More Red for Blue...

"...always buy something red if you're blue - a lipstick, a dress". (Perhaps an umbrella?)

- NY Times columnist Maureen Dowd's mother's advice, from Maureen's tribute column yesterday, "A Woman Who Found a Way to Write."

Comments

[Michael Nickels-Wisdom]

Ochikon de imasu. ("I feel blue," in, of course, Japanese.)

MNW

[leslee]

Aw. How do you say "So sorry you feel blue!"? And "Maybe you should buy yourself something red!"

[Peter]

..or a canoe!

[Michael Nickels-Wisdom]

Why, I rather enjoy feeling blue. It's one of the bases of good poetry, and good music ("the blues"). Something red sounds okay, though, or something read. :) BTW, check out "Misery's Fogs: Is Depression a diagnosis or a distraction?," _Harper's_, 8/05, p. 89. It's a review of the book _Against Depression_. I come down more on the distraction side of things.

MNW

[Christa Jessico]

Perfect advice...I plan to send your link to my friend Sandie who just heard her job is terminating...she bought a bubblegum leather jacket Sunday and returned it today after getting the news...maybe something red is the answer!

[beth]

Great advice, I think I'll follow it. I don't think Maureen Dowd ever brought tears to my eyes before, although I quite admire her writing, but that column did: Moms.

[leslee]

Thanks, Michael. I'll look for the article. Although I think that real depression is not a creative place and different from "the blues."

Christa: Thanks for referring me to your friend. Hope things work out for her. Yes, maybe she needs to buy a little something red!

Beth: Great article, wasn't it? (I loved her mother's little advice missives!) Must be hard to write such an article, even when you're a professional, and she did a great job.

[patry Francis]

Just wandered here from Via Negativa and found you had highlighted the exact same line from
the piece that I did. I love the concept of a
"Red Badge of Courage"--though it might not have been what Crane intended.

[leslee]

Yes, it was a great way to end the piece, I think. As for whether or not "Red Badge of Courage" fit the original intention, it sounds from her daughter's portrayal that Mrs. Dowd was happy to gloss over such minor details when it suited her! Spunky lady.