Predictable Affairs

When I first moved to NYC after college, I sought out friendships with goths and relationships with tortured artists. I figured that if they looked interesting, they must be interesting. Turned out that the vintage dressed people were actually boring and dumb. And the tortured artists were just big drunks. It took me a distressingly long time to learn that lesson.

Ross Douthat covers most of the articles and issues that we discussed last week. I'm not sure what Douthat's point is, but he does match up Kate Gosselin with Sandra Tsing Loh's husband. A thoughtful combo.

Last week's chatterers wondered if we are thirsting for something more exciting than middle American conformity. I was at a suburban swim club yesterday, so I get this. But the very public affairs of last week don't seem to be the way to go. There's nothing more predictable than an affair. It's been done so many times. Sanford's love letters are cliche ridden and pathetic. 

So, what are thrill seekers, adrenaline junkies, and those with a very short attention span to do?

Comments

[Amy P]

Host a party where you invite both your cool friends and your uncool relatives and make sure that they mix and mingle.

[bj]

Run for political office, Laura.

[Julie G.]

Yeah, I didn't get Douthat's point either.

I didn't know whether I needed to chide myself for being an "overacheiver" or part of the "overclass" (despite the lack of monetary compensation), celebrate the fact that my marriage and love life are still in the 1950s ('cause no one has an affair?) or bemoan the fact that my post-feminist husband bucks tradition by not being able to put together a saffron risotto.

I guess glossy and vast over-generalizations are not just for David Brooks anymore.

[Doug]

Move to a slightly unstable Second World country? Always worked for me...

[laura]

I don't think he even got close enough to "glossy and vast over-generalizations." That column seem to lack a punch line.

I can't run for political office. Too much incriminated evidence on this blog. Hell, I probably won't even get a job, because of this blog.

[Wendy]

Atrio's reply cracked me up: "Ross Douthat thinks some peoples' sex lives are too hot, some are too cold, and some are just right."

[Amy P]

"I can't run for political office."

Move to Louisiana! That way you can incorporate both bj's advice (run for political office) and Doug's ("Move to slightly unstable Second World country") in a famously forgiving political environment. (Although, wait a second, you're in NJ--you should be totally fine.)