tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60156506464183425822024-03-14T08:34:47.656-03:00Ecstatic Adventures of the Exuberant BodhisattvaExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.comBlogger264125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-29230743232649855482022-06-26T09:13:00.002-03:002022-07-02T18:00:07.960-03:00This is Your Strange and Beautiful Life—Update<p> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dearest
Friends and Fans,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My goodness, hasn’t it been a wild ride? I sort of wish I
could say that <a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2019/04/dear-vincent-prize-is-rest-of-your-life.html" target="_blank"><b>The Prize is the Rest of Your Life</b></a> concluded my one-way epistles
to Vincent; however, I definitely cannot say this. In the year or so that
followed this last post, I probably doubled my word count to Vincent. Also, I landed
a surprise grown-up translation job at a downtown penthouse office. Also, my
darling and honorary brother Glendon left this world. Also, my Beautiful
Miracle Apartment burned down. Also, there was a global pandemic—maybe you
heard about it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.ericajschmidt.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="591" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_WvVUdEXtJj5OJgQcQ8O5s1UiVzLMkTebBwXHnZq0ZA5XunSVBxLCezC-N3gHmpXUAsVivaVYs8OrYXKTkqurjAn2um4fyjy5WXYxs5Qh0FXMc3t-Tq5-IpGNfLrf4NEuv5WsSLAfLO67-X8hlwh14_IkASAHEnTEc53TeDO45-eT7i795RpUb40Bw/s320/Strange%20and%20beautiful_smaller.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.ericajschmidt.com/" target="_blank">This is your strange and beautiful life. You can do all sorts of interesting shit. But you don't have to. Your life does not have to be a spectacular TED talk.</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The good news is, your life does not have to be a
spectacular TED talk. I’ll skip the everything happens for a reason junk, but I
will say that the last few years have felt very real, and I have felt very
alive. I am now ten drafts into a manuscript for a novel called <b>Dear Alex, Love Ramona.</b> Guess what that’s about? I have a new beautiful miracle apartment I
call, <b>The Magical Treehouse Palace.</b> The pandemic came with a few hard lessons,
but I came out with renewed love for my golden group of darling besties. And I
learned how to use an em dash. And play amateur ukulele. Even my cooking skills
improved, though guests have been known to find twist ties and price tags in
their mugs of soup and slices of quiche. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Otherwise, everything is reasonable to fabulous. I am
crawling out of this blogging hiatus to announce that, I just launched a brand-new,
homemade website, <b><a href="http://ericajschmidt.com." target="_blank">ericajschmidt.com.</a></b> I wanted a place to share the large handful
of essays I wrote this spring. Plus, I am hoping to break out into the publishing
world, and I figure it will not hurt my cause to build up an audience of 77 to
77,777 followers.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYW9xG8xD6S0t7KEgJ9XR588XGbPmL5t-zkWzXn1RCfxiiRvMz93ckmirZvWFma57U1YLqnM5vYmJmASRjZMX9jTAQGxeos90anQGH9nmLKnS1lmNCxpGYEpBVMtKorV4y9vbiiJ4U1GPyQbY4kpwv3xnUL5m7oXzSGJP0b8gb9CLyqNNinGNtEdSeg/s1294/erica-j-schmidt-website-homepage-this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life-mobile-view.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1294" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAYW9xG8xD6S0t7KEgJ9XR588XGbPmL5t-zkWzXn1RCfxiiRvMz93ckmirZvWFma57U1YLqnM5vYmJmASRjZMX9jTAQGxeos90anQGH9nmLKnS1lmNCxpGYEpBVMtKorV4y9vbiiJ4U1GPyQbY4kpwv3xnUL5m7oXzSGJP0b8gb9CLyqNNinGNtEdSeg/w370-h640/erica-j-schmidt-website-homepage-this-is-your-strange-and-beautiful-life-mobile-view.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; text-align: left;">If you’d like to be part of this audience, I’d be so
thankful and delighted. Feel free to follow me on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva/" style="font-family: Calibri;" target="_blank"><b>Facebook</b></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> or </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/erica.j.schmidt/" style="font-family: Calibri;" target="_blank"><b>Instagram.</b></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> To
subscribe to my newsletter, message me your email or fill out a </span><a href="https://www.ericajschmidt.com/contact" style="font-family: Calibri;" target="_blank"><b>contact form</b></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> on
my new website. Or, just check in for new posts at </span><a href="http://ericajschmidt.com/blog" style="font-family: Calibri;" target="_blank"><b>ericajschmidt.com/blog</b></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
whenever you think of it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thank you so much for your readership and support over the
years. It means everything. Would be a dream to see you in the neighbourhood,
or on the interwebs. Either way, may the rest of your life bring all your favourite
prizes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Love always, Erica</span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-27635697283321972082019-04-02T11:29:00.002-03:002022-06-25T10:25:41.360-03:00Dear Vincent, The Prize is the Rest of Your Life.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">Tuesday, February 19, 2019</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Subject: The Prize is the Rest of your life.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">So guess what? I found my cervix! Also found you on Facebook. Nice</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(dot, dot dot, In case you're wondering, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I wouldn't necessarily not date someone who curled, lawnbowled and/or go-karted)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">Never would have guessed your name though I'm sure in real life</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">(dot, dot, dot. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">One of the many problems with </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">Professional Boundaries is</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">They don't tend to roll off the tongue.)</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">I suppose PC has never been your thing. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">"40 is the new 30! And Down Syndrome kids are so cute, right?" </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">(dot, dot, dot. Yah, he really said this. Rolled right off his tongue.)</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Lucky for you, your girlfriend looks like she’s very youthful! And such a glorious high achiever! Hope she has fun with the </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">(dot, dot, dot… let’s just pretend she’s off to save the manatees somewhere boring like Florida). There’s nothing like when your dreams come true. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Too bad your époque baveuse is already over. Seems a little premature. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">(dot, dot, dot. You can say a slug is a bête baveuse and this means they are a slimy creature. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">dot, dot, dot. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">Yah, ten minutes before you promise yourself you’ll block somebody on Facebook forever, the best is to first stalk every available detail of their profile so you don’t miss any mourning of any bygone kinky era that stroking an exotic animal’s ass in some beautiful exotic place seems to evoke. And you don’t want to miss any girlfriends either, especially the ones who evoke your deep seated Mammoth Complex. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Thoroughly peruse all the tiny girlfriends, from exotic places, or else ultra overachievers from nearby.)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Benjamin Hunting says that the cervix leads to Narnia.
Your Facebook profile led me to paint over all of the Vincents on my wall and can all this self-inflicted torture. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The only Vincent left on the wall is,
Two things I really believe in are
Deep Cleans and Mondays without Vincent. Whatever that means. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23aP89NBBQncfCzJ3jRnZPEKRHkZ9uimNv0e2T9le9Vbwt-cAoL3SNnjSiez-mDH4x3UeM9F6zxfXtMA9HJxOjaB-T185UBdxiiKKP0bV6LxGGwPbWv1-g3KrsxLPl34-QOqIRoHXOlaB/s1600/IMG-9476.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh23aP89NBBQncfCzJ3jRnZPEKRHkZ9uimNv0e2T9le9Vbwt-cAoL3SNnjSiez-mDH4x3UeM9F6zxfXtMA9HJxOjaB-T185UBdxiiKKP0bV6LxGGwPbWv1-g3KrsxLPl34-QOqIRoHXOlaB/s320/IMG-9476.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">One time, I wrote a deeply terrible and embarrassing poem called, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">I cave in and pretend I’m fucking Vincent, </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">and one of the most embarrassing parts is, </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">"Professionals Boundaries mean that </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">I love you is pathology. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">You get all the money. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">And
I get all the shame." </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Th</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">e sad and bitter part of me wants to say,
DEAR VINCENT, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE THE WHITE MAN IN THE ROOM WITH ALL THE POWER
AND
ALL THE MONEY? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In fact I doubt the CLSC gives all that much money. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">In fact, I get all the power, since I get all the words. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">In fact, I don’t have that many more words to say except maybe everyone can calm down about borderline personality disorders. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And I think the way the crush got handled was a mess but if I were you, I’d follow my lead and lovingly forgive yourself. I lovingly forgive you, and will probably go on to blame myself on the whole thing every other Tuesday until it does not matter anymore. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Oh yah, and wash your lunch dishes and dust your filing cabinet and the poor goddamn headless wooden lady statue! For fuck’s sake!
I still feel grateful for what you gave me, even if I never turn it into a brilliant screenplay, and even if I continue to struggle with lunch choices and sleeping and fulfilling my enormous potential for the rest of my life. I am sure I will always remember and cherish the many times I felt safe and seen in your windowless office, plus the satisfying smirks and laughter. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri";">And I’ll miss these fucking letters. I guess they were more for me than they were for you. And maybe also for Benjamin Hunting who loved my sentence,
My greatest gift is finding the trail of infinite grief and following it for infinity,
but I thought it was too cheesy. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Letting go is no joke. I keep whining that I want a prize.
At least everybody knows I win for the Best Erotic Transference on the Internet. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Plus Benjamin Hunting says, “The prize is the rest of your life.”
And my époque baveuse has barely just begun. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Love you, good-bye,
Erica. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoU2b0hwpYpgTHad9-R-gnjDA_7dV-1PtdySa7UDOm8E3tBknE_Hvbtxv6KSaLW-zXY1zbIrgKNfoGHFVlTjnoijqqDtupEvHMpIEG1nnh8wu-HCjQCivw11z_IqqsiKmDzFHe-hFxM5L/s1600/IMG_9219.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitoU2b0hwpYpgTHad9-R-gnjDA_7dV-1PtdySa7UDOm8E3tBknE_Hvbtxv6KSaLW-zXY1zbIrgKNfoGHFVlTjnoijqqDtupEvHMpIEG1nnh8wu-HCjQCivw11z_IqqsiKmDzFHe-hFxM5L/s320/IMG_9219.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">BAM! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkNOmojJYkYiYGLFxRxgRNQHIivc7CuPYE2P-THPmR92VCdZUAQn01U66EeVRFK472hOa_QAkYx28KTKyUu_csWxcBsVewvMe6VpelRdbYAleLe8hZJVDI7eVWVjy3yKHg8VTmv4PcP6R/s1600/IMG-9398.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTkNOmojJYkYiYGLFxRxgRNQHIivc7CuPYE2P-THPmR92VCdZUAQn01U66EeVRFK472hOa_QAkYx28KTKyUu_csWxcBsVewvMe6VpelRdbYAleLe8hZJVDI7eVWVjy3yKHg8VTmv4PcP6R/s320/IMG-9398.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;">The Prize is the Rest of Your Life.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</a></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</a><br />Twitter: @mypelvicfloor<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC" style="text-decoration-line: none;">I Let Go</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)<br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;" /><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504">Instagram: <a href="http://@erica.j.schmidt" target="_blank">@erica.j.schmidt</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2019/03/dear-vincent-all-your-sadness-is-in.html">Dear Vincent, All your sadness is in your lungs. Also the World is a Heartbreaker.</a> </span><br />
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/08/dear-vincent-you-are-not-only-person-i.html">Dear Vincent, You are not the only person I write letters to.</a> </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/01/dear-vincent-now-you-know-i-have-that.html">Dear Vincent, Now you know I have that thing where you love your therapist.</a></span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-51946494137838366002019-03-04T10:46:00.000-04:002019-03-04T10:46:27.265-04:00Dear Vincent, All your sadness is in your lungs. Also the World is a Heartbreaker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wednesday, February 13, 2019</div>
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Subject: All Your Sadness is in Your Lungs</div>
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Dear Vincent,</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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What’s deeply embarrassing is
that when I can’t sleep I listen to Oprah, and sometimes I imagine that if only
I could think the right thoughts and get myself on the right vibes and
wavelength, that I’ll manifest some magnificent and magical life and end up on
the plushy emerald green chairs in the middle of Oprah’s emerald green Oprah
Forest and I’ll get to tell Oprah all about what I know for sure, and what
makes my heart sing, and finally I’ll be rich and happy and well fucked.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOo3aXI0v_bch3-lQV_tpzDDMZf6SmO-KKWndttG-bP3Z6ZzC1XorL8vFWvTPw3WLIdslRMHwVu8-XiYXo9YIo6ydZ3U4a8rdKX9yWJGoyagiHm2C9u305CndOPXU2iW58LrEAaoITNWlY/s1600/IMG_9309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="435" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOo3aXI0v_bch3-lQV_tpzDDMZf6SmO-KKWndttG-bP3Z6ZzC1XorL8vFWvTPw3WLIdslRMHwVu8-XiYXo9YIo6ydZ3U4a8rdKX9yWJGoyagiHm2C9u305CndOPXU2iW58LrEAaoITNWlY/s320/IMG_9309.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circa 2009, Back when I used to believe in Digestive Enzymes,<br />Also tequila.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
(dot. dot dot. Every time I write about toenail fungus, the fungus takes over and then there is heaps of confusion. Like in university, I tried to write a play called, Clap Loud If You Believe In Digestive Enzymes, and the protagonist's name was Amy, and Amy believed in Digestive Enzymes, and she had terrible toenail fungus, and unrelated to the toenail fungus, she quite literally puked in her mouth for a very large portion of the day. Amy's next door neighbour had a five-year-old son, and also vagina cancer. And the five-year-old son liked to jump on the trampoline, and he wanted his mother to live forever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
Now I remember that the kid's name was Gordon, and one day, Gordon was jumping on the trampoline, and Amy's organs - her esophagus and colon and liver and kidneys emerged, human-sized in Amy's back yard. And then somehow everyone became tiny and ended up in Gordon's mother's uterus, or maybe her vagina or maybe a little bit of both? They were trying to fight the cancer and the fungus all at once. There could have been human-sized fungus as well. Either way, it was all kinds of confusing.)<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSdG6GcCM2kFL4wsiPOdgttsPNPAOuZ6J54rh9GdJ2m6yH9vnWRnYPEffvoLHOYA6mr0wJPFW_Z8p5bBU1NRUBmfCPjLNf0unBoA_0iWlMXL_ikn4yxNkaS62bYU5CImszpuSUmdrb-dI/s1600/oprah+manifest+your+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="524" data-original-width="349" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSdG6GcCM2kFL4wsiPOdgttsPNPAOuZ6J54rh9GdJ2m6yH9vnWRnYPEffvoLHOYA6mr0wJPFW_Z8p5bBU1NRUBmfCPjLNf0unBoA_0iWlMXL_ikn4yxNkaS62bYU5CImszpuSUmdrb-dI/s320/oprah+manifest+your+life.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Oprah does not feel embarrassed to feature her own self on the cover of every single Oprah magazine. And she was not too embarrassed to feature herself on her Master Class Podcast. Why I am like Oprah. I feature myself all the time.<br />
<br />
Everyone's life is a class you can learn from, that's what Oprah says. And Oprah told her own story of when
she really wanted to get the role of Shug Avery in the Color Purple and Shug
Avery’s husband’s name was Harpo which is Oprah’s name backwards and so when
she got an audition it all seemed like a magical manifested meant-to-be
miracle. Then Oprah called a casting director to follow up on her audition, and
the casting director scoffed at her and said that real actors were in the
running for the part, and the real actors were skinnier and much more
experienced. Oprah felt deflated so she went to the Fat Farm to jog.<br />
<br />
I have
never been to a Fat Farm, or heard of one until now, but it is somewhere I might have liked to go as a teenager. At the Fat Farm, Oprah jogged around and around
the track, and she talked to God and asked God to please help
her let go of all the grief and resentment around her heart, and she didn’t
need to let go enough to be able to go see the movie, but could God please make her a little bit
happy for the actress who got the part she so wanted. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
And Oprah jogged and
jogged and jogged and gradually the plaque resentment around her heart lifted
and she thought, well, maybe I can go see the movie, and after a while, she even became so happy for the skinny actress who got the part, and eventually her whole heart was light and healed, and Oprah surrendered to whatever big or not big plan that God had in store for her and
then Stephen Spielberg called the Fat Farm and he said, you got the part. Oprah couldn't believe it.<br />
<br />
"I
hear you’re at a Fat Farm," said Stephen Spielberg. "Lose a pound, and you might lose the part." So Oprah
stopped at Dairy Queen on the way home. She said that getting this role in the
Colour Purple was proof that if you surrender fully to God’s plan, he will give
you back a life far greater than anything you ever dreamed. Stephen Spielberg will call. People will skip work and lock their doors and unplug their phones to watch your face every afternoon on television. Or something like
that. It was approximately 3 o'clock in the morning on some Thursday morning in February when I heard the Master Class that is Oprah's life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Ever since the story of Oprah and the Fat Farm and the Colour Purple,
I’ve once or twice imagined that someday soon, I'll go to Parc Laurier, and I'll trudge round and round in a
rectangle until all the plaque around my heart will dissolve, along with all the cravings for the
exquisite prizes in the plushy emerald green Oprah chairs, and the exquisite fucks in the kitchen
and this all-consuming feeling that I love you, and I'll be so happy for everyone else's black-out orgasms, and my toenails will grow
back all happy and healthy and pink, and then God will reveal his real plan
which will hopefully be more beautiful and lucrative and well-fucked than
anything I ever could have dreamed of.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
More Love from Eighteen-year-old Erica:<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
“One of my friends said
today: in 200 years Mother Theresa will get about one sentence in a
history textbook. Being young can really bring out questionable
contemplations and aspects of our personalities. I do hope that we
can survive it all, without becoming old and bitter or prematurely dead. I am
not going to become an academic, because it requires that you be much too
logical and sane. I feel that I have neither of these characteristics and
oh well, I'm going to be an artist. … <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Do you think inner peace is
possible or do you think I should just accept that I will be forever bouncing
off the walls? <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
I was thinking that maybe next
year I would start hard core yoga and meditation and become composed and
un-unstable but I'm afraid that unfortunately I'm addicted to this
unpredictability and strangely believe that I'll be bored and uncreative and
uninteresting without it."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
At Grown-ups Read Things They Wrote As Kids, I was effervescent and I told all my friends how I was doing so great for February, and I gave them the speech about last February, when I wept from deep behind the bottom of my lungs in the snow in Parc Outremont, and who was that person, and where did she go?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2Mag4vSkU0UgVZCtIXUye5UDr4MeCBQ0TLpw_TpHjKGfWyd2IRTvNQLCpulPKuw6ZMkLiD0e6QvaAI1SyqOCGioUTL6rBr3VJ7XA8jPud7IbHKCXDMSyyCqKj6ZdYPoaCOR8yre2oeG5/s1600/IMG_9246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2Mag4vSkU0UgVZCtIXUye5UDr4MeCBQ0TLpw_TpHjKGfWyd2IRTvNQLCpulPKuw6ZMkLiD0e6QvaAI1SyqOCGioUTL6rBr3VJ7XA8jPud7IbHKCXDMSyyCqKj6ZdYPoaCOR8yre2oeG5/s320/IMG_9246.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many views from so many meltdowns. <br />Where did she go?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In fact she returned yesterday morning on Tuesday, February 12, at 9:32 a.m. in front of the bathroom sink of the Champion Meltdown House where I have melted down at least seven times in the past seven months, while shining the bathroom sink chrome, or while negotiating refrigerator drawers, or while wiping down the wooden kitchen island that seems perpetually covered with tomatoe sauce chunks, and expensive breadcrumbs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
In fact, I wept from deep behind the
bottom of my lungs for a bunch of the day and would have appreciated round-the-clock care (dot dot dot by the way the cute base of my tongue dude bought me a beet latte, and I am not sure he is old enough to stand in as a potential father figure; however, he may be a solid candidate for a Wounded Bird Complex.)<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
At 5:34 P.M. I called my friend Sherwin with
a meltdown, and Sherwin was drinking tequila and drawing a pile of garbage for
the sixth last page of his tenth book.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
“Every time I make a new book, I
think, oh, maybe this will be the one that lets me not struggle. After all
these books, it’s less and less likely. But I keep doing it, because I enjoy
it.”<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
One of Sherwin’s first books is
called,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">
The World</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Is a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">Heartbreaker </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">and it is a collection of 1600 3-line pseudo-haikus, and me and blank (not Wounded Bird Complex Dude. Also not Sherwin.) and I read them to each other the first time we ever
cuddled and made out, and I got to hump his leg and have an ugly-cry orgasm.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqt5CeV4pAZBvCCkR-mdlvxmHPlg6g77cqIQB2IHO4STgW1J9oXK2QtiiRKwZh-5S8hTXJVagEZV7mhLRbluB4IBRJRVa57I7sHDQ7Bt5-YYriPcqORXBNK8v6vw1y2k6aO6Ql2fv_SuRb/s1600/IMG-9306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqt5CeV4pAZBvCCkR-mdlvxmHPlg6g77cqIQB2IHO4STgW1J9oXK2QtiiRKwZh-5S8hTXJVagEZV7mhLRbluB4IBRJRVa57I7sHDQ7Bt5-YYriPcqORXBNK8v6vw1y2k6aO6Ql2fv_SuRb/s320/IMG-9306.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">The World</span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">Is a</span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;"></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.12px;">Heartbreaker, by Sherwin Tija</span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/World-Heartbreaker-Sherwin-Tjia/dp/1552451534">(For sale)</a></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">A really great poem by Sherwin is</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">the</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">people who</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">eat pain.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">(</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">TWIAHB, by Sherwin,</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">p.68)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">and another one is</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">my inner life</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">became this</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">massive thing. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">(</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">TWIAHB, by Sherwin,</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">p. 91)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">and another one is</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">babies screaming</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; line-height: 107%;">like the end of</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">everything.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">(TWIAHB, by Sherwin, p. 141)</span><br />
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
My poem is<br />
<br />
This morning </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
2:30 a.m.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
sleep fucked.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Last night, after I hung up the phone with Sherwin, I'd imagined I'd go to Parc Laurier and under the snowstorm, I’d trudge
round and round in a rectangle, until all the plaque around my heart would dissolve, along with all the
cravings for the exquisite prizes in the Oprah chairs, and the exquisite fucks
in the kitchen and this all-consuming feeling that I love you, and I’d be so happy for everyone who gets to have Black-Out Orgasms, and my toenails would grow back all happy and healthy
and pink, and then God would reveal his
real plan which would hopefully be more beautiful and lucrative and well-fucked
than anything I ever could have dreamed of.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Instead I walked 1.75 blocks to
Jean Coutu, and asked how much the toenail fungus drug would cost, and in fact, the cost
was better than I thought, 37 bucks for six weeks, and despite anguished
vacillation and the risk of diarrhea plus liver and kidney failure, I swiped my Visa card and bought the drugs, and everyone stared as I trudged
around the perimeter of Jean Coutu, sobbing intermittently from deep behind the bottom of my
lungs.<br />
<br />
After seven minutes, I switched to sobbing and pacing up and down the aisles of PA Nature, and then I calmed down and bought yogurt on sale, and
a poppy seed baguette.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Maybe in addition to diarrhea
and liver and kidney damage, the toenail fungus drug will bring fame, money,
weightloss, prizes, sex, while also curing me of the tragic belief that some
generic to extraordinary dude and his cock is the only thing that will ever be
able to set me free.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Dear Nandi, love Erica, 2004:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“This morning I am deeply
questioning the human condition, mocking and rolling my eyes at today's
society, feeling intensely lofty as I come to the existential conclusion that
nothing really matters, all is futile and what the hell let's eat drink and be
merry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">But no, something does matter
or nobody would have lasted this long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Oh, who am I kidding, what is
the point of thinking anymore, why write, so much has already been thought and
written, and it's all doomed to become a blip.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The World</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Is a</span><br />
Heartbreaker.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: calibri; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<br />
