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These penguins would like to wish you happy birthday and also join up with those doggos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHHkJwQQU0o

https://melanietheconstantreader.substack.com/

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Happiest of birthdays to you, Erin!!

My treasure this week was a random check-in phone call from Mr. David, my former senior adult neighbor. You see, my sister and I started traveling full-time in our RV back in the fall, and because we were already in California when the RONA started, we’re having to shelter-in-place thousands of miles away from family and friends (which I suppose is the actual point). Yesterday, we got an out-of-the-blue phone call from Mr. David who wanted to know where we are and if we were taking care of ourselves....after never having called us before, not even when we were actual neighbors. My sister and I both got a little misty-eyed that he was concerned about us! Cheers to the seniors!

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This guy has brought my so much joy. https://youtu.be/JZIc71Nt52s

If you love The Little Mermaid or Mary Poppins this will get you through

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Happy Birthday Erin! Between your Lent study and this newsletter... I am set. :) Although it would be nice to go somewhere...

Tim Gunn & Heidi Klum's new show is on Amazon and I think it's what everyone needs: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/03/27/heidi-klum-tim-gunn-making-the-cut-amazon-coronavirus/5077180002/

Also, so many restaurants in Seattle have "family meals" for takeout and I'm having a really hard time deciding which one to get this Saturday night. Our plan is to go drive to pick one up and then have a picnic in the back of our SUV in a fancy neighborhood with a view of the water.

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That story about the grandparents was so touching!!! Happy birthday

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Happy birthday, Erin!

I don't have much to say except that making bread has been my solace (I've had to stop until my next grocery store run because I'm out of salt) and the Hymns from Home have made me cry without fail every. Single. Night.

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It's okay, fish.

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My birthday was last Saturday and I made myself an apple pie even though I was on an elimination diet for the past month, Netflix Party watched Self Made with one of my ride or dies than ended the evening across the hall with my sister and Winona Ryder/Claire Danes/Susan Sarandon Little Women. All that to say I will extend my quarantine birthday to include Center Stage because that movie is everything.

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Happy Birthday, EHM! This was my treasure a few nights ago - dude telling the story of 2020 with the music of 2005. This music was my jam, and I'll be honest, I lost it a little with "One, Two Step" -- https://www.instagram.com/p/B-IPrY9hji1/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

And that "its ok, fish" tweet is all I need for the rest of my life. I have a similar video of my daughter when she was around the same age, cradling an Oscar the Grouch toy, and reassuring "Its ok, Oscar. Its ok." I'll be saying both to myself on repeat.

Finally, local restaurants in Nashville are delivering booze or offering cocktails for curbside pick up. Some GREAT adaptations coming out of this crisis moment. Well done, humanity.

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Happy Birthday, dear, Erin! How lucky are we to have you share such a gift in our inbox during this wild and crazy time. ❤️

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Happy Birthday! I wish upon you none of the backlash the internet gave kidsaretheworst on Instagram. We all need that little girl right now telling us it will be fine. I’m setting my birthday as the hope this stuff will be finished (it’s May 16). I already had one really crappy birthday, it was the day before my Dad’s funeral. I might be formulating a birthday plan that involves sitting alone in a car with Dr Pepper and pizza. Thanks for being one of the happy things to read with a whole bunch of doomsday and idiots who think masturbation will kill covid floating in the world.

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If I throw you my treasures, I'll have nothing to store up in Heaven, Erin. Jeez.

Happy birthday! Sorry Covid-19's the f-word.

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Happy Birthday Erin! You have, unknowingly to you, become a good friend to me the last few weeks as I make my way through Every Broken Thing. Threw some cash to a fellow musician in the We God You club and cried at all the generous and vulnerable people in one place. Thank you for creating the kind of space on the internet I really want to be a part of. So glad you were born.

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Happy birthday Erin! Thanks for making the internet a lovelier, more generous, delightful place.

Joys of the week:

1. Arts and crafts and holiday themed decorations. I've got coffee filter butterflies in my windows and plastic Easter eggs in my trees and I am not sorry about it.

2. Our local businesses are a TREAT. This local stationary shop did their own Home Shopping Network and I fell over laughing. Just what I needed: https://youtu.be/91Hcp83OHaA

(side note: the guy, Paul, is in a band called Harry and the Potters. They basically do all the books in song. https://www.harryandthepotters.com/)

3. My oldest wants to write letters and Easter cards to everyone. Handwriting lesson, DONE.

4. A mom in town is organizing weekly "hunts" for folks to participate in. For St. Patrick's Day, folks put shamrocks in their windows and you could drive or walk around to search for them. Today we're going on a bear hunt. It's such a great way to get out of the house.

