Here comes march …
Spring, is that you? We feel like the sun is coming. The warmer weather makes us dream of our next vacation, so grab our Travel Kit to plan your trip. March brings in several religious holidays, plus a few rowdy celebrations like Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day. And if you haven’t done your taxes yet, the deadline of April 15 will come here sooner than you think.
Tuesday, March 4 - Mardi Gras
Wednesday, March 5 – Ash Wednesday; Lent begins
Saturday, March 8 - International Women's Day
Sunday, March 9 – Daylight Savings Time begins; move your clocks forward
Friday, March 14 – Holi
Monday, March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
Sunday, March 30 – Eid al-Fitr
Start thinking about …
Saturday, April 12 – Passover begins
Tuesday, April 15 – Income Tax Day
Sunday, April 20 – Easter; Passover ends
Sunday, May 11 – Mother’s Day
Monday, May 26 – Memorial Day
Sunday, June 15 – Father’s Day
Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth
Let’s read “All the Single Ladies”
March marks Women’s History Month and March 8 is International Woman’s Day, so there’s no better time to read a book that celebrates single women through history: “All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation” by Rebecca Traister. The 2016 book covers it all – economics, sex, friendship – and we’ll read a portion each week. Here’s what we’ll cover throughout the month:
Monday, March 3 - Chapters 1 and 2
Monday, March 10 - Chapter 3
Monday, March 17 - Chapters 4 and 5
Monday, March 24 - Chapters 6 and 7
Monday, March 31 - Chapters 8, 9 and 10
Join us!
SoloStories: “Hacks”
SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
You don’t like Deborah Vance or Ava in the Max comedy series “Hacks,” but you learn to love them.
“Hacks” is the Emmy-winning comedy about Ava (Hannah Einbinder), a young comedy writer who goes to work for Deborah Vance (Jean Smart), a comedian and entrepreneur in her 70s. Many films and TV shows focus on relationships between couples or family members. “Hacks” is that rare show that is about a multigenerational mentor-protegee relationship. Both are single – Deborah is divorced with one grown daughter and Ava, who is bisexual, is finding her way through various relationships.
In some ways, their relationship is like a romantic comedy that takes them through bonding periods (we loved the “One Day” episode in season three) and fierce arguments. But at its heart, it’s about two independent women. They both stand up for themselves and they know how they want to live their lives. Deborah hasn’t given up on hosting her own late night TV show. Ava wants her to use her voice through comedy.
“Hacks” is made by the same team -- Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky -- who made the other great TV show, “Broad City.” The third season, which won in the best comedy category at the Emmys, ended with a great cliffhanger that will get them what they both want – but Deborah and Ava’s relationship will be intense. We can’t wait to watch it.
#SOLOSTORIES: “The Midnight Library”
SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
Nora Seed, the main character of Matt Haig’s “The Midnight Library,” is at the lowest point of her life when she enters the Midnight Library. With each book she opens, the music store employee begins a new life.
In those pages, she becomes a scientist who faces polar bears in the Arctic Ocean. Then she’s an Olympics gold medalist in swimming who works as a motivational speaker. In another book, she’s a rock star. But then, she is married to Ash, a surgeon, and is the mother of two children.
“Library” brings answers to the questions many humans have – what if our lives turned into a different direction? What if we pursued a different career? What if that relationship turned into marriage? For single women, it’s a question that pops in our mind often because having a family is an experience that wanders through our minds – and society often looks down on being independent.
Haig’s writing paints a vivid picture of all Nora’s lives. But he does it without judgment – every choice brings interesting perspectives and relationships. And humans have to power to create their paths. As the book says, “She just needed potential. And she was nothing if not potential. She wondered why she had never seen it before.”
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YOUR GUIDE FOR FEBRUARY
February is a quick month, but it’s also slightly annoying. With Valentine’s Day, it’s a celebration for couples. And the cold weather makes you feel stuck inside. But you can give yourself love by celebrating with friends or treating yourself. And you can do plenty of things indoors – warmer weather and the Memorial Day holiday will arrive in a few months, and it’s the perfect time to plan for a trip using our Travel Kit.