Spoiler Alert: This is the second last letter to Vincent. Send your worlds of heartbreaks to the secret email address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhga0V-IKyH6IiPcRAEb-dBMwdG9cYLT6ubiK3XLyz_7FfcGlvkOn6ix-h94qukGe605Y96aLr9DgJRdryT2Zsa4nyvPf8vq_bGBlsO8-8sv79v_T-1QxNC5wXGuy1XjSpPigfAxfiTmvoF/s1600/IMG-9164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhga0V-IKyH6IiPcRAEb-dBMwdG9cYLT6ubiK3XLyz_7FfcGlvkOn6ix-h94qukGe605Y96aLr9DgJRdryT2Zsa4nyvPf8vq_bGBlsO8-8sv79v_T-1QxNC5wXGuy1XjSpPigfAxfiTmvoF/s320/IMG-9164.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">View from the hole in my crotch,<br />Also the view from Irreversible Climate Change.<br /></span><div style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: calibri;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</a></span><span style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: calibri;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</a><br />Twitter: @mypelvicfloor<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC" style="text-decoration-line: none;">I Let Go</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: calibri;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/inconsolablecat"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Follow Sherwin Sullivan Tija (Joe Catman) on Facebook</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/SherwinsQuirkyEvents/">Sherwin's Quirky Events</a></span><br />Bodhisattva Business Ventures:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts" style="font-family: calibri; text-decoration-line: none;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)<br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;" /><span style="font-family: calibri;"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">@deepcleanswitherica</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2019/02/dear-vincent-i-still-wish-i-was-miranda.html">Dear Vincent, I still wish I / Was Miranda July</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/11/dear-vincent-i-forgave-myself-for-not.html"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">Dear Vincent, I forgave myself for not being Lena Dunham</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">Dear Vincent, It used to be that the last time I felt home was in <span style="background-color: transparent;">a tiny blue penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th avenue of the 3rd stage of a neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.</span></span></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-5185555816618114012019-02-18T11:12:00.000-04:002019-02-18T11:12:01.422-04:00Dear Vincent, I still wish I/ Was Miranda July.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Subject: I still wish I/Was Miranda July</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Friday, February 8, 2019</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have a saying that goes,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">All your sadness is in your lungs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I still wish I</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Was Miranda July.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Just around this time last year, I published a tragic blogpost entitled, Everyone is one with the birds except for me. And I remember trudging downtown to teach yoga to the insurance people who did not like my Animal Flow routine, and on the way, I ignored a call from my optimistic and pragmatic bestie, since I was beyond Optimism and Pragmatism, and, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">adamant that I could not possibly get old if days like this were to prevail, I planned my death for March 18, 2025, the 14-year anniversary of not puking in my mouth, and I’d be 39 and four months and a couple of weeks, which is approximately my favourite age of dude, though soon this may prove to be somewhat too young for me.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Later that week in 2018, while everyone else was being one with the birds, I remember lying in the snow in front of some trees in Parc Outremont, and weeping from deep behind the bottom of my lungs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">On Wednesday night, I walked myself by those same trees, and I'd had the afternoon off, and I'd just bought the domain name Deep Cleans with Erica, and I felt bouncy and happy and I wondered, who was that, weeping from deep behind the bottom of her lungs? What a relief to be someone else, at least for now.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Everyone is one with the birds.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I got in to read at Grownups Read Things They Wrote As Kids again, and I am reading a couple of the emails from my Hotmail account during first-year university, and I was 18, and the emails are to Nandi who was my boss when I coached little kids on the swim team, and then Nandi moved to Calgary and he was 38 years old, and I had a crush on him, and we wrote back and forth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And so I have been into writing to distant 38 to 40 years old crushes for quite some time now. It feels so easy to love who I used to be, with all the hope and all the optimism. It's all very beautiful, though heartwrenching at times.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What I know for sure, by 18-year-old Erica:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">“What I know for sure, as Oprah would say, is that life inevitably fluctuates, some days may feel like the act of falling into a sewer while other days see you soaring euphorically around the world. Everyone around you wonders what it is that causes you to glow so intensely legally, morally, uncorruptly. It's all very interesting though heartwrenching at times. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I guess I am discovering that I am a very intense person and though I have to go through some amount of sewer moments, to put it cheesily, the rainbow/butterfly/pot of gold always reveals itself after a time… I don't buy that you're as happy as you make your mind up to be. I think you're as happy as you're able to love and accept yourself and the people around you, life as it is, with and without miracles, its unpredictability, dissatisfactions, surprises, love, joy etc. From the movie ‘kiss of the spiderwoman’ I heard the words ‘the best thing about being happy is the feeling that you'll never be unhappy again.’” </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkRWrGS7EQO4Sog94BxPQBVMrlASZz_-guZn1zvSh2Bv83d0gKgcr-STgCnOGGCi7Tv4k9rWpW6xc3Kxv31Wlo_2Gt5jwDY_OAelxu2wgGJzdbcoSW5le0-xpxhWLAsBFlkSHIaP3yfgY/s1600/IMG-9152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="253" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkRWrGS7EQO4Sog94BxPQBVMrlASZz_-guZn1zvSh2Bv83d0gKgcr-STgCnOGGCi7Tv4k9rWpW6xc3Kxv31Wlo_2Gt5jwDY_OAelxu2wgGJzdbcoSW5le0-xpxhWLAsBFlkSHIaP3yfgY/s320/IMG-9152.jpg" width="199" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td calibri="" class="tr-caption" font-family:="" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: calibri; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Erica, 18</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: calibri; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">That feeling that you'll never be unhappy again.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: calibri; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Plus groomed hair, skinny eyebrows, turquoise lasenza hydralift padded bra</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: calibri; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and a watch.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: calibri;">The first half of the Every-Other-Wednesday-to-Thursday Vats-Of-Oatmeal-At-Least-Two-Half-Dying-Ferns-Plus-Expensive-Granola-Multiple-Baby Hump was cancelled this week. During the second half of the hump, the baby twins babbled, and kept reaching for the vacuum cleaner, and then in the afternoon, I got a cleaning buzz at the Self-Mutilating Parrot Family’s and even though my livelihood might be dipping back down to the poverty line, somehow I am not all that worried. When I die, I am sure I’ll have enough money to pay for my funeral. Will you come?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The best thing about being happy is the feeling that you’ll never be unhappy again.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Happy Friday!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Saturday, February 9, 2019</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I forgot to say that the day after the folding workshop, the base of my tongue told me to give the rest of the anti-keto-diet chocolate chip cookies to (dot dot dot) and his selling points are (dot dot dot) and it seems he is old enough to stand in as a potential father figure. Let's hope he's not married, or gay, that he has an insatiable sex drive and believes in sexual transcendence, and thinks I’m vaguely awesome and that our attachment trauma is compatible. Yah, no pressure.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I’m just kind of tired of longing for my cells to dissolve in the kitchen as I get fucked. I am worried about menopause, and that it will come on fast.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bonus from eighteen-year-old Erica:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">“Some people have and always will have a tough time being happy. I don't plan for this struggle to be a chronic aspect of my life but I do believe that an amount of suffering is essential for growth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have begun to religiously sing in the shower, I derive much pleasure from creative endeavors, not including essays, and also I think that there is a lot to be said for being honest. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Real. truthful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Barely anyone lets it all out, due to a handicap of language and the human condition, which is apparently fallen, but there exists hope in unexpected places. And no this does not necessarily refer to mind altering substances. Anyways, I am eighteen years old. That's it. Young, but life can prove to be fleeting sometimes. Therefore, the endeavor begins, to live fully with no regrets, climb out of the sewer when necessary, sing in the shower, and nap." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: calibri; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Some days see you soaring euphorically around the world.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: calibri;">Some days see you soaring euphorically around the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Hope you have a great weekend!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">However and wherever you may soar around the world, your correspondence remains welcome at the secret email address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">Let's hope he's not married, or gay, </span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">that he has an insatiable sex drive and believes in sexual transcendence, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: left;">and thinks I’m vaguely awesome and that our attachment trauma is compatible.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: calibri;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/grownupsreadthingstheywroteaskids/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Follow Grown-ups Read Things They Wrote As Kids on Facebook</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: calibri;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</a><br /><span style="color: #666666;">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I Let Go</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span></div>
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<br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10.56px;" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">@deepcleanswitherica</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2019/02/dear-vincent-you-will-be-so-thrilled-to.html">Dear Vincent, You will be so thrilled to know</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2016/04/deep-unyielding-depression.html">Deep Unyielding Depression</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2016/04/deep-unyielding-depression.html">Dear Vincent, Some other Vincent coerced me into a blowjob</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/02/dear-vincent-everyone-is-one-with-birds.html">Everyone is one with the birds except for me.</a></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-30825042307259113212019-02-04T21:44:00.000-04:002019-02-04T21:44:24.139-04:00Dear Vincent, You will be so thrilled to know<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Wednesday, January 2, 2018</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Subject: Dear Vincent, Happy
New Year! You will be so thrilled to know<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Happy New Year! You will be so
thrilled to know that in addition to weekly penetrative masturbation, my list
of 19 for 2019 includes sending you my very last email. After that, perhaps one time
per year is acceptable. Maybe I am almost ready. Maybe not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">[dot dot dot, by the way, I
also wished Vincent a happy Solstice and I told him I had a dream that he had a
shaggy hippie haircut and this is not something I would not recommend. .]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I got on the podcast, Grownups
Read Things They Wrote as Kids. It is my memoirs from when I was fifteen and the
conclusion makes me cry every other time I read it. Hearing myself is neither
deeply empowering nor deeply embarrassing. The host asked me if I had advice
for my teenage self and before calling in, I wrote out my answer on fuschia
post-it’s. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqN_MGmT3W5KqyfhbfF90IvbXorFfkQmY0hiFkk_As-C8q272DMWMyv2FrdsSPeM81Sz0BbxdMGlTGBT3dcU3jUBnBet5qKev9Sh7f1TuRNM1oIM5yRnKdRUBJ-_-L2DVyUW4hM3l_c6FS/s1600/DSC00799+Erica+Schmidt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqN_MGmT3W5KqyfhbfF90IvbXorFfkQmY0hiFkk_As-C8q272DMWMyv2FrdsSPeM81Sz0BbxdMGlTGBT3dcU3jUBnBet5qKev9Sh7f1TuRNM1oIM5yRnKdRUBJ-_-L2DVyUW4hM3l_c6FS/s320/DSC00799+Erica+Schmidt.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Grown-ups Read Thing They Wrote As Kids</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/id890900960?mt=2">Episode, The Republic of Dad</a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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[dot dot dot, I ordered Vincent’s
medical records of my appointments and they came on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 and
in the records, Vincent calls me Mme. and he speaks of us doing a bunch of
things together in the première personne au pluriel, for example Concluons,
Tramons, Co-regulons, and and Co-regulons means, let us co-regulate, and my
favourite part of the records was when he referred to my 2017 New Year’s Eve Oblivion Fuck til
you get rug burns from the carpet as empty calories in brackets (calories
vides).]</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Fushia post-it says,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I am both humbled and a bit
heartbroken by my teenage self’s enormous expectations for perfect healing. I
love that part of myself who yearns for life to be deep and meaningful and
spectacular. To my teenage self, I would say, keep your courage and sincerity
and don’t give up. Try not to measure your so-called successes and
failures. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Though you will struggle for a
long time, perhaps even your whole life, you will get to make beautiful
connections and meaningful experiences and these bear more weight than the
voice in your head that says, you’re a broken disaster and that your life is a
series of mistakes. Bam. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Maybe one day there will be a
podcast called, Grownups Read Things They Wrote to Their Therapists and
Grownups Read Things They Wrote As Cleaners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My friend Benjamin Hunting is
coming over tonight to even out my crooked DIY haircut for my pragmatic and
optimistic bestie’s wedding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Love you! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Happy New Year! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Best wishes as always, Erica. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Tuesday January 8, 2019 <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Subject: [dot dot dot Maybe I
should get my clients to sign a contract that they will fire me within the next
year, forcing me to go to funeral school, or join CSIS, or become a nurse, or a
sexologist. Or maybe I can become the next Marie Kondo except I am likely not
tiny and sweet and adorable enough] <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">On January 1, 2018, I wrote on
my wall,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My goals in life are,
Creativity, Service,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Buy a new roll of masking tape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">deep love for all of my cells,
a clear and cleared and generous heart, what is a cervical orgasm? Ultimately,
I pulled off the creativity and the service. Nailed the masking tape. The deep
cellular love was a little hit or miss, as was the clear and cleared heart, but
I would say my heart was mainly generous. What is a cervical orgasm? This
remained a question, and so a no-go. Overall, would you say I pulled off 43% of
my goals in life? Possibly 52-63% depending on the generosity of my heart.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemMfkeq783rldvddwfwhvcN2hcjO5e6lDIiBoIaCmAvMCTjt3GwH_W_ZeQx-Yym8TZG5o16PYrBoTI_2wdusgSJI_BsjpW16kocGeHS7vIgJCes3Gq3DaUrpFb403OgJoFuHG7yCcf_XQ/s1600/IMG_5953.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemMfkeq783rldvddwfwhvcN2hcjO5e6lDIiBoIaCmAvMCTjt3GwH_W_ZeQx-Yym8TZG5o16PYrBoTI_2wdusgSJI_BsjpW16kocGeHS7vIgJCes3Gq3DaUrpFb403OgJoFuHG7yCcf_XQ/s320/IMG_5953.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Monday, January 21, 2019<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Subject: Dear Vincent, You are
my jardin secret<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">You are my jardin secret.
Except I also send these emails to my sister, Maxine, and sometimes Benjamin Hunting.
[dot dot dot, one time I had a lucid dream about Vincent, but unfortunately he
evaporated almost immediately. Another time I told Benjamin Hunting, maybe I don't need to eat out all my feelings. Plus something about how I might make an
excellent sexologist]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The poet Mary Oliver died this
week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My favourite Mary Oliver words
are,<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">'Someone I loved once gave me
a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this
too, was a gift.' And,<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“You don’t have to be good.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">And I remember one Friday
afternoon last winter, weeping pretty hard underneath my pink and purple polka
dot duvet, and I’d taken out Mary Oliver’s book of essays from the library, and
though I never finished the book, I remember the sentences,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“You must not ever stop being
whimsical. And you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your
life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">These words, exactly the truth,
and yet I stayed weeping under the covers. Maybe I fell asleep. Eventually my pragmatic
and optimistic bestie phoned, and convinced me to come meet her at Indigo,
repeating Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, all the way there. And it was about -20
degrees and every few fucks, I laughed and every few fucks I cried, and at
Indigo, I melted down on the expensive Casper bed that they have diagnol to the
kids section and the magazines, and all the pillows and candles and scarves
that they have to sell because not enough people buy books anymore. And the
Faraway Polyamorous Client walked by with his son, and a gorgeous blonde woman who was not his extra hot girlfriend. He said hi and gave me a hug.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">[dot dot dot, I started to
interpret my dreams on the advice of the ludicrous bastard Jordan Peterson, of
all people. I don’t know much about Jordan Peterson, except I heard he is a
ludicrous bastard and I could not stand what he had to say about transpeople]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">On Sunday, I tried making a
FetLife profile, but then my dashboard was bombarded by enormous tits and asses
and impossibly waxed vaginas, and I bailed. I tried Bumble for the seventeenth
time. My profile says,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Looking for my next beautiful
blogging fairy tale. Acute sense of smell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Mots préférés: effervescence,
exigeant, multiple, humanize, vaguely, impossible, liberation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I forgive myself for not being
Lena Dunham.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My other favourite word that I
forgot, is perpetuate. So far I asked two people if they liked the snow, and
this seems to be a dealbreaker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">All over Facebook, people are
quoting Mary Oliver’s sentence, What will you do with your one precious life?
and obviously I am thinking I am probably not doing the best job.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">One time in India, my temporary
gay travel buddy Hugo and I rented a scooter, and we went for a ride outside a
little town in Rajasthan called Bundi, and we found a beautiful waterfall, and
standing under the waterfall, I thought about Simon jumping, but I was not sad
and I convinced Hugo that we should go swimming in our underwear and as I stood
under the waterfall, the words, I am so free, came into my head. About seven
seconds later we had to swim back to shore because a bunch of monkeys were
stealing our bags and our clothes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Happy Full Moon!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mzzusXQ5YrqaM9-7xrvfVWURubeRV5dJMqReFEReV2Cra8ifj4g7XjHWC_vEmhmgQffp_WIUcAD76HEnYtzg7rG8HYecpQ8RroPDB3558PCAWa-rZwhwNNJuRFvNpzaCoYQXOXQkBqCC/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mzzusXQ5YrqaM9-7xrvfVWURubeRV5dJMqReFEReV2Cra8ifj4g7XjHWC_vEmhmgQffp_WIUcAD76HEnYtzg7rG8HYecpQ8RroPDB3558PCAWa-rZwhwNNJuRFvNpzaCoYQXOXQkBqCC/s320/IMG_0891.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Monday, January 28, 2019<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Subject: Life is a musical
quest you’re supposed to dance to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Got cervical orgasms on the
brain, and that’s probably not the best spot for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">On
Sunday, January 20, at approximately 1:47 P.M., I embarked upon my third daily
7-10 k walk in a row, and I was wearing one layer of pyjamas, and one layer of
enormous sweatpants, and I hadn’t showered, and there was a snowstorm, and I’d spent
the entire morning watching a half shit half magnificent Netflix documentary about
the perils of root canals, and swiping every male face on Bumble between the
ages of 33 and 53, and none of them was you, and none of them seemed to be
excellent candidates for my next beautiful blogging fairy tale. For example,
they sought someone chill and didn’t want anyone who took stuff and themselves
and their lives too seriously. Or for example, they smoked, and/or wanted
children. Or maybe they summarized their philosophy as, “Life is a musical
quest you’re supposed to dance to.” Or “5’4 is a must. Taller girls please
abstain.” Or “I heart curves.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Approximately
1.7 km in, I found myself weeping in the foyer of the TD bank, even though this
is not my bank, and I have plenty of cash hidden in a jar [dot dot dot, I
landed four shoe boxes for the folding workshop, and these are meant to mimic
civilized dresser drawers], and I mourned the waste of the day slash my life
and the endless long weekend, and I took it all so seriously. The Dead Inside
Man was not around to hear my meltdown and so I walked down Mont Royal to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">[dot dot dot, And anyways, the
best thing that can happen to you is not necessarily falling deeply and madly
in love and getting your brains fucked and then cuddled on the couch until all
your cells dissolve.</span>]</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">My
wall now says, “Listen to the sound of your dealbreakers,” and the colours are
two shades of blue, plus bright red.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdfLwH9zpx9fbOLZHt8BrGjuJlQyQAGoPUXqYSqbBedoc_77jcnXPmLHMdc_Dqp_yaB6lw9VLdP79N0da7Upu_3Bw_XyJYLxUvhyphenhyphenJJ63_anW0UmOQ975uKmj5HCkoR3cJBIJqvnKeAheF/s1600/IMG-9049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdfLwH9zpx9fbOLZHt8BrGjuJlQyQAGoPUXqYSqbBedoc_77jcnXPmLHMdc_Dqp_yaB6lw9VLdP79N0da7Upu_3Bw_XyJYLxUvhyphenhyphenJJ63_anW0UmOQ975uKmj5HCkoR3cJBIJqvnKeAheF/s320/IMG-9049.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Got
cervical orgasms on the brain, and this likely is not the best spot for them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Happy
Monday!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Love,
Erica. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Monday, February 4, 2019</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Subject: 47 377</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7aNmcmE1E3Lg7uYnn6DjGeMU6zeeyZH_Ln2y6-D1WWdtypqSESWiCyN2QpDcigvUYT71Ib_ikyq1RZTXy2tF_5ikQhxWh4xUs-dSZy_dgQZhJs_SGC-bugoZJYwMhNdi4S3Y_O6Q73cp/s1600/IMG_9104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1445" data-original-width="1600" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7aNmcmE1E3Lg7uYnn6DjGeMU6zeeyZH_Ln2y6-D1WWdtypqSESWiCyN2QpDcigvUYT71Ib_ikyq1RZTXy2tF_5ikQhxWh4xUs-dSZy_dgQZhJs_SGC-bugoZJYwMhNdi4S3Y_O6Q73cp/s320/IMG_9104.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Happy New Moon, and I suppose
also Belated Groundhog Day. So much of my life is Groundhog Day. Do you feel
that way too?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">If I had been you last week, I
would have been so proud of me, and not because I consolidated all of the Dear
Vincent emails and blogposts, plus a few deeply embarrassing poems into a Word
document, and the total was 47 377 words. You beat the Married Man by almost 15
000 words, and sometimes the Married Man wrote back. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Now is the season for 6-word
love stories. My six-word love story is, All my friends are super heroes, and
as fate would have it, I am reading a novel by this exact name, which was
written by Andrew Kaufman, who I met once, and the novel is short with a whole
bunch of pictures, though I should mention that in fact, I am a pretty good
reader these days, even if the books do not have any pictures, and if I were a
psychologist, I would recommend that my patients try to become pretty good
readers, since reading makes for a soothing and democratic activity, that tends
to be low in self-loathing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmXqB3fgMVJvW7cf6CcBRZ65SKjIpyL31G9RoAnNdLQ6QIxbTlsTtm8Z69prMd2Kfr-lULYA6EhJ4Ol4n-vKtx9_odNBTA0R4tHkUGCEzaAK8wZbGkQxsPXQCVtfWiQafx1GIlPxo_Qve/s320/IMG-9129.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All My Friends Are Super Heroes,<br />by Andrew Kaufman<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/All-Friends-Are-Superheroes-Anniversary/dp/1552452700">Buy Book Here</a><br /><br />Follow Andrew Kaufman on Twitter @several moments</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfmXqB3fgMVJvW7cf6CcBRZ65SKjIpyL31G9RoAnNdLQ6QIxbTlsTtm8Z69prMd2Kfr-lULYA6EhJ4Ol4n-vKtx9_odNBTA0R4tHkUGCEzaAK8wZbGkQxsPXQCVtfWiQafx1GIlPxo_Qve/s1600/IMG-9129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">As fate would have it, the best
super hero that everyone wants to be is Mistresscleanasyougo, and as fate would
have it, this is the super hero who most resembles me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“The most powerful superhero of
all, the one everyone wishes they were is, Mistresscleanasyougo. At the end of
every day, she folds her clothes. She never leaves scissors on the table, pens
with no ink are thrown in the trash, wet towels are always hung up, dishes are
washed directly after dinner and nothing is left unsaid.” </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">[p. 81, All My Friends Are Super Heroes, 10th Anniversary Edition with extra superheroes, and more pictures! Mistresscleanasyougo wholeheartedly recommends it.] </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I put pens with no ink in the
recycling, but this may be wishful thinking. Otherwise, nothing is left unsaid.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My other love story is me and
all of my clients, especially the Self-Mutilating Parrot Family. I love all of
my clients deeply and equally, especially the Self-Mutilating Parrot family. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Happy Monday!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Love, Erica.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I omitted approximately 7.7 threads of my life, plus 4.3 odours, and 11.9 miscellaneous details. Otherwise, nothing is left unsaid. Email me and/or Vincent at the secret email address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com.</span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVBarBopBYgFToLd_nw0YUyDmZ150BeRvym328bYjQ_Eofdfvx2zC6Sxy1H4iFkzY4c-mfUQVvrNpIRAEAKCkT-kDrB14ltr0mKipnNAK-umkaX9aZ4vFRDvm1dEiFKTFadQgS6UZP_aR/s1600/IMG-8949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAVBarBopBYgFToLd_nw0YUyDmZ150BeRvym328bYjQ_Eofdfvx2zC6Sxy1H4iFkzY4c-mfUQVvrNpIRAEAKCkT-kDrB14ltr0mKipnNAK-umkaX9aZ4vFRDvm1dEiFKTFadQgS6UZP_aR/s320/IMG-8949.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Mistresscleanasyougo</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"><br /></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</a><br />Twitter: @mypelvicfloor<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC" style="text-decoration-line: none;">I Let Go</a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Follow Andrew Kaufman on Twitter @several moments</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"><br /><br />Bodhisattva Business Ventures:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504">Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">@deepcleanswitherica</a></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/08/dear-vincent-you-are-not-only-person-i.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, You are not the only person I write letters to.</span></a><br />
<br />
D<a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2019/01/dear-vincent-i-made-it-two-days-writing.html">ear Vincent, I made it three days writing my daily goals on fuschia post-its, and then sticking these on my refrigerator. </a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/08/dear-vincent-looks-like-you-got-some-sun.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Looks like you got some sun.</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-145988522597643542019-01-02T16:56:00.000-04:002019-02-18T11:43:34.529-04:00Dear Vincent, I made it two days writing my daily goals on fuschia post-its and sticking these on my refrigerator.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="off">
<div dir="ltr" span="" style="font-family: "calibri";">
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Tuesday, November 20, 2018</div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" span="" style="font-family: "calibri";">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Subject: I spent all weekend listening to podcasts about loneliness. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This photo is called,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I spent all weekend listening to podcasts about
loneliness. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not sure I will ever stop waiting for someone to come and
save me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It will be hard to get through the winter without micro
dosing on LSD.”<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUj-KOAoGVxmyG35myqGeDkqWnnkY5iU0ks7DdP3UKne0SHi-MutCxXKaON8U0VwDM5w795rQH48CeGXMp187xGY9JiHldsAuqr-UxRy6yvonFlhPRvbV-TMZRrgxT4plakKqrSvg5gMy/s1600/IMG_8470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOUj-KOAoGVxmyG35myqGeDkqWnnkY5iU0ks7DdP3UKne0SHi-MutCxXKaON8U0VwDM5w795rQH48CeGXMp187xGY9JiHldsAuqr-UxRy6yvonFlhPRvbV-TMZRrgxT4plakKqrSvg5gMy/s320/IMG_8470.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I spent all weekend listening to podcasts about loneliness. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thursday, November 22, 2018<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Subject: Full Moon + Purple Heart Emoticon<br />
<br />
Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Happy Full Moon!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am sorry for being so co-dependent. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I bought a new journal yesterday. It is purple. Though I’d
prefer without lines, sometimes what you want does not exactly match your life.
