smothered in hugs

today i ran into my friend claire on the street, but since she was headed in the opposite direction we basically just said our hellos and goodbyes and i gave her a hug, with like an extra squeeze at the end. which apparently i do a lot, as claire then noted, and marla (who was with me) followed by describing as "creepy." granted, i think she was speaking of hugs in general, but the fact is that i do enjoy a good hug with a friend and don't always let people go easily. it's like, you think you're getting away? oh no, there'll be at least five more seconds of hugging, and then i'm probably going to nestle my head into your neck too (varies depending on height of course; if my head comes up to your elbow you may get a few pats on the back instead). in any case, i like hugs and once put serious thought into considering whether i'd rather get a hug or a kiss at the end of a first date.*

so, yes, what others find creepy and smarmy (perhaps justifiably) i find comforting and welcome. what is particularly ironic and annoying to me is that all of my dearest friends take marla's stance on hugs. and, of course, these are really the only people in the world that i want to hug and be hugged by, save perhaps britney spears in her downward spiral... that girl just needed a friend. anyways, so unless my mom comes to visit i am rarely hugged for months on end, leaving me so starved for this affection that i love that i end up drunkenly hugging people at parties, like a sozzled cat.

but the thing is, sometimes just beeeeeeee-ing yourself, like the genie says to Aladdin in the 1992 animated film of the same name, means coming off as slightly creepy or cheesy or corny or foolish to some people, and there's really nothing you can do about that. so to all those i love, i shall NOT apologize for hugging you! i love you. ergo, hugs. hugs for you.**

also, this is kind of a perfect opportunity to post a song by a band called smothered in hugs (like the guided by voices song) that i like called "young flare." so i will.

smothered in hugs - young flare

* barring considerations such as attraction, compatibility, and how the date itself went, my conclusions were basically as follows: hugs — comforting, yes, but perhaps a tad dispassionate. kisses — potential for passion certainly, but also for awkwardness and herpes.

** unless you like, really, really hate them and they make you hideously uncomfortable. in which case, i will respect your wishes and NOT hug you. just so you know.

then suddenly you're puking out the door with your pants around your knees


i was thinking about my theme song today. i've had this song (jason collett's "almost summer") as my theme song since i first heard it in 2006, and the truth is it's no less true to my life today than it was three years ago. or ten years ago, if it would have been possible to have heard a song from the future when i was seventeen. another truth is that, really, it should have stayed the theme song for a seventeen-year-old girl, but for some reason even though i've aged, and moved, and gone to school and worked at jobs where i don't have to wear a name tag, i'm still kinda seventeen, relationship-wise.

so you know, like occasionally i'll wonder if it's finally become time to move on from this song, if it's stopped applying to my life, if i even like listening to it anymore... and then i'll remember that incident during the summer of 08 (say) when i got way too drunk, told someone i liked them, and then promptly walked into a telephone poll.

so the song stays. or, like the dude, abides.

jason collett - almost summer

photo: marla warner

garance doré

i have to admit that my style is pretty generic. as much as i love clothes and spend a lot of time thinking about how i should dress, the truth is that i usually play it pretty safe, clothing-wise. however, in my fantasy life (or maybe i should say in one of my fantasy lives, for i have many), i'd have the great skin and style of the people featured on une fille comme moi, which is a really lovely blog from french illustrator garance doré. she posts a mix of fashion illustration and street style photos, and i think if you like clothes, or you like pictures, or if you like clothes and pictures, you should check it out. it used to just be in french, but now the posts are also translated into english. which is helpful, seeing as i took french in school for about twelve years and yet can barely speak a word of it now.

i've included some of my favourite photos below. as i'm always impressed by/secretly, corrosively jealous of people who can pull off a look that is, in essence, pretty simple without also looking boring, i would happily knock over any of these people and steal their style and their no doubt delightful parisian lives. i like croissants.






all photos property of garance doré, from www.garancedore.fr