Thursday, Feb. 13 – Galentine’s Day
Friday, Feb. 14 - Valentine’s Day
Saturday, Feb. 15 – Singles Awareness Day
Monday, Feb. 17 – President’s Day
Friday, Feb. 28 – Ramadan begins
Start thinking about …
Tuesday, March 4 - Mardi Gras
Wednesday, March 5 – Ash Wednesday; Lent begins
Friday, March 14 – Holi
Sunday, March 30 – Eid al-Fitr
Saturday, April 12 – Passover begins
Tuesday, April 15 – Income Tax Day
Sunday, April 20 – Easter; Passover ends
Sunday, May 11 – Mother’s Day
Monday, May 26 – Memorial Day
Listen up: great podcasts about the single life
If you love a good podcast, and you want some tips on the single life, then there’s several podcasts that are waiting to be loaded onto your phone.
The "Three Single Women" podcast combines the talents of a trio of podcasters: Pip Brown, who hosts “One Single Woman,” which looks at the social conditioning of the single status; Rachel Beck, host of “The Feisty Heroine,” which offers empowering discussions; and Lucy Meggeson, host of “Spinsterhood Reimagined,” which “celebrates all things single, childfree, and personal growth.”
“Solo: The Single Person’s Guide to a Remarkable Life" by Peter McGraw offers advice on a plethora of topics from the behavioral scientist and author.
“Seriously Single” by Briane Hogan examines everything from dating to traveling.
"Well Enough Alone" by Australian Jill Stark looks at the solo life from the psychological perspective, as well as practical tips on topics such as budgeting.
If you’re divorced, "This American Ex-Wife" by Lyz Lenz examines life after marriage from a political and sociological perspective.
#SoloStories: “How To Die Alone”
SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
In the Hulu series “How To Die Alone,” Melissa Jackson died for three minutes while assembling furniture.
It helps her come alive.
Mel (played by Natasha Rothwell, who created the series and wrote some of the episodes) is a 40-something New Yorker who drives the cart at JFK Airport. She watches passengers come and go from their trips, but she has never flown before.
She has few friends, and her job is taking her nowhere. As a fellow patient tells her, there are three kinds of death – “physical, when people stop caring about you, and the worst kind is when you stop caring for yourself.”
When her ex-boyfriend invites her to his destination wedding in Hawaii, she sees it as opportunity to fly – both literally and metaphorically.
She admits she was “comfortable being small” and she didn’t take risks. So she applies for a management program and takes a flight simulation. “You’re shaking things up like a handful of sunflower seeds,” a pal tells her.
Mel has a lot in common with Sam from “Somebody Somewhere,” and you want to root for her. But Mel also makes some choices that can be frustrating and painful to watch. The episodes become easier as Mel begins to see the rewards of her hard work.
The ending is sweet – until it ends with a shocking twist that demands a second season.
Rothwell, who also appeared in “The White Lotus” and “Insecure,” was inspired to write the series after her own near-death experience. This is a show that reveals hard truths about life, but it also shows that taking risks can bring some great pleasures.
THE KIT YOU NEED WHEN YOU’RE SICK
Being sick is no fun and it’s especially annoying when you’re on your own and there’s no one to baby you. Here’s a list of supplies to keep handy in case you come down with a cold or flu.
Keep some medicine in your cabinet, such as Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil Cold and Flu Medicine and Afrin No Drip Severe Congestion Maximum Strength Nasal Spray. Store other supplies, such as Kleenex Trusted Care Facial Tissues and Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup. Also, the Welly First Aid Kit, which includes bandages, ointments and ibuprofen, is useful to have in case of minor accidents.
And, if you find yourself sick at home alone without any medicine, you can always use a home delivery service, such as Instacart, to bring the supplies to you. It’s better than having to drudge to the drugstore.
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The books you need to find, then love, a job
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to find a new job or advance in your career, we got a few book recommendations that can help you out. Our New Life Starter Kit features checklists to help with your job search.
Ladies Get Paid Ladies Get Paid: The Ultimate Guide to Breaking Barriers, Owning Your Worth, and Taking Command of Your Career by Claire Wasserman
Wasserman, the founder of the Ladies Get Paid newsletter, features advice on getting jobs and promotions, negotiating your salary, and getting over perfectionism and imposter syndrome. The book also includes scripts for networking and touchy subjects, such as asking a friend about their salary.
Power Moves: How Women Can Pivot, Reboot, and Build a Career of Purpose, by Lauren McGoodwin
The book covers topics that help you reexamine your outlook on your career, such as not chasing a “dream job,” and prioritizing self-care by silencing your inner critic. McGoodwin is founder and CEO of the Career Contessa website, which is an invaluable resource for job hunting.
