Hygiene & Beauty

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Eleven Months Later

Altadena, CA. Nearly a year after the Eaton Fire carved its way through the foothills, the town is still living in its shadow. Eleven months sounds like enough time for life to snap back into place, but for many families, the calendar doesn’t match reality. People are still scattered across borrowed bedrooms, spare couches, and motel rooms that were never meant to be home. Entire neighborhoods feel like they’re holding their breath.

Dec 30, 2025

I need clarification

I need clarification before Yelp thinks I’m reviewing a criminal enterprise. I went for my very first massage today. The therapist, an older Asian lady, had me fully undress, get under the sheets, and then promptly ignored the sheets like they were optional décor.

I asked a counsellor

Hey Gary, I’m staying in a safe house right now, and some of the routines here are different from what I’m used to. I’ve looked for information, but nothing is written down, and when I asked one of the counsellors, they suggested I write to you directly. So I’m hoping you can help me understand this better. I know you’re supposed to change your underwear every day, but what about t-shirts and socks? Is that every day or every two days? And what about other clothes? Should tho

Officially the girl with the stank breath

Dear Uncle Gary, Mid-hookup, this guy just stops and goes, “Yeah I think I’m done, your breath stinks.” I was mortified. Like crawl-into-the-earth-and-disappear mortified. I left immediately, didn’t say a word, just dipped. Thing is, I looked good that night. Full glam, full confidence, full-course-meal energy. But apparently my breath said “leftovers.” We’ve known each other for months, and now I’m sitting in this Uber wondering—did I just ruin everything over one bad breat

I could use a little perspective.

My fiancé is super particular about cleanliness; he showers daily, sometimes even twice. Meanwhile, I tend to shower every other day and wash my hair every 3–4 days.

Clean, Confident, and Consistent: A Hygiene Routine That Works

I know what you’re thinking: “Is Uncle Gary really about to give me a hygiene lecture like I’m thirteen and just discovered armpits?” Not exactly. I’m not here to shame anyone, and I don’t think young men are roaming the earth in a cloud of funk and confusion. But I’ve seen what happens when structure disappears, when the dorm replaces the dining room, and nobody’s around to say, “Hey, maybe wash your sheets once in a while.” This isn’t an intervention. It’s a nudge. A remind

Aesthetic Fluidity and the Currency of Adaptability

The Premise Let’s start with a truth that’s not universal, but it’s gaining traction: In 2025, financial and social success often correlate with being “aesthetically fluid.” It’s not a law of nature, but it is a cultural undercurrent. And it’s worth unpacking. Aesthetic fluidity isn’t just about fashion. It’s about adaptability. Authenticity. The ability to define your own identity while navigating environments that still judge you by how you show up. What Is Aesthetic Fluidi