• the217
• Life
• Editor's note

A lot of people I know are going through various stages of life change. A close friend of mine had a baby two days ago, my (newly ex-) boyfriend and I ended our four-year relationship and many close friends are looking to make the transition from college life to the professional world.

With everyone going through these challenging, sometimes painful, growing pains, it can seem impossible that we’ll all make it out alive.

This week’s cover spotlights 88 Broadway, the new piano bar in Lincoln Square Village that features live “piano men” and cold drinks to attract customers. After going on assignment to this new hotspot, buzz Photography Editor Isaac Bloom brought back the form used to put some order on the flood of Billy Joel and Elton John requests. The form asks what song you would like to hear, and then asks the requester to circle which special occasion they are out celebrating. These are the options listed: birthday, engagement, marriage, anniversary, divorce, plastic surgery and other.

Now, call me crazy, but it seems like a lot of ask for people to pick a somewhat depressing or personal milestone, such as being left by a spouse or getting a testicle implant. But I think 88 Broadway is onto something. Why not openly confess life’s victories and failures and honor them with song. Maybe it’s better for everyone that we wear these somewhat isolating life changes on our sleeve and talk about them, rather than deal with them in private.

My suggestion is that this week we let it all hang out. If you’re going through some major changes or challenges this week, let the people around you know what’s going on. Being honest about how difficult it can be to move forward can help make change a little easier. And sometimes the best way to do that is to belt out “Benny and the Jets” in public.