18 Comments
User's avatar
Melanie's avatar

You and I share similar hugging personalities. I am absolutely fine with hugs from acquaintances and strangers, but I am never the one to initiate them. If the other person goes in for a hug I am happy to oblige! But I never want to make someone else uncomfortable so I don’t like to assume they are a hugger. My mom-in-law gives like 10 second hugs. After about 5 seconds I am ready to escape! It’s just too much. You shouldn’t hold someone hostage like that! And why is your bear paragraph a diversion?!

Expand full comment
Geraldine's avatar

I don’t think my black bear paragraph was a diversion but apparently my professor did lolol & I feel ya on the too long hugs

Expand full comment
Zoe Shwidock's avatar

The joooooy, laughter + learning that your writing brings me <3

Expand full comment
Geraldine's avatar

Zoe! This feedback makes me feel so glad I publish my little newsletters - thank you!

Expand full comment
molly's avatar

Hi Geraldine :-) I’m not quite sure how I’ve gotten on your email list turned Substack, but you’ve come to be an email I always read. You’re a great writer balanced with information and story, external and internal matters. On topics I love!

Anyways, I want to share about colors since you asked. In previous years, I hated white and pink. I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing them. I was attracted to darker colors, especially purple. Army greens, black, dark brown. Ever since I started dating my partner, I am now attracted to and wear whites and pinks. I had a friend that commented that since I started dating him, I no longer had a protective layer around me, and I seemed to have softened. I see the colors as part of that 💗

Expand full comment
Geraldine's avatar

Dark earth tones to white and pink is such a dramatic shift! Congrats on finding someone you can release the shields around - that is a beautiful thing. Thanks for contributing to my casual energetic color research. White is an interesting one - I have had phases when all I want to wear is monochrome white, which is funny because it can come off a bit cult-ish if you are not careful. It's a particular mood I can't put my finger on quite yet.

Also- thanks for your kind words, they mean a lot to me. Thank you for being here!

Expand full comment
kelly's avatar

It's been awhile since I had a delicious buckwheat pancake, thanks for the reminder and for all your beautiful inspirations. ((( bigg hugs )))

Expand full comment
Geraldine's avatar

I hope you have had a delicious pancake by now! <3

Expand full comment
NanaDebbie's avatar

<3

Expand full comment
Brooke's avatar

I love thinking about phases of our life being associated with a color. Now I’m trying to figure out what color phase I’m in!!

Expand full comment
Geraldine's avatar

Brooke, I need to know! What color are you moving toward??

Expand full comment
kaeleigh terrill's avatar

omg hayden knows what’s up. this reminds me of my favorite breakfast/lunch/dinner in winter which is a japanese sweet potato (ideally but also have done with any roasted squash i have on hand), braggs, kimchi, nooch, and pb. it’s magic 🌱💕✨

Expand full comment
Geraldine's avatar

Yummm that sounds so good! You both have good culinary instincts.

Expand full comment
𝓫𝓲𝔁𝓪's avatar

hahaha @ the hugging norm. i am always the more awkward hug-giver but it is a sweet gesture. i laughed at “its a thich nhat hanh meditation “

i eagerly await the essay on colors! i have a strong will to dress monochromatically (the will doesnt always match the way) and curious what you’ll share w/us 🪻

Expand full comment
Geraldine's avatar

lol yesss a fellow awkward hugger! I’m like “yes…by all means… let us embrace”….

& monochrome is such a strong way to channel color power. I love when it comes together. Maybe the essay will finish baking when I finally do the closet clean out and reorganization I’ve been meaning to do… in the meantime: seeking purple hues and cringing at my bright orange puffy I still have to wear running on cold mornings lol

Expand full comment
Zoe Schlanger's avatar

Love love, happy purple time 🌌

Expand full comment
Geraldine's avatar

I feel like you have known about purple magic for a long time. I’m just starting to learn about it!

Expand full comment
Hannah Maynard's avatar

guess whose getting an eight second hug from this girl next time i see you

Expand full comment