"It is one of the difficult and delightful subtleties of life that we must deeply acknowledge certain things to be serious and yet retain the power and will to treat them often as lightly as a game."
Hey. I only know you from the words you send across fiber optic networks. Yet they are words of a person I find both funny and esteemed. So there you go, an unwritten rule of the global social contract is broken by Sherry. Again ;-)
And I say when you don't belong anywhere at all, you've made it to You-ville. A generally good place to hang out. Sending good wishes for your upcoming marriage!
This came at such strange and incredible timing! Seems that many of us - myself included- are grasping at this tension of "seriousness": I think of Inkwell's weekly with Josh, though it seems he encountered it differently.
I love the way you put it here!
I also got Plueri Society a month and agree: it is brilliant. Your work has definitely gave me much more confidence in accepting "misfit" as normal. Thank you for that!
"Too openminded for the conservatives, too prude for the liberals" feels like the summary of my entire online existence. You are a very insightful writer, Ms. Ning.
Beautifully written! Glad to have discovered your writings via recommendation.
I too feel agoraphobic about being pigeon-holed into a static persona.
One example that is always amusing is the social media accounts of Fortune 500 companies. They ofc demand Old-Testament level reverence in most levels of their operation (legal, HR, financials), but they also make space for being whimsical, irreverent, and casual when they show up in our social feeds (even if it is a totally calculated decision): https://www.buzzfeed.com/audreyworboys/times-companies-burned-roasted-internet-funny.
I think there are still some public expectations though around where a certain brand tone / identity is appropriate and where it is not, if one has many.
Absolutely loved this. I feel like you should write a manual on womanhood. The line about the writer trifecta was fire as was the “neither x, nor opposite of x” paragraph
"It is one of the difficult and delightful subtleties of life that we must deeply acknowledge certain things to be serious and yet retain the power and will to treat them often as lightly as a game."
C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
Take fun seriously, take seriousness lightly
Wow
Never have I read such a short article yet felt like I just read a book. This was very enjoyable.
Thank you James!! This actually made my day 🌞🌞
You write in a way that no one else does. I really love to read your words and feel seen in them.
Thank you thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!!! ❤️ I also think you just nailed why anyone ever bothers to write anything at all…
Hey. I only know you from the words you send across fiber optic networks. Yet they are words of a person I find both funny and esteemed. So there you go, an unwritten rule of the global social contract is broken by Sherry. Again ;-)
And I say when you don't belong anywhere at all, you've made it to You-ville. A generally good place to hang out. Sending good wishes for your upcoming marriage!
Oh man this means a lot to me… thank you I really appreciate you saying this. And thank you for the wishes!!! 🙏
Thank you for sharing this.
(And thank you for the fortune cookie letter - sincerely appreciated!!)
YAY you received it!!!! Thank you Toronto Observer ❤️
Bro… “Not believing in yourself is against the verdict of life on every level” 🔥 luv u xx
This came at such strange and incredible timing! Seems that many of us - myself included- are grasping at this tension of "seriousness": I think of Inkwell's weekly with Josh, though it seems he encountered it differently.
I love the way you put it here!
I also got Plueri Society a month and agree: it is brilliant. Your work has definitely gave me much more confidence in accepting "misfit" as normal. Thank you for that!
Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
god I just looked in a mirror that was also a window into another life I may be living, brilliant
“But, whatever, in the end, only love and death can change all things.”
So beautifully written, much resonance. Thank you miss! <3
I felt like someone described the turmoil inside of me.
"Too openminded for the conservatives, too prude for the liberals" feels like the summary of my entire online existence. You are a very insightful writer, Ms. Ning.
Beautifully written! Glad to have discovered your writings via recommendation.
I too feel agoraphobic about being pigeon-holed into a static persona.
One example that is always amusing is the social media accounts of Fortune 500 companies. They ofc demand Old-Testament level reverence in most levels of their operation (legal, HR, financials), but they also make space for being whimsical, irreverent, and casual when they show up in our social feeds (even if it is a totally calculated decision): https://www.buzzfeed.com/audreyworboys/times-companies-burned-roasted-internet-funny.
I think there are still some public expectations though around where a certain brand tone / identity is appropriate and where it is not, if one has many.
Absolutely loved this. I feel like you should write a manual on womanhood. The line about the writer trifecta was fire as was the “neither x, nor opposite of x” paragraph
I’m delightfully declaring myself a part of the “unpunishable woman” club.
I am at such a loss of words. The timing is magical. Reassuring. No, reassuring is an understatement. I don't know. Truly at a loss of words.
I will just go with thank you!