TENDER DEGENERATE

I just learned my favorite kind of person has a name. A tender degenerate. They can start with consciousness, move into childhood wounds. Why falling in love scares the shit out of us. And 30 seconds later, they're talking about blow drying their balls. And somehow it all feels like one conversation. Because what makes tender degenerates so good to be around isn't just that they're funny. It's the range. They can go deep without making everything heavy. They can sit with you when things get real, but they also know when the room needs some oxygen. Because depth creates intimacy, and humor creates safety. And tender degenerates give you both around them. You don't have to choose between being thoughtful and being an idiot. Both are welcome. You can talk about the mystery of consciousness, or which temperature setting is safest for your balls. They understand that life can be incredibly profound and completely ridiculous, sometimes in the same breath. And they make life feel lighter without making it feel any less meaningful. Favorite tender degenerate. Actually, I'm the one who dries my balls with a hair dryer.