All You Need Is Love

Hello.

It is too darn hot outside. I'm back in the living room with the air conditioner and the fan blowing cool air.

The taxi cab yellow purse is mine: that is a reasonable copy that was only $35 not $298 like the original in the Sundance catalog. I will wear it next week when I go on a day trip with a guy friend.

A woman and I had this conversation: should we shoot for so-called normal guys or date peers exclusively? I told her I wrote in an online dating profile that I wanted to meet a guy who was healthy and committed to his recovery. The woman agreed with me that it was within my right to specify this requirement. She didn't want to wind up being a caregiver either and that is what would happen to us if we decided to date guys who continually messed up because they refused to take their medication.

I'm in love with normal now.

I walked about the store carrying various handbags to see which ones I liked the best and the yellow bag won out. I nixed a hot pink one and a large black one with flat silver studs. Could I go back for the pink one tomorrow?

Will you still love me tomorrow as the song goes I know I will love that pocketbook only I don't have room for it unless I donate to the Salvation Army one of my others.

It has been much easier to carry the same black purse to work every day and now I'm bored with it. Everywhere I go I carry that same black bag.

Will I wear the cheerful green cap next Sunday? I'll wear the skinny jeans. All's fair in love when you want to attract someone. So I wear the skinny jeans and the v neck tee shirt.

In Starbucks I once bought a great CD with cover versions of "All You Need Is Love"-the Beatles classic. The new songs sound better than the original. I revised a scene in my manuscript so that it now ends with a quote from magnets on my refrigerator.

I bought 10 years ago a book with a magnetic cover that contains letter magnets you could arrange into poems and stick on the book. Miraculously I found the book in my document bin this spring and was able to create this poem:

Listen You
We are the One
Just Do It
Love

So those words end one of the scenes in my memoir.

The idea that we all want somebody to love and need somebody to love us is central to any good novel as it mirrors our real life quest to be accepted.

There's a romance at the end of Left of the Dial. Stay tuned.

______________________________


Miracle of miracles: I steamed the wrinkles out of 15 items of clothing today. What possessed me? Did I have the energy? Was I in a sunny mood?

I've decided to donate one of the other pocketbooks to Sal's so I can go back tomorrow and buy the new bag. Mom gave me $50 so I feel I can do this.

A woman I used to know told me that Italian women have a pocketbook for every outfit. She just might be right.

I will go sign off soon because it is getting late.

Will tell you one thing:

I read the ending of the epilogue of my memoir to a woman who said she loved it. I hope it's an ending that will be a keeper. It hints of more to come.

SZ magazine promoted my Living Life column on the cover of its Summer 2010 issue with the tag line: Christina Bruni talks about recovery at mid age.

It's a great article you should subscribe to the magazine and read it. SZ now has a food section with tips and recipes for healthful eating. Next weekend I might try to make the bran muffins featured.


It pleases me that 2012 will usher in my literary life.

I will tell you as soon as I know the publication date of Left of the Dial. I feel I definitely want the subtitle to be A Life of Hope.

Have a good night.