For example the sweatshirt I wanted to wear today smells like stir fry and so
it’s a no go. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love and best wishes,<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Erica. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday, November 27, 2018<br />
No Subject<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This morning I went to see a social worker. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My kitchen floor was perfect. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I threw the empty bowl of strawberry yogurt. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This picture is called, "I am quitting professional help in
2019." <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODpQ69JgM1XscF9H7W-7GEuUEfjaDGRPIlgrD3Znvz6rrT7loTBBD6XR_u2cvn8Jr228jvTEJhZsMpiYj2VsprzEWfTfB9v6f2pF9_a_lUJlF5S1JjyioyPIPA6oH28XPxPNN0m3nNAb7/s1600/IMG_8497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgODpQ69JgM1XscF9H7W-7GEuUEfjaDGRPIlgrD3Znvz6rrT7loTBBD6XR_u2cvn8Jr228jvTEJhZsMpiYj2VsprzEWfTfB9v6f2pF9_a_lUJlF5S1JjyioyPIPA6oH28XPxPNN0m3nNAb7/s320/IMG_8497.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am quitting professional help in 2019. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wednesday, November 28, 2018<br />
Subject: I made it two days writing my daily goals on fuschia post-its and sticking these on my refrigerator.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I made it two days writing my daily goals on fuschia
post-its and sticking these on my refrigerator. Today is the six-year
disappearance of a girl from my hometown named Emma Fillipoff. She was 26 years
old and she vanished barefoot into the night after a 45-minute conversation
with police officers in front of a hotel. In 2015, I did an extensive blog series
based on my interview with her mother, who used to be my grade six French
teacher. Since I wrote the blogs, we learned approximately five to seven new details,
but we still don’t know where she went. Knowing what happened to Emma Fillipoff
is right up there with knowing what you think when you open these emails, and
if you delete them, or put them in some special Erica folder. It’s perhaps very likely you
don’t even bother to read them, and this is quite heartbreaking, if
understandable.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJz2VC-JTHR8jJp4JiZl2Rj2NeN7kossWfE1wBdsar9L7YjsUTJM9ZPWuIM4sISrmA2AJd1xJzQ4ZaY6cerPjEvML7MdFUBAyEzNGfZlAzPE5grMJhrKM2Au0TYot9W-KJ6WS6m-x-cYJ/s1600/Emma+-+25+000+reward.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="776" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJz2VC-JTHR8jJp4JiZl2Rj2NeN7kossWfE1wBdsar9L7YjsUTJM9ZPWuIM4sISrmA2AJd1xJzQ4ZaY6cerPjEvML7MdFUBAyEzNGfZlAzPE5grMJhrKM2Au0TYot9W-KJ6WS6m-x-cYJ/s320/Emma+-+25+000+reward.png" width="247" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2015/10/where-is-emma-fillipoff-one.html">Where is Emma Fillipoff (One)</a><br /><a href="https://vimeo.com/298676540">The Search for Emma Fillipoff, Video Podcast with Kimberley Bordage (Concise and Up-to-Date Collection of Facts)</a><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/emma-fillipoff-is-missing/id1304410348?mt=2">Emma Fillipoff is Missing, Podcast by Jordan Bonaparte</a> (I am interviewed in Episode 7)<br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/HelpFindEmmaFillipoff?fref=ts" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">Help Find Emma Fillipoff Facebook Group</span></a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Yesterday I needed a sandwich and a nap as early as 11:11
a.m., and I found this discouraging, and I found this unacceptable. My body did not forgive
me for having chocolate almonds for lunch the day before, on a day that
involved a relatively extensive work-out, three hours of cleaning and walking
from just north of your windowless office all the way to the Atwater library.
The night was insomnia, with fragmented stress dreams about other people’s
dust, and vinegar scarcity, and screaming fights with my sweet and dainty mother who reminds everyone else of Mother Teresa. The day
was, pretty much zero access to the rational part of my brain, though I did a rather good job translating an article about leather made out of pineapple
leaves. The client said I was <i>trop hot.</i><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Social Worker made a list of six things you can do for
six months, and this is supposed to help you feel better. The six things are:
exercise, eat well, sleep well, meditate, take your pills, go to therapy. Pills
and therapy seem like a no-go, meditating has mixed reviews, I do not seem able
to consistently excel at eating and sleeping, and 27 years later, exercise
seems to have lost its potency. The Social Worker used the example of her
thyroid, which is no longer inside of her, and she will have to take a pill
every day for the rest of her life. I said that there is no official emotional regulation
equivalent of a thyroid that they can say I am missing, thereby giving me a
pass to take pills every day for the rest of my life. And I feel like
anti-depressants are a scandal of our times, and that no one told you how they
would impair your nervous system forever, and that they inevitably lose their
effectiveness, and before you know it, you are a tiny and shrill and haggard and volatile
sixty-four year old, taking handfuls of Zoloft and never able to sleep. When I
am sixty-four, it’s unlikely I will get to be tiny.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Social Worker asked me what my ideal situation would be.
Without the looming threat of monumental rages, and perhaps the low-grade
chronic mourning of lost potential, three point five out of five days of my
life could be acceptable. And I wish I got to have more sex. And I wish someone
would accept me and be there for me even when I am wacking myself in the face
and launching an empty bowl of strawberry yogurt across my perfect kitchen
floor. The shards went everywhere.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
You have disappeared and this was always the agreement, and
it would be the same with other therapists too, but I am finding it very
difficult to accept and I am finding it very devastating. Maybe I should throw
the medical records into the Lachine Canal. The invoice came on Monday and it
only cost $15.13. There was some sort of discount and also there were only 58
pages. Sounds like you are more succinct than I am. I wonder if your
handwriting is terrible.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
It feels very difficult to take personal responsibility for
your life and your feelings without drowning in shame and regret. Or to give
yourself a break without feeling like you’ve fallen short, once again and
forever.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
After the fact, I can see how my meltdowns are saying, Look
at me, I can’t do it. Let me off the hook. After off the hook, I wake up on the
couch with alarm bells in my throat, tears behind my eyes, and a mixed hangover
of stress and grief.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Three things I’m craving are<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-for someone to cradle my heart and/or my skull for several
hours a day for several months in a row.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-for someone to tie me up and fuck the shit out of me<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-for you to write back, hey Erica, let’s go have a sandwich
and/or<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Dear Erica, I see you and I’m sorry that you’re struggling.
I did everything that I could and I truly wish that had been enough. You are
stronger and braver than you think you are. I will think of you kindly every
time I clean out my refrigerator which will be at least one to five times per
year. Love Vincent.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Now I have to finish a translation about the microplastics
that break down every time you put your synthetic jeggings in the washing
machine, and the plastic seeps into the ocean and into all the fish and we get
a chunk of plastic every time we eat fish, and this is running havoc on
everyone’s estrogen levels. I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssvk071-rFwZREWAMswu-wDP7MGNbDvUtCVtuPhiTpS3ejYQTMaRtv3I6MSnDUVWsc6Mg3S7Hgi0_Uu7-7wdNLpZB-MzP2aumUgxCKPA_thFzjfP9WdSgfCII-KqJRZEeFwaiP6e4zUyE/s1600/IMG_8639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjssvk071-rFwZREWAMswu-wDP7MGNbDvUtCVtuPhiTpS3ejYQTMaRtv3I6MSnDUVWsc6Mg3S7Hgi0_Uu7-7wdNLpZB-MzP2aumUgxCKPA_thFzjfP9WdSgfCII-KqJRZEeFwaiP6e4zUyE/s320/IMG_8639.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These Synthetic Jeggings<br />
Possibly the Highlight of November, if not all of 2018<br />
Hand-wash only</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Friday, November 30, 2018</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p><br />
Subject: Grat List<br />
<br />
Dear Vincent, </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
One time I wrote you a gratitude list, and it went like this. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m grateful for, by Vincent<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-Erica’s sweatshirt that smells like stir fry. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-the four orgasms she had on Tuesday, November 6, all before
8:30 a.m.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-her excellent crooked do -it-yourself haircut<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
-her co-dependence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Best wishes for a life-changing weekend!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Love, Erica.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
End of November Vincent Email curation. If you're wondering if I actually send these emails to Vincent's inbox, the true and honest answer is, for the most part, yes.<br />
<br />
Vincent and Friends will almost definitely be delighted to know that my list of 19 goals for 2019 include composing my very last letter to Vincent. Three out of five days I feel almost ready.<br />
<br />
In the meantime and always, please send your heartfelt emails to me and/or to Vincent at the secret email address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com.<br />
<br />
May you find solace in fuschia post-its and strawberry yogurt and washing your sweatshirt that smells a little bit like stirfry. May your hearts be light. Love, Erica.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy65zGKpmyxYP8uaCf0V5B1SEceNitZ4U7WVNDQkzUP1U3WPnvNmXmJcYJkxlnoRl7QGOfx9JwFTzFKRtiXeRTTh-tJbvFEWertEXtzvNB7KtcCQ5fTo20z4MNgMtdb_J6O-3rUZiQ7Xth/s1600/IMG_8751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy65zGKpmyxYP8uaCf0V5B1SEceNitZ4U7WVNDQkzUP1U3WPnvNmXmJcYJkxlnoRl7QGOfx9JwFTzFKRtiXeRTTh-tJbvFEWertEXtzvNB7KtcCQ5fTo20z4MNgMtdb_J6O-3rUZiQ7Xth/s320/IMG_8751.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy New Year! Love, Erica.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</a><br />Twitter: @mypelvicfloor<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC" style="text-decoration-line: none;">I Let Go</a><br /><br />Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10.56px;" />
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Instagram: </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">@deepcleanswitherica</a></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">
<a href="https://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/11/dear-vincent-there-is-more-love-on-wall.html">Dear Vincent, There is more love on the wall than there are Vincents, and than there are fucks.</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-i-was-floating-on-joy-of.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Dot dot dot. Sentences trees never feel.</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/09/dear-vincent-best-will-be-if-i-heal-my.html">Dear Vincent, The best would be if I heal my knee, and maybe also my personality before irreversible climate change sets in.</a></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/08/dear-vincent-you-are-not-only-person-i.html">Dear Vincent, You are not the only person I write letters to.</a></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-2040627379538091972018-11-14T11:14:00.001-04:002019-10-14T19:17:41.047-03:00Dear Vincent, I forgave myself for not being Lena Dunham.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent, </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span black="" color:="" style="font-family: "calibri quot";"><br /></span>
<span black="" color:="" style="font-family: "calibri";">I have a saying that goes, Aren’t professional boundaries a bummer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Also, Most people’s lives are a total disaster. Their lives and their Tupperware drawers and the corner at the side of their beds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Also, the permafrost is melting in Siberia. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Years ago, I forgave myself for not being Margaret Atwood. Today I am forgiving myself for not being Lena Dunham. I always thought I’d excel at being a Lena Dunham Sort of Person. But listening to an interview, it all sounds rather strenuous. She just detoxed from benzos, and she had to get a hysterectomy. Beyond cervical orgasms, I don’t have much need for my uterus, and yet, I’m glad I still have one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So I don’t get to be Margaret Atwood, or Lena Dunham, or have a cervical orgasm, and I’m forgiven. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhWj60btr4oHxCT1cAgFF8tGQfp3r2bp9orvDt30MKhagKBSPoTQiEc4_aLipSs1ChuC8tVLZgD7ttSpeB0QgA45ApvAJVo7Ze9IXJFun-KvRQ5OEon-Y8JfFi4QJ5nikaQKY8JUkXz8n/s1600/LENA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjhWj60btr4oHxCT1cAgFF8tGQfp3r2bp9orvDt30MKhagKBSPoTQiEc4_aLipSs1ChuC8tVLZgD7ttSpeB0QgA45ApvAJVo7Ze9IXJFun-KvRQ5OEon-Y8JfFi4QJ5nikaQKY8JUkXz8n/s320/LENA.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/health/lena-dunham-hysterectomy.html" style="font-family: calibri; text-align: left;">Photo Credit equals The New York Times.</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Thanks a bunch NYT!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Likely your professional boundaries are</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">More of a bummer </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">than mine. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The other thing I want to say is, Lena Dunham named her uterus Judy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">One brutal Tuesday morning last February, I decided I wanted to cut my life off at 39 years, 4 months and 19 days. But now I’ve decided I’d like to be alive when Oprah dies. This might be hard, since I could see Oprah sticking herself in a freezer, to be awoken in the year 2222. Her century-long dreams will be a deep green regal forest, and when she opens her eyes, she’ll feel so grateful, and she’ll know so many things for sure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0ZtEhdTn23yOShfgwVaxYhdBVAiRCrxp8qlv7IWOw5H-9GuuNewQ-DWGdNC-JjjsBTzQmaO7qqLxpHfT3pbGv9NBU-T3OZH8vDlvh6Eaga1bvi-9feQu7xdTJ3YTHmiYMZciXNvCxFY0/s1600/OPrah+and+lion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="1024" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl0ZtEhdTn23yOShfgwVaxYhdBVAiRCrxp8qlv7IWOw5H-9GuuNewQ-DWGdNC-JjjsBTzQmaO7qqLxpHfT3pbGv9NBU-T3OZH8vDlvh6Eaga1bvi-9feQu7xdTJ3YTHmiYMZciXNvCxFY0/s320/OPrah+and+lion.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Everything is Green. Love, Oprah</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.eonline.com/news/603044/oprah-winfrey-poses-with-a-lion-for-o-the-oprah-magazine-s-brave-new-you-issue-behind-the-scenes" style="font-family: calibri; text-align: left;">Photo Credit equals the Oprah Magazine, as shown in eonline.com.</a><span style="font-family: "calibri"; text-align: left;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small; text-align: left;">Gee thanks!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br />"Erica," says Margaret Atwood. "Where are you?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It’s 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 4, 2018. Almost like I’m a normal person, I slept in until 6:13, even though it was Daylight Savings day. Fall Back. The star of my life’s most beautiful blogging fairy tale used to hate that. I’m in the middle of taking a shit. On the stove, the espresso pot is starting to bubble, and then off goes the smoke alarm. All my neighbours likely hate me. After the espresso, I bailed on my exercise routine, and my thighs seemed 1.5 cm. too wide on either side. The menstruation app announced the end of my fertile window. It was a dramatic Sunday morning rage, and I felt like I’d wasted the day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I have insomnia, sometimes I listen to Oprah, and this is only a mildly embarrassing thing to say, and I’m still saying it. I always remember the episode when Elizabeth Gilbert told Oprah that every day, she gives herself a quest. For example, writing down the story of her life onto six index cards, or dragging herself out of the house and not coming home until she finds something beautiful and one time she saw a parade of elephants, maybe in front of the bank. She thought this was beautiful, not thinking of how much elephants in America tend to suffer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Anyways, my Sunday, November 4th quest was going to be</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">1)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Buy an irresponsible lunch at the bulk food store.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">2)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Make an offering out of the massive hardened plasticene erect dick I’d made at Authentic Movement Class. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">3)<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Maybe try and buy jeggings since mine have holes in the pockets and holes in the crotch. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84GXO3FuA9CCyk9TvYEcJKUW31n4Eggs4xIxZSjr_tUNSUfIhYt01_Jfe_h090iaaKkyINrCD6bwhUQN1B5jmDe8JrLTu9EiMplBAYvNGEvGkFX0kLLCfbf30lQxvflj6vgfZj-0SRcah/s1600/IMG_8249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84GXO3FuA9CCyk9TvYEcJKUW31n4Eggs4xIxZSjr_tUNSUfIhYt01_Jfe_h090iaaKkyINrCD6bwhUQN1B5jmDe8JrLTu9EiMplBAYvNGEvGkFX0kLLCfbf30lQxvflj6vgfZj-0SRcah/s320/IMG_8249.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In fact, the massive hardened plasticene dick did not get born at Authentic Movement Class. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In the beginning, the plasticene transformed from a sharp brown rectangular prism, into a non-descript blob, interspersed with little dents from my fingernails. Our Authentic Movement teacher always tells us, Soyez les cadeaux que vous êtes, which means, be the gifts that you are, and she encouraged us to make a spontaneous sentence to go with our plasticene.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My spontaneous sentence was, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Most people, if they were me, would have given up by now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I did not exactly mean this about the plasticene. I meant giving up about everything else. I did not give up on my plasticene.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">When I got home, I moulded the generic non-descript blob of plasticene into a massive and exquisite erect penis, which stood next to a vagina type fold that got cradled inside a soothing-looking canoe-shaped brown bowl. All of this hardened into something vaguely permanent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Now I am trying to remember what happened to the vagina type fold that got cradled inside a soothing-looking canoe-shaped brown bowl. There was no sentence to go with it. It was supposed to symbolize me feeling cradled and held and safe. I can’t remember what I did with it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As for the massive erect cock, I’d wrapped it in tissue paper and placed it in a small silver Simon’s bag from when I bought all brand new underwear, and the dick was ready for its perfect offering, and the bag rested at the bottom of my living room closet which is vaguely and scandalously unruly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Preparing for my Sunday, November 4th quest, I opened the Simon’s bag and beheld, the massive cock had broken in two. Now the offering would not be quite as perfect or as exquisite. Still, I remained committed to my quest.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gOddCqXnfIaoksUXbqs2u_QUPc8vWa-JSmFjOUjXbIefPMNBlZXWCmvJWXYxjLBhqun3M4yRybsphFsmqmi_zVWeHe6JhgwjZEbYx26UR2jSIlHGeTvDejmgCETJ6hZs69PZhKBlPKIy/s1600/IMG_8350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gOddCqXnfIaoksUXbqs2u_QUPc8vWa-JSmFjOUjXbIefPMNBlZXWCmvJWXYxjLBhqun3M4yRybsphFsmqmi_zVWeHe6JhgwjZEbYx26UR2jSIlHGeTvDejmgCETJ6hZs69PZhKBlPKIy/s320/IMG_8350.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As fate would have it, on Saturday, November 3rd, I had about 45 too many minutes to myself which led me to Google your name, plus the street my friend said you lived on according to reliable and top-secret sources. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">As fate would have it, Google had an address to go with the Vincent!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The address did not match the neighbourhood my friend said you lived in. She was kind and wise enough not to give me the exact number. But I decided that just in case, after my irresponsible bulk food store lunch, I would drag ass to the house with the silver Simon’s bag and the broken and massive</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My responsible bulk food store lunch was soothing small plastic bags full of chocolate covered strawberries and almonds, unsalted but roasted no-peanut mixed nuts, and those weird corn chippy flaxseed crackers that likely cause immense turmoil to all your estrogen levels. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The irresponsible bulk food store lunch cost five dollars and 35 cents and took me about three and a half minutes to eat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">The Vincent House was just south of Jean Talon and east of the market, and not on the sunny side of the street. With aspirations of discretion, I crossed to the sunny side and looked up to the second floor of the shaded brick duplex. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Against vast odds, the door opened! I hoped hard, but it was not you. The Other Vincent was taller, younger without a beard and with a tiny girlfriend. Other Vincent and Tiny Girlfriend walked down the stairs and over to a small grey Honda, and drove away. I laughed pretty hard for a pretty sad day, and did not leave the broken dick there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">You must be so pleased that I forgave myself for not being Lena Dunham.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My friend Caroline’s reading a book called Zapped, and the book says all the Wifi is fucking up everyone’s sperm count, and essentially we’re all getting microwaved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Faithful to my quest, I walked approximately 5.2 km all the way down to the Bay, and the jeggings did not look spectacular, but I still bought them. Two days later, I would exchange them, and struggle to make peace with the way my thighs appeared wrapped up inside of them, and by the time I made this peace, they ripped in the crotch, and I might spend all of November buying jeggings and then, taking them back. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVf9-0lp2SB7IUxaODyBoNMv7aJgwNxo124sSZeFJXzk4rhiZvBycmbRM67jQCZ1ebY1VnNQj81WV3AtSwTQsXMC4abDvfbPPJZjGYv-n1QRGJX_Wt6DYqz_Cia9_ND7U-Db28Okyxzat/s1600/IMG_8360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBVf9-0lp2SB7IUxaODyBoNMv7aJgwNxo124sSZeFJXzk4rhiZvBycmbRM67jQCZ1ebY1VnNQj81WV3AtSwTQsXMC4abDvfbPPJZjGYv-n1QRGJX_Wt6DYqz_Cia9_ND7U-Db28Okyxzat/s320/IMG_8360.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I left the big broken dick on a bench underneath a burgundy umbrella somewhere near Place des Arts metro. The broken dick could be called,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">What is your low-grade calling? Where is your testosterone?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Or else,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Some undying love is better off living a short life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuy7Kt0VEocgCuC-GRWtUeLdE3rlRn_uwbfRA36kAJrjgPx8mIOBbWH70ZemVcEK69wHrEhZ8BjKme3solveZXOgYHIzsxQuDjhuz8wxPm33qyy3QCRq6nBT8zMawShjH0qgHKbYHRDax/s1600/IMG_8349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKuy7Kt0VEocgCuC-GRWtUeLdE3rlRn_uwbfRA36kAJrjgPx8mIOBbWH70ZemVcEK69wHrEhZ8BjKme3solveZXOgYHIzsxQuDjhuz8wxPm33qyy3QCRq6nBT8zMawShjH0qgHKbYHRDax/s320/IMG_8349.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHF2w4Pc6g50GcFZ0nNZwB4wRnoOBkISR0pljPWSPVllEKoAwXYjNclmFm4HoldGrMv6JrubmFZKvTVI3cSO2-5CM6EVQxzMZ80W2FPb2VsO2XkXukFAzq5lcDTSZawllDAZI16fSyPAQg/s1600/IMG_7505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHF2w4Pc6g50GcFZ0nNZwB4wRnoOBkISR0pljPWSPVllEKoAwXYjNclmFm4HoldGrMv6JrubmFZKvTVI3cSO2-5CM6EVQxzMZ80W2FPb2VsO2XkXukFAzq5lcDTSZawllDAZI16fSyPAQg/s320/IMG_7505.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I have a saying that goes, You can’t fuck up a Sunday morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Also, The more sane I feel, the more my spine seems crooked. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Also, You’re so beautiful. Hating yourself is so stupid. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">So Mondays without Vincent is having a little reprise. Please feel free to send your own imaginary letters to Vincent or to me at ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCA58CZNcZQw-yZ-CdTyJP3iFTPNdmAho4RWQPT0wrksmrZ4KWBH-OnOeB0SVbwY7iVcpLr11oUjv9jPYJwdhGdy_JyvMu4pXaXxhbxxFH2TD3u4dU1cVXSfmG61u24h_ZxYAD5dA4knk/s1600/IMG_8366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCA58CZNcZQw-yZ-CdTyJP3iFTPNdmAho4RWQPT0wrksmrZ4KWBH-OnOeB0SVbwY7iVcpLr11oUjv9jPYJwdhGdy_JyvMu4pXaXxhbxxFH2TD3u4dU1cVXSfmG61u24h_ZxYAD5dA4knk/s320/IMG_8366.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8AW9-yUORXkf6RkNegnzlt42KkcPaZUZw_nEtG_yBlr7j-fdHuva9VaCoEd9vVTlun1oyvNcAcoEwJ5xAt_099UApA310DqwWujS8GWIluCSZGQ9pli-pzISin4BBFPqNCaY5MiEFNn3/s1600/IMG-6169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic8AW9-yUORXkf6RkNegnzlt42KkcPaZUZw_nEtG_yBlr7j-fdHuva9VaCoEd9vVTlun1oyvNcAcoEwJ5xAt_099UApA310DqwWujS8GWIluCSZGQ9pli-pzISin4BBFPqNCaY5MiEFNn3/s320/IMG-6169.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.8px;">10 000 Years of Buying Jeggings</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</a></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: calibri;" /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri";"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</a><br />Twitter: @mypelvicfloor<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC" style="text-decoration-line: none;">I Let Go</a><br /><br />Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Instagram: </span><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">@deepcleanswitherica</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2015/11/not-that-kind-of-girl.html">Not That Kind of Girl</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-if-oprah-does-not-invite.html">Dear Vincent, </a></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-if-oprah-does-not-invite.html">If Oprah does not invite you to sit in her decadent plushy green chairs in the middle of the Oprah Forest to discuss your beautiful soul’s beautiful hero’s journey, it’s possible this might be a blessing. It’s possible you might just be spared.</a></span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-if-oprah-does-not-invite.html">Love, Erica.</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-elizabeth-gilbert-says.html">Dear Vincent, </a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-elizabeth-gilbert-says.html">Elizabeth Gilbert says that, every time you have sex with someone, some small part of you dies.</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 12.8px;">
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-permafrost-is-melting-in-siberia.html" style="background-color: white; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: black;">The permafrost is melting in Siberia</span></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-87058368343037952412018-11-08T11:08:00.006-04:002022-11-11T08:58:08.566-04:00Dear Vincent, There is more love on the wall, than there are Vincents and than there are fucks.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Tuesday, October, 10, 2018 </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">There is more love on the wall, than there are Vincents, and than
there are fucks. You imaginary sandwich rejection email got 155 hits in two days, and four likes on Facebook, and four
loves. I recently bought a new shower curtain, and I’m pleased with it. Mostly I guess I am doing okay, but I miss
you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAtZhRvITqFcLvcf1rSlAm4ihlWlgCviHV7viPxmwQAP2ZW_e3rpLF7-w4TSuTrsKLdXenl78c2n1Udtm02qUx0GWbMh07r0lBhcofgFWKO8FtQsSOuQLPyHOdicldlUFRZO6NdMR5MqO/s1600/IMG_8201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAtZhRvITqFcLvcf1rSlAm4ihlWlgCviHV7viPxmwQAP2ZW_e3rpLF7-w4TSuTrsKLdXenl78c2n1Udtm02qUx0GWbMh07r0lBhcofgFWKO8FtQsSOuQLPyHOdicldlUFRZO6NdMR5MqO/s320/IMG_8201.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Saturday, October 27, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Happy Saturday!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I slept in until 6:08. Now it is 9:30 and so far I have given myself
four orgasms. I feel a bit on edge. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Maybe because last night I dreamt I hooked
up with Simon, and Simon is dead. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Monday is my birthday and though it has been my most creative and lucrative
year so far, I feel mournful about a series of vague and specific things. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I finished inhaling The Buddha and the Borderline book, and I'd recommend it. It seems they call it
borderline because it means the border of neurotic and psychotic, and I find
this deeply unflattering. The author’s happy ending was Buddhism. I tried that in 2008. The book contained a great deal about accepting two opposing truths
at the same time. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdh4tsLtijgvSP9YHSeg3bCNWfsPV8LhpmpID3rLTK669KS_Ag20KiUA0Zd2mBR3ugiNiJo-6OkVR1e7YnSJ5FqEnjfQz9aW0VNeDifyq_oln7FgdRFsYlYjCmQ_Xv72nKw8yakixgIZQG/s1600/Buddha+and+the+borderline.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdh4tsLtijgvSP9YHSeg3bCNWfsPV8LhpmpID3rLTK669KS_Ag20KiUA0Zd2mBR3ugiNiJo-6OkVR1e7YnSJ5FqEnjfQz9aW0VNeDifyq_oln7FgdRFsYlYjCmQ_Xv72nKw8yakixgIZQG/s320/Buddha+and+the+borderline.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Buddha-Borderline-Recovery-Personality-Dialectical/dp/157224710X"><span style="color: black;">the buddha & the borderline by Kiera Van Gelder</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Last year on my birthday, the Dead Inside Man made me ejaculate on my
sister’s living room floor. The next day I puked in my mouth while sucking his cock. What a highlight. This year, there's no fuck in sight as tends to happen. I miss being your one-sided pen pal. I hope your life is beautiful and exquisite.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Monday, October 29, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I am walking past your windowless office. It is my 33rd birthday. I am
wearing my red raincoat, and calculating how many of the six people I more or
less fucked at the age of 32 have sent me birthday wishes. So far I am at 2 out