Hope you all are staying well! I love spending Friday's with you all!

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Erin! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

You are our l'il treasure, but also a National Treasure.

My main treasure to share would have been the "It Is Well" video previously shared below.

So, I'll add this for a good ol' cry: https://www.today.com/video/rising-up-across-america-saluting-the-heroes-saving-lives-and-warming-hearts-81237061917?fbclid=IwAR2-wduo3sARbeupGv-ilrC05XzsL4blSiaowrTJsxcd8GLnabxOjs0K8a4

Other treasures:

My pen pals Mel and Kelly Jo. This has been an extreme joy during this time - just knowing they're out there.

Also, the Lent Guide. Dear. Lort. I can't believe how timely the readings/podcasts are. Heavens.

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Happy Birthday Erin! You always bring me a smile, and today is no different. I hope you have an amazing quartine b-day :)

This brought me a giggle today because I can kind of relate? https://jezebel.com/help-i-think-im-in-love-with-andrew-cuomo-1842396411

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Happy, happy birthday, Erin!

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Morning from MN Swipe Squad!

Well what to say?

1. Where I work (Aveda) is deemed essential and we are still open. I'm both torn (cue the Natalie Imbuglia) and blessed to keep working in the time of Covid. But oh lord the Purel and Clorox wipes and gloves are in full effect.

2. My son's (7 & 13) start their distance learning curriculum Monday. The 1st grader looks very manageable and he has a spirit ala Buddy Elf so he's so excited to start it all. The 7th grader? Oh lord. We had a sit down with him about expectations about behavior and attitude. Anyone else having to do this with a middleschooler?

3. Grateful we are being great in the house about zero food waste.

4. Grateful for those writing letters to my son Lincoln. I reached out to some others. He's basically writing a short letter a day and filling in a map of the US to anyone that sends him something. Its been fun.

5. Knitting -- I am working on a simple kerchief scarf. I hope to finish it this weekend and start another with the same yarn

6. Exercise is staying a reliable stress relief practice. Virtual Runs have become something I am searching for on the Interwebs. If you know of any charities in your area doing these, let me know.

7. Painting my nails is bringing me joy. And if your child picks the colors is it basically homeschool art credit? ;)

8. Danielle, girl...your letter! LOVE! Working on my reply and hope to get out this weekend. I am loving our new friendship

Most of all, happiest of birthdays Erin.

You have been such a lightbringer to all of us. You are a blessing.

Be well everyone!

Mel

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Happy birthday awesome lady! That fish video and a video of my 2 year nephew being a “webot” (robot) are the delight of my life today. Also if you rock the jumpsuit I might have to join the club.

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You're awesome Erin! I hope you have the best birthday despite being quarintined. If anyone can do it it's you. I believe in you!

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Center Stage?!??!!! BYE. Bout to go dance my face off to some Jamiroquai.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Loved this email. Laughed, cried, dreamed... also, I LOVE CENTER STAGE! I watched that horrific Michael Jackson documentary (only the first one because I just can't with the rest) and mostly cannot listen to his stuff anymore but THAT LAST DANCE IN CENTER STAGE... it lives on in my heart.

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Happy Birthday! We share birthday weeks!!

Does the jumpsuit run tts?

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Happy birthday Erin. I appreciate you and everything you do.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN! <3

My Lil Treasures for the week:

Kelsea Ballerini's new album has been a highlight. "Overshare", "Club", and "LA" are total bops, while "Homecoming Queen", "Love Me Like A Girl", and "Half of My Hometown" are the tearjerkers I didn't know I needed.

Foy Vance's daily Instagram live covers and Ben Rector and Drew Holcomb's cover IGTVs are giving me so much life right now too! Foy Vance's cover of "You've Got a Friend" gave me all the feels.

I also want to give thanks for FaceTime, Zoom, and Google Hangout.

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Happy Birthday, Erin!!!

I now need a puppy, thanks for that. I must say that i think Kitties would have really enjoyed the aquarium, but I get that probably wouldn't have worked out as well.

Our state has called school until May 15th. Now, my kids are super excited that they will be home for both my birthday and my husband's. It is a strange feeling, I get it. I hope that you have the best possible birthday under these (or any) circumstances.

Also, I legit cried this week because my kids may never have these teachers again, and I freaking love my kids' teachers this year. None of this is fair, but I do appreciate you and the Lil Swipes!

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Happy Birthday Erin!! Thank you for bringing massive joy to our lives every single day!

I’m working my way through The Splendid and The Vile by Erik Larson and enjoying it. I wrote to my pen pal for the first time (thanks to you!!). I’ve been listening to the piano version of Symmetry by SYML on repeat while I read/relax. Also, follow Scott Avett from the Avett Brothers on Instagram for his delightful at home musical performances.

