Financial abuse is their thing — Narcissists aren’t the only people who manipulate others with money, but they excel at it, even when they’re not financially solvent, which takes talent. You’d laugh when they say the things they do if the financially abusive narcissist’s actions didn’t affect your life negatively. I’m going to cut you out of the will! Cutting someone out of an inheritance…

Don’t let your guard down around them — A vulnerable narcissist may sound like a joke or an oxymoron, but they’re out there love-bombing and trauma-dumping just like other narcissists. Vulnerability and narcissism are two things that don’t go together well, like a sushi- milkshake or grilled cheese and a Nutella sandwich. However, this subset of narcissists —…

A call to the manager wouldn’t have made the same impact — I was checking in returns when I found a used condom stuck between two videotapes. Was this an accident or a commentary on our customer service? However, it was classified; it was disgusting, but it wasn’t the most surprising expression of customer frustration I’ve ever encountered. We’ll call that one…

It’s the least you can do, according to my cats — Cats don’t like being told what to do. My cats seem to feel that being ordered or commanded to do something by a human is unnecessary and offensive. On the other paw, cats have no trouble making demands. …

You may suppress it, but you know — I went half my life without realizing my mother was a narcissist. She was self-centered, eccentric, and lacked empathy, but I didn’t put the pieces together until her narcissism became undeniable. My wake-up call came in the form of a highway accident where my boyfriend and I could have been…

What a strange trip it was — After midnight, our car died outside of Lost Hills on Highway 5. My boyfriend, Steve pulled the sputtering car off the road and parked; we’d have to wait until morning to get help. I wanted to scream or hit something but knew that would only make things worse. I was…

Are you sure you don’t like musicals? — I’m not a huge fan of opera or doo-wop music, but I don’t hate them the way some people loathe musical theater. Some of the reasons they give for hating musical theater are the conventions of the art form, such as someone breaking into a song at a crucial moment…

It’s like high school all over again — I’m standing in the kitchen as Uri walks past me, his tail up. “Hey, Uri. Hi!” I say as he passes me. I feel as if I’m back in high school, and the older guy I have a crush on doesn’t even know I’m alive but still expects me to…

Was she the one behind the practical joke? — I’ve yet to meet an artist who didn’t love free food, drinks, and swag. When you’re an actor or a comic, you never know who will show up when you throw a party. Celebrities, children of famous actors, and people on the way up and down have come to my…