of 6. So 33.33 etc percent. Franklin’s wishes were threefold, but all
emoticons. I guess I never told you I hooked up with Franklin. In fact, it was
quite stellar. Then they pretty much ghosted. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica. Birthday Selfie<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEMEJwdibkaqScrTALs0vH4nTrqwqGguBtW9u__Wd3hkHOP2VH5ydHXf-_dJuZ02YTwA1caBteLCBFYLl7oMg82UOAm-qM_mGrvY-BHPnQ_UKwzVf1ICKd30UCAizIpSmqL44VZJnPEkx/s1600/IMG_8313.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDEMEJwdibkaqScrTALs0vH4nTrqwqGguBtW9u__Wd3hkHOP2VH5ydHXf-_dJuZ02YTwA1caBteLCBFYLl7oMg82UOAm-qM_mGrvY-BHPnQ_UKwzVf1ICKd30UCAizIpSmqL44VZJnPEkx/s320/IMG_8313.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday Selfie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">Saturday, November 3, 2018</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Can you please cure me of the whole thing through one mediocre slobbery
kiss and a boring Saturday afternoon lying on the couch watching sports?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Monday, November 6, 2018<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">It was a four-orgasm morning once again. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Though I woke up at 4:51 a.m. without an alarm, it felt like someone
had just set off the smoke detector. From ovulation on, I feel like I need
drugs. I hope you had a nice weekend. My apartment is not quite as immaculate
as it used to be, but almost. I think I will go back to writing you letters on
the Internet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span>
Dear Readers,</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">Please cure me of this whole thing by sending your imaginary emails to me or to Vincent at the secret email address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">Thanks.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black;">Love, Erica.</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8LrWbkVgSOWQK6T8mO6-cOJo-1q8xg5tv_wlS99tGxuIVonJfoYl3GfESqevvc05gLfUMJ_hn46xtrx2nnadk1FQso_rRGj-cryNLzbnTaSQg3ru49mmre0toJOdZZcptDxqW_ykvNFR/s1600/IMG_8237.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8LrWbkVgSOWQK6T8mO6-cOJo-1q8xg5tv_wlS99tGxuIVonJfoYl3GfESqevvc05gLfUMJ_hn46xtrx2nnadk1FQso_rRGj-cryNLzbnTaSQg3ru49mmre0toJOdZZcptDxqW_ykvNFR/s320/IMG_8237.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Wizard says, I can't go back, I don't know how it works.<br />
<br />
Also, Your Life is of Supreme Importance.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.56px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</a><br />Twitter: @mypelvicfloor<br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC" style="text-decoration-line: none;">I Let Go</a><br /><br />Bodhisattva Business Ventures:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Instagram: </span><span style="text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">@deepcleanswitherica</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-it-seems-no-matter-who-im.html">Dear Vincent, It seems no matter who I'm having sex with, I ugly cry every other time.</a><br /><br /><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/10/dear-vincent-love-you-good-bye.html">Dear Vincent, Love you. Good-bye.</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; text-align: left;" />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/07/dear-vincent-i-just-had-reasonably-life.html">Dear Vincent, I just had a reasonably life-changing orgasm with a medium-sized yellow zucchini that was on sale in a basket, 5 for $1, on the outskirts of marché Jean Talon.</a></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-17348130806064953102018-10-08T12:37:00.000-03:002018-11-14T11:02:18.185-04:00Dear Vincent, Love you. Good-bye.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">
</span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Saturday, September 22, 2018 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">
</span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The new phrases on my wall are,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Weep no more, my thighs, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I is for Inconsolable. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love you, Goodbye.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeKI6ksUXModsIgkT-cQ19DRq8v32L07i6PYsN9xp7XeVZ-MPGW7RItG30BpvUizAtpOLOxjso45lGem64a80qBTRtsrSGD3YZ3M8gLaik6swtKi9yRQ75gloLWFhqJw5vg0GcOLHfr5W/s1600/IMG_8183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizeKI6ksUXModsIgkT-cQ19DRq8v32L07i6PYsN9xp7XeVZ-MPGW7RItG30BpvUizAtpOLOxjso45lGem64a80qBTRtsrSGD3YZ3M8gLaik6swtKi9yRQ75gloLWFhqJw5vg0GcOLHfr5W/s320/IMG_8183.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Weep no more, my thighs.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">(By the way, my thighs are the best I can do.)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJO275xGoF1T9f0ctpR5Dpb-r6bGm51rxkpsPm_cCUKlyCEuyMYiKOL8fBNpFrpAO_qTOsVvfrOU_PEVCOvh5Fd1L9PySvfrSpbeyYpj3RIaybEOdOuGtWntupg3oDybVQYImk_KQWwI-A/s1600/IMG_8182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJO275xGoF1T9f0ctpR5Dpb-r6bGm51rxkpsPm_cCUKlyCEuyMYiKOL8fBNpFrpAO_qTOsVvfrOU_PEVCOvh5Fd1L9PySvfrSpbeyYpj3RIaybEOdOuGtWntupg3oDybVQYImk_KQWwI-A/s320/IMG_8182.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">What I think might help is if you could somehow write me a formal
sandwich rejection letter. If you are able to do this, I will not tell the
government, or post it on the internet. Or you can sign the eloquent letter I
have composed on your behalf this morning. Or I will pretend you wrote and
signed the eloquent letter I have composed on your behalf this morning. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">In the meantime, I will strive not to propel myself by the misguided
delusion that your face will appear on Bumble, we’ll match and then, my heart
and cells will melt as finally, after all that longing, we eat the fairy tale
sandwich. In fact, I know that you are not on Bumble. I joined at 2 a.m. on
Tuesday morning after our appointment, and already I have swiped all of the
Montreal men between the ages of 33 and 51. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Tonight I am going on a bowling date with a 34-year-old Vincent who
works in informatique. His incessant messages indicate anxious and irritating
attachment patterns. It’s almost certain he’s too young for me, and quite
possibly the evening will be mostly mediocre, but I suppose that at least it
will be real.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Monday, September 17 was my last Monday with Vincent.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">We shook hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">He did not walk me to the elevator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I left him with an envelope, and a yellow winky faced stress ball, to
replace the stress ball apple, whose stem I once broke.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYA-_pxU4sAMqqsJgM7U3KKFymC8vsfrnGn6ePBewYyvH5ywejWr96NpS0xU8piRc6KsOQsn8WpDjNSUC-N_gojmswtJ1JuI83khG8bdeGGGuu1Ke9rb-A-4E7lMGwsPAT7gXe2N4HZ9h/s1600/IMG_8046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYA-_pxU4sAMqqsJgM7U3KKFymC8vsfrnGn6ePBewYyvH5ywejWr96NpS0xU8piRc6KsOQsn8WpDjNSUC-N_gojmswtJ1JuI83khG8bdeGGGuu1Ke9rb-A-4E7lMGwsPAT7gXe2N4HZ9h/s320/IMG_8046.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUO8H1MOCVJHxWKp1MFszk8gncPDgVEzS7ZkQ-LOGb5yEA4AvTmj1ic9A2nyLV6xH_T8QFX74WRbooSFzbDe_xqsQHydBFoJUJaEEwPXMvrF5DGVWpyYBphscBVhpowGM6RpPTroNPFevA/s1600/IMG_8044.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUO8H1MOCVJHxWKp1MFszk8gncPDgVEzS7ZkQ-LOGb5yEA4AvTmj1ic9A2nyLV6xH_T8QFX74WRbooSFzbDe_xqsQHydBFoJUJaEEwPXMvrF5DGVWpyYBphscBVhpowGM6RpPTroNPFevA/s320/IMG_8044.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">In the envelope was a birthday card, covered with faceless beards and
the words, Joyeux anniversaire jeune homme. Someone told me Vincent’s birthday,
and the date remains, one of my very few secrets.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The purple words inside the card are,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I could not find any, Farewell to My Most Beloved Therapist Card, so
this one will have to be good enough. Thank you for seeing me, and for caring
more than you had to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Joyeux anniversaire, jeune homme.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I hope that somehow this sincere adulation will bring you at least a
touch of warmth and comfort at some point along this strange and beautiful
life. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyklRsQmNBytV6dpWupLvEBwXBenvSmIeIYd_o3GuGGzFGSA-uEUPxg4mskDO3-b8QOruxjdMUwMx7wtRHxZa9yP7c7QPM-Tr7S5EQDGcCOMc7fa1HAPmYC9U73dbHnVTrz9pUQj24iVy/s1600/IMG_8043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVyklRsQmNBytV6dpWupLvEBwXBenvSmIeIYd_o3GuGGzFGSA-uEUPxg4mskDO3-b8QOruxjdMUwMx7wtRHxZa9yP7c7QPM-Tr7S5EQDGcCOMc7fa1HAPmYC9U73dbHnVTrz9pUQj24iVy/s320/IMG_8043.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Then there was a lottery ticket, and <a href="http://legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/ShowDoc/cr/C-26,%20r.%20212/">Line 26 of the Code of Ethics of Psychologists</a>, according to the Government of Quebec, which I always tried to
interpret to mean that after our last session, Vincent could kind of invite me
out for a sandwich if he really wanted to. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Imaginary Sandwich Rejection Letter: </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Erica,<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It is always nice to hear from you. Thank you for your Joyeux
annniversaire, jeune homme card. It made me laugh and shed approximately three
tears. As I have mentioned before, it is not usually standard or appropriate
for psychologists to email their patients; however, our relationship has taken
a few un-standard turns, and as such, I feel you deserve to hear some of my final
remarks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Included with your card, I imagine the psychologist’s ethics about the
end of the professional relationship was meant as a last-ditch and possibly
humorous attempt to extend the narrative of your eventual
brilliant screenplay Mondays without Vincent. Nobody can wait for this
screenplay. While most people I know would have done the same thing as you, I
want to be clear that I will never be contacting you to invite you out for a
sandwich, or to the blood donor clinic, or to bowling. Despite the potential
ambiguity of what “the end of the professional relationship” entails, I could
never go there, and will not ever go there. Professional boundaries aside, it’s
an ethically shitty thing to do, and though I hesitate to perpetuate your
schema that everyone else knows what’s in your best interest better than you
do, my pursuing a romantic relationship would not be respectful or fair to you
at all.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I remain not as at ease as you with words, but I hope you
will patiently receive my further thoughts on this matter.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Just as you do not love all your cleaning clients equally, I do not
exactly love all my patients equally. I think we did enjoy a certain chemistry
and complicité. Due to our ages, genders, and what I might humbly refer to as,
relative charms and good looks, I can see how this might have been misconstrued
to mean something else, particularly after the Bumble incident. This incident
was among one of the most awkward and embarrassing things to happen in my
entire career. I absolutely understand how natural it would be to believe the
match was not accidental, but I absolutely assure you that it was. This is what
happened.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It was a desperate, lonely, horny, and cold Saturday night in January.
Lonely, horny, hungry, tired, psychologists get like this too. So I drank my
feelings, joined Bumble on a whim, and got to swiping, drunk, fast, and
haphazardly. I came upon a cute girl with an interesting shirt and hair, and
excellent legs that were suspended in a compelling and athletic position. I was
barely looking at the names and somehow I did not realize that I had in fact,
sat across from this person every Monday and then every other Tuesday or
Wednesday or Thursday afternoon for nearly 1.5 years. Hungover and hazy, I
woke up the next morning to your charming and clever message about professional
boundaries and taking you out for a sandwich. I stared at my screen in
horrified paralysis, shocked and humiliated that I’d somehow managed to fuck up
this hard. Once again, I wholeheartedly apologize for the three agonizing and
confusing days during which you had to wait to discover what the fuck was going
on. One blessing, I suppose, was that the incident did precipitate for you
expressing your feelings for me. Although this seemed like it brought you some
relief, I truly wish the context had been more far appropriate, and I’m so
sorry for how the ordeal may have tainted our therapeutic relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">My inability to date you is not something you should take personally,
nor does it mean that you are not loveable or datable. Your emotional
challenges do not disqualify you from being in a relationship. If anything,
your emotional acuity and transparency could make a potential relationship
deeply rich and healing and growthful, if that’s what you want. You have a
delightful sense of humour, and are wonderfully creative and charming. I’ve no
doubt you’ll make some lucky dude’s world and that your beautiful blogging
fairy tale days are not over yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">As for your love for me, while undeniably flattering, I have to say
that, with your exquisite imagination, it is almost certain that your vision of
me is far too generous and nothing I could ever live up to. Though I cannot
concretely prove this to you, please believe me when I tell you that I am
merely a person with the same wounds and desires and flaws as every other
mediocre and disappointing human. I do not watch golf and I am not fond of
cats, but as you suspected, I often leave dirty dishes in the sink, all day and
even all night. I’ve been known to drink my feelings, which alongside your
spectacular health routines, would surely become tiresome after not
very long. My bathroom sink and floor are hardly immaculate,
and my last girlfriend dumped me for being avoidant and opting to play video
games instead of having sex.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The next dude you fall in love with should totally feel like he’s won
the lottery. In the meantime, I wish you a life filled with love, laughter,
healing, joy and creativity. May you enjoy countless sandwiches in the company
of delightful and deserving and available friends and suitors.
Working with you was a pleasure and a privilege. You are not someone I will
soon or easily forget. Take good care of yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Vincent. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4m_90gYnq5dVdaJtgEpIArMh4sFjCJx9T1_H7WEIa4KZgfVRxEIA4jPktU4o1WIyDVp6DOX2q-_VwuFWgjnIZgFBAN4onxElExMxb_g_BVBW8vQjo_A4yUlTU8C-uYW4b1Ag0TAHXCEl/s1600/IMG_8180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4m_90gYnq5dVdaJtgEpIArMh4sFjCJx9T1_H7WEIa4KZgfVRxEIA4jPktU4o1WIyDVp6DOX2q-_VwuFWgjnIZgFBAN4onxElExMxb_g_BVBW8vQjo_A4yUlTU8C-uYW4b1Ag0TAHXCEl/s320/IMG_8180.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up-close God is not as exquisite. F is for Face.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">When I get old, I think I will do Sudoku, and if my vision holds out, I
have always found jigsaw puzzles to be rather soothing. You will remained a
cherished part of my journey. I also hope the next person who falls in love
with you makes you feel like you’ve won the lottery. We have no idea how we
might end up changing someone’s life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">p.s. In person, 34-year-old Vincent had funny shaped ears and sad wisps
of hair around his oddly shaped head. While we were buying bowling shoes, I
smelled him and it was not the best. He smelled like I'm horny and lazy and
also very lonely. I totally creamed him at bowling and somehow got three
strikes and two spares with my granny bowl techniques. I felt a little
embarrassed about how pleased this made me and had to turn my head several
times to hide my smile. Love you. Goodbye. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">If you're wondering how life without Vincent is going, it is not so terrible to sometimes pretty great. I bought a new shower curtain, and I'm pleased with it. Soon this blog will attempt to embark on some kinds of brand new adventures. In the meantime and forever, please feel free to write to me, or to Imaginary Vincent at the secret email address, ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. If applicable, we'd be pleased to read or help you with your sandwich rejection emails. The next person you fall in love with should totally feel like they've won the lottery. Love, Erica. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgir7FpB17r1U8bbMfbOhVOeGQbMkFyD0bFLGop0PpEQbcKOtwKRBmLj-a-sqMwhp0rP3Yci8JGmXVIKzi0p-Tfu8hxSO2YRLeaVwWYXproEyAf-7_CJ_th0Zm4_regyU2iMKZBnKDnjy84/s1600/IMG_8059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgir7FpB17r1U8bbMfbOhVOeGQbMkFyD0bFLGop0PpEQbcKOtwKRBmLj-a-sqMwhp0rP3Yci8JGmXVIKzi0p-Tfu8hxSO2YRLeaVwWYXproEyAf-7_CJ_th0Zm4_regyU2iMKZBnKDnjy84/s320/IMG_8059.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love you. Goodbye.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.56px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.56px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.56px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></a><br /><span style="color: black;">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: black;">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 10.56px;"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: </span><span style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration-line: none;">@deepcleanswitherica</a><br /><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><br /></a></span></span></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 13.2px;">It used to be that the last time I felt home was in a tiny blue penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th avenue of the 3rd stage of a neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.</span></a> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/03/we-have-no-idea-if-squirrels-are-happy.html">We have no idea if the squirrels are happy. Or / If anyone is.</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12.8px;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/08/dear-vincent-looks-like-you-got-some-sun.html">Dear Vincent, Looks like you got some sun. And maybe also a new shirt.</a> </span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">
</span>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-7062835064001030282018-09-09T11:52:00.000-03:002018-09-09T11:53:17.772-03:00Dear Vincent, Did you lie about your age on Bumble?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I was wondering if you would please consider answering all or any of
the following questions for the screenplay. It would mean a very generous
contribution to the arts, if not to the next Beautiful Blogging
Fairytale. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">How long have you been doing yoga for?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Are your parents alive? What about siblings and birth order?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">What is your favourite sandwich?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">What is your favourite colour?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">How would you rate your sex drive on a scale of one to ten?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Are you able to go to sleep with dirty dishes in your sink? Please
elaborate. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Have you ever been married?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">How long does it take you to empty your suitcase after you get home
from a trip? Do you travel light?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I always assumed you did not have children? Do you? What about pets? Is
there cat hair in your refrigerator?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Do I win the Erotic Transference Award?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">How do you take your coffee? How many cups?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Have you ever enlisted a cleaning service? Would you like to be put on
my waiting list?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">When you are old, do you envision yourself doing word searches,
crossword puzzles, or Sudoku?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">When is your birthday?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Did you lie about your age on Bumble? </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">See you Thursday!</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VxeD5lSviT1YVUp_Hbtnz1lGSR9Jx2VIa-X8Pne11BFKy22tCX4Poa2sqNaTfXmRXDm8WXCbG6cL7LpLIHIsQDR8AbOLfJoZXdplVROEI_l0dYcS_ishz8gIV293vLqeAbJFo2_Behye/s1600/IMG_6006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7VxeD5lSviT1YVUp_Hbtnz1lGSR9Jx2VIa-X8Pne11BFKy22tCX4Poa2sqNaTfXmRXDm8WXCbG6cL7LpLIHIsQDR8AbOLfJoZXdplVROEI_l0dYcS_ishz8gIV293vLqeAbJFo2_Behye/s320/IMG_6006.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Now there is only one more Monday with Vincent. Some of my grieving has been quite professional. There will be one to three more Dear Vincent post and maybe one to two afterwords. In the meantime and forever, you may write to me or imaginary Vincent at the secret address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot).com. Tell us about your birthday, the dishes in your sink, the cat hair in your refrigerator, and/or your favourite sandwich. Love always, Erica. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavWO1Wz09cS4gWrH8lD5qYFAswokbP-ZMrp3aGjxDH_hr3YZhgEhMVnmw4l3_eumRsNQjeSwgoC_3TdZcGkuUAJfkC_6NaO4nCABwuDngVlS4vc0rQjxarwFFfvnvyvBcEHOZr30uTqfF/s1600/gROWNUPS+READ+SUMMER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavWO1Wz09cS4gWrH8lD5qYFAswokbP-ZMrp3aGjxDH_hr3YZhgEhMVnmw4l3_eumRsNQjeSwgoC_3TdZcGkuUAJfkC_6NaO4nCABwuDngVlS4vc0rQjxarwFFfvnvyvBcEHOZr30uTqfF/s320/gROWNUPS+READ+SUMMER.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">This is me reading my teenage memoirs at Grown-ups Read What They Wrote as Kids and maybe one day there will be Grown-ups Read What They Wrote As Cleaners and/or To Their Therapists</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/"><span style="color: black;">@deepcleanswitherica</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/09/dear-vincent-best-will-be-if-i-heal-my.html">Dear Vincent, The best will be if I heal my knee and maybe also my personality before irreversible climate change sets in.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/08/dear-vincent-looks-like-you-got-some-sun.html">Dear Vincent, Looks like you got some sun. And maybe also a new shirt.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/01/dear-vincent-now-you-know-i-have-that.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Now you know I have that thing where you love your therapist.</span></a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-61363829457998442132018-09-02T11:29:00.000-03:002018-09-02T11:46:49.968-03:00Dear Vincent, The best will be if I heal my knee, and maybe also my personality before irreversible climate change sets in. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent, </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The best will be if I heal my knee, and maybe also my personality before
irreversible climate change sets in. Hopefully, that will leave enough time for
the low-grade literary masterpiece, and the Oprah Projects too.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Today my Pragmatic and Optimistic Darling Bestie gave me bodywork in
exchange for when I cleaned her house for free during the second week of July
when I was relatively underemployed. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It seems the part of me that wants to kill myself is at the back of my
right rib cage, just behind my liver. Maybe it’s too much trail mix and/or
maybe some kind of detox tea will fix it. Inside my shoulders and chest, I am
crying and also worried I am dying of the inflamed mole that sits around my
sacrum and lowest vertebrae. If I die of the inflamed mole, it will be all my
fault for not washing the pesticides off of the grapes, and for being such a
bad sleeper, and pathologically accommodating. Life causes a lot of damage and
healing takes a really, really long time. I wonder where all your sadness
is. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love Erica.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNAwCt3KcNVwHM72azDAokzJyIkRdOnC7nXyXyUU9iJhBEhhuZLiOqcQWf28fP-OGwSl37BOsNJ-FCA8hp2Yg_MzWnQC-GtHdEcTN2JwBGjkox2seQDfmp9sVSUmaOmedc4nG2e_Wlo7N/s1600/IMG_7971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjNAwCt3KcNVwHM72azDAokzJyIkRdOnC7nXyXyUU9iJhBEhhuZLiOqcQWf28fP-OGwSl37BOsNJ-FCA8hp2Yg_MzWnQC-GtHdEcTN2JwBGjkox2seQDfmp9sVSUmaOmedc4nG2e_Wlo7N/s320/IMG_7971.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dr. Joel does not think I meet the criteria for borderline personality
disorder. Clap loud. He also said it does not sound like I ever found myself. I
am not sure where else to look, and I said this to Dr. Joel. The recommendation
is to stop seeing you within a few months and try therapy with someone else,
either a sliding scale option or subsidized by my father. Dr. Joel said
that therapy is not about drying your tears but figuring out what is wrong and
acting on it. He asked if I was an empty person, and I said I never understand
what that means. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Simon, my dead ex-ex (ex-point five?) boyfriend who jumped off a
building is not quite famous for saying, “I wonder what I’d be like if, like
you, I’d been sent to psychologists from the age of eleven. If a bunch of
people had played around in my head the way children play in the bathtub-I
think that by now I would have died ten times already. I’ve already died ten
times anyways.”</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The bathtub analogy is not spectacular in English. Do you think it
works better in French? Sometimes I feel like I’ve died seven times before
breakfast. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I know we can’t date, but there’s a nearby blood donor clinic on
Thursday. Wanna give blood platonically? Just kidding. I recently menstruated
most of my blood away anyways. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Thanks for all the times you’ve dried my tears. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics40l-Woo7xW_92WUMtW9HwtlGlMf-MmHErO0uiYBHSwN4ZuMUd7ORrF-USoQxT5Dw6jX0iOLi4FyQeUtkRPoYDU4gdFlEeqmfKjqgkbqjy5SIff8uGPrDMnrTLAWY1FFvycPV_K5gPP0/s1600/IMG_7867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEics40l-Woo7xW_92WUMtW9HwtlGlMf-MmHErO0uiYBHSwN4ZuMUd7ORrF-USoQxT5Dw6jX0iOLi4FyQeUtkRPoYDU4gdFlEeqmfKjqgkbqjy5SIff8uGPrDMnrTLAWY1FFvycPV_K5gPP0/s320/IMG_7867.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDRsaA0Xp05aUI_X9-Shc5v-oSVsj6_fdV7S7C5uK_Cf_Yq3vhrlKRdbhl81pUoTo2UidkGehNtP9j-pgAKaCp2aFlGVuMurB-DopLO_-Ev8IjQTic2Thi_80adsavcP8rX6tvpV3_YT2/s1600/IMG_7868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDRsaA0Xp05aUI_X9-Shc5v-oSVsj6_fdV7S7C5uK_Cf_Yq3vhrlKRdbhl81pUoTo2UidkGehNtP9j-pgAKaCp2aFlGVuMurB-DopLO_-Ev8IjQTic2Thi_80adsavcP8rX6tvpV3_YT2/s320/IMG_7868.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I forgot to say that Dr Joel calls friends with benefits, friends with
privileges. I think that was my favourite thing about him. When he stood up, it
looked like he was still sitting in a chair. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Basically what he said was, get your fucking shit together. In my life
whenever someone has told me this, I freeze or sob momentarily, or for weeks, then
I might make some vague progress, but often whatever I come up with entails
some sort of half assed coasting. And so I confirm how much I suck, although to
cut myself a break, most people’s lives end up following some kind of sad and
generic default setting. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The next thing I might write on
my wall could be, Fuck Mental Health. I appreciate your relative optimism, but
this may very well be my sad and generic default setting. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">All that’s left to try is lifting weights, cervical orgasms, improved
lunch strategies, and perhaps a more well-paying and/or prestigious job that
doesn’t involve cleaning up other people’s messes. Though as you must know,
most jobs entail cleaning up other people’s messes. One way or another. The
last thing I might like to try is learning how to skateboard. I have a sexy new
compression sleeve for my knee. See you tomorrow. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Housemaid’s Knee, Clap Loud if You Believe in Borderline Personality Disorder</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Friday, August 17, 2018 </span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Everybody,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Vincent could not come to the blood donor clinic. He said that blood
made him uncomfortable, and so I apologized for discussing menstruation so
extensively in so many of our sessions, and he forgave me. The blood donor
clinic was full. They gave me some water that came in a plastic bottle which
innovative entrepreneurs can someday turn into fancy yoga pants. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Vincent and I will see each other again on Thursday, September 6, and
then one more time on Monday, September 17. After that, it will be Mondays
without Vincent forever, unless Vincent decides to make an unlikely generous contribution
to a beautiful blogging fairy tale, or to art. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">On my way home from the blood donor clinic, I wept delicately on one
park bench, and in one alley.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Last November I thought maybe I could walk across Canada for mental
health the year I turned 33, but then I started micro-dosing on mushrooms, and then
I became a low-grade famous cleaning lady, and I got distracted, and now I have
what’s called, Housemaid’s Knee. Life plans always seem to stress me out or
elude me. I will be 33 on October 29. My favourite things to do are to walk and
to talk and write letters. My favourite things to buy are laundry soap, dish
soap, and vinegar. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">This morning I woke up at 2:20 a.m. Six hours later, I was still awake,
and I wrote the names of The Beautiful Dead in smelly markers on the wall
underneath my mildly distorted foot whose chronic toenail fungus is not
illustrated. The names of the beautiful dead sprawl over to underneath my
highly disproportionate right leg, and symbolic pelvis and Vincent’s quote, “I’ve
heard worse.” Everybody likes Vincent’s sentence the best. Sentences that start
with everybody are my favourite. Both of these sentences are written on the
wall, beneath my highly disproportionate right leg, and symbolic pelvis, and
Vincent’s quote, “I’ve heard worse.”</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7vGQWeTA6NHOEUfPt5k6arCYrbj3yxiea-ry5NNHtWCHp6hg_aXKCSzKFyflcSH9CJaRSp40AxJV_HQ557jlKMmATx9SARP6UyisHQV2D91EoEC1KyynOpgV-nQCG75klKnwuwXZwHYz/s1600/IMG_7876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi7vGQWeTA6NHOEUfPt5k6arCYrbj3yxiea-ry5NNHtWCHp6hg_aXKCSzKFyflcSH9CJaRSp40AxJV_HQ557jlKMmATx9SARP6UyisHQV2D91EoEC1KyynOpgV-nQCG75klKnwuwXZwHYz/s320/IMG_7876.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">At 8:47 a.m. I left to clean the Self-Mutilating Parrot Family’s house.