Embrace the Work, Love Your Career: A Guided Workbook for Realizing Your Career Goals with Clarity, Intention, and Confidence by Fran Hauser
This is a workbook, from the startup investor and author of “The Myth of the Nice Girl,” that encourages you to create a career action plan, assemble a dream team of supporters and teaches you how to say “no” to others.
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YOUR ROADMAP FOR JANUARY 2025
Where’s the lie?
It’s January. After all the holiday rush, it’s a nice time to settle in and do as little as possible. But it also can move with the pace of a sloth. So start thinking about spring and all the traveling you can do. Use our Travel Kit to get you started.
If you’re thinking of resolutions, grab our New Life Starter Kit to help find a new job or apartment. If taking care of your health is your goal, our Health Kit can help you keep track of your medical history and appointments.
Wednesday, Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day
Wednesday, Jan. 15 – Quarterly taxes are due for those who are self-employed or have side hustles.
Monday, Jan. 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day/Presidential Inauguration
Wednesday, Jan. 29 – Lunar New Year
Friday, Jan. 31 – Employers must turn in W2 forms by this date, so you can start filing your income taxes.
Start thinking about …
Thursday, Feb. 13 – Galentine’s Day
Wednesday, Feb. 14 - Valentine’s Day
Thursday, Feb. 15 – Singles Awareness Day
Monday, Feb. 17 – President’s Day
Friday, Feb. 28 – Ramadan begins
Tuesday, March 4 - Mardi Gras
Wednesday, March 5 – Lent begins
Friday, March 14 – Holi
Sunday, March 30 – Eid al-Fitr
Tuesday, April 15 – Income Tax Day
Sunday, April 20 – Easter
#SoloStories: “Broad City”
SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
“Broad City” is a show that’s painfully funny.
The comedy, which ran from 2014 to 2019, is one of our favorite TV shows about living life on your own.
“Broad City” follows two best friends in their early 20s residing in New York City. Abbi Abrams (played by Abbi Jacobsen) is an aspiring artist who tries to play by the rules, although that doesn’t always work. Ilana Wexler (played by Ilana Glazer) is … well, let’s just call her quirky. She frequently switches up jobs and romances, but she’s never daunted by what people think of her. (She’s also the character who gave us the line, “In da clerb, we’re all fam.”)
There’s not a situation that they don’t go through – bad dates, annoying “roommates,” perplexing work dilemmas. Ilana makes the best of any situation, and in “Hurricane Wanda,” the show’s best episode, she helps rescue Abbi from an explosive diarrhea attack while her crush is in the next room. (“I’m a doo doo ninja,” Ilana tells Abbi.) They often have to be resourceful, such as finding money when they need it or carrying large objects (like furniture) through the streets of New York. So often, life shoves itself in its face. Even going to the subway is an adventure.
But they have each other. This show is a great example of single women who can handle life on their own, but they also know when to turn to a friend.
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GET READY FOR DECEMBER
It’s the most stressful time of the year! This month is packed with holidays. If you need help with a gift, check out our suggestions that apply for any time of year. (If you know someone who is graduating this month, we recommend out New Life Starter Kit.) If you’re going away for the holidays, grab our Travel Kit. And be sure to winterize your home, car and bookshelf for the cold days ahead. Just remember the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is also one of laziest weeks of the year, so you have that to look forward to. (If you have to work that week, we hope it runs as smoothly as possible.)
Tuesday, Dec. 3 – Giving Tuesday. Support your favorite charity.
Wednesday, Dec. 25 – Christmas
Wednesday, Dec. 25-Thursday, Jan. 2 - Hanukkah
Thursday, Dec. 26-Wednesday, Jan. 1 – Kwanzaa
Thursday, Dec. 26 – Stock up on holiday sales. (Bath and Body Works always has great deals this time of year.)
Tuesday, Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve
Start thinking about …
Wednesday, Jan. 1 – New Year’s Day. Our favorite holiday. No obligations whatsoever. Just sit around the house and be lazy.
Wednesday, Jan. 15 – Quarterly taxes are due for those who are self-employed or have side hustles.
Monday, Jan. 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day/Presidential Inauguration
Wednesday, Jan. 29 – Lunar New Year
Friday, Jan. 31 – Employers must turn in W2 forms by this date, so you can start filing your yearly income taxes.
Thursday, Feb. 13; Wednesday, Feb. 14 and Thursday; Feb. 15 – Celebrate your favorite people and yourself with Galentine’s Day, Valentine’s Day and Singles Awareness Day.
