Puzzle pieces

Fitting in has always been a major preoccupation of mine.

When I was a kid, I was never sure if I fit in. As a teenager, I distinctly remember not wanting to fit in, and doing everything in my immediate power to stand out as much as possible.

As I got older, I wanted to fit into a certain size dress which was an increasingly impossible task. And then in my late 20's, I wanted desperately to fit with a guy and the desperation led me to desperate attractions to all the wrong men.

Lately though I have realized that as a puzzle piece, there must be some magnetic property that leads you exactly to where you need to be, if you just let it.

I have this amazing group of friends that I have known forever. We don't need to talk every day, but when we do...it just fits.

I have another sister from another mister. We met through such a convoluted set of circumstances, but I know we were meant to be besties because no one's sense of humor makes sense with mine quite as much as hers does.

And sometimes I think I am lucky enough to find myself in a crowded room full of strangers and magically, the one character that my character can get along with manifests itself, and I have an amazing time.

And sometimes I can get past myself enough to forget the room is full of strangers and immediately every face is friendly, every glance is welcome, and every hand is open.

I have become determined to be myself, and in so doing, have learned that fitting in should never be a struggle. I was made to fit into this world just as I am, and I am delighted to know that no one could fit into my place quite like I can.

Breaking up in any language...

So you know how in cheesy sitcoms all the boys seem to think it's awesome to date the foreign exchange student who's really hot but doesn't happen to speak any English?

Well, I got to fulfill the fantasy, briefly, with a young, beautiful dude from Brazil. He was amazingly sweet despite the fact that communicating with him was nearly impossible. I met him at a dance club, and it took me about 30 minutes before I realized he wasn't super drunk - he just wasn't speaking English. Literally.

Anyways, it came to a point where I couldn't handle being in the absence of adult conversation and decided I would tell him, with the help of Babel Fish, that I couldn't see him anymore because we didn't understand each other, and that was just no good.

I thought a really cut and dry translation would work well, and that would be the end of that.

But even though the words were a little off, and the accent a little jumbled, it doesn't matter, really, what words you use to tell someone goodbye. Guilt, rejection, sadness...they translated better than anything either of us every tried to say to one another. I regret making someone so sad. He probably has so many questions he can't figure out how to ask. And I have better explanations I don't know how to give. But all I know is he was incredibly upset, and I felt like a jerk, and it didn't matter if I was polite and tried my best to say it right. I don't think I needed to say anything at all.

It just sucks.

Mood stabilizers for Denise Richards

Denise Richards used the C word on her new show. I don't know about you, but I kind of feel like if you want to "clear the air" by showing the world you are really a nice person, who is good to her friends and not a husband stealer, the least you can do is not use the C-word on TV, and maybe come up with a better defense than "how does someone steal someone else's husband really?"

Not buyin' it, Denise. Not buyin' it.