On Vertigo, Muumuus, and the Myth of Control.
Has reality always wobbled like this?

I awoke just as sunlight signaled morning; the bedroom was slowly swirling counterclockwise. The sensation was deeply unsettling, like my body was moving forward and my mind backward, unable to choose a moment to settle into. I closed my eyes and opened them again, hoping for a reset, but unlike when I had experienced a similar sensation after too much wine or weed, I couldn’t focus my way to stillness. I felt a bead of sweat lazily trail into my ear, and realized my whole body was drenched…

Plants are magical. Right now, they’re keeping me sane
I am a homebody, so I wasn’t entirely shaken when the necessity of social distancing became a reality. I looked for the silver lining. “OK,” I thought to myself. “I’ll have time to finish the new book I’m working on, cook more, have some quality time with my 7-year-old, and do some spring cleaning.”

Now, weeks later, the gravity of the situation is setting in....

A Loveseat With a Message of Love
Justina Blakeney reflects on the profound kismet of a recent vintage purchase.

My grandparents, Bette and Art, were very special people. Their way of being in the world greatly shaped who I am today. They were giants in my life: adventurous, generous, wise, and loving beyond measure. Travel was a priority for them, and every year they brought home exuberant stories, photos, and souvenirs to share from remote pockets of the earth. Their beautiful home reflected their vibrant life...

I Love Cat
An Essay by Justina Blakeney

He was so sweet, and despite being long and lean, he was also cuddly. He nestled up to me in the mornings in a way that was so warm and loving. He was pensive and kind of a loner, but that fit my bubbly, gregarious personality in a yin/yang kind of way. There was only one problem, he had a cat. Oy.