In the last two weeks, 2 different white women in their forties spoke racist comments to me. I have a hunch these affluent white women would describe themselves as liberal, educated, well-traveled, and certainly not racist. White devils abound lurking in unexpected places. The question becomes: how to seize the moment to educate rather than condone or chastise? 
In truth, the first comment was a drive-by, so I didn’t have an opportunity to ask her what the fuck she meant by her derogatory statement. 
Still feeling the resonance of the oversight, when the next bigot bomb dropped from a second source, I was more prepared with a rebuttal. At first I asked what she meant by what she said, then I asked her why she felt that way. I let her explain her experience, and tried to point out both her hysteria and complicity in the situation she described. Did I drastically change her views and prejudices? Perhaps not, but I would consider it a small victory if her notions infinitesimally shifted in a less hateful direction. 
White people make me tired. Maybe it’s just these unrelenting 5:00 am mornings? Naaw, it’s the white people.
I got the sweetest email day before yesterday from Demeter Clarc reader Cora.
Cora, before you even get into formatting and hosting decisions, you have to ask yourself a hard question. Can you create enough content to nourish the site everyday? A website of this nature requires enormous commitment. If you want traffic, you must post. No excuses.
Personal taste dictates most formatting decisions. Despite numerous substantial offers, I’m not interested in selling advertising space. Demeter Clarc is an exercise of free speech. I’m against corrupting the site with commercial interests or renting any real estate to bottom feeders. When I recommend, it is important to me that the readers know that I’m giving an unbiased opinion free from agenda. I don’t do this for profit, so if you are looking to get rich, you shoulda written to Michael K. who is legitimately earning his living writing his genius (and personally inspiring) Dlisted.
Demeter Clarc comes to life through WordPress. It is relatively user-friendly and there are plenty of advice forums to help answer any specific questions. Once you get in and start working with the program, pick a theme – basically how your website will visually appear to the readers. I picked a very simple theme and removed even more of the default gadgetry for the super clean look. 
Demeter Clarc exists as a very specific artistic visual and written experience. That is why she is special and unlike other sites. Cora, find a way to boldly differentiate your site too. I look forward to your offerings. Please promise to keep me posted and thanks again for writing. 
As I mentioned last week, I’m doing an intensive training this month. I’m sleep deprived and bitter. “The Guru” requires us to wear color. 
Yesterday, I began an intensive training with a well-known Expert. Almost 40 people paid a few thousand bucks each to spend 9 hours a day with this woman for the next 25 days. So today after sitting around howling at the Moon, the instructor turns to one of underlings who informs us that Expert “isn’t available during breaks or after class.” Bitch Please. The instructor is raking in over $150,000, and she can’t bother to say hello in the hallway? I totally understand time vampire sycophants, but I’m pretty sure you can get a VIP ticket with a little face-to-face time with fucking Beyoncé for $4,000. Slow your roll with the “totally unavailable” talk. Not only is this a rude and self-important first impression, but what kind of teacher imposes such an impersonal limitation on the student-teacher relationship?
To speak from a fully informed perspective, I wanted to wait at least a week before reporting on my laser eye surgery. Now after a full seven days and two follow up appointments, I see more accurately than 20/20.
Is it worth it? If you hate your contacts like I did, then yes. You see better the very day of the procedure, there is virtually no downtime, and negligible risk. No one has ever gone blind from Lasik – you know I asked.
The procedure itself is quick. It isn’t physically painful, but it is physically and psychologically uncomfortable. Thankfully, the procedure only takes a few minutes per eye. Clearer vision is immediately apparent after surfacing from the laser show and it continues to improve over the next 24-48 hours.
It’s pricey, $1,700-$2,000+ for the most current bladeless technology PER EYE, depending on how you pay. By my calculations, this range represents 3-5 years worth of contacts, eye exams, and glasses – not to mention the daily hassle and dependence. 
Most of the major players in the game are national chains. They specialize in laser eye surgery and have the resources to invest in the latest technology. Most of these surgeons have performed several thousand procedures. It obviously never hurts to inquire about the malpractice history and experience of the doctor performing the surgery.
Two other considerations: approximately 10% of cases require revisions for a variety of patient-specific reasons, and later in life, you may still need reading glasses.
As far as side effects, I suffered a small broken blood vessel in the corner of my eye, probably from bearing down on the clamp. Dry eyes are pretty common as well. Keep drops handy and it isn’t an issue. Laser eye surgery has one of the highest rates of patient satisfaction, and it is obvious why. What is there to complain about when you wake up seeing 20/20 or better? 
After several recent appalling experiences on the subway, Blanche D’Almonds requested a Demeter Clarc Manners Moment on the social boundaries of public grooming. This one’s for you Blanche. 
No public nail clipping please. In China public nail clipping is a socially acceptable practice, but you don’t live in China do you? I’m pretty sure this website is banned in China. Public nail clipping should be banned everywhere. 
A tacky bitch labors under the delusion that a public lipstick application is some sort of foreplay for the orally fixated. Do not break out your compact and lipstick at the dinner table. Ever. 
Along with your compact and lipstick, keep your hairbrush in your bag until you reach private quarters. Furthermore, keep your hands out of your hair whenever in the presence of food. 
No matter how tempting, keep your fingers out of your mouth in public. This prohibition includes teeth picking, nail biting, and thumb sucking. Note how enchanting Catherine Zeta-Jones looks extracting her appetizer from her incisor.
Thanks for all your love and well wishes yesterday. So far so good. All went well with the Pink Floyd Laser Light Show. I’m currently writing this 12 hours after surgery without glasses or dreadful contacts. 
I can’t help but feel a little misty for my glasses. Not my dependence on them, but they do add a certain flavor to the face, no? 
So today is dedicated to glasses. I haven’t forgotten you. I won’t be a hipster douche who wears you without a vision-correcting purpose, but I will continue to appreciate a well-placed pair. 
My contacts make me miserable. Today is the day. This morning I’m letting some dude laser my eyeballs in the quest for clearer sight. 
My first impression of Bryan Kest was from his cheesy Power Yoga videos from way back in the day. Let’s be frank, it’s hard to take a man seriously who looks like this, see below with a super nubile Seane Corn. 
Over the last year, I’ve taken a couple of Bryan Kest’s Power Yoga Master Classes and he’s surprisingly down to earth and practical in his approach. He begins the class with an informal lecture, followed by over an hour and a half of physical asana practice, and concludes with a guided meditation. 
Yeah, he recycles cheesy one liners like “yoga, it’s like dancing without the bulimia,” but he also peppers the practice with gems like (my personal favorite), “If you bring your shit into yoga, you turn your yoga into shit.” 
He’s currently winding his way through the country teaching his 3 hour master class at different yoga studios. He calls it a “master class,” but don’t be intimidated. Kest keeps it basic and accessible to most. I wouldn’t make it your first yoga class ever, but if you practice regularly you’ll be fine. If the opportunity arises to take his class, I recommend it.
And I hate to bring this up, but for the starfuckers that need a little more persuading….he dated Lisa Bonet a few years ago, and there is a persistent (but false) web rumor that he fathered a love child with her. 