Nashville’s Tristen will be performing in St. Louis tonight at Off Broadway ($12; info here), previewing new songs from her forthcoming full length album. You might remember her playing in Jenny Lewis’ band last month at The Ready Room. But you probably know her because of her own songs like this one.
Tristen recently took part in our “10 Songs, 10 Stories” feature, where she wrote each piece as if the song was writing a Dear Abby letter. Enjoy!
I’ve been dating a new guy and I really like him but every time I feel like we’re getting close, he drops off the face of the earth for days. He doesn’t return my calls and when we do finally connect again I sense he’s lying to me about where he’s been. My inner vengeful side wants to retaliate. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Eager for your Love
I spent my youth in pursuit of money. I got a degree in business and married the first chick who was excited about dating a finance guy. Now I have all the material possessions I could ever want and I even have a couple of bratty kids who control me when I’m around. I am dealing with the nagging suspicion that I am completely insignificant and I’ve wasted the better part of my life on the fruitless path of ambition. Am I right?
Depressed and repressed,
No One’s Gonna Know
I have a gay friend that constantly falls in love with straight girls. I’ve tried to talk sense into her but can’t help but think this is some sort of self imposed torture she inflicts on herself so she can maintain a situation of constant yearning and failure. Is it possible that she is satisfied being a constant victim of love’s misfortune? Does she merely enjoy being the recipient her friends’ consolations so much, that she purposely creates a web of safety where she never has to be vulnerable to a real woman in a real relationship?
With love,
Gold Star
I have always been a bossy baby. I can’t help it. If I find a guy I like, I tend to bust his balls a bit just to see if he can handle me. I’ll never be a delicate flower like the southern belles that surround me and I certainly don’t want one of these cave man southern gents. I also don’t want a pushover. Is there a guy out there with a strong pair that can handle me or have I already scared him away?
Keep in touch,
Tadpole
My girlfriend of 5 years just broke up with me. To be honest, the last year of our relationship was pretty rough. We didn’t fight but we also didn’t make love. To make matters worse, she immediately started dating a total dooshbag after we broke up. It’s kind of insulting. Why would she trade down? I don’t understand?!
Sincerely,
Catalyst
The more I become in tune with the world around me and the more I read and think critically, the more I realize how terrible the world is, especially the U.S. I just realized nearly everything I own and participate in daily comes at the expense of other people working their entire lives away as slaves. I just came to terms with my own privilege and I feel like shit! What can I do to fight apathy and the deep depression that comes along with knowledge of the sick sad world we live in and create by our own complicity?
Yours truly,
House of War
My best friend stole my boyfriend. I always felt she was secretly competitive with me and starved for attention and he always had a rep for being a skeeze, but I foolishly trusted them. I have dreams where I’m beating her up and I feel good about it when I wake up. I need to forget these people and let go of this anger. How?
Write me back,
Forgiveness
I’m in my late twenties and recently had my existential crisis. It became clear that this is it. I began thinking about the way a dead body decomposes. I think about how I consume animals and vegetables for energy, living things, and how one day our bodies will be consumed for the same purpose. I think about how short our lives are compared to the life of a redwood tree. I think about how insignificant human beings are at the face of the ocean. My ego is crushed, my purpose in life is smashed, and I don’t know what to do.
Looking forward,
Avalanche
I got pregnant by a boyfriend as soon as I possibly could. I was 21; I wasn’t on birth control and he didn’t wear protection so I can’t call it an accident. How else was I going to get married? I sure as hell didnt want to get a job. So I got my claws in and popped out a few babes. But now I’m pushing thirty and I’m married to a Don Draper type: alcoholic, cheater, never home and I’m completely financially dependent with no job skills. Also, I have a habit of acting like everything is perfect to our family. How can I leave this terrible marriage?
Warm Regards,
Save Raina
I recently hooked with my best guy friend. I’ve been in love with him secretly for years. I would bury my jealousy when he’d fall out of my life because of a new girl. I’d pretend to be nice to his girlfriends until he’d leave the room and then I’d find a way to make a compliment jab or passive aggressively let them know he was mine, even when he wasn’t. Now I think he has finally come around but I don’t want to destroy our friendship. This seems like a dream come true. How do I play it cool and make this work?
Ciao,
Startling News
See Tristen TONIGHT at Off Broadway in St. Louis!