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But can we somehow convince Encore on Disney+ to help produce some of these high school productions they never got to perform? Like, I’d watch it.

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Happy happy birthday, Erin! So thankful for your PMG work and this corner of the internet :) wishing you a great day!

This week has been more of a struggle, but I worked on a beautiful puzzle all week, and I've been watching one Harry Potter movie an evening. It's been so fun to rewatch these movies I've seen so many times and call out some specific memories with each movie, share some favorite lines on instagram stories, and have something comforting on. Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if only one remembers to turn on the light.

(also Tiger King, along with the rest of the world, for which I am grateful)

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Happy Birthday Erin H. Moon.!You are OUR little treasure and we love you. Be kind to yourself today. ❤️

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Happy Birthday dearest Erin! I hope you feel so loved and celebrated today and it exceeds your expectations. (I am trying to keep mine super low for my birthday next week. 😆) Honestly, your Lent study has been a treasure. It’s thoughtful as well as funny and so ironic sometimes. I also discovered Smirnoff Zero Infusions Vodka. I got the Watermelon Mint and have made Moscow Mules with it. Summery and yummy!

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Happy Birthday Erin! I’m glad I’m not the only adult who has weird expectations for birthdays. 😂

My treasure this week is the Getty’s North Coast Sessions album, specifically the “I Lift My Eyes” track which was on repeat yesterday overwriting my overthought process. The Celtic influence is literally magical, and maybe I’m weird, but worked for helping me create a mental shield around my mind and soul.

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Happy birthday Erin! You are such a delight, and a much needed bright light in these dark days.

I am in desperate need of some help from you fellow swipers! This week I finished the audiobook of The Dutch House and it has put a LITERAL HOLE IN MY HEART THAT MUST BE FILLED. Please, please, please recommend a good audiobook so that I can get back to normal life.

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Happy Birthday!!!!

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Happy birthday!! 🎉 Though virus-related, I thought you might get a kick out of this. 😆

https://youtu.be/ykieEE1j9eA

Appreciate you & your work!

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Happy happy birthday!! 🎊🎂🎉

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Happy Birthday! You are a delight! I have loved Tim from the Cowboy museum and the videos/photos of zoo animals visiting exhibitions (the baby elephant so excited about the seals 😊) and concerts and funny videos, but maybe the memes is my favorite one. I have a friend who is not great at accessing her feelings, so we check in every day be sending memes back and forth and my slack chanels are full of things that crack me up - gallows humor, but still. Oh! And Science Mike's live videos. When this is all over, I just want to hug that dude. Last night he said he wakes up every scary, angry, weird day and thinks "what can I do today to save 300 people's lives" (the average attendance to his livestreams). He seriously feels like a Mr Rogers for grownups.

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Happy Birthday! Today is my birthday too! When I read “birthday edition” I thought it was just for me😂🥰 It made my day🥳

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Happy birthday!!!

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Happy Birthday!!! Welcome to 37. I've been hanging out here since February and I'd like to say it's not so bad, but... well, let's just get through it and hope 38 will be better, shall we? Or "It's okay, fish" which is what I will be saying to myself from now on whenever I need a pep talk!

Treasures this week:

Sir Patrick Stewart reading a Shakespeare sonnet every day:

https://twitter.com/SirPatStew

Tiny dog being surprisingly good at yoga:

https://twitter.com/emmafreud/status/1243458874411229184

Tan France baking a cake of his aging face:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCvfdBSGjc0

Also, that Beth Moore tweet. 💣

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Happy birthday, Erin!! Appreciate you, girl. For real. Thanks for these lil treasures today and always. ✌️

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The fish tweet 😭😭😭😭

Just finished love is blind. Couldn’t stop watching it. Didn’t want to keep watching it. Jessica makes me squirm.

Started tiger king last night. I’m hooked. My husband thinks it’s incredibly weird (duh James) but I’ll finish solo.

A little treasure of mine is my husband and dog now being co workers. All my favorite people working hard together

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And also: Tiger King. I don’t know what else to say about it.

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Happy day, happy year, Erin.

This cell phone choir singing It is Well has me sending this message from a puddle: https://www.wsmv.com/news/a-group-of-nashville-studio-singers-perform-an-epic-cell/article_2245fbf8-6eb2-11ea-9be3-db6cec04c8f3.html

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 🎉🎁🎂 Thank you for creating a wonderfully joyful place on the internet 😊

Favorite thing I’ve seen this week- the Twitter account for the National Cowboy Museum. A little while ago, I somehow became the social media manager at work (I have a degree in psychology and anthropology 🤷🏻‍♀️) so I can completely relate to sweet Tim and the way he’s learning on the job.

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