Everybody knows their parrot now flies free in a refuge in Oka. Or else it is
dead with the rest of the Beautiful Dead. Either way, the shit on the walls is
long gone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Vincent said that my love for him was presenting a challenge to his
narcissism, both professionally and as a person, a person I only know eleven to
thirteen and a half real things about. Vincent says that everybody has
narcissism. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It was the second week in a row that I wept not all that delicately while
bending over the Self-Mutilating Parrot Family’s bathtub. I did an excellent
job, both on the weeping, and on the bathtub, but then I set off the Jacuzzi
function and the bathtub threw up, and I had to clean it twice. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Likely it was better that I ended up keeping all my blood for myself. I
needed my blood for the tears and for the bathtub. The second time, I used
bubble bath instead of dish soap. The Self-Mutilating Parrot Family never tends
to have all that much dish soap. Now their bathtub smells like a baby. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The Beautiful Dead are Simon Girard, Penelope Parkes, Jadwiga Lukasik,
Michael Stone, Tolulope llesanmi, Lia Kidner, Yarrow Viets, Doreen Wilson, and
possibly the Self-Mutilating Parrot.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Sometimes we are so lucky to weep not all that delicately while bending
over some overcommitted and chaotic household’s bathtub at 9:33 on a Friday
morning. And sometimes we are not all that lucky. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Everybody has to dry their own tears sometimes. Everybody has hard
days. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">There will be one to three more Mondays without Vincent posts. Then I'll get to working on the screenplay. Unless Vincent decides to make an unlikely and generous contribution to a beautiful blogging fairytale, or to art. Either way, your letters to Vincent and to me remain forever welcome at the secret address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)come. Everybody has hard days sometimes. Someone is there for you when you feel most alone. Love always, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMMP675Q7Hv8ZMRte3lP3uxDjQKitN8yOIZRpHpMHH2T7e8lyed2cb1HrwocJFNM1tAA81f4TYe8LJ8NaFdodPxC5uC3I8KS7WEdKMus2hcQegZ-zlBUM-l0zZbmHiXiYpkp-RDGwrsuy/s1600/IMG_7970.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMMP675Q7Hv8ZMRte3lP3uxDjQKitN8yOIZRpHpMHH2T7e8lyed2cb1HrwocJFNM1tAA81f4TYe8LJ8NaFdodPxC5uC3I8KS7WEdKMus2hcQegZ-zlBUM-l0zZbmHiXiYpkp-RDGwrsuy/s320/IMG_7970.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Toilet paper is on sale at Jean Coutu for $3.99.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Sometimes we are so lucky. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/"><span style="color: black;">@deepcleanswitherica</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-beautiful-face.html">What a Beautiful Face</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-i-went-on-my-adventure.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, I went on my adventure. Everything is green. I love you.</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-i-was-floating-on-joy-of.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, I was floating on the joy of feeling seen, heard, felt and loved by you last Tuesday, November 21</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, It used to be that the last time I felt home was in a tiny blue penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th avenue of the 3rd stage of a neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.</span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/08/dear-vincent-you-are-not-only-person-i.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, You are not the only person I write letters to.</span></a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-21432878152817884002018-08-04T11:04:00.000-03:002018-08-08T16:36:21.909-03:00Dear Vincent, You are not the only person I write letters to.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent,</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">You are not the only person I
write letters to. Everything I buy comes wrapped in plastic, and sometimes at
night, I hide spoons and forks and knives inside my freezer so I do not have to
wash them. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Dear My Cool Friend Fern,</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">I am sitting in a bathtub without
water and brushing my teeth without water and now without hands, and I am
remembering when you used to have your office on top of the washing machine in
the upstairs bathroom in Saint Henri. A couple months ago, I started to make
homemade clay toothpaste because a right bottom molar hurt and I can only
afford the dentist in India. The toothpaste is in a jar and looks like a pile
of dark brown shit, and an excess of baking soda causes my tongue to burn. This
morning I cannot cope with the burning and the brown specks that end up
everywhere, and so I am using the last of my Arm and Hammer, and the bristles
in my toothbrush go every which way and the pink plastic on the back of the
head is coming off since I often stick my toothbrush in my mouth and bite down
on it, hard. This morning the crisis centre counsellor said to try and relax
and think more positively and maybe try some activities to make me feel good
and that she had to hang up, but she wished me a good day. My right knee is
kind of swollen which makes it uncomfortable to kneel, and my bathtub is not
embarrassing but it could be more immaculate considering that I am becoming an
almost famous cleaning lady. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Fern wrote back with the
suggestion that I set an alarm on my phone five times a day to remind me that
nobody is coming to save me. On Thursday, July 26, 2018, five times per day, my
phone emphatically reminded me that,</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">There is no prize.</span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">You don’t need saving.
</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Fuck most of it.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQTY7f8QGWRlmLNaJUVX1ziwe8-XaN_gnE_amM0Ba0w5-V_QFmgGFyAEBemdPdL5hOynxnNMO0jR-_mTNQpOtYbFzUuBoUofHBQT1Z8W7e0Jvm1w60y7GVyb25ycKJvDjYjr8w53QkvZ1/s1600/IMG_7702.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1136" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQTY7f8QGWRlmLNaJUVX1ziwe8-XaN_gnE_amM0Ba0w5-V_QFmgGFyAEBemdPdL5hOynxnNMO0jR-_mTNQpOtYbFzUuBoUofHBQT1Z8W7e0Jvm1w60y7GVyb25ycKJvDjYjr8w53QkvZ1/s320/IMG_7702.PNG" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">There is no prize.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">The next day was Friday, July 27,
2018, some kind of full moon and lunar eclipse, and I walked five km with a
swollen knee all the way to the second floor of the Greyhound Bus Station to
see my doctor. On my i-phone, I’d prepared a less emphatic list about my
swollen knee, my borderline personality disorder, my lifelong toenail
fungus, the occasional hemorrhoid, and the inflamed mole just above my
sacrum which could have cancer but is more likely just inflamed due to rolling
around on my floor and rubbing coconut oil into it too aggressively. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">“Dr. Hamel n’est pas ici
aujourd’hui,” said the receptionist.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Turns out I was an entire month
too early. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr. Hamel was on vacation,
like pretty much everyone else in the city, and once again my life proved
itself to be one futile endeavour to another. I melted down hard as I hid
behind the curtain in the photo booth in the bus station lobby downstairs. Sobbing, I wacked my face over and over again, where last week’s black eye
was only just starting to fade. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did
not pay five dollars to take four tiny photos of my tragic and swollen and
vaguely bruised face. The photos are digital and in colour, and thus not as
charming as they used to be. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Fuck all of it, I thought. Someone
can fucking come and save me. I don’t need the Instagram points, or any of the
points.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">And I wandered south of the bus
station where people and police frolicked in les Jardins Gamelins, and I
scanned the scene for some dead beat who might have opioids.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“O</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ù est le fentanyl?” I
imagined calling out deliriously. Where the fuck are all the drugs?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Back at the bus station, I stood in front of the Enterprise rent-a-car booth
where all the employees also seemed to be on vacation. In fact, I am not an
excellent driver. In fact, I am terrible.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">"What happened?" asked some middle-aged man, broad and balding and perplexed. "Why a woman
so beautiful so sad?" </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">As though when I am slightly older, and slightly uglier, I will have every
reason to be miserable. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">My phone rang, and my friend with
a regal name and a relatively sane balance between beautiful dreams and wise
pragmatism called and invited me over to her semi-fancy loft in the Old Port. Travelling
farmers from Airbnb were coming to rent for the weekend. With noticeable
vigour, I scrubbed my friend’s dishes and stove top, plus the ledge where all
the spice bottles vomit paprika and curry dust. Then my friend with a regal name and
a relatively sane balance between beautiful dreams and wise pragmatism took me
out for sushi, and she drove me all the way home, and she fucking saved my life. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Dear Sorrowful Simon, (not to be confused with Simon
the Hermit who jumped off Le Tadoussac to his death on January 4, 2015)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Last Saturday, after some plans
fell through, I walked all the way to Verdun without my phone. My goal was to
swim, though I had zero opposition to dying at any point along the journey. But
the more people I passed, couples in particular, the more I didn’t need my
lives to be theirs, or my life to be over. I was not suddenly fueled with the
will to live, but I had the vague sense that my life was just as dull and just
as pleasant as everyone else’s. When I got to Verdun, I swam up the weak rapids
and coasted back down three times. Some old couple stood in the middle of the
river and yelled back and forth to each other, even though their faces were
less than a foot apart. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">“Il y a une autre nageuse,” the
man exclaimed excitedly. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Out of the water, I walked along
the shoreline in my red polyester two-pieced speedo. The bathing suit
chafed my inner thighs since despite extensive exercise and frequently flakey
lunches, I do not have a thigh gap. Oh well, what the hell. And I climbed up the
riverbank, and came upon some strangers’ wedding party where everyone looked
hot and overdressed, anxious to get the pictures over with, and possibly also envious of my shoelessness and red bathing suit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as I felt the grass beneath my feet, it
seemed perfectly valid to take the metro home, and eat a cheeseburger while
reading a novel about rich families in New England. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHV8BT__2dGdtOL05zuNMdP5GqyEE4ivrusYQaAo74-qtjUd0jkiPK3zkOtdqZZso98K3EP96PBDv0VgKl6zCU_F1O6jFV2WkROgz2FXDT_a0bv51wCocn_QkQF3mSe4m2UvaGurvfWcHp/s1600/IMG_2349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHV8BT__2dGdtOL05zuNMdP5GqyEE4ivrusYQaAo74-qtjUd0jkiPK3zkOtdqZZso98K3EP96PBDv0VgKl6zCU_F1O6jFV2WkROgz2FXDT_a0bv51wCocn_QkQF3mSe4m2UvaGurvfWcHp/s320/IMG_2349.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">And the same red bathing suit crashes a wedding in India. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Arombol Beach, Goa</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</span></span></span><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></div>
</span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">On my way to see you on Monday,
July 30, 2018, a man rushed by me on Beaubien Street, and the man was carrying
a sandwich in a plastic triangular box, and it’s possible the sandwich was made
with a croissant, but it didn’t not look particularly delicious. To drink,
the man had some Gingerale, and as he charged around me on the sidewalk he
said,</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">“Ready to buy a lake house and
get out of here.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Work, work, work, work, work,
work, work.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">I have everything except
sanctity.”</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Everything except sanctity and a
lake house. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Wishing you and all of us,
sanctity and a lake house.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica. </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Dear Tim Ferris, </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">When I imagine going on your
podcast due to some brilliant Oprah Project I finally pulled off, and you ask
me, “If you could put anything on a billboard and have millions or even
billions of people see it, what would it say?” in fact, I have two answers. In fact, I
cannot decide.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">The first billboard says,</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">“Your life is of supreme
importance. May you be free of your pain.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">And another one says, </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">“This is your strange and
beautiful life. You can do all sorts of interesting shit. But you don’t have
to. Your life does not need to be a spectacular TED talk.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Sometimes your podcasts make me
very tired, but I’d love to see you optimize menstruation. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica. </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVc2CZXxvzNQh8Ffj2LIJR_0ohsJFHPcgeId8f2FWuQ7PJ0oHZDAQQbJbvDJOjCpM8cxY-C7Q8k1Ne2FPe81RbDs-UfcG9g7ZGDSr0MYFaISeJWfRtq3KgyL6XvKUC_-0dVM_klhxma-L/s1600/IMG_7283+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisVc2CZXxvzNQh8Ffj2LIJR_0ohsJFHPcgeId8f2FWuQ7PJ0oHZDAQQbJbvDJOjCpM8cxY-C7Q8k1Ne2FPe81RbDs-UfcG9g7ZGDSr0MYFaISeJWfRtq3KgyL6XvKUC_-0dVM_klhxma-L/s320/IMG_7283+%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">This is your strange and beautiful life. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"></span><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Last November, soon after my 32nd
birthday, I was considering my life goals and potential Oprah Projects, and I
wrote this sentence:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Two things I really believe in
are</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Deep Cleans and Mondays without
Vincent.</span></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">I always remember this sentence.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">L<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">ove, Erica. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">
Interlude from the <span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Self-Mutilating Parrot Family</span></span>:<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">The Self-Mutilating Parrot family
has guests. Grandmother, Aunt, and the Aunt's daughter, the Blonde Cousin from
Australia. Soon it will be the Blonde Cousin’s fifth birthday. Over a breakfast
of toast and butter and jam, her mother remarked, wow, that went so fast, and
the two of them played a game in the hammock where the Blonde Cousin wrapped
herself in the fabric and then emerged out of the crack, as though the hammock
were a vagina, or a caesarean incision, and as though the Blonde Cousin were a
baby being born. “Mama,” the Blonde Cousin said as she emerged, and her mother
said, “You wouldn’t just come out and say that. It took you two years to say
Mama. Before that it was always, Dada, Dada, Dada, and I felt so inadequate.” </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">In case you missed the very old
news, the Self-Mutilating Parrot is spending its last days at Oka, and I wish
the bird deep sanctity. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span div="" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">What a thrill to run into you on
Rue Beaubien, somewhere between St André and St Hubert. You were carrying a
paper bag from Jean Coutu, and what a coincidence, I was headed there to, all set to buy
deodorant and cinnamon gum so I could carcinogenically freshen up for Butt Club.
(For those who wonder, Butt Club equals <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a Democratic and sometimes Diplomatic Butt
Exercise class in the park, and as fate would have it, it is the most famous
poorly attended event I have ever invented, and truly the joy of my life.)
Also, I needed to buy rubber gloves for the newest cleaner of my Deep Cleans
empire. “Oh,” I said, when I saw you. “I am going there too.” Afterwards, I was
rather proud of my very reasonable composure. Kindly, you smiled kindly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you liked my shirt. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica.</span> </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">It is approximately the one-year anniversary of Mondays without Vincent on the Internet. This is one of my most favourite un-famous things I have ever come up with. Send your emails to Vincent or Erica at the secret address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. Your life is of supreme importance. May you be free of your pain. Love, Erica.</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9ugZHeMkSZJ5R4JEGuLTfL5Lf-d16Irjt2NQ79R9qCJFpQLzSb1590AawyA4xKui3RFQZFm2JwduACXXjrpI4P-uLAiLcEF9HJfeDHxyPnk1AD_dgjosHOnSUfkzIz-IBd4NJ4JNv7HE/s1600/IMG_7746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi9ugZHeMkSZJ5R4JEGuLTfL5Lf-d16Irjt2NQ79R9qCJFpQLzSb1590AawyA4xKui3RFQZFm2JwduACXXjrpI4P-uLAiLcEF9HJfeDHxyPnk1AD_dgjosHOnSUfkzIz-IBd4NJ4JNv7HE/s320/IMG_7746.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Two things I really believe in are, Deep Cleans and Mondays without Vincent.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</span></a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/"><span style="color: black;">@deepcleanswitherica</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/08/dear-vincent-thank-you-for-responding.html">Dear Vincent, Thank you for responding to my hysterical phone call.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/09/dear-vincent-now-you-have-three-pen-pals.html">Dear Vincent, Now you have three pen pals.</a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-if-oprah-does-not-invite.html">Dear Vincent, Long title about Oprah and her decadent plushy green chairs in the Oprah forest.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-34933932244778933032018-07-29T16:18:00.000-03:002018-08-04T10:51:56.428-03:00Dear Vincent, I missed you so much. Do you want to break up?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Dear Vincent,</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">I missed you so much. Do you want
to break up?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Once upon a time, I was all ready
to unleash the deepest powers of my vagina with a zucchini, but then my vagina
started to bleed, and so the era of power was short-lived, and now it seems
extremely far away.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiTeOzN2rHhPDui4zy0U7YoP7rIM_JFcpPbPBtRv9xSG2NNNbS4kqci7Q4u2lbhDeGeZcN7H1WwVnizBN5QEJZEGscTPVf2aGBqmSNM3obYaLF0mQDUf0Gj9LPPujD-mtJvqiNhNl0XJO/s1600/IMG_7610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiTeOzN2rHhPDui4zy0U7YoP7rIM_JFcpPbPBtRv9xSG2NNNbS4kqci7Q4u2lbhDeGeZcN7H1WwVnizBN5QEJZEGscTPVf2aGBqmSNM3obYaLF0mQDUf0Gj9LPPujD-mtJvqiNhNl0XJO/s320/IMG_7610.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Polyamorous Zucchini Sexting.</span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Once upon a time there was a
well-adjusted fridge with a manageable amount of leaked soy sauce, and spilled mustard.
