Would you take a phone break?

New York Magazine recently ran a story about gadget sickness, or how a phone can drive you nuts.

The other day, Toby and I went on a bike ride to the playground, and I accidentally left my phone at home. While he was playing, I was surprised to see how many times I absentmindedly reached for it before realizing it wasn't in my pocket. It made me realize how much I check it—for really no reason other than habit. (It was the same phenomenon as when you forget to wear your watch and then realize how many times you look at your blank wrist.)

I'm curious: Would you take a break from your phone? Do you have any phone rules? I once met a guy who turned his phone off all day every Saturday. I love that idea! I might try it this weekend. It would be nice to be more present—or just daydream—during those quiet moments:)
P.S. Speaking of daydreaming: What are three things you're grateful for?

(New Yorker cartoons by Liam Walsh)

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It's hard to work at the Onion.

The radio show This American Life has a a great episode where they sat in on an editorial meeting at The Onion. Every week, the comedy writers brainstorm more than 600 fake headlines, but only 16 are picked to run in the newspaper. During the meeting, there's an average of just one laugh for every 100 jokes. Tough crowd! In the interview, the writers explain why some headlines are funny, and some aren't; it's fascinating to hear the nuances.

Here are a few fake headlines that passed the test...

Dolphin Spends Amazing Vacation Swimming with Stockbroker.
Foreign Guy Probably Dressed Very Fashionably For Wherever He’s From.
Man At Salad Bar Has To Say Every Item Aloud As He Adds It To Salad.
Dad’s Been On A Parenting Kick Lately.
Fun-Loving, Laid-Back Woman With A Bit Of A Nerdy Side Joins Online Dating Service.
Pretty Obvious Which Parts Of Wedding Website Written By Groom.
Exercise Ball All the Way Over There.
Eric Clapton Wows Audience with Even Slower Version of Layla.
Two People Who Went To Same College Ruin Evening For Rest Of Group.
Cat Seemed Perfectly Content Right Up Until Point He Bolted Out Of Room.
Mom Spends Beach Vacation Assuming All Household Duties In Closer Proximity To Ocean.
Dad Actually Yelled At That Guy.
Man Still Trying To Find Right Work-Anxiety–Life-Anxiety Balance.
Weird Guy From 2 Jobs Ago Still Liking Woman’s Photos On Facebook.
(Another tough crowd:)

Anyway, the episode was really funny, if you're in the mood. Do you have any other radio shows or podcasts you'd recommend? I have a new thing where I'm trying to go on a weekly walk by myself while listening to radio, just as a little "me time." (Not to be super cheesy about it or anything:) I'd love any recommendations!

P.S. Some funny comics.

(Top photo by Colin via Wikipedia; bottom photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt. TAL episode OfaKind)

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9 crazy things about NYC

NYC was just voted the world’s favorite city. This month was my twelve-year anniversary of living here, and I love it here, too. But NYC can be a serious drag sometimes! (Remember the popularity of this Onion article?) So, although I often point out the positives of the city, in an effort to be even-handed, here are nine things about NYC that can drive you batshit crazy...
NYC pizza tastes like cardboard. There, I said it.
Rats come out when the sun sets. Kids at playgrounds will actually say, "Ok, let's go, it's rat time!"
Summer is humid and blazing hot; winter is bone-chillingly cold.
Many people you know have been mugged at one point or another. (When I was mugged in my twenties, two guys in hoodies came up to me and told me to give them my wallet. In a moment of very uncharacteristic bravery, I actually negotiated with them to see if I could just give them my cash and keep my wallet because I had a Nordstrom gift card from my boss in there! They said yes!)
The average wait time at a West Village restaurant on a typical evening is 90 minutes. 90 minutes!
Everyone's apartment is TEENY TINY. For example, our friends share a one-bedroom apartment with their two kids—the baby sleeps in a mini crib at the foot of their bed and the toddler sleeps in the closet!
As a thirtysomething adult with a full-time job, it’s very normal to not have a car, dishwasher or washing machine (and have to trek to the laundromat).
The city is filled with models. (For example, at the playground this summer, Alex ended up casually chatting with her!) So, you find yourself walking down the street feeling pretty good about yourself, and then you pass a gaggle of these ladies and you're like....oh, well, okay then.
Random things are psychotically expensive. For example, one chocolate-chip cookie will run you $4. One drop-in children's music class is $25. And I ordered a lemonade at a cafe this summer and when the check came it was $10. $10!

But in the end, I can't help it...I'll always love you, New York City.

Anything else to add?? And if you live elsewhere, what's unglamorous about your town? :)

P.S. The Cup of Jo Guide to NYC. Plus, four posts with Gemma Correll: How to have sex, how to eat dinner, how to drink wine and how to feel pretty.

(Illustrations by Gemma Correll for Cup of Jo. Top graphic by Rachel Ball for Cup of Jo. This post was inspired by Anne's awesome series called Unglamorous Paris.)

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White wine drinkers pour themselves the biggest glasses of wine.

Do you like white wine? At 34, I’m totally the old lady who likes Sauvignon Blanc so much that she puts ice cubes in it instead of waiting for it to chill in the fridge. So this new research from Iowa State University was not surprising: When people poured white wine into a clear glass, they tended to pour nine percent more wine than people who poured red wine into a clear glass. When the glass was especially wide, white wine drinkers poured twelve percent more wine.

Bottom line: We white wine drinkers do not mess around.
What's your go-to drink?

P.S. How to keep lipstick off your glass, and Toby craving beer.

(Via Jezebel. Top photo from 30 Rock. Bottom comics from someecards.)

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The first sign of fall.

Made me laugh.

(By Gemma Correll)

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Jerry Seinfeld: How to write a joke

Did you guys read the recent New York Times Magazine interview with Jerry Seinfeld? What surprised me was how obsessive Seinfeld is when writing his jokes. His stand-up feels effortless, but actually "Seinfeld will nurse a single joke for years, amending, abridging and reworking it incrementally, to get the thing just so," writes Jonah Weiner in the article. Seinfeld looks for funny words ("chimps," "dirt, "playing" and "sticks" are all funny, he explains). The joke can't be too long or too short; he'll go so far as to shave off letters or syllables from a sentence to pare it down. Seinfeld also avoids four-letter words, which he thinks are a crutch: "Guys that can use any word they want—if I had that weapon, I’ll give you a new hour in a week," he says.

Here, Seinfeld dissects a Pop Tarts joke he's been working on for two years...It reminds you just how hard it is to make something look easy.

P.S. Have you heard of Seinfeld's online series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee? Including Alec Baldwin!

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