As a woman in society, I struggle to gain the respect I deserve. Here is a what a week of that struggle looks like, in words.
0 2018-03-16 by Starship_Litterbox_B
DAY ONE
7 a.m. I’m an early bird, even on weekends, and a hungry one at that. My
friend Marie is visiting, so I make us both some coffee, then head to the gym
for a run before teaching a yoga class.
12 p.m. Marie’s like my big sister. We’re eating at a food hall, having some
grain bowls while gabbing about online dating. She seems like a pro at managing
it; meanwhile, I just signed up again. My heart is still healing from my last
big breakup in the fall. Usually, she’s inclined to say that I can do better —
but when I tell her about my date for tonight, she preliminarily approves.
6 p.m. After a nap, we both get ready for our respective pre-dinner meet-
ups. I don’t get super dolled up, but I look nice and feel a little nervous, in
a good way.
7:30 p.m. My date, Leo, asks to meet at the Ace hotel. He’s European. We
talk about family and also religion, which they say you’re not supposed to do
but we seem to be having an easy time with. He’s not that tall, and handsome in
a rugged way and more important, seems earnest. He says he feels slightly
responsible for being my first online date in a while. I tell him not to think
too much about that. He didn’t offer to buy me a drink, which I find odd, but I
brush it off and he takes my number.
9 p.m. Leo’s already texted that he had a nice time. I reply in agreement. I
rehash the night with Marie. Someone on a different online dating site messaged
her about going out dancing tonight. She decides not to go with him, but with
me. I hesitate but … why not?
11:30 p.m. I can’t believe I’m actually still out (but drinking sparkling
water), and enjoying myself at a dive bar, even though everyone looks the same:
young and fratty. When we’re finally ready to go, some dude and his friend ask
us to go to a jazz bar. We decline, tired and uninterested.
DAY TWO
9 a.m. Half-asleep, Marie says good-bye as she heads for the airport.
11:30 a.m. I go to church solo. I’m sensitive and tear up in here sometimes.
I turn to prayer, music, and movement whenever I feel broken, or full.
1 p.m. I head to my friend’s event about sobriety. Beyond Sober January, I’m
not drinking as much anymore, either. I marvel at how things change. I wonder a
lot of other things, like if I’ll always have a place in my heart for my ex, and
if that place is a soft spot or a black hole. Our breakup sent me down a spiral
of extreme depression. It felt unfair — I loved him so much.
10 p.m. I haven’t been sexually active since the breakup. My ex and I never
planned to fall in love — he wouldn’t have showed up in my online preferences.
We were together for a year and a half and broke up, because, according to him,
I should have more than what he could offer me. He didn’t want to get married
again or have another kid. I think he’s still feeling the aftereffects of his
divorce. It was a dramatic breakup.
DAY THREE
9 a.m. I wonder what the week will bring. I call my brother, back home in
another state, about getting my mom flowers together for her birthday. He lets
me know she threw one of my letters in the trash! I decide to wait on the flower
request; I need to call my mom later and see what’s going on. My mom and I have
had a bit of a rocky relationship at times — something I’m working on. I think
she was sad to acknowledge how hurt I was in my last romantic relationship.
10 a.m. I get physical therapy, mostly around my hip area. It’s like a
massage paid for by my health insurance. I carry my emotions in my hips, and I
am tight because of all the workouts I do. This circular motion may be the
closest I’ll get to physical intimacy this week. I haven’t kissed anyone since
October right after my breakup, when I went on a make-out spree.
7:30 p.m. On my way back from teaching yoga, I run into my handsome, smart,
but emotionally unavailable neighbor who told me to stop “light”-sexting him
last week (I was feeling ambitious and aggressive). He was one of the three I
made out with in my kissing streak. Since he acknowledges me first, I briefly
wave hello and try to avoid any further interaction.
8:30 p.m. Catching up on The Bachelor. Yes, I’m a sucker for this reality
series. I even tried out for a few years ago. Now, I’m almost over-the-hill for
casting.
10 p.m. In bed. I’m very sensual and sexual (I think my love language is
touch), but I won’t sleep around. I’m thinking about getting a dildo instead of
what I do have, a vibrator the shape of a giant lipstick. But will it be enough?
DAY FOUR
7 a.m. I wake up and go for a run on the treadmill for 20 minutes, just
enough to get me sweaty and zone out.
11 a.m. During work, I overhear a 35-year-old single gal talking about
freezing her eggs. I’ve looked into this already but have not taken the leap,
especially since it’s not covered by insurance. I want to be a mom one day, in
addition to faithful, frisky, fabulous partner.
1 p.m. I have waffles for lunch with a friend who I haven’t seen in a while.
She asks about my ex. I can read her concern on her face but I assure her all
is well. We also talk about next steps in my career.
8:30 p.m. It’s Girls’ Night Out with my fitness friends.
11 p.m. I go to bed exhausted, stomach full of vegan chocolate.
DAY FIVE
8 a.m. I feel like I’m hungover, even though I didn’t drink last night. My
bleary eyes peer at a photo message of my mom (who I’ve forgiven quietly in my
heart) posing with the flowers I did end up going in with my brother on.
There’s also a digital bouquet in-app message from someone I haven’t met yet. He
can do that but isn’t daring enough to ask me out on an actual, in-person date?
I head to the gym and half-heartedly hit a punching bag.