The well-adjusted fridge was filled with well-adjusted food that suggested that
my clients François and Marie truly loved themselves, and each other, and this
I do not doubt. For example, there were six different kinds of homemade
preserves, and a glass Tupperware of a thawing and clearly nourishing cream
soup, and abundant jars and containers of almonds, and sunflower seeds, and
walnuts, and fresh, inviting vegetables, including two large zucchinis which I
photographed and texted to Sexy Motorcycle George and Freshly Divorced Love of
2009 who I now Call Sexy Motorcycle the Second, and I call this sort of texting,
Polyamorous Zucchini Sexting.<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0KWEOrbwDYAtv2h7Q1cSd9q_S0-4NiplgIyZovGsxdvj-mm6aiI73wG77p7SWzr3v65wQnAURQQB1pp5xC_oh6qtiBKe6URWh-P684DdHxISJTf6rJm9-zjV6gBFlUOLzcjaMcS9Cr9e/s1600/IMG_7607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0KWEOrbwDYAtv2h7Q1cSd9q_S0-4NiplgIyZovGsxdvj-mm6aiI73wG77p7SWzr3v65wQnAURQQB1pp5xC_oh6qtiBKe6URWh-P684DdHxISJTf6rJm9-zjV6gBFlUOLzcjaMcS9Cr9e/s320/IMG_7607.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The well-adjusted fridge </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Once upon a time, my right knee
was swollen and covered with baking soda. Broken Delicate Miniature Horse
Ornament Client Linda did not notice that my eyes were swollen too, and also
slightly bruised. Before I could scour her mildewed shower grout with a
toothbrush, Linda asked me to examine her scalp to see if it looked like she
was going bald, and as far as I could tell, she did not seem any more bald than
usual, but I did not think this was the best way of putting things, and thus with
very vague tact, I said, “Well, we all lose our hair in the summer. Just like your
cat.” Linda’s cat’s hair was all over the shelves of her fridge. Linda was
afraid that her hair falling out is the sign of some terrible disease. On a post-it
stuck to her computer, Linda had scrawled a list entitled, "Erica
needs," and my needs were summarized as baking soda, dish soap, vinegar,
sponges, paper towel, and a toothbrush. I think if you told me you had a cat,
and that its hair was all over the bottom of your fridge, and that you watched
golf, all this could cure some of my undying love, though my sad and empty
fridge, however free of cauliflower chunks, is certainly not that well-adjusted
either. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">*Names and crucial identifying details have been altered due to excellent professional boundaries. <span style="font-family: "calibri";">Send your letters to me, or to Vincent, or to Oprah. The top-secret email address is ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">p.s. Vincent is my therapist and I have that thing where you love your therapist and Vincent comes back from vacation tomorrow. </span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvZtjwEvCvYR7bqUbfH6rRhhPZ1xMIkv1EUf5Mc3C25ro33CSKFzZGIQhWc80J4uA25_LYhLBNe1EyRLxlnICZJibUfOdA5jdsRtaCRhcLEu4Qenc4OgrYNg8z_EgbkWXmR7ECI3Q7obe/s1600/IMG_7601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvZtjwEvCvYR7bqUbfH6rRhhPZ1xMIkv1EUf5Mc3C25ro33CSKFzZGIQhWc80J4uA25_LYhLBNe1EyRLxlnICZJibUfOdA5jdsRtaCRhcLEu4Qenc4OgrYNg8z_EgbkWXmR7ECI3Q7obe/s320/IMG_7601.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">Once upon a time, I was all ready to unleash the deepest powers of my vagina with a zucchini, but then </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</span></a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/"><span style="font-size: x-small;">@deepcleanswitherica</span></a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-if-oprah-does-not-invite.html">Dear Vincent, If Oprah does not invite you to sit in her decadent plushy green chairs</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-if-oprah-does-not-invite.html"> in the middle of the Oprah Forest to discuss your beautiful soul's beautiful hero's journey,</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-if-oprah-does-not-invite.html"> it's possible this might be a blessing. It's possible you might just be spared. Love, Erica. </a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/07/dear-vincent-i-just-had-reasonably-life.html"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">Dear Vincent,</span><span style="color: black;"></span></a></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/07/dear-vincent-i-just-had-reasonably-life.html">I just had a reasonably life-changing orgasm with a medium-sized yellow zucchini</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/07/dear-vincent-i-just-had-reasonably-life.html"> that was on sale in a basket</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/07/dear-vincent-i-just-had-reasonably-life.html" style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">,</span></a><br />
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/07/dear-vincent-i-just-had-reasonably-life.html" style="font-family: calibri;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 5 for $1,</span></a><br />
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/07/dear-vincent-i-just-had-reasonably-life.html" style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">on the outskirts of marché Jean Talon.<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></span></a></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-i-was-floating-on-joy-of.html">Dear Vincent,</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> </span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-i-was-floating-on-joy-of.html">I was floating on the joy of feeling seen, heard, felt and loved by you</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-i-was-floating-on-joy-of.html"> last Tuesday, November 21. </a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-i-was-floating-on-joy-of.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;">All the joy lasted for approximately 39 hours and 17 minutes.</span></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-3491426476159068042018-07-15T12:01:00.001-03:002019-07-15T10:15:46.665-03:00Dear Vincent, I just had a reasonably life-changing orgasm with a medium-sized yellow zucchini that was on sale in a basket, 5 for $1, on the outskirts of marché Jean Talon. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I just had a reasonably life-changing orgasm with a medium-sized yellow
zucchini that was on sale in a basket, 5 for $1, on the outskirts of marché Jean Talon. Now I am waiting for the flowing brilliance to rush out of my
zucchini fucked vagina and reveal my soul’s deepest truth, and it’s possible I
am not waiting long enough, and am lazily opting to cop out by revealing vague and unnecessary truths about my ZFV, for
you and for the Internet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxdXdl_QuXQRDlPUmcCum_o93AWVIHUNzFm799VJ54hay3VnJIF_cdTKnUziUAaj_Qqsv23db12gB7N8G9sSmJZA5KxOe674rvdV-fCqUjZQ9_NmMPIpr7de5xMFsnTalLVSx5fNfBYoQ/s1600/IMG_7421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxdXdl_QuXQRDlPUmcCum_o93AWVIHUNzFm799VJ54hay3VnJIF_cdTKnUziUAaj_Qqsv23db12gB7N8G9sSmJZA5KxOe674rvdV-fCqUjZQ9_NmMPIpr7de5xMFsnTalLVSx5fNfBYoQ/s320/IMG_7421.JPG" width="240" /></span></a><span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">The idea for fucking a medium-sized yellow zucchini came from my friend
Sexy Motorcycle George who passed through town on Friday, June 29, 2018, Day 1
of a 7-day heat wave, and before we cuddled all night and did not have sex, SMG
did his laundry and for some reason the washing machine did not drain and on
Monday, July 2, 2018, I waited seven hours for the Elvis Appliance People to
come and they did not come, unless they stopped by without calling while I was
around the block buying strawberries. The washing machine filled with
mildewed SMG rinse water is not my greatest hardship although sometimes I fear
that a broken washing machine is the first step to an unforgiving and
unrelenting spiral down into dire poverty.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrwc8qOl2UZCgQrOySekLN3XT5rySJ-bq_ZoDxEmZhWumVI0fazaNLrb4N8Bd_DqxhfcZ6FDKrdS1vyu1RAjoZG-eKUWy3ud7fjUdh1FlFROVUNNB2KlSjSwCPk6w-Ll5bub2QZ20aZwi/s1600/IMG_7567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrwc8qOl2UZCgQrOySekLN3XT5rySJ-bq_ZoDxEmZhWumVI0fazaNLrb4N8Bd_DqxhfcZ6FDKrdS1vyu1RAjoZG-eKUWy3ud7fjUdh1FlFROVUNNB2KlSjSwCPk6w-Ll5bub2QZ20aZwi/s320/IMG_7567.JPG" width="240" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxdXdl_QuXQRDlPUmcCum_o93AWVIHUNzFm799VJ54hay3VnJIF_cdTKnUziUAaj_Qqsv23db12gB7N8G9sSmJZA5KxOe674rvdV-fCqUjZQ9_NmMPIpr7de5xMFsnTalLVSx5fNfBYoQ/s1600/IMG_7421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></span></span></span></span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjS-Kj4WxfxfN6qgg1YtGW0AWfJVF32akNTPo9s_W0DEGGRMTeI3NPkea3tMAxhL-OiOxI35b07us5wQ6qjqQEP8hJGsYCwLsPaA_L-RMkinZHp22h5nVrUTvFDcEqzdBAnNG_WaADJQH/s1600/IMG_7577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMjS-Kj4WxfxfN6qgg1YtGW0AWfJVF32akNTPo9s_W0DEGGRMTeI3NPkea3tMAxhL-OiOxI35b07us5wQ6qjqQEP8hJGsYCwLsPaA_L-RMkinZHp22h5nVrUTvFDcEqzdBAnNG_WaADJQH/s320/IMG_7577.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Five yellow biodegradable and compostable dildos for one dollar is truly
an excellent deal. Larger and more solid than a cucumber.
</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Not much happens in my dreams about you except that you are riding your
bike without a helmet, and in one dream you’d shaved your head which is not a
look I’d recommend for you, if you have any choice in the matter, that is to say,
if you somehow escape cancer treatment that causes you to lose your hair, slash,
if you somehow escape the ordinary and generic balding process.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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</span></span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bdzVnWwFumaFf_guPnUJrvyr5SzhKnRjs0pYKortK7njD5BHRpOKJztC5Tr06NhhPrbCB0VpW-s6UGLpEqs3zDun4lLZGR9a2DttlBoXfBy16wipdEb9KlrNGirE9bMBKZFL_ad5heYB/s1600/IMG_7505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bdzVnWwFumaFf_guPnUJrvyr5SzhKnRjs0pYKortK7njD5BHRpOKJztC5Tr06NhhPrbCB0VpW-s6UGLpEqs3zDun4lLZGR9a2DttlBoXfBy16wipdEb9KlrNGirE9bMBKZFL_ad5heYB/s320/IMG_7505.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">And yet, whatever happens to your hair, in my dreams or otherwise, my
undying love for you does not seem to be living a short life. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Before the century long afternoon waiting for the Elvis friends, I
cleaned an Acupuncturist’s condo at the ends of the earth, and in fact it was a
lovely and chatty time and I got a latte and $100 and three needles and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a lift home, and all seemed reasonable except
that as I was getting ready to head out the Acupuncturist said, you look great,
you have really big legs, and then the Acupuncturist went on to say something
about how deranged everyone who wants anorexic legs is, and instead of my
agreeing about how deranged everyone is, a Solid Fat Day ensued and I wondered
and still wonder if I am eating too much nut butter and ice cream, though in
fact it seems I am not eating quite enough since I periodically wake up at
midnight or two a.m. unable to sleep and in need of more cottage cheese and or
nut butter and or crackers. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The morning of Tuesday, July 3, 2018 was again somewhat of a Severe Fat
Day (in fact, the whole week was a Severe Fat Week), and I felt and feel so
heartbroken that after all these years, I can still barely love my thighs and
the rest of my cells for two to seven and a half hours per week. If I were a
therapist, I would specialize in people who cannot love their thighs and the
rest of their cells for much more than two to seven and a half hours per week.
It is as guaranteed a business model as wiping the pubes off busy or lazy
people's toilets, and far more lucrative. And anyways, the morning of Tuesday,
July 3, 2018, I only did a reasonable amount of exercise given I would be
cleaning for six to seven hours, and I sobbed profoundly, however the noise and
the duration were both moderate, and I arranged for a reasonably responsible
breakfast and lunch. The truth is my thighs are the best I can do. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Deep love to your thighs and to everyone else's,</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Erica. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Erica and Imaginary Vincent welcome your emails at the secret email address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3Hhl1zY0S1jJEvlmMHdgDB4ChqVq18pRUk9EM2mHbPRwai7Pdj6PIFxoCaAAq7suEbtgtD7LwePIWwZmts2bkpGwAChfq5S5d0JyMgPd9Muw1juzffUaiEoQtccMdoTT9IXBmxHZce3i/s1600/IMG_7530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3Hhl1zY0S1jJEvlmMHdgDB4ChqVq18pRUk9EM2mHbPRwai7Pdj6PIFxoCaAAq7suEbtgtD7LwePIWwZmts2bkpGwAChfq5S5d0JyMgPd9Muw1juzffUaiEoQtccMdoTT9IXBmxHZce3i/s320/IMG_7530.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">My thighs are the best I can do</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</span></a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/deepcleanswitherica/"><span style="color: black;">@deepcleanswitherica</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/06/dear-vincent-elizabeth-gilbert-says.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Elizabeth Gilbert says that, every time you have sex with someone, some small part of you dies.</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-it-seems-no-matter-who-im.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, It seems no matter who I'm having sex with, I ugly cry every other time.</span></a><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/08/dear-vincent-how-is-your-headstand-going.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, How is your headstand going?</span></a><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-79734135057195710842018-06-26T10:31:00.000-03:002018-06-26T10:36:24.539-03:00Dear Vincent, Elizabeth Gilbert says that, every time you have sex with someone, some small part of you dies. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Elizabeth Gilbert says that, every time you have sex with someone, some
small part of you dies. I always hope the part of me that will die, will be the
most terrible part. The part I can’t stand. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The night before the last time, I had to say good-bye, </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I sat on the ledge of my bathtub, and washed my feet, and suddenly I
saw the most deeply upsetting stain on the under front rim of my toilet. And
felt baffled and horrified that I had never noticed this before, and also
distraught at the thought that perhaps all of my cleaning clients are currently
enduring this tragic toilet situation. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">In the middle of the night, I woke up quite hungry, </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and concerned about
the toilet, and<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"> saying good-bye, </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and being alone, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and I considered various new
and optimistic morning routines I could take up to fill my life with hope. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">For
example, </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">figuring out how to orgasm without humping the duvet, or my sleeping
bag, or someone's leg.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">My favourite clichés are,
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The heavens parting</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">In the blink of an eye</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Over the moon</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The ends of the earth,</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">And that thing you have when you
love your therapist. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRO_PJnFAWq-z8eaNn1uxAhQXvQHZNLZcZgYeVFsgzptI7yxrLWJlt-JBNqJ1BAIpcgNUb5Z26Gl3p_KCqfFzbFbs8iET8WHMGf5synjU47PgwiufLyN5hWud5W2eXYUN_8l_fiuR6lQ9/s1600/IMG_7356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRO_PJnFAWq-z8eaNn1uxAhQXvQHZNLZcZgYeVFsgzptI7yxrLWJlt-JBNqJ1BAIpcgNUb5Z26Gl3p_KCqfFzbFbs8iET8WHMGf5synjU47PgwiufLyN5hWud5W2eXYUN_8l_fiuR6lQ9/s320/IMG_7356.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">When the long goodbye was over,</span></span>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I walked up my fire escape, wept </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">with reasonably impressive delicateness,</span></span>
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and then </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">went straight to scrubbing </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">the horrifying toilet stain, </span></span>
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and this had very minimal success. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">A robot on Youtube recommended lemon and vinegar, a pumice stone,
water-based sand paper, Coca-cola, </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and always finish off with a mountain of vinegar and baking soda. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I embarked upon a new and optimistic morning routine, I will take up to
fill my life with hope. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">And this had very moderate success.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Now I am washing my sheets. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Clichés I hate are,</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Throwing the baby out with bathwater </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">(probably this took me </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">at least twelve years</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">to understand, and who would bother with that anyways),</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">the straw that broke the camel’s back </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">(this always makes me think of plastic straws you drank your chocolate
milk with when you were a kid, and now everyone is shunning the plastic straws
because the seagulls are choking and because plastic continents are forming in
the middle of all the other continents), </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">you need put your oxygen mask on first, before you can help anyone
else. Because in pretty much every situation besides a sinking airplane, you will
preserve your useful consciousness for more than 18 seconds if you think of
someone else before yourself. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbJEE3c32qkFXntclv-Gc41mgf-THDwEUsCiHetNp0TQZZYfWeweOlcCoyMH62XaGddlJRWeUyC083hfwjWMoY9OKgjhobU9NhwHRMLmjTNIPorVYSVE4I1fBkEPw-q22wlBxgPS2JVHM/s1600/IMG_7311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbJEE3c32qkFXntclv-Gc41mgf-THDwEUsCiHetNp0TQZZYfWeweOlcCoyMH62XaGddlJRWeUyC083hfwjWMoY9OKgjhobU9NhwHRMLmjTNIPorVYSVE4I1fBkEPw-q22wlBxgPS2JVHM/s320/IMG_7311.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Whenever I have sex, I always hope that the part of me that will die</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">will be the most terrible part.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">The part I can't stand.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It occurred to me that perhaps if I say goodbye to three or five or
seven more people, it might make me ready to say goodbye to you.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica.</span> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Emails to me, or to Imaginary Vincent are graciously received at the secret email address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrNs3Ux3kZjNYUaxRdMBkmpqgaO7h3lCNpRVTnTEgsFi2xCXc_VQtWMsh7bNesxrs7WuMa3y1Rg8SfDiTyo64KErPilNhTn4lBjKr8fZVZT5HMLjlJfu7XU659rj_iOZrlBaykxodGe9d/s1600/IMG_7360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrNs3Ux3kZjNYUaxRdMBkmpqgaO7h3lCNpRVTnTEgsFi2xCXc_VQtWMsh7bNesxrs7WuMa3y1Rg8SfDiTyo64KErPilNhTn4lBjKr8fZVZT5HMLjlJfu7XU659rj_iOZrlBaykxodGe9d/s320/IMG_7360.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Be a Humanizing Force.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: @deepcleanswitherica</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></span></a></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black;">It used to be that the last time I felt home was in a tiny blue penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th avenue of the 3rd stage of a neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-i-went-on-my-adventure.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, I went on my adventure. Everything is green. I love you.</span></a></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2017/11/dear-vincent-some-other-vincent-coerced_20.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Some other Vincent coerced me into a blow job. </span></a></span></span></span></div>
</span><br />
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<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-21617870430666032972018-06-10T10:33:00.000-03:002019-10-14T19:05:27.026-03:00Dear Vincent, If Oprah does not invite you to sit in her decadent plushy green chairs in the middle of the Oprah Forest to discuss your beautiful soul's beautiful hero's journey, it's possible this might be a blessing. It's possible you might just be spared. Love, Erica. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">If Oprah does not invite you to sit in her decadent plushy green chairs
in the middle of the Oprah Forest to discuss your beautiful soul’s beautiful
hero’s journey, it’s possible this might be a blessing. It’s possible you might
just be spared.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Oprah,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">My beautiful soul’s beautiful hero’s journey is I broke up with the star of my life’s most beautiful blogging fairy tale and after six months of
weeping indelicately in public, I ran away to India and this was fun for
approximately five and a half weeks and then I got extensive shits and I got to
be an emaciated and hysterical bone rack and when I finally made it back to
Canada, I was so washed out that I had to go on Prozac and then I met my
therapist who I fell deeply and madly in love with and this really messed me up
as did accidentally doubling my Prozac dose in the winter of 2017 and then
going off of it and then breaking my roommate’s delicate and precious teapot,
and meanwhile, to fulfill my enormous potential and to live my best life, I
clean other people’s bathtubs and sometimes I weep over the ledges of these
bathtubs, or else the dusty baseboards, or else the refrigerator drawers filled
with mouldy vegetable chunks, and approximately 100% of the time, nobody
notices. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,<br />
When I call the crisis center they tell me to call back because I am crying too
hard.<br />
They should bring back the role of the Village Wailer, and this should be my
job.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Erica Schmidt, Mile End Wailer. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, as I wailed below the Saint Laurent
underpass, two people, asked me if I was okay, and I blubbered ‘I’m fine, this
is just me, a walking disaster,’ and then next to the railroad tracks, a woman
on her bike who said she worked with addicts insisted on an extended
conversation, and she asked me what I liked to do, and said, ‘I can see you
like to walk,’ in fact, she was right, and in fact, she was quite kind, and in fact, I sincerely hope our
encounter was good for her Mother Teresa complex. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;">
Addict Mother Teresa Friend said there isn't some magic formula, you just keep
trying different things to see what works. I guess this is not terrible
advice.<br />
On the way home, underneath the underpass, some dude walked by me and handed me
an apple. He had an apple too, and I was too lonely to go home and so I
followed him to Clark Park and watched him wash the apple in the water
fountain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">His t. shirt was white and on the right breast corner it said something
about the Xavier school of gifted youngsters.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Were you a gifted youngster?” I asked. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Oh, this is from X-men,” he said. “And it’s a rare shirt. Kind of my
superpower.” </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Oh,” I said. I know very little about x-men, due to being a
philistine. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“What about you? What is your superpower?”</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I did not want my superpower to be mopping, although I am quite good at
this. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The star of my life’s most beautiful blogging fairy tale used to say,
my emotions could maybe be a superpower. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The star of my life’s most beautiful blogging fairy tale had never seen
anything like my emotions. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Maybe my emotions could be my superpower. But mostly they just give me
a really hard time.” </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">My emotions, they </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">are very astonishing. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, I found a dead mouse, stuck to a sticky
mouse trap under a kitchen sink, and the sink belonged to a family who has an
enormous baby, and I always say that the enormous baby’s face is very
astonishing. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Every 12 minutes to 36 hours, I feel totally astonished.<br />
The guy with the gifted youngsters t. shirt said, “I bet people give you all
kinds of suggestions on what you should do. Meditation, working out, yoga,
journals.”<br />
“Yes,” I said. “And I have been doing all of it since I was seven years old.”</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">He went to drink beer with his friends, and I went home to do the
dishes.<br />
The apple was macintosh. It tasted small and generic. Then I fell asleep on the
couch.<br />
In the morning, I finished a translation about houseplants. Apparently, there
is no reason to resist growing houseplants. None of my houseplants have grown
since I got them, and the basil seems doomed. And I have a lovely succulent
plant that Dexter brought.<br />
Succulent plants are very trendy.<br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I am not happy with my Village Wailer performance though some might say it was
rather impressive.<br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Best wishes for an unoppressive and/or invigorating day.<br />
Love,<br />
Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;">
I can appreciate professional boundaries but just to let you know where I am
coming from, last Friday afternoon, I gave my client Linda a free haircut and
henna streaks at my house, partly because being a hairdresser is my dream job
and partly because on Friday, May 27, 2018 I knocked over Linda’s precious and
delicate miniature horse ornament and the front left leg came off and considering how suicidal I became after
breaking my roommate’s teapot on Friday, May 26, 2017, and considering how the
horse’s leg can probably be glued back on, the incident was not all that
traumatic; however, it did instil a self-imposed obligation to buy another
horse and to say yes to the next seventeen things Linda asks me for, and this
began with the henna streaks and the haircut.<br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7G8T1vd2nSvHoJm3-lFC_Yi5h7aNRYd3oqDwTXiJJbw8c8Udi72jUT3RAt7YavfD23rLVPNQaQ4UgvDngvmqMeJqp93slry9iaWMdx-gbRua2TeRRshCn3YAQqr33mFwMVEFuMHWQvnem/s1600/IMG_7221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a><br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">L<span style="font-family: "calibri";">ast night I dreamed about cleaning big chunks behind someone’s stove, and the chunks
belonged to my client Genevieve who barely needs a cleaning lady and who is
about to move across the country and I’m a bit sad because we get along great
and Genevieve signs off all her texts with three emphatic thumbs up, and I sure
as hell could use three emphatic thumbs up every other Monday or Wednesday. In
my dream, I cleaned up all the chunks behind the stove, and then I went to
Genevieve’s wedding, and I was deeply embarrassed by how disgustingly dirty my
feet were, and the groom was Tim Ferris, and Genevieve and Tim vowed to
manifest the spectacular hell out of their lives, and when they kissed, it was
passionate and convincing. </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I woke up at 4:14 and all the stoves and the bathtubs and the whole
week seem impossible.<br />