Monday, Feb. 17 – President’s Day
Friday, Feb. 28 – Ramadan begins
Tuesday, March 4 - Mardi Gras
Wednesday, March 5 – Lent begins
create the holiday you want
Illustration by Natalia Lavrinenko.
This week is Thanksgiving week and TV and film – and society – make it feel that you have to spend the holidays with family, and it is going to be fun and festive.
But if you can’t be with family for financial or personal reasons, it’s OK. You now have the power to create the holiday you want.
You don’t have to go anywhere or do any chores. You can sleep in. Eat pizza for breakfast. Read in bed. Binge-watch a favorite TV show. Make a craft. Solve a puzzle. Play music. Relish the freedom to choose what you want to do.
You can go out for a walk. Host a Friendsgiving. Volunteer to serve dinner at a homeless shelter. Go to the movies with a pal. Seize the opportunity to do your favorite things.
If you do have a traditional Thanksgiving, we hope it runs as smoothly as possible. If you work in retail, health care or other industry in which you are busy during the holiday, we send you all the good vibes.
Enjoy.
Our new health kit is here
Our new bundle is out! And the focus is on your health. Preparing for a medical appointment can be nerve-wracking. It’s not just getting examined and tested, it’s all those forms and the bills. Our Health Kit can prepare you. The kit includes worksheets for you to keep in a binder and take it with you for each appointment, so you and your health care provider have access to your medical history.
This kit includes:
Yearly Medical Appointments List
Medical Appointment List
Prescriptions List
Doctors List
Personal Medical History — Vitals
Personal Medical History — Allergies/Adverse Reactions
Personal Medical History — Conditions
Personal Medical History — Surgeries
Family Medical History
Surgery/Medical Procedure Lists
Medical Sick Kit
Resources
Grab it here.
Prepare yourself for the winter days ahead
Illustration by Natalia Lavrinenko.
Winter is coming. It’s already arrived in a few places.
Since it’s a high-maintenance season, you’ll need to winterize several different aspects of your life. We’ve got you covered.
Winterize your car. AAA provides some great tips, as does the Mechanic Shop Femme from Chaya M. Milchtein.
Winterize your home. This Vox article guides you through the process.
Winterize your body. Schedule your flu and COVID vaccines. And being sick is no fun when you’re living on your own, so keep some supplies handy, such as Bayer Aspirin, Advil Pain Reliever, Vicks DayQuil and NyQuil Cold and Flu Medicine and Afrin No Drip Severe Congestion Maximum Strength Nasal Spray. And make sure you have Kleenex Trusted Care Facial Tissues and Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup.
Winterize your wardrobe. If you don’t already, have a good coat, gloves and boots on hand.
Winterize your bookshelf. In case there’s a snow day, stock up on some great titles. We loved “Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner” by Meghan Keane; "The Paris Novel" by Ruth Reichel; “I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself: One Woman’s Pursuit of Pleasure of Paris" by Glynnis MacNicol; and “The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies” by Alison Goodman. Need a fun binge-watch? “Somebody Somewhere” is excellent.
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It’s time for a “Me Party.” It’s Singles Day!
Today is Nov. 11, Singles’ Day in China, and it’s exploded into one of the biggest shopping weeks of the year in the world.
The day was established in 1983 by college students to celebrate their singlehood. Now the Chinese give singles presents and young people get together for parties. A similar holiday, Singles Awareness Day, was established in the U.S. and takes place Feb. 15.
But neither of these holidays have gained much attention in the U.S., even though the proliferation of the internet has created a plethora of seemingly random celebratory days, such as Siblings Day and National Dog Day.
And singles deserve their own party — like Amy Adams and Miss Piggy in “The Muppets.”
Single people, especially those who have just graduated from college, need items to help establish their home. We’d love it for it to be acceptable if we can create a singles registry, such as brides do for their wedding.
Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City did such that in the episode “A Woman’s Right to Shoes.” As she points out, we contribute to bridal and baby showers, weddings, Mother’s and Father’s Day, and other assorted holidays.
And it’s expensive to be single. This 2023 Forbes article notes singletons can’t share the costs of household expenses and food, and it cites a Wells Fargo report that says, “Single women often remain in a more financially fragile position than other segments of the population.”
So, it would be nice for others to give us some gift cards or some fancy bath and body products.
But … this could end up like a Hallmark holiday, where people are socially obligated to buy stuff without any heart behind it.
So we can make it into what we want. Ask a friend if they need help with a chore. Meet up with your single friends and just talk. Or host your own me party.