11:30 a.m. I have no expectations for tonight — I’m just glad that I booked
time with one of my girlfriends in advance. We’re going to a supposedly
carefully curated singles’ mixer.
7:30 p.m. I have sake to pregame. I’m pleasantly surprised the guy-to-girl
ratio may be tipped in our favor, and everyone here is relatively cool and
good-looking! I am friendly and bright for some reason, talking to a couple guys
and gals. No numbers are exchanged on my end or my friend’s, but I still had
fun.
One of the younger guys (he’s surprised I’m in my 30s) gives me his white rose
before I leave. In the modern world, am I supposed to make a move? I like being
chased, to a point. Or it should be like a tennis match, maybe. While
considering all this, I take an Uber Pool home.
DAY SIX
8 a.m. There’s not a lot of true traction on my app. Just a hello here and
there. I haven’t heard back from European Guy, but it’s fine. I’d like to think
when you know, you know. I’m sensing the seeds of online-dating fatigue already.
10:30 a.m. Work flies by. I like to think I’m pretty good at what I do.
6 p.m. Another friend is visiting. I didn’t realize she’s staying in my
ex’s old neighborhood … I’m concerned I’ll run into him and keep my head down
before we head to dinner in Brooklyn, where we eat plenty of cheese. On the way
back, she asks me if I have hope. I do — and not about any reconciliation. She
tells me how proud of me she is.
10 p.m. I think about how lucky I am to have great girlfriends and how easy
and casual it is to connect with them. I think this might mean that I don’t need
my future husband/baby daddy to be emotional, but to simply acknowledge I can be
sensitive on certain topics and appreciate that I am in tune with my feelings.
DAY SEVEN
6 a.m. Up early again. I am admittedly compulsive with my phone and check my
apps — including social and dating — in bed before I get up, make coffee, and
meditate. Call it reverse engineering.
9 a.m. Answering emails. One of my guy friends texts me a link to a TED Talk
about how to fix a broken heart. I am definitely turning a corner, and his
thoughtful gesture is sweet. Love is indeed a drug, and we must stop the vicious
cycle of delusion and not live in the past. Or in dreams.
12 p.m. Sweat for lunch. I sit in the steam room for almost half an hour. I
have cried a lot in the past few months, but right now the salt is leaving my
naked body in a deliciously detoxifying way. My heartbeat quickens. Afterward, I
take a cold shower.
4 p.m. I’m looking forward to a quiet time by myself this weekend … except
of course I schedule a few things and make last-minute plans with a co-worker
friend.
7 p.m. Feeling a little guilty saying so, but I’m relieved to break away
from my co-worker at happy hour (I’m just sipping water) so I can take myself
out — I grab some takeout, come home early, and catch up on more of The
Bachelor. I know I have to keep putting effort into putting myself out there, so
my friends and I are planning some trips this year, too. I charge my lipstick
vibrator and go to sleep, fantasizing about meeting someone on vacation.
6 comments
1 noonches 2018-03-16
Who wants to read this long load of bullshit?
1 Starship_Litterbox_B 2018-03-16
I am an Afrikan warlord who has literally never masturbated in my entire life, and impregnated several woman of all races. You are some pasty child who rubs his weewee to sexualized fictional characters on a screen. I am superior to you in every way pussy ass nigga.
1 DesertRichard 2018-03-16
I like to mock feminism and fatties but this book is not worth the effort.
Bad litter box.
1 Starship_Litterbox_B 2018-03-16
This is a serious issue affecting real women. Your attempts at diverting the discussion and dropping a pathetic excuse for a humorous comment are distasteful and insensitive. But you can sit on your chauvinistic ass and make lame remarks just for the upvotes as this subreddit and website in general conveniently enables your bratty behavior. It is completely tragic and shameful that real problems that call for real discussions on this website get watered down by cruel, heartless people like you who live for jokes and memes. Go discuss Millwall shit on a Millwall thread. Trivializing problems faced by women who live in a more regressive and dangerous society than you'll ever experience doesn't make you someone who drops cool banter, it just makes you a twat. The fact that this stupid comment is the top comment shows the state of this sub. Absolutely pathetic. The 100+ people who upvoted you should be ashamed of themselves and so should you. PISS OFF.
EDIT: Keep on feeding me down votes, you little brats. Maybe, just maybe, one day all you immature, coach potato fanboys who think your edgyness and apathy towards challenges faced by women is COOL AND ALPHA will come to your senses and the world will be a much better place. You are no different form the beasts who attack these women. You are the enablers and you are just as bad.
You are a truly sad and pathetic person. Your arrogance, pride and immaturity will not allow you see the error of your ways. I was angry at you, now I just feel sad. I am sad because of the person you've let society turn you into. You've become a monster but you don't know it yet. I sincerely hope you never get to raise daughters or sons if you choose to remain like this.
Have a good day.
1 DesertRichard 2018-03-16
I’ll updoot that.
1 Trajan_ 2018-03-16
tl;dr
1 Starship_Litterbox_B 2018-03-16
I get physical therapy, mostly around my hip area. It’s like a massage paid for by my health insurance. I carry my emotions in my hips, and I am tight because of all the workouts I do. This circular motion may be the closest I’ll get to physical intimacy this week. I haven’t kissed anyone since October right after my breakup, when I went on a make-out spree.
1 Trajan_ 2018-03-16
if ur not a fatty hmu