I really wish you could save me and that you loved me back but you can't and
you don't, not even if I offer to give you a free haircut and even though you
probably like some version of my face when I am not sobbing it off, and maybe
also my legs and all this, along with at least 37 easily listable details of
life leave me feeling breathtakingly disappointed. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The other thing I want to say is, I packed a sandwich for lunch.<br />
Love, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Erica,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Where is your nervous system?</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Thinking about your nun friends.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
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</div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Oprah and Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Linda’s haircut went great.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
</div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">On a podcast I learned that to relieve trauma you can lie on the floor
and cradle the back of your head and then gaze your eyes from one side of the
world to the other. Maybe I will try that the next time I am hysterical.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR90jBsT_bsNLIlv9uQwi69PjEFUdGVh9Ii5DaJKf0b-B8tOgMZwKUnh4-5kv5wPZF-4zHi_DOuaZ6wdAnyvnexz5UkCOYBmDOn0mfBVr4D3-9Pg9QOjgbQJZlcUoPoYSghnud3-BGoLJH/s1600/IMG_7218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR90jBsT_bsNLIlv9uQwi69PjEFUdGVh9Ii5DaJKf0b-B8tOgMZwKUnh4-5kv5wPZF-4zHi_DOuaZ6wdAnyvnexz5UkCOYBmDOn0mfBVr4D3-9Pg9QOjgbQJZlcUoPoYSghnud3-BGoLJH/s320/IMG_7218.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
<span style="color: black;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I still love you, and I still love Oprah.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">*Names and crucial identifying details have been altered due to excellent professional boundaries. <span style="font-family: "calibri";">Send your letters to me, or to Vincent or to Oprah. The top-secret email address is ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">p.s. Vincent is my therapist and I have that thing where you love your therapist and I get to see Vincent every other Wednesday. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdKGSOjMXXc2htLRhFbxXfzD2UOAgwC2gzx2ffUK6M8wSqHsNizufdTJbUpV145C1HYv09RfnYxk6m4_UwfEO984mKbO56BlEwdxjAlA9OeNeJd9_0BxiyWW78dUZkJSzx_Qhv0PkFD-a/s1600/IMG_7127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdKGSOjMXXc2htLRhFbxXfzD2UOAgwC2gzx2ffUK6M8wSqHsNizufdTJbUpV145C1HYv09RfnYxk6m4_UwfEO984mKbO56BlEwdxjAlA9OeNeJd9_0BxiyWW78dUZkJSzx_Qhv0PkFD-a/s320/IMG_7127.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I still love you, and I still love Oprah.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: @deepcleanswitherica</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent, </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It used to be that the last time I felt home was in a tiny blue penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th avenue of the 3rd stage of a neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2018/01/dear-vincent-now-you-know-i-have-that.html">Dear Vincent, Now you know I have that thing where you love your therapist.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.com/2016/05/performative-crying-in-alleys.html">Performative Crying in Alleys</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-31262314077101440802018-05-15T09:41:00.000-03:002018-05-15T11:54:52.374-03:00Dear Vincent, It is the new moon, and I'm pretty sure I'm ovulating<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It is the new moon, and I’m pretty sure I’m ovulating. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">They say the smell of burning is a sign you’re having a stroke, but it
can also be a sign of poor stove top and/or toaster hygiene. Death is certain,
its time is uncertain, why do I still eat beans? And why did I text the Married
Man on Mother’s Day?</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Because every sad Married Man needs a darling Happy Mother’s Day from a
long ago, faraway, once upon a time fuck who continues to love him in a
narcissistic and compartmentalized way. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Married Man has the same old Failed Oprah Project, Dying of Loneliness,
Ridiculously Crazy Busy Angst as usual. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHZ-PUZzNg0pO_KShyphenhyphenzrHXXSPtun1FAcjwC355VWIrjlHxBPLqh0Bv7l37oJwSZPo-WnvX6Nhy9VXf5c5YZBPuAo5n9dUipCoZ9q9aa6Obx40LlAa8tz0V-hON60NQk5nE2w9_gXYlKyw/s1600/IMG_6185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHZ-PUZzNg0pO_KShyphenhyphenzrHXXSPtun1FAcjwC355VWIrjlHxBPLqh0Bv7l37oJwSZPo-WnvX6Nhy9VXf5c5YZBPuAo5n9dUipCoZ9q9aa6Obx40LlAa8tz0V-hON60NQk5nE2w9_gXYlKyw/s320/IMG_6185.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">This weekend I was not Ridiculously Crazy Busy, and I remedied my Failed
Oprah Project and my Dying of Loneliness Angst by sorting out the highly
amateur chaos of my junk drawer and my wine box, which tends to hold mail from
the government, and ADHD checklists, and letters from my ten-year-old pen pal who has
autism, and bars of soap from my tiny mother who does not know that I find the
way bar soap melts on the side of the sink or the bathtub to be rather and
deeply upsetting. And I recycled the abnormal psychology text book which I
found in a plastic bag that was getting wet in front of a dumpster on my way
home from dropping off my tiny mother at the train station. And I cleaned my
fridge and freezer that contain about seven food items, plus ketchup, and I
wiped down the shelf that hold my empty coconut oil jars, and emptied the
crumbs of my toaster that would and will throw up bread forever, even though I always
forget to buy bread and only tend to eat it every six to nine and half days. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxDBZsz7Gq6qeivSQzGsY1kwxJb53NUAIcCoSU-4E84WxSzRMu-x3oiC_l99R1a68jrJHzcuv_nvImoiV2KaSmDh-ipMXGQWkz5D7Sjvt3iq6KBctpvs87yoS8rHmP9Te5AXKZMXgWOsz/s1600/IMG_7088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjxDBZsz7Gq6qeivSQzGsY1kwxJb53NUAIcCoSU-4E84WxSzRMu-x3oiC_l99R1a68jrJHzcuv_nvImoiV2KaSmDh-ipMXGQWkz5D7Sjvt3iq6KBctpvs87yoS8rHmP9Te5AXKZMXgWOsz/s320/IMG_7088.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I consoled the Married Man with the theory that everyone in their thirties
is alone every Saturday night, sorting their Mason Jars and watching Youtube
videos about attachment trauma and dentist-free dental hygiene. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbdQ0Q-hTAvaErg4ngMOubUMu4d8MP1wk9DpnD3wdp4DWrKrmVWB0JYxL1jZem-xKbh-uEkxmaARK5T5ukMzMYGT4vCRfa9f-G2zTSfpoeTfN9pnCAv0D7L5Y-kTKDz4yZgjW5C9b4CSW/s1600/LIBQ2070.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1271" data-original-width="1600" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJbdQ0Q-hTAvaErg4ngMOubUMu4d8MP1wk9DpnD3wdp4DWrKrmVWB0JYxL1jZem-xKbh-uEkxmaARK5T5ukMzMYGT4vCRfa9f-G2zTSfpoeTfN9pnCAv0D7L5Y-kTKDz4yZgjW5C9b4CSW/s320/LIBQ2070.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Re: The Mason Jars, My relatively famous sister is a case in point.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Sentences that start with Everyone are so easy, and kind of my
favourite </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The Youtube video about dentist-free dental hygiene was a bit of a
slog, but I did end up making homemade toothpaste, alone on a Sunday evening. I
poured the toothpaste into a jar, and it looked like a moist and chunky brown
stool sample. Putting the toothpaste into my mouth reminds me a little bit of
cookie dough, and also the questionable mixtures my sister and I used to put
together out of everything we could find in the kitchen and the bathroom, and
we’d call it a potion and serve it to each other in a mug, and say, “if you
loved me, you’d eat this.” My homemade brown stool sample toothpaste tasted
like our childhood potions, but minus the orange juice. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">As I child, I feel I had more access to orange juice than any other
food source. Now I feel totally at peace with the thought of never drinking
orange juice, ever again. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYE9kVq0ayNmJzKmXTzBiRj8PXEoxZ-pbZTp3xBTomfbDhXBBav7CzTupiFucAeAh2Y7G5KmKmm3C2o0jV41IF1pSBqc3s9BLeSGOBT6TTuUzEjg7z5YcAMRwK36kN_StFp5CEx-b5vFSk/s1600/IMG_7107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYE9kVq0ayNmJzKmXTzBiRj8PXEoxZ-pbZTp3xBTomfbDhXBBav7CzTupiFucAeAh2Y7G5KmKmm3C2o0jV41IF1pSBqc3s9BLeSGOBT6TTuUzEjg7z5YcAMRwK36kN_StFp5CEx-b5vFSk/s320/IMG_7107.JPG" width="240" /> </span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzuXHNBa9jWFaGSa9BohOePKeRVUMFUALPW6Cro25I0OX2IwNelbrTkE2d7Q4tLh83VISxmEfCZC1PwpUE_PnjCF-EF0dLfjvrmQkChWg_HvC4zXxWtuIwxMPz6qEXnaskIfk1IbG0OIU/s1600/IMG_7108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzuXHNBa9jWFaGSa9BohOePKeRVUMFUALPW6Cro25I0OX2IwNelbrTkE2d7Q4tLh83VISxmEfCZC1PwpUE_PnjCF-EF0dLfjvrmQkChWg_HvC4zXxWtuIwxMPz6qEXnaskIfk1IbG0OIU/s320/IMG_7108.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Stool Sample Toothpaste + Sister and Me at the Height of Our Potion Making and Exceptional Fashion Sense Era. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The Married Man did not ask me how I made the toothpaste. If anyone is
wondering, I made it out of clay, and diatomaceous earth, which is the hippie’s
defence against bed bugs, plus a few other things I could find in the kitchen,
and this did not include orange juice. </span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The last thing I texted the Married Man was, I don’t see how what I
just made is actually toothpaste.</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I feel this is a reasonable ending.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Happy New Moon!</span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica.</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Do not die of Loneliness! Me and Imaginary Vincent would love to hear from you! Send your letters to the secret address, ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"></span><br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2G-JhcKGl4mz0hbGrv2R_dgOIymXNHWMQ0J0OtTIFp9JyJesOZBKBshzAzDjl2g5rD90rZ-uvUO3BL3WwG_4FSWRpJ2X0Du5weexAzdo9bj2CjNB2T8REeduXZuqohyphenhyphenvbRrmDtkUVF6j3/s1600/IMG_7099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2G-JhcKGl4mz0hbGrv2R_dgOIymXNHWMQ0J0OtTIFp9JyJesOZBKBshzAzDjl2g5rD90rZ-uvUO3BL3WwG_4FSWRpJ2X0Du5weexAzdo9bj2CjNB2T8REeduXZuqohyphenhyphenvbRrmDtkUVF6j3/s320/IMG_7099.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Do not die of loneliness!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: @deepcleanswitherica</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/08/the-magical-rock-vagina-cleanse-by.html">The Magical Rock Vagina Cleanse</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, </span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black;">It used to be that the last time I felt home was in a tiny blue penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th avenue of the 3rd stage of a neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/10/dear-vincent-when-i-get-really-upset-i.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, When I get really upset, I need to be seen, heard, felt and loved by someone whose dick has been inside of me. Or else you.</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/08/dear-vincent-looks-like-you-got-some-sun.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Looks like you got some sun.</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-18677296141088125332018-05-10T17:51:00.000-03:002018-05-10T17:51:18.237-03:00Dear Vincent, It is Mental Health Awareness Week and now I am going on 33 years old and just about two decades striving to earn my Mental Health Certificate, or, even better, my Mental Health Prize<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It is Mental Health Awareness Week and now I am going on 33 years old
and just about two decades striving to earn my Mental Health Certificate, or,
even better, my Mental Health Prize. Some might say these perpetual and
frequently neurotic efforts have made me far too obsessed with myself and quite
frequently, I would tend to agree. And then every once in a while I think, well
and oh well, all this had made me a reasonably eccentric and vaguely lovable
and fascinating creature with very Shiny Chrome and almost impeccably clean
windows, and liberating fashion sense, and an interesting sentence every once in a while. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhDmqgrG53b-3bUfcgJ8x9XaAArD8yS0qKHffndZW8EJ8XAYKsCl1IjqAJxsJ4ciaWAQTzU33jAuftLAM8DxptsvjMSx1cOslT1m1xXigNJUxVmJj9X7limicwPOTLetOFklQSpOJriui/s1600/birthday..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhDmqgrG53b-3bUfcgJ8x9XaAArD8yS0qKHffndZW8EJ8XAYKsCl1IjqAJxsJ4ciaWAQTzU33jAuftLAM8DxptsvjMSx1cOslT1m1xXigNJUxVmJj9X7limicwPOTLetOFklQSpOJriui/s320/birthday..jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">These days I am thinking about how if you are suicidal or deemed
psychiatrically at risk, you are more or less stripped of your human rights and thrown into
a room all by yourself for 72 hours, often restrained. I doubt this is very
helpful at all. In fact, I think it is terrible. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">And I am not really sure about Borderline Personality Disorder. I kind
of think that Borderline Personality Disorder is like the irritable bowel
syndrome of psychiatry. When I eat too many carrots, I get diarrhea, and this
does not mean there is anything particularly disorderly about either me or my
bowels. Something similar happens with too many grapes, or spoonfuls of coconut
cream, and chocolate covered almonds, and all of the legumes. I won't say anything else about
this except that, I have a saying that goes, Clap Loud If You Believe in
Borderline Personality Disorder. The correct response is, a whole bunch of
devastating dad jokes. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The other thing I feel very aware of is that everything can change in a
flash and though you might have all the champion strategies and an excellent
network in place, life might still unravel rather tragically. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">On Tuesday, as I sat in a park, I saw three kids playing with a bright
yellow sponge bob square pants ball. They thought that it would be a brilliant
idea to throw the ball into the middle of the pond. One of the little girls
changed her mind about the brilliant idea and when she saw the beloved ball in
the middle of the pond, she let out an indelicate weep. The little boy say,
"Don't worry it will come back." But he didn't do anything, he just watched. And in
fact, one or two times the ball did come back and the children giggled with
delight. Then the third or fourth time, the ball got stuck a couple metres from
the edge of the pond. So Indelicate Weeper sobbed some more and Don’t Worry
It Will Come Back shrugged his shoulders and just waited. But the other little
girl, maybe 4, said “I’m gonna find a stick.” With the stick, she could reach
the ball, and everyone giggled in delight again. And this went on until after
one throw, the ball ended up just a little too far for I’m Gonna Find a Stick to
reach it. So Indelicate Weeper sobbed and Don’t Worry It Will Come Back
shrugged his shoulders. But four-year-old I’m Gonna Find a Stick wouldn't give
up and she found some bigger kid and asked her, “Can you help me get the ball?”
And the bigger kid said yes, and she could. And the ball came back to the edge
of the pond and everyone giggled in delight until it was time to throw the ball
once again. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">What I want to say to people who struggle, and this is a lot of us, is,
keep reaching however you can. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Reach out to me, or to Imaginary Vincent at ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">p.s. Vincent is my therapist and I have that thing where you love your therapist, and I get to see Vincent every other Wednesday.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5Yshb561z8ZpCTSXaA1pXJW0tpRKgG4reeh8f8SrvqlZhDiB3yOkaSJhXjY-JifvUd2lEPIxWeC9GMk1uRvfJMXPUwxezbq82ogZ-Xtcpgk61tnOllBCbg9lxIQX3dqCLpzh-CO6-PBz/s1600/IMG_7009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5Yshb561z8ZpCTSXaA1pXJW0tpRKgG4reeh8f8SrvqlZhDiB3yOkaSJhXjY-JifvUd2lEPIxWeC9GMk1uRvfJMXPUwxezbq82ogZ-Xtcpgk61tnOllBCbg9lxIQX3dqCLpzh-CO6-PBz/s320/IMG_7009.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">This is your strange and beautiful life</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</span></a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: @deepcleanswitherica</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/08/dear-vincent-thank-you-for-responding.html">Guillaume, Part Two</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/08/dear-vincent-thank-you-for-responding.html">Dear Vincent, Thank you for responding to my hysterical phone call.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/08/dear-vincent-thank-you-for-responding.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, This is a hungry ghost.</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/12/dear-vincent-this-is-what-dead-inside.html">Dear Vincent, This is what the Dead Inside Man says about killing yourself.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-90425715231575535752018-05-03T08:40:00.002-03:002018-05-03T08:42:10.432-03:00Deep Unyielding Depression, Part Three<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I had a mood swing.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">My apartment smells like chicken.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I'm cleaning my windows.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Send your letters to me or to Vincent to the secret address ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. </span><br />
</span></span></span><br />
</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGUzCEcWPTeLT5MHp1YQ2LJS6tnLIdGn_IS8W6nAjTnp7y3eXtHLQoUjoXIrf5GoTTtIgsyNQ3B8msYQuwdjVYsYNAbAeN1rFdO6bhYAVvPWbyowfYnP9CXl3TBmy1i5gZKTuNly9BLXd/s320/IMG_6980.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I had a mood swing.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyGUzCEcWPTeLT5MHp1YQ2LJS6tnLIdGn_IS8W6nAjTnp7y3eXtHLQoUjoXIrf5GoTTtIgsyNQ3B8msYQuwdjVYsYNAbAeN1rFdO6bhYAVvPWbyowfYnP9CXl3TBmy1i5gZKTuNly9BLXd/s1600/IMG_6980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a></span></span></span></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;"></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_F1OeJKuJ9eTxkIcuDvRDUCR7xHQnQrEAvsiq1k-muH-tEkyr9xIC9lcbafHPdld3YCUpy_0J1EHSq4wBDPD3LrOFLKulK0t6OTNTqLwCft7FhuMPXVVa05y5WdOj7W4QYuvlfzrn_Ilg/s1600/IMG_6979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_F1OeJKuJ9eTxkIcuDvRDUCR7xHQnQrEAvsiq1k-muH-tEkyr9xIC9lcbafHPdld3YCUpy_0J1EHSq4wBDPD3LrOFLKulK0t6OTNTqLwCft7FhuMPXVVa05y5WdOj7W4QYuvlfzrn_Ilg/s320/IMG_6979.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;">Instagram: @deepcleanswitherica</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2016/04/deep-unyielding-depression.html"><span style="color: black;">Deep Unyielding Depression, Part One</span></a><br />
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2016/05/deep-unyielding-depression-part-two.html"><span style="color: black;">Deep Unyielding Depression, Part Two</span></a><br />
<a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></a><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/04/dear-vincent-it-used-to-be-that-last.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, It used to be that the last time I felt home was in a tiny blue penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th avenue of the 3rd stage of a neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.</span></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-45960741180873684532018-04-29T20:26:00.000-03:002018-06-09T22:21:40.081-03:00Dear Vincent, It used to be that the last time I felt home was in a tiny blue penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th Avenue of the 3rd stage of a neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">It used to be that the last time I felt home was in a tiny blue
penthouse apartment in Mysore, India on the 10th avenue of the 3rd stage of a
neighbourhood called Gokulam in November of 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside the blue walls, the apartment had brown
plastic lawn chair furniture and a stained squishy mattress that I once was
afraid had bed bugs when I woke up one morning with scattered bites across my
forearms after I’d left the windows open all night long. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFpyg1sHDpbQ4BYNtFVPQ0VAAgHW8RWVLwDA30WcWWVhXaOFvga6NjHURp5ZZnqwFjz_OTi7nNExCBxdH1Q0e7xSZOxE1nkQ5hceoZD_52AtfCzvhvyDEk7ZuavFT3S6Aba99nb66ifX7/s1600/IMG_6967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixFpyg1sHDpbQ4BYNtFVPQ0VAAgHW8RWVLwDA30WcWWVhXaOFvga6NjHURp5ZZnqwFjz_OTi7nNExCBxdH1Q0e7xSZOxE1nkQ5hceoZD_52AtfCzvhvyDEk7ZuavFT3S6Aba99nb66ifX7/s320/IMG_6967.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Outside my tiny blue Mysore penthouse
apartment, I used to go out on the roof top and sit under the sky and my
clothesline whenever the moon was fully full or fully new, even it was only two
o’clock in the morning.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">And I felt home at 3998 Boulevard Lasalle from August of 2007 until
July of 2010 and I wrote all the yamas and niyamas on the wall with tempera
paint which I have since given away as I do with many items nearly
pathologically. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">If anyone is wondering what the yamas and niyamas are, they are in the
yoga sutras, and their meanings are infinitely debatable but, some people say
yamas are things you are not supposed to do. For example don’t steal or have
too much wreckless sex. And some people say niyamas are things you are supposed
to do. For example, clean your own fucking house. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The Yama and Niyama wall included a painting of a mushroom and a turtle
and an umbrella and each of these items were lumps of a similar stature and
shape, with different arrangements of dots or limbs or handles, or a stem. And
there was a black and white baby picture of me and my father when my father had
long black hair and a beard like a hippie. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpRORjOmRcXsOxM59U17HwOLC-JkiLxKc2i12c7ma0otm7iISf2IHcXzRzEBdU0jzN5OyXLpz58RnF9NrAp-E-MkBuE3gRNVA19qUIIQUdg0W8V85ST_RxXsDjtoltP0OsA2cA0yH8ten/s1600/silhouette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1533" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpRORjOmRcXsOxM59U17HwOLC-JkiLxKc2i12c7ma0otm7iISf2IHcXzRzEBdU0jzN5OyXLpz58RnF9NrAp-E-MkBuE3gRNVA19qUIIQUdg0W8V85ST_RxXsDjtoltP0OsA2cA0yH8ten/s320/silhouette.jpg" width="306" /></span></a></div>
<div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">On another of wall on Boulevard Lasalle, in tempera pain, I traced my
body and filled in an impossibly colourful silhouette of myself. Beside it I
wrote, I Let Go, by Erica J. Schmidt and now the impossibly colourful
silhouette and the words I Let Go by Erica J. Schmidt are both part of my
life’s humble mythology which is in fact not free from illusions or delusions
or cravings for grandeur. Or clinging. Or wishing that somehow I will end up
sitting on one of Oprah’s comfy green chairs in the middle of the forest. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I want to let go again. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OgZLEAbQwimnSk4iS-tBjWKyPTeLw2lFE_7LHEAs14wCLUBfrVX9caNwggSastdLFNkf2mGLuU22SNA9BRHYNgmVoyOVwcG7QUOxPNvXjzGt_pRC6nFT_AiBxhAJNKNkLprReeCvsat8/s1600/IMG_6968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OgZLEAbQwimnSk4iS-tBjWKyPTeLw2lFE_7LHEAs14wCLUBfrVX9caNwggSastdLFNkf2mGLuU22SNA9BRHYNgmVoyOVwcG7QUOxPNvXjzGt_pRC6nFT_AiBxhAJNKNkLprReeCvsat8/s320/IMG_6968.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">An ugly floral couch is getting drenched outside my window. I wanted to
let you know that my visit with my mother was a low to medium-grade success. She brought
two packages of expensive artisanal granola. And when she saw my wall of smelly
marker sentences and drawings, the first thing she did was laugh at your quote,
which is scrawled beneath my symbolic and disappointing pelvis. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“I’ve heard worse,” by Vincent<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>#*#*#*#. You were referring to a couple’s post-partum and deteriorating
sex life, and it makes people think of all kinds of things. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“I’ve heard worse,” read my mother, and she laughed so hard. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCi-pOGvs0sHQ_nlVb_JJIesZdo_rHTWCH76OA4iRg48vZV1SJTcaVtMUTQFzTq6V9OtK5zz_RSlCauDTKsb9JnhYTQbY-p_Y8zpEBwTwSTPpFMQoZE2q-9UhBekMP8i5cYGeAR2cEkprB/s1600/IMG_6964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCi-pOGvs0sHQ_nlVb_JJIesZdo_rHTWCH76OA4iRg48vZV1SJTcaVtMUTQFzTq6V9OtK5zz_RSlCauDTKsb9JnhYTQbY-p_Y8zpEBwTwSTPpFMQoZE2q-9UhBekMP8i5cYGeAR2cEkprB/s320/IMG_6964.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">In my life’s mythology, I get lost at the Toronto zoo when I am two or
three years old. I get lost at the zoo, and Mommy breaks down. I am wearing a little
blue dress, and probably the dress has flowers on it.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Let’s go this way,” I tell my family, and I walk down a sunny
boardwalk, not knowing that no one is following me. Behind a fence stand
tigers, and people are patting them like horses. I am not afraid, not at all. A
frumpy, olive-skinned woman with voluptuous hair says, “You come with me.” So I
take her hand. Suddenly, I am in my mother’s arms, my face next to her painful
protruding collar bone. Her face is broken and she weeps, as though she might
melt and disappear. Mommy is breaking down. I have no idea how to deal with
this and conclude that I must be far too large for a mother who is so tiny.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJojdiUqghTKE7efFc9QGwVUqXIHPJgEd4qDDDIO5oHa8vZodTHI3dt94KXOge1D2kc6YIm6bsD-H6bByRezops-IJnqR_v0NZP6gLQ_5U2zWeeYK_4pj1J4uYxdJefaiA6wJjJIPKxtC/s1600/IMG_6974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJojdiUqghTKE7efFc9QGwVUqXIHPJgEd4qDDDIO5oHa8vZodTHI3dt94KXOge1D2kc6YIm6bsD-H6bByRezops-IJnqR_v0NZP6gLQ_5U2zWeeYK_4pj1J4uYxdJefaiA6wJjJIPKxtC/s320/IMG_6974.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">This morning I walked my mother from my house all the way to the train
station. On the McGill campus, we passed a tour of beautiful teenagers who
might have big dreams about going to university and changing the world, or who
might just be going along with the whole thing. There was a frail-looking kid who
was using a motorized wheelchair and it looked like he had to breathe through a
tube of oxygen. The sight of him made my mother weep. Her face broke and it
looked like she might melt and disappear. I never know how to deal with this
and felt that I must be far too large for a mother who is so tiny. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Just seeing him in that chair with all those kids standing up.”</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Some people might have replied, “Yes, I know. It makes my heart hurt
too.” When your heart hurts, it means that your heart is an excruciatingly
compassionate and empathetic and loving and giving place. I’m not sure my heart
is exactly that kind of place all that often. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I have no idea how much that kid didn’t want to breathe through a tube,
or if he’d rather be standing up, but it didn’t quite hurt my heart because he
might actually really love his life. So I told my mother about all the people I’d
met who breathed through tubes or worse, or who stopped being able to walk when
they were twelve, and who didn’t want people to feel sorry for them, and who
went to summer camp and university and made tons of friends and kayaked and
played hockey and when they broke their legs, they thought it was funny cause
they couldn’t walk anyways. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Lots of those kids do great,” I said. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“How do you know all this,” said my mother. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">By the time we’d crossed Sherbrooke street and were in front of that
weird yellowy statue of a crowd in front of the Laurentian bank, my mother wasn’t
crying anymore. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Your head might say, I can’t wait to be dead, when really a dissociated
snack will do just fine.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">At the train station, I drank some of my feelings with a coconut latte.
