the wall next to her tiny twin bed.
“It was just too much,” he answered.
Secrets
“You have a way of bringing out secrets in people.”
As we sat together under the twinkly Shake Shack string lights, I thought about my friend sitting in front of me. Endlessly observant and expert at social intricacies, he was so spot on about people. I turned his assessment of me over in my brain. Secrets. Hmm.
As we sat together under the twinkly Shake Shack string lights, I thought about my friend sitting in front of me. Endlessly observant and expert at social intricacies, he was so spot on about people. I turned his assessment of me over in my brain. Secrets. Hmm.
Confessions Of An Optimist I Want To Quit Dating
I want to quit dating. And I’m not the girl who hates dating. I’m not the introverted girl or the too-busy girl. I like meeting new people, I like the discovery phase, the opening up, the probing, the surprise at commonality every time. I like the stories it produces, I love when my heart races, and even when it doesn’t—I think it’s kind of pretty that we tried.
5 Books From Our Childhood We Should All Reread
It’s easy to forget how much our childhood books shaped us.
They were the books we all owned in hard copy—hard cover, even. They were the books we read and reread so many times without getting sick of them. They were the books that took us to entirely new worlds and let our already free imaginations run freer. As we grow older, imagination sometimes takes a back seat to facts, analytics and logic. Flash back for a moment—take the time to reread some books from your childhood and marvel in their simple profundity. Here are a few that we like.
They were the books we all owned in hard copy—hard cover, even. They were the books we read and reread so many times without getting sick of them. They were the books that took us to entirely new worlds and let our already free imaginations run freer. As we grow older, imagination sometimes takes a back seat to facts, analytics and logic. Flash back for a moment—take the time to reread some books from your childhood and marvel in their simple profundity. Here are a few that we like.
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