52 Comments

Cintra writes:

"This was the elusive, ineffable thing I had been missing, all those years — shining moments with total strangers."

Cintra has done it again:

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Lovely, charming, and relatable. Living in a large city is So Freeing after experiencing a rural bubble. A word of advice, however, from the roadmaps on this crusty old bartender's legs: support hose. You can thank me later.

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You're gonna run that town in six months, tops

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Hahahaha! I agree!

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Even for the most extroverted of us, it's still quite daunting to move cross country. And you've survived doing it 3 times! Glad to see that this last time paid off for you in personal contentment and a sense of community, Cintra. You deserve to be happy.

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Lovely. The change has done you good.

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Bay Area refugee living in rural northern Nevada….here. Jeeze, what a rich description of the urban experience contrasted with Marin county. I left the South Bay for 1986 Denver living in a loft by the river, freezing my ass off but having a real neighborhood bar with the vibe that you described. Thanks! And…nice painting.

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This is diamond-sharp. Thank you.

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What a lovely reply.

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They need u on 60 minutes as the New n Better version of what ANDY ROONEY was doing.....Cuz this is Artistry, right??

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So goddam good it makes me think, under the right circumstances, a wine bar might not actually be such a bad place to be.

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So glad you're out of fucking Marin.

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You must go to prospect park before winter! I’ve been exactly once, and was blown away by the diversity of humanity. My fav being 2 adorable twenty something girls selling homemade pot brownies directly next to the adorable Girl Scout troupe selling non-homemade cookies, both tables screaming at all the passing grannies to buy theirs first. I loved this so much.

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from halfway across the world, these recent posts about your new life have been making me feel like i might actually be on the way of a new, better life at some point as well. i want the shining moments with total strangers more than anything! i suppose it's something you slowly figure out how to get. thank you for the hope, Cintra!

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This is super ! Send it to "the New Yorker" and to the NY Times -start a bidding war.

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I was so pleased to read this, Cintra. I think you are where you belong, and that moment of “I-Thou” connection described by the philosopher Martin Buber is the most satisfying thing humans can do. Well, one of them..

My heart just swelled for you, Dear.

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Martin Buber reference? A+ from I to Thou. I love him.

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YES!!! my master, my teacher, Leon Berkowitz of the Washington color school taught me all about that. Leon was actually quite the Mystic. Thank you for noticing

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Washington color school?! Wow! I am merely Dr. Steward, Professor, but you, sir, are Dr. Heinz, Buber-quoting color school graduating hero!

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STAAAAHP….I’m a rusty ‘65 muscle car, running on only 2 cylinders and I leak when it rains. And I smoke too much.

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Gorgeous moments ❤️🔥

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You are so cool.

Oxo

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