I've always LOVED that story/photo of Jane Fonda being stuck in her awards dress because she couldn't get it unzipped alone. Hysterical but relatable!
I'm curious what challenges you didn't anticipate until you lived alone?
Has anyone started their Camino in Paris? I'm interested in a bit longer Camino and looking at various "further away" starting points.
I've been on YouTube for 2.5 weeks and have published a total of 5 videos.
My latest video (published 2 days ago) only has 70 views and a dismal 1.1% CTR. YIKES!!!! Should I change/update my thumbnail?
I can't get tickets to the actual stadium but I'll be in NYC and still want the vibe and energy. I've heard Buddy's and Legends are great sports bars to watch the matches.
Any other suggestions? Preferably with a HUGE TV!
I've posted 5 videos so far. Currently editing my 6th. My (48F) niche is lifestyle with a focus on solo living in NYC + solo travel.
Every time I film, I'm convinced my footage is crap. I don't think I got enough content. Or maybe it's boring. Or not aesthetic.
But now that I'm learning the magic of editing, even my "crappy" footage is enough to create something. That "something" may not be perfect - usually produces about 6 minute videos if I'm lucky - but once it's all finished, I'm actually happy with it.
I didn't realize the emotional rollercoaster that comes with starting a YouTube channel. Has that taken anyone else by surprise?
One thing that is heartbreakingly real: the longer Tony is gone, the fewer restaurants there are left that he visited and/or recommended.
I live in NYC, so there are still a few. But that list is shrinking. Many have closed. And for the ones that have remained open, the name of the restaurant is the same but the chef and food have drastically changed.
I walk past the former Les Halles quite a bit. Restaurants have routinely opened then closed at that location. Chez Francis was actually pretty good but it's gone now, too. And watching that location struggle to keep its doors open - a place that used to hold so much energy and promise - is sad.
This is normal with the passing of time, I know.
But it reminds me how much I miss the world with Tony in it.
She almost made it to her 12th birthday and I'm grateful for the years we had. I spontaneously adopted her when she was only 4 months old. My first (and only) dog.
Having a puppy was HARD! I had no idea how much it would change my life and it was a rough adjustment. But we endured. Love grew. Lives intertwined. She was part of every moment of every day.
In her final months, something seemed off. She wasn't quite herself. Vet said her bloodwork looked normal but I didn't give up. I knew something was wrong. We finally got a neurology appointment and the MRI results shocked us all: not one but two brain tumors. One was so large the doctors were surprised her symptoms weren't more severe.
But she declined quickly.
I knew it was time.
I didn't want to wait until she was in agonizing pain or too sick to eat.
I've spent the last 6 months trying to find myself again. The first two months felt raw, always on the verge of tears, the sharp pain of grief cutting through everything.
That pain has changed. Now it's a dull ache that I'm always aware of but doesn't drown out the rest of life. Tears still come but not as often.
I've traveled more. Gone out after work. Taken up a new hobby. Daily reinventing what my life looks like now.
I miss her most when I drop food on the floor (I had no idea I was such a messy cook when she was no longer there to clean up after me!). And when I walk into the apartment after work. I feel like her spirit still greets me sometimes.
She visits me in my dreams once in a while.
She'll always be a part of me. Always the largest part of my heart.
Sending love to everyone going through this. It's one of the most painful things I've ever experienced...but it does get better.
I'm 48F; never married/no kids. I've noticed over the past couple years that people are more openly nosey and comfortable asking THOSE questions.
Of course, there are the standards: who will take care of you when you're old? Don't you get lonely?
But the one I REALLY hate: "why are you still single?"
At my age, I've not had someone ask me that in a while. But last night: BOOM! There it was. THAT question.
I have a pretty standard answer. But I'm curious how others would answer it. And how the question makes you feel in general.
I created my channel 4 years ago. Talked about it, thought about it, but never actually DID anything.
Last month, I finally shot my first video. Taught myself to edit. Posted it about 10 days ago.
Since then, I've posted 3 more and have another one scheduled.
Now that I've FINALLY started, I feel kind of obsessed. I'm always thinking about the next post, or watching videos about better editing. I even dreamed about it last night.
Has anyone else felt hyper-fixated like this after you started?
I'm getting the hang of filming and editing (I do travel videos). But holy lord, I'm already SO TIRED of the sound of my own voice!
Does this happen to anyone else??