Hey pals. We’ve done Lil Treasures for 30 weeks straight, and I’m jonesing for a Lil Break. The thread is still open this week for you to share your treasures and turds, and as always, I cannot wait to read them.
Sending you all a virtual high five for making it to Friday, and lots of wishes for a happy weekend. Take care and we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled program next week. Thanks for letting me take this week off! ❤️
My mom and I have been watching NCIS at night and that's been a lot of fun.
I'm working on making a pie (not actually making it, but inventing a recipe) and I'm probably over-thinking it but I have nothing better to do anyway 😂
I've been reading a lot of good books lately (If you want recommendations let me know)
Turds include losing sleep over extended family saying uninformed things on social media and stressing out over covid test results.
Treasures include: negative test results which finally came, my dream of eating Florean Fortescue’s ice cream came true, and after 5 years of being single AF, a childhood friend privately messaged me to ask if he could introduce me to another friend to maybe date (said guy is in my small group, so I surface know how) and I said yes (and now i’m sitting with little butterflies of anticipation in my stomach, don’t let me get ahead of myself), Netflix programming including Queer Eye and the Politician, and Sunday couch naps after having church outdoors for the first time in 3 months (!!!!)
Treasure: I've been reading The Warmth of Other Suns about the great migration out of the South and I was expecting pretty dry history (which actually would have been fine--I have a high tolerance for dry history books) but wowzers it is not dry. So much narrative drive! So intimate while telling such a big, broad era in history! Anyway. I'm only 90 pages in and I'm already calling it masterful.
Enjoy your break this week, Erin - it’s well deserved!
My big treasure for the week is getting my official acceptance for the Pharmacy Technician program I applied to last October! I’d been wait listed so had pretty much given up, but nope, I’m heading back to college in the fall. I already have a B.A. in History so this is a pretty big pivot. I’d spent 25 years in the non-profit world but decided last year to quit my job and go for a new challenge. I will graduate exactly one month after I turn 50 😂 I’m hoping I can balance the academic load while still keeping my current part-time job, which I love.
The school year here finally came to an end yesterday, and my kiddo finished grade 11 with straight A’s so that’s pretty awesome considering all the disruption of the last 3 months.
I treated myself to some new clothes and decided to jump on the linen pants bandwagon, which I have not regretted for a second. So soft and comfy, and totally breathable. I also stepped out of my comfort zone to try some new colours and I really feel fancy now. I wear all black for work so some bright colours in my off time is perfect!
My current job is in beauty and cosmetics, so here are a few of my current faves: the Clinique ID system, where you can customize your moisturizer with a treatment boost to get skincare tailored exactly to your needs; the Shiseido Urban Environment tinted sunscreen has excellent protection coupled with a lovely non-greasy feel; Lise Watier’s lipstick line is amazing and has something for everyone: gorgeous colour range, tons of different finishes, and it wears like a dream; I also picked up the Benefit Cheek Stars palette which contains 5 of the best-selling blushes, bronzers and highlighter, and it’s given me a compliment-worthy glow.
Hey all from Minnesota, where I didn't have to spend a day masked at the office as our office was closed in honor of Juneteenth. So that is treasure #1.
Last week my treasure was having take-out dinner and outdoor hard cider at a local cider taproom with my dearest friend Stacey. I have known Stace for.........*pauses for dramatic effect and math* -- 38 years. We joke in 2 years we are going to get some sort of symbolic tattoo because we have known each other that long. Since 40 years is the Ruby anniversary we joke something red. It was lovely to see her. We opened and closed the bar ;) Granted, it was only open from 4-8 pm. But still! HA
Treasures of the week
1. Queer Eye. Man, this show. I am in the 7th episode of the most current season. It's been a triggering episode as the husband has ALS, which my mom passed of. Hearing that he has been living for 8 years since diagnosis? Blew my mind. My mom's case was....... well very fast. But I just adore this show so much. Although it really makes me look around where I could improve pretty much every room of my house so its not like a 'before' house.
