As a senior citizen she retained her deep love of disco and began solving murder mysteries, eventually writing a memoir called The Name of the Dame…

 

(Very rough draft)

The Name of The Dame

Chapter 1: The Glittering Clue

In the heart of London’s swinging '70s, Lady Penelope “Penny” Featherington was more than just a socialite with a penchant for sequins and bell-bottoms. Beneath her bouffant hairdo and oversized sunglasses, she harbored a secret: she was the city’s most dazzling detective.

One evening, as the disco ball spun at Studio Groove, Penny sipped her gin fizz and surveyed the dance floor. Her eyes caught a glimmer—a rhinestone earring, abandoned near the DJ booth. It was no ordinary earring; it sparkled like a thousand Saturday nights.

“Disco divas don’t lose their bling,” Penny mused, slipping the earring into her sequined clutch. She swirled her hips to the beat, her platform shoes tapping out Morse code. The message was clear: “Investigate.”

Chapter 2: The Case of the Vanishing Vinyl

Penny’s next mystery led her to Vinyl Vortex Records, where the owner, Mr. Groovy McSpinster, wailed like a broken record. His prized disco LPs had vanished—poof!—right off the shelves.

“Someone’s pirating my Bee Gees!” he cried, his paisley tie askew.

Penny twirled her feather boa. “Fear not, Mr. McSpinster. I’ll find your lost tunes faster than a disco ball spins.”

She followed the trail of glitter to a nearby alley. There, she encountered a suspicious figure in flared trousers, clutching a disco ball like a forbidden fruit.

“Caught you red-handed,” Penny said, her voice as smooth as a Barry White ballad. “Why steal vinyl when you can dance to it?”

The culprit confessed: “I needed a mirror ball for my living room.”

Penny winked. “Disco crimes deserve a groovy punishment. You’re sentenced to a dance-off at Studio Groove.”

Chapter 3: The High-Pitched Heist

One moonlit night, Penny received a frantic call from Lady Beatrice, the Duchess of Funkington. Her prized disco tiara—a glittering masterpiece—had vanished from her mansion.

Penny arrived at the duchess’s estate, her afro teased to new heights. She inspected the crime scene: broken mirror shards and a trail of glitter leading to the garden.

“High-pitched noises,” Penny deduced. “The work of a cat burglar.”

Sure enough, in the rose bushes, she found Sir Fluffington III, a tabby with a taste for disco glam. He wore the tiara like a crown, shimmying to “Stayin’ Alive.”

“Caught you, Sir Fluffington,” Penny said. “But I’ll make a deal: return the tiara, and I’ll teach you the Electric Slide.”

Epilogue: The Disco Detective

And so, Lady Penelope Featherington danced her way through mysteries, solving crimes with a twirl and a shimmy. She became a legend—the Dame of the Dance Floor, the Queen of Clues.

As Studio Groove played its final track, Penny leaned against the bar, her earring sparkling. She whispered to the bartender, “Keep the disco alive, darling. And remember: life’s a hustle, but the beat never stops.”

And with that, she vanished into the neon-lit night, leaving behind a trail of glitter and unanswered questions.

 If you can find the below online without a paywall or have access to the physical copy of WaPo, it’s worth reading, whatever your dating background, orientation or gender is…

The comments section, in particular, is particularly enlightening but (no surprise here!) there are also a lot of comments I suspect are from incels. 

Given the scary prospects of the future for women, there are also political reasons for being “boy sober.”

I don’t feel very well-qualified to comment on this more (I may be human and have feelings, but I haven’t tried to date in over ten years and I was never very date-worthy to begin with) but somehow this article still resonates with me.

What I want in my dreams...

What I get...

     

I experience very intense dreams (more often, nightmares) every night I am able to sleep. This has been the case since I was at least five and first dreamed of a large spider creaking and clomping down the stairs of my childhood home. For years I have had the below recurring nightmare (not described in detail on purpose) and decided to get help from AI...

AI Therapy

Any advice on helping someone with getting rid of recurring dreams about a high school crush from almost 40 years ago? It doesn't help that this crush was on a classmate of the same gender with whom I had a falling out and never found closure. On the other hand, it's not like I can reach out to her and ask for forgiveness when it was a really bad time in her life and I would possibly be reminding her of that. 

(I think the advice is helpful, but not complete, since I didn't really provide the context of the situation and we were classmates, not friends or in a relationship.)

 

Recurring dreams often reflect unresolved feelings or unfinished business from our past. Given your situation, where the relationship with your high school crush ended without closure, these dreams might be a manifestation of lingering emotions and thoughts.

Here are some strategies to help you cope with and potentially reduce these recurring dreams:

Self-Reflection and Acceptance

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings: Take time to understand and accept your feelings about the past. Journaling can be a helpful tool to explore your thoughts and emotions.

2. Reflect on the Past: Consider what exactly about the relationship and the falling out bothers you. Is it guilt, regret, or simply the lack of closure? Understanding this can help you address the root cause.

Finding Closure Without Direct Contact

1. Write a Letter: Write a letter to your high school crush expressing everything you feel. You don't need to send it. The act of writing can be therapeutic and help you process your emotions.

2. Symbolic Closure: Create a personal ritual to symbolize closure. This could be as simple as writing down your feelings and then burning the paper, or any other act that signifies letting go.

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

1. Practice Mindfulness: Mindfulness meditation can help you stay present and reduce anxiety about the past. Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, or guided imagery can also be beneficial.

2. Develop a Bedtime Routine: Establish a calming pre-sleep routine to help clear your mind. Avoiding screen time before bed and engaging in relaxing activities like reading or listening to soothing music can help.

Professional Support

1. Therapy: Consider talking to a therapist or counselor. They can provide a safe space to explore your feelings and help you develop strategies to cope with recurring dreams and unresolved emotions.

Reframe Your Thoughts

1. Positive Affirmations: Before bed, remind yourself of positive aspects of your current life and self-worth. Affirmations can help shift your focus away from past regrets.

2. Redirect Your Energy: Channel your energy into hobbies, projects, or activities that you enjoy. Engaging in something productive can provide a sense of fulfillment and distract from recurring thoughts about the past.

Consider the Dreams' Messages

1. Dream Analysis: Sometimes, understanding what your dreams might be telling you can be helpful. Reflect on the content and emotions of the dreams to see if there are any patterns or insights.

2. Lucid Dreaming: If you’re open to it, you could explore lucid dreaming techniques. Being aware that you are dreaming can sometimes give you control over the dream narrative, allowing you to change its course.

Remember, it's natural to have lingering feelings about significant relationships from the past, but with time and effort, you can find ways to move forward and reduce the impact of these recurring dreams.