Walking home, it started to rain, and on Durocher Street, I found a course pack
on Abnormal Psychology getting wet in a plastic bag in front of a dumpster. And
I ripped out the Walt Whitman the Henry James sections of some other course
pack on a specific topic about American literature that I have already
forgotten. And there is a story called, Rappaccini’s Daughter in which a young
scholar who is named Giovanni has a tendency for heartbreak and sighs heavily
by the end of the first paragraph.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The first article in the abnormal psychology book is about a kid with
autoimmune encephalitis, and this caused psychosis and despondency and a bunch
of neurological dysfunctions. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Perhaps in another lifetime, I will be one of those people who stores
granola in Mason jars purchased specifically for this purpose, sprinkling the
granola over yogurt every now and then, instead of using it to replace all meals
for approximately two days. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">In Song of Myself, someone has circled in pencil the line, </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">And that a kelson of the creation is love. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I would have switched the lines </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">after kelson </span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and after creation </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">and maybe after is. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It occurred to me to Google, “Walt Whitman racist” and in fact, Walt
Whitman did write a number of terribly racist things.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">From a footnote I learned that a kelson is a basic structural unit, </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">semi-colon, </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">a reinforcing timber bolted to the keel of a ship. And the keel of a
ship is a backbone. Whoever circled the line also drew an arrow and wrote, love
keeps the world steady. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Soon after that, there’s the section where the child asks, What is the
grass, and Walt Whitman doesn’t know what to say. He’s not sure. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The person with the pencil says, Green is the colour of hope.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Green is the colour of hope, and we’ve all heard worse. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">You might sometimes wish you were dead </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">when, </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">really a dissociated snack will do just fine.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Send your letters to me or Vincent to ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. I will be out of granola very soon. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><div align="center" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpkSXshxPYvL7uHR10DYk9r2tpIqi2VbwdTjN3yjAfZ_4OfGKXKRe6pJQdQEzcUVV_RX5Xh05CDNyYcRvNAf5mFElLc98bZFu7QAX9JWdXID8KakcehhnGGvrxo9rlvRDwxpFZsmMImAg/s1600/SZLI3619.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpkSXshxPYvL7uHR10DYk9r2tpIqi2VbwdTjN3yjAfZ_4OfGKXKRe6pJQdQEzcUVV_RX5Xh05CDNyYcRvNAf5mFElLc98bZFu7QAX9JWdXID8KakcehhnGGvrxo9rlvRDwxpFZsmMImAg/s320/SZLI3619.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"><span style="color: black;">IG: @deepcleanswitherica</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2015/05/not-separate-from-all-that-is.html"><span style="color: black;">Not Separate From All That Is</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/04/dear-vincent-i-went-on-my-adventure.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, I went on my adventure. Everything is green. I love you.</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/11/dear-vincent-some-other-vincent-coerced_20.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Some other Vincent coerced me into a blowjob.</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></div>
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-7818315447424218182018-04-07T18:58:00.000-03:002018-04-07T18:59:47.691-03:00Dear Vincent, I went on my adventure. Everything is green. I love you. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent, </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I went on my adventure.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Everything is green.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I love you.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I found this perfect poem on somebody’s fridge. The poet was eight
years old, or maybe less. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">It’s very boring, but many people don’t have anything on their fridges.
I recommend animal postcards, ironic magnets, artwork from children whose insides match their outsides and fortune cookie fortunes. Everything is green. You
are broad minded and socially active. Land is always in the minds of flying
birds. I do not recommend Happy Couple wedding invitations, or Happy Family Christmas
newsletters.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Recently I discovered that the best thing to clean the front of your
fridge with is dish soap. No need for bottles of poison labelled with skulls
and cross bones and the words, “keep out of reach of children.”</span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Once I cleaned a house called Happy Times. Every corner of Happy Times
was some kind of museum. Mannequin and Strange Doll Museum, Bad Harlequin
Museum, Endless Stacks of Records on a Ping Pong Table Museum. I cleaned Happy
Times for three days, ten hours per day. Outside the fridge, it was covered with
middle-aged masters swimming ribbons, 35 years of photo booth photos, grocery
store receipts, baby pictures, and every ex-girlfriend’s every pet and child at
every stage of life. Inside the freezer was a Ziploc bag that housed a budgie
named Budgimagar. Budgimagar had been dead for at least five years. To
taxidermy his body would have cost at least three hundred dollars. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapEm2DBDugzvqAKoAf4E3-kOwqqba-l9Q4AFKdxHCb6d1_gGO5IhV69znhHL-nLZ67oNG7Atf2Erw88JwXdsoAzVdx_JQnBbHusUVOCFYVzMyh-oyPCJzO5lJzCtzUh-gpcVqaUPPXXop/s1600/budgie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="588" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapEm2DBDugzvqAKoAf4E3-kOwqqba-l9Q4AFKdxHCb6d1_gGO5IhV69znhHL-nLZ67oNG7Atf2Erw88JwXdsoAzVdx_JQnBbHusUVOCFYVzMyh-oyPCJzO5lJzCtzUh-gpcVqaUPPXXop/s320/budgie.jpg" width="294" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I decided not to post a photo of Budgimagar in a ziplock bag. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Before I left, I wrote on the on the back of a mountain goat animal
postcard. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Dear Fraser,
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">How come you don’t have any pictures of me on your fridge?
<span style="color: black;">
</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I wanted to remind you that you do not need to buy any more edamame
beans. Or salsa.
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Also, your dead budgie’s corpse is in the freezer in the basement.
<span style="color: black;"></span><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Love, Erica. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOijXX60ycyGn0zSaG3SVraL5bBm0veCGR74BZIVq9mS_ZV2HjqhxPcXRVwcDe8pI6l6P4M05uANbwibT420wHL_IkquIjopAHLYDzMwzeXm3GXoq1E6K5UgfMKgyoa7XGtjfj76rKA1w/s1600/IMG_2908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOijXX60ycyGn0zSaG3SVraL5bBm0veCGR74BZIVq9mS_ZV2HjqhxPcXRVwcDe8pI6l6P4M05uANbwibT420wHL_IkquIjopAHLYDzMwzeXm3GXoq1E6K5UgfMKgyoa7XGtjfj76rKA1w/s320/IMG_2908.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I hung the postcard on the fridge under a picture of a dog in the snow
and above a bicycle magnet and a photograph of an ex-girlfriend’s four-year old
child who is now a grown man. Fraser did not see the postcard for at least six
days. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Once I met a child whose insides matched her outsides, and her shirt
also matched the sky.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Guess what, Ercica?” she used to say. She'd point to her shirt and say, “Blue.” Then point to the sky and say, “Blue!” </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Er-ci-ca,” said the girl whose insides matched her outsides. “Are you
proud of me?” She pronounced proud like an elementary school student whose
music teacher had just explained the importance of accentuating your vowels
while singing in the spring concert. Proud with wow inside of it. PrOWd. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">The girl whose insides matched her outsides had just silkscreened a t.
shirt. The blue and green and yellow puddles of paint made a sail boat on
squiggles of water, and a tree on an island and a cloud that rhymed with proud
with a wow inside of it. And the best kind of little kid sun, that’s just a circle
with huge rectangular rays coming out of it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">“Yes, I’m SO proud of you,” I said. And I was. Proud with a wow inside
of it. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">On my fridge, I have three circular magnets of flamingos doing yoga. For
a period of time, one of the magnets held up a list about of the three things I
knew about my therapist, Vincent, you, at that time. There was something to do
with how Vincent likes citrus and apples, and how Vincent does not recommend
cooking with a crock pot as the excess moisture might interfere with flavour.
And you were learning to stand on your head, and this warmed my heart. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Now I know that when you first became a psychologist, you ate too much
trail mix and this wreaked havoc on your liver. And I know that you are 38 years old, and that you are not
amazing at doing your lunch dishes promptly after you eat, and sometimes you even
leave them on your dusty filing cabinet until the next day which is somewhat
questionable, as is objecting to cooking with a crock pot. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">I eat an extensive amount of trail mix, and last October, I took down
the list of the three Things I Know About Vincent, and this made me vaguely
Proud of myself, kind of like I feel after I take out the recycling and most of
the cans of coconut cream are more or less rinsed out. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Now the front of my fridge is three drawings from children whose
insides match their outsides, a birthday card from my friend who loves me just
the way I am, the Swadisthana sex chakra, the magnets of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bendy flamingos doing yoga, magnets my mother
sent me in a care package, and a fortune cookie fortune that says, “Happy
events will soon take place in your home.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">They say the stock market is starting to swoon. Inside my freezer there is compost, homemade vegetable broth, and one third of a bag of edamame beans. Tonight I am going to a
BBQ, but until then the kind of Saturday I am having is a Blob Saturday. Everything
is green. I love you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Erica.</span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Send your imaginary and un-imaginary emails to Vincent, or to me. The secret email address is ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com.</span> </span></span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8837frrKMWQV7FqvEzfgOIjoTwodooeRvEHNa0CA3G8iqz2kkSTL5dhgqYU66ulmwIgeg-KB1JhofIbcoKLZ2Uw8IcbVbhf5uXdDKFdYNehZ7UIki1L30whewKtU5VTUKqnOhhGRNIV2/s1600/IMG_6818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8837frrKMWQV7FqvEzfgOIjoTwodooeRvEHNa0CA3G8iqz2kkSTL5dhgqYU66ulmwIgeg-KB1JhofIbcoKLZ2Uw8IcbVbhf5uXdDKFdYNehZ7UIki1L30whewKtU5VTUKqnOhhGRNIV2/s320/IMG_6818.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Everything is Green.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</span></a> (@deepcleanswitherica)<span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ericahippiethreads/?fref=ts"><span style="color: #2288bb;">Montreal Hippie Threads</span></a> (@mtlhippiethreads)</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Instagram: montrealhippiethreads</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2016/10/yours-til-im-post-modern-literary-genius.html">Yours Til I'm a Post-Modern Literary Genius</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/01/dear-vincent-on-thursday-january-4-2018.html">Dear Vincent, On Thursday, January 4, 2018, I did not end up flying to the edge of Newfoundland and embarking on a long westward frigid and impossible walk across Canada in my boots that tend to become damp and cold within seven to 98 minutes of putting them on for the benefit of everyone’s mental health which feels like an emergency and also chronically neglected and in memory of Simon Girard who jumped off the roof of Sherbrooke Street’s le Tadoussac on Sunday, January 4, 2015.</a></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/03/dear-vincent-this-is-hungry-ghost_89.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, This is a Hungry Ghost.</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-65234102624223376142018-04-06T10:15:00.002-03:002018-04-06T10:15:56.130-03:00Dear Vincent, In my heart, I feel quite strange and lonely. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">In my heart, I feel quite strange and lonely. A strange and lonely
thing to do is to attend a Silent Book Club where everyone sits silently and
reads whatever book they are reading and we all bask in vague intellectual
smugness and the beautiful potential we each possess before we open our mouths.
In my youth, I used to impose an extensive reading list upon myself. Everywhere
I went, I’d insist on devouring books that were meant to enhance my mind.
The Second Sex, or Margaret Atwood, or failed attempts at the Odyssey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the metro, walking down the street,
through every empty moment, in any empty chair or living room.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">How joyful was that? </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">I’m not sure. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">These days I do not read as extensively, or, as voraciously. But
sometimes I try.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Last night on my way to the Silent Book Club, I dropped off a bag of
extraneous clothing in front of a Donation Depot on Bernard Street. I tend to
give away all my extraneous possessions nearly pathologically. Further down
Bernard Street, I passed an older man and woman who were coming out of Lester’s
where apparently they serve the best French fries in Montreal and once I saw my
friends consuming enormous slices of yellowish cheese cake. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The older man said, “Well that would take away from the treat for when
we get back.” I did not know what the treat was, or where the old couple was
going, or if they’d already returned and had just consumed the treat together.
But somehow, his words unravelled my strange and lonely heart and I wept
reasonably delicately for about seven lonely steps on Bernard Street. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlyXSEfy_iDY9KnhhYy8-IJH0pwBb0N2hH1aSWr4B3P-F9TDgTQpK9Wx6ZERE03MPKyBTI_mhX6i2g5qQPz5EHnZZnBHJbSub_nn4O6ps8AITj7hb7FMw5_ycmJLyjcq-3nOKauyrYM_o/s1600/this+book+will+save+your+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="274" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlyXSEfy_iDY9KnhhYy8-IJH0pwBb0N2hH1aSWr4B3P-F9TDgTQpK9Wx6ZERE03MPKyBTI_mhX6i2g5qQPz5EHnZZnBHJbSub_nn4O6ps8AITj7hb7FMw5_ycmJLyjcq-3nOKauyrYM_o/s320/this+book+will+save+your+life.jpg" width="208" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B001QIGZD6/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1">This Book Will Save Your Life by A.M. Homes</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">In the book I read at the Silent Book Club, the main character’s name
is Richard. An enormous hole is taking over Richard’s back yard and is causing
a structural catastrophe to his vast and fancy house. And Richard has begun to
go to a doughnut shop every morning. The book is called, This Book Will Save
Your Life by A.M. Homes. One evening at the grocery store, Richard comes upon a
woman who is weeping between the lettuce and the tomatoes. The woman weeps
because she is thinking about the salad she prepares her family every night and
the salad has two kinds of greens and lovingly selected tomatoes and chick peas
and a meticulous salad dressing, and her family does not seem to give a shit.
There are so many salads like this out there, and so many strange and lonely
tears in cereal aisles, or somewhere between the lettuce and the tomatoes, or in
seven lonely steps somewhere on Bernard Street. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Now I am on page 126 of This Book Will Save Your Life. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5cv5nWVnVmoceKx8DR2pDV_N9Bh9GM9zQffC5LbOEyHXVkWvPY-aoUpDrJ7d396gq4Nj8ISepL-KuS2EdVMUWHZg1176is2u1FpTZgupCtGNdGpKUkzKqYUquJoO62vdImf85qbzH_-d/s320/Doughnuts.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Doughnuts, from my friend Shayna</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW5cv5nWVnVmoceKx8DR2pDV_N9Bh9GM9zQffC5LbOEyHXVkWvPY-aoUpDrJ7d396gq4Nj8ISepL-KuS2EdVMUWHZg1176is2u1FpTZgupCtGNdGpKUkzKqYUquJoO62vdImf85qbzH_-d/s1600/Doughnuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"></span></a><br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">I have an aversion to French Fries because in Grade Six French class we
learned that <i>10 frites ont 110 calories</i> and this seemed excessive. And I
have an aversion to doughnuts because someone told me they take three days to
digest, and they seem far too sugary and hollow.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Send your imaginary and un-imaginary emails to Vincent, or to me. The secret email address is ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. You can tell us about your favourite doughnuts, or the books that saved your life, or else your strange and lonely heart. </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBiQ1IN5YxmgpklcIlhVjQwF1k9LG9R_jRCwXAkIWqO8dV039lkobHG5lti2XvFx1gSq8r5VLoSYPxI72NI90SDEo4eLHc7yd9kYxsA54Ydr9HRkBixj5Xr91Ix__UkJyoHb3Sd7j66KH/s1600/IMG_6806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWBiQ1IN5YxmgpklcIlhVjQwF1k9LG9R_jRCwXAkIWqO8dV039lkobHG5lti2XvFx1gSq8r5VLoSYPxI72NI90SDEo4eLHc7yd9kYxsA54Ydr9HRkBixj5Xr91Ix__UkJyoHb3Sd7j66KH/s320/IMG_6806.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Strange and lonely solace from the Drying Rack</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">(April 4, 2018)</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/drawnandquarterly"><span style="color: black;">Follow the Drawn and Quarterly on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)<span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ericahippiethreads/?fref=ts">Montreal Hippie Threads</a> (@mtlhippiethreads)</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Instagram: montrealhippiethreads</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2015/05/rideshare-sterilization-and-doughnuts.html">Rideshare, Sterilization and Doughnuts</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2016/06/taes-floats-your-boat.html">Taes floats your boat</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/07/dear-vincent-are-you-lonely-do-you-have.html">Dear Vincent, Are you lonely? Do you have a pain body?</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2012/03/exalted.html">Exalted</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-56255794782770596622018-04-05T09:35:00.000-03:002018-04-05T09:35:04.857-03:00Dear Vincent, I will not be a robot. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="off">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="off">
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Dear Vincent,<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">What I retain from yesterday's session is how my whole life is a sad
fantasy and if you were a cleaner, you would feel like a robot. Yesterday, as I
cleaned, I felt deeply tragic. Then I translated a rush press release about making
3333 pairs of yoga pants out of 20,000 plastic water bottles. I took a mushrooms dose
and called the Dead Inside Man. I woke up at 4:13 a.m. and the tragic feeling
had not lifted. The crisis center said it was okay to cancel my faraway,
polyamorous client. On Facebook I found a French podcast about depression
and being self-employed. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Death is certain. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">Its time is uncertain. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span></span></span></span></span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">I </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">will</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">not </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">be</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">a robot.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><span style="color: black;">
</span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEufUE-276hjZssB1X9fps5X1PqHq506vrJaQS3cNUO1hzunLTXCnwHFtsaemkJtJc9VzTEg_xalP0D2z_4ZMcnVBsr6CdRNc_ejmkcpGTYxm8G6CrCA3VJpIv7ErCEQY4u4newL8XlNTt/s1600/IMG_6769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEufUE-276hjZssB1X9fps5X1PqHq506vrJaQS3cNUO1hzunLTXCnwHFtsaemkJtJc9VzTEg_xalP0D2z_4ZMcnVBsr6CdRNc_ejmkcpGTYxm8G6CrCA3VJpIv7ErCEQY4u4newL8XlNTt/s320/IMG_6769.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">I will not be a robot.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">The Dead Inside Man says it's all just dumb fun anyways.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Best wishes for a dumb-fun-filled day,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">Erica. </span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Send your imaginary and un-imaginary emails to Vincent, or to me. The secret email address is ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. Yay dumb fun. </span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1p6P1jhgFrsm_afTet-jeyw65fBtKW0-JtG8e_lE1zFDRHefgtPLmtJaJI2nE82JmQVVDlE6QMuJUaXZe5_YFnTWhwMr8tbGAjEJTYF9dsjSCwEZn5F4uKfJjjI-z5r__ZqFhvQgPwAY/s1600/IMG_6671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy1p6P1jhgFrsm_afTet-jeyw65fBtKW0-JtG8e_lE1zFDRHefgtPLmtJaJI2nE82JmQVVDlE6QMuJUaXZe5_YFnTWhwMr8tbGAjEJTYF9dsjSCwEZn5F4uKfJjjI-z5r__ZqFhvQgPwAY/s320/IMG_6671.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Yay, dumb fun.</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)<span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ericahippiethreads/?fref=ts">Montreal Hippie Threads</a> (@mtlhippiethreads)</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Instagram: montrealhippiethreads</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/02/dear-vincent-everyone-is-one-with-birds.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Everyone is one with the birds except for me.</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2016/04/five-days-of-creative-recovery.html"><span style="color: black;">Five Days of Creative Recovery</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2018/03/dear-vincent-this-is-hungry-ghost_89.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, This is a Hungry Ghost</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-4407768811221238642018-03-29T09:48:00.001-03:002018-03-29T09:48:27.236-03:00Dear Vincent, This is a Hungry Ghost. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent,</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span></span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">This is a Hungry Ghost. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-u5ChW-bZUtLCiKwMH0LQHplBI6pLxbiq7O_fQoELE5B5pnLrZv0m3DZLz7-pFMZNJOEWa_RQUfUxteqwtoGjVwmdDtT18awlSVa7k7O1PN-3EVya13jL4lY97g7wIZ2AclWKzEhyURaL/s1600/IMG_6726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-u5ChW-bZUtLCiKwMH0LQHplBI6pLxbiq7O_fQoELE5B5pnLrZv0m3DZLz7-pFMZNJOEWa_RQUfUxteqwtoGjVwmdDtT18awlSVa7k7O1PN-3EVya13jL4lY97g7wIZ2AclWKzEhyURaL/s320/IMG_6726.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Dear H. Ghost</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">Hungry Ghosts crave more attention than is available. They mourn and
wail and wallow more than is reasonable. Hungry ghosts are not happy for their
friends, or for the bright-eyed shiny rich entrepreneurs on Facebook. Their
feelings and cravings are more enormous and grotesque than what you would
envision in your ideal picture of yourself. Starving your hungry ghosts does
not exactly work. Somehow you still have to feed them. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">I heard that every few weeks, Chinese monks escape over the monastery
walls to get drunk on some disgusting vodka. And that the serene meditators of
California go out for an obligatory burger and fries after their retreat. So
they wouldn’t get too pure. So their hungry ghosts would not get too hungry. I
love these stories.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;">My hungry ghosts are eating unwashed carrots out of the bag. They are not
quitting coffee, or folding the hanging laundry within an acceptable amount of
time. They are dreaming illusions of grandeur and longing to jump into bed with
someone impossible. They have not forgiven my perfectly darling mother. They
are naked and hungry and lonely and sad and still somehow beautiful. And
somehow, you still have to feed them. </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman";">
</span><br />
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">Love, Erica. <span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="color: black;"></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Send your imaginary and un-imaginary emails to Vincent, or to me. The secret email address is ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)com. Love to you and your Hungry Ghosts. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Fe13iDnAUQKUziTo2JASh97oNeOJ2lmvMgk2dFIMC_f9OfhPtAPJQAbXIBnRCJY_jgfSsNKGL0bu1mg3w6L7jUR-A1f2ESAf39JhHMwylIUrbv_hj5bQ_aOOiS492uNPBtwn7glU0KIh/s1600/IMG_6632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Fe13iDnAUQKUziTo2JASh97oNeOJ2lmvMgk2dFIMC_f9OfhPtAPJQAbXIBnRCJY_jgfSsNKGL0bu1mg3w6L7jUR-A1f2ESAf39JhHMwylIUrbv_hj5bQ_aOOiS492uNPBtwn7glU0KIh/s320/IMG_6632.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Compost and Me</span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)<span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ericahippiethreads/?fref=ts">Montreal Hippie Threads</a> (@mtlhippiethreads)</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Instagram: montrealhippiethreads</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/07/dear-vincent-are-you-lonely-do-you-have.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, Are you lonely? Do you have a pain body?</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/04/today-is-holy-thursday-and-meditating.html"><span style="color: black;">Today is Holy Thursday and I'm having a holy hell of a time meditating</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/11/dear-vincent-i-was-floating-on-joy-of.html"><span style="color: black;">Dear Vincent, I was floating on the joy of feeling seen, heard, felt and loved by you, last Tuesday, November 21</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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</span><br /></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6015650646418342582.post-72294482445583967742018-03-19T12:42:00.000-03:002018-03-19T12:42:25.286-03:00Dear Vincent, Yesterday was the seven-year anniversary of me not puking in my mouth, or in the toilet.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Dear Vincent,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday was the seven-year anniversary of me not puking in my mouth, or
in the toilet. I had big dreams of writing a beautiful and redeeming poem, but
then it turned out to be one of those days when I had to surrender to the
humbling yet life-saving magic of cutting myself a break and grabbing a
sandwich and a nap. At least there was some reluctant dancing. And in my head the
poem goes something like this,</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Seven years later</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">still not as grateful </span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">as Oprah.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The ghosts are still hungry.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">It was beautiful of you to imagine that this might have been any
different.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">And brave that you walked on anyways.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Love, Erica. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Send your imaginary letters to Vincent to ericaschmidt85(at)gmail(dot)(com).</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8LnJaY_YK7M0CN3v9fV-KcTvgCwoRluCU-tSCHpSm_gRsO3JV2S_UZkejeqvA9mMCWNGlrhrvMW6l9mIfa-TxF9Gaaby5xtF3lbEZcnxRRRB4RdCnffYZF96dnRgjCpec010eP6xz9QW/s1600/IMG_6720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI8LnJaY_YK7M0CN3v9fV-KcTvgCwoRluCU-tSCHpSm_gRsO3JV2S_UZkejeqvA9mMCWNGlrhrvMW6l9mIfa-TxF9Gaaby5xtF3lbEZcnxRRRB4RdCnffYZF96dnRgjCpec010eP6xz9QW/s320/IMG_6720.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">With Love to your Hungry Ghosts</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/exuberant.bodhisattva"><span style="color: black;">Follow Erica J. Schmidt on Facebook</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mypelvicfloor/"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">Exuberant Bodhisattva on Facebook</span></span></a></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007H97154/ref=as_li_tf_til?tag=ecstaadvenoft-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B007H97154&adid=0RWCN79YSH0NXSQH20ZC"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;">I Let Go</span></span></a><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Bodhisattva Business Ventures:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/deepcleanswitherica/?fref=ts">Deep Cleans by Erica J. Schmidt</a> (@deepcleanswitherica)<span id="goog_2110950503"></span><span id="goog_2110950504"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ericahippiethreads/?fref=ts">Montreal Hippie Threads</a> (@mtlhippiethreads)</span><br /><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Instagram: montrealhippiethreads</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2015/05/not-separate-from-all-that-is.html"><span style="color: black;">Not Separate From All That Is</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2015/06/the-benefits-of-ashtanga-yoga-practice.html"><span style="color: black;">The Benefits of an Ashtanga Yoga Practice, Part Two</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><a href="http://exuberantbodhisattva.blogspot.ca/2017/04/fat-days-for-boys.html"><span style="color: black;">Fat Days for Boys</span></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></td></tr>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Twitter: @mypelvicfloor, @littlesavage2
Exuberant Bodhisattva's Fan Page
The Little Savage and the Hermit
My Self-Help Book, "I Let Go."</div>ExuberantBodhisattvahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01789210840512529095noreply@blogger.com0