2. Reading a lot with my 7 year old. This school year was one where we really focused on reading and writing with Lincoln. Long story short, Lincoln had cataract surgery when he was 4 years old. Yes, like your gramma probably has had. He was diagnosed at 2, but we had to wait until he was 4 so he could better vocalize WHAT he was seeing and explain it. He wears bifocals and it has led to him having some small motor issues because for years his depth perception was impacted. So this year was one where really getting his writing and reading ramped up.
The reading has been easy. The switches are firing and we read at least 4 different books a night. If you want to follow all the books we read, and maybe some of what I sneak in there, follow me on GoodReads.
3. All the walking. Last year I used Charity Miles to devote 1000 miles to the ALS Association for my mom. This year its 1135 miles. I am down to 479 miles by the end of 2020. Let's just say, getting outside for at least 3.1 miles a day has been very easy since our winter was pretty mild.
4. My friend's daughter being able to say "Hi Mel" via messenger videos. You guys. This makes my day. So I sent her videos each day too. I'm like the free Cameo for toddlers. It's so fabulous ;)
5. Frozen juice cups as a tasty treat. SO my kids get to have free lunches (its offered to all in our district) and they basically run on the bus line 2x a week and give lunches to whomever will take them. In them there are a collection of different juice cups. I have taken to freezing them and eating them as a refreshing treat post run or before bed and don't feel guilty.
6. Kuddoooz to Danielle for reaching out to me today to be sure I was okay when she saw I hadn't entered the chat. Thank you for seeing me friend.
Turds. Work has been frustrating. I have been debating starting to look for another job and go back to being in the nonprofit world. When I first started where I am, it was a very different company -- in fact it was my first true corporate job. But now? It's lost it's soul and its making me feel like I'm losing mine in tiny cuts. But as we have learned in the covid area. Tiny cuts HURT. I mean hello? Purel on a paper cut? Jeezum!
Weirdest thing to happen to me all week was the receptionist at the vet this afternoon who told me that systemic racism is a conspiracy theory. I mean, what do you even say to that??? Especially someone at least 20 years older than you that you don't know very well. It was the first I'd seen in real love of how far people are willing to go to stay comfortable. Wow.
A few weeks ago I impulsed bought a packable hammock from Aldi. First, if you’re not a fan of Aldi I’m gonna need you to make a trip cause you’ll love it and become obsessed. Anyway back the hammock, I have found the perfect spot to hang it. Trees set apart the exact distance be plenty of shade cause Texas. I love the looks and comments I get from people when they see me just relaxing in public in a hammock. It’s the best!
Hi all! I’m shyly edging my way into this community after months of lurking and commenting twice.
My turd: I live in Tulsa which has the eyes of the nation trained on us this weekend as the president holds a poorly-timed campaign rally here tomorrow. Our positive COVID numbers have been escalating at an alarming pace over the last 10 days and our leaders are all in conflict about the wisdom of a “super spreader” event that will draw 100k people into our medium-sized city. Couple that with our simmering racial tensions and the very real potential for violence and you can sense why so many of us are on edge. My anxiety level is high, my FB feed is a dumpster fire of friends sniping at each other down party lines over every possible hot button issue. So on this last day of working from home, I’ve taken to my bed with an upset stomach!
Now for a treasure: I stumbled across Chris Jones’s Twitter account (@enswelljones) several weeks ago and it is my new favorite thing! He’s a Canadian writer and storyteller with a whip smart sense of humor and a seemingly endless supply of hilarious and touching personal stories. He usually posts a new Twitter thread story on Fridays. Start with the George Clooney story from May 15, which went viral and is when I discovered him. He’s also hilariously obsessed with his city’s inexplicable devotion to building gazebos in random places, including across the street from his house. There are many funny “gazebo updates.” It’s one of the bright spots on Twitter these days.
I’m fascinated with all of you, even though I’m I think I’m probably the oldest on this thread! I’ve just entered my 50s, and am single and the parent of a cat. I look forward to being more active in this lovely community!
2. Rick Astley getting Rick-Rolled on Reddit, which led my husband and I to his YouTube page. I don't think I realized that Rick is actually a pretty good singer...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oeWHngDS4
3. Discussion in the Black Coffee With White Friends: Cream & Sugar Bookclub started yesterday and it is so life-giving and hard and wonderful.