We do so much by ourselves and for others. We deserve a day just for us.
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Book review: “Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner”
So, are you dating anyone?
Being single is rife with rude questions.
What is wrong with me?
Welp, some of those obnoxious questions come from ourselves.
Writer Meghan Keane, who is the founder and supervising editor of NPR’s Life Kit, tackles the joys and challenges of being single in “Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner.” Society can make being single feel like you’re an oddball, and some of that gets in our head. Keane guides the way through these complicated emotions.
Each chapter explores a different aspect of singledom – from the myth of romantic love to managing emotions – with Keane talking to experts and offering an activity and practice to help you untangle your thoughts and feelings.
The book is comforting, giving wise advice: “You can love your freedom but also want companionship. … No one is grading you on perfect consistency.”
And this: “Sometimes hanging out with people is a drag! You have to make compromises about how much money to spend or what kind of food to eat or how long you’re going to be out. But when you carve our delicious moments just for you … you get to the sole architect of your experience.”
It’s also full of beautiful illustrations from LA Johnson. It’s one of those books that you’ll keep because it’s so nice to look at and the advice is something you’ll want to turn to over and over again.
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Let’s get ready for November
It’s November. This month is going to get busy, then things are really going to speed up. This time of year tends to gobble up energy and finances, so be sure to save some space and money for yourself — especially if you work in the retail or health care sectors. If you’re going away for the holidays, be sure to grab our Travel Kit.
Friday, Nov. 1 – Diwali
Friday, Nov. 1 - Halloween candy goes on sale. Come on, you know you want it.
Friday, Nov. 1-Saturday, Nov. 2 – Dias de los Muertos
Tuesday, Nov. 5 – Elections. Learn more about candidates and issues at vote411.org.
Monday, Nov. 11 – Veterans Day
Monday, Nov. 11 – Singles Awareness Day. People need to start giving us presents.
Thursday, Nov. 28 – Thanksgiving
Friday, Nov. 29 – Holiday sales blast off with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. If there’s any big items you’ve been thinking about buying, make a list and start saving money.
Start thinking about:
Tuesday, Dec. 3 – Giving Tuesday. Support your favorite charity.
Wednesday, Dec. 4 – Bankrupt Wednesday. Just kidding. This isn’t a thing. But it feels like it after all the money you’ve spent.
Wednesday, Dec. 25 – Christmas
Wednesday, Dec. 25-Thursday, Jan. 2 - Hanukkah
Thursday, Dec. 26-Wednesday, Jan. 1 – Kwanzaa
Tuesday, Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve
Wednesday, Jan. 1 – Our favorite holiday. No obligations whatsoever. Just sit around the house and be lazy.
Monday, Jan. 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Monday, Jan. 20 – Presidential Inauguration
SoloStories: “Spy”
SoloStories is our feature in which we explore books, films and TV shows that show single women navigating their lives – but romance is not the main component.
In the 2015 movie Spy, 40-year-old Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) unexpectedly becomes a field agent in this spoof of James Bond movies. She wears a variety of demeaning disguises that stereotype single, loveless women – such as a woman who has 10 cats. For one outfit, she declares, “I look like someone's homophobic aunt!”
But Susan is wicked smart, able to detect enemies in pursuit of a nuclear bomb. “I do not condone these sexy but reckless actions!” her coworker Nancy declares.
With her wits, Susan shows she has great power – going from an invisible middle-aged woman to one who saves the world.
It’s a fun movie to watch when you need to feel empowered and feel good about yourself. This movie has loads of laughs and a great cast, including a cameo from 50 Cent. We wish this had been a franchise.
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It’s time for the tire pressure sign to come on your car dashboard
It’s that time of the year. You start your engine in the morning and one of your dashboard lights pops up. It’s the exclamation point – or, technically, it’s the tire pressure sign – and it often lights up with the change in weather. It’s one of those annoying items you must keep up in life, along with dental appointments and paying your bills.
Get to know your car better:
AAA offers this handy guide about checking tire pressure, along with other information about your car. We also recommend joining a roadside assistance program, and AAA is one of the best.
The Mechanic Shop Femme website and the book, “Mechanic Shop Femme’s Guide to Car Ownership: Uncomplicating Cars for All of Us,” run by Chaya M. Milchtein, has valuable tips, from buying to maintaining your vehicle.
Keep up with your auto with our car care list in our New Life Starter Kit: https://www.solo-list.com/shop.
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