4. We finished the last episode of The Night Manager last night - guys, the last 3 episodes were SO TENSE - but it ended so well! And I DO really like Tom Hiddleston now!
But now we need a new show to watch! Any recommendations for shows on Hulu or Amazon Prime?
- The pandemic and a friend doing rounds in a teaching hospital in Florida and sharing horror stories about the case load. Things up here are pretty closed still (Seattle), but I confess to having so much anxiety about it still.
- Our dog may or may not have cancer :/ waiting on biopsy results from the vet and I’m sad but my husband is a disaster. He’s 10 1/2 but still it’s hard.
Turds this week: The heat wave that arrived this week and the heat and thunderstorms arriving next week. Also the drought here. Vermont summers used to be so nice.
Also, we have had two bats appear in our house on two separate nights. We don't know how they are getting in, but I have to tell you catching bats at 4:30am after being awakened by a man running into the bedroom and slamming the door yelling about bats....it's not fun guys. It's not fun.
Work is stressful. It feels like too much to even have to explain why. Just know that it is and that working from home and not being able to effectively communicate with people (because now that it's summer they are working "in the field" and not checking their email) is making me crazy.
My alma mater is possibly closing. This tears me up inside.
Treasures: Got to see my mom yesterday for about an hour. I've only seen her twice since quarantine with distancing.
I'm re-watching Northern Exposure on DVD because because it's wholesome and funny and distracting from the world. Do I want to move to small town Alaska? Sometimes.
Tim & I are headed up to my family's lake house in the North East Kingdom for a long weekend. No one has been there since February so we can quarantine easily while also getting in a little lake time. I have 18 hours of personal time that has to be used before the end of the month or I lose it so a little forced vacay never hurt anyone. I'm really, really, really looking forward to a little break from work.
Okay, today is moving day so I’m just going to hop on with a quick rom-com update. I told you guys I’d share how the long-awaited date with the dating app guy went, good or bad. And it was...not great. 😂😂😅
The guy ended up being just a little strange, and not just first date awkwardness strange. He seemed so normal and things were going so well for the six weeks before we met, and the date was really underwhelming. I knew during the date that it was going to be a no on my part. Unfortunately, he was still very into it, and wanted another date. I had to let the guy down gently. I think he was definitely a little hurt and confused, and I felt really bad, but then he said he understood.
But THEN, on Wednesday I woke up to a string of video messages in my Instagram DMs from him BEGGING FOR A SECOND CHANCE. You guys. I just. Can’t. The worst part is his videos got cut off at some point and he must not have realized it because it ended mid-thought. So I had to, again, gently respond and tell him I didn’t want to keep moving the relationship further along and string him along when I knew it wasn’t going to work out, and I hoped he understood. He was sad but said he did. But then asked if we could still be friends, to which I said okay because I hate conflict and can’t say a flat out no. So far he hasn’t been pestering since then, praise the Lord.
So all that to say, it didn’t work out, but I’m fine. It’s back to the drawing board. Usually this experience would have me trashing all the dating apps and giving up on finding a man for a long time, but I’m not doing that this time. I’m still braving the awful apps and have a couple conversations going, but nothing promising as of yet. Sorry for the anticlimactic ending to the boy saga. 😂😂
Also, had my third COVID test yesterday due to several clients and staff testing positive this week when just last week we all tested negative, so that’s fun. Doubt this will be the last. My coworker and I have our over/under on how many times we have to get tested by the end of this set at 8 (over).
Now, I’m going to go pick up my U-haul, load up my life, and move into my new apartment! As a reminder, the new apartment is attached to the house my best friend and her husband just bought. They moved in to the house Wednesday, and I’m moving in today. She has already said the backyard is dreamy and has declared 7:30 happy hour on the shared deck every night this summer. I am so, so excited! I will check back in tonight (or tomorrow - I may be enjoying myself too much tonight)!
Turds include my migraine and my 19 year old's stomach bug, but we are ok today! Treasures: I picked up The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires at the library- highly recommended by Annie B. Jones! I'm not into horror but yesterday while waiting for a new car battery I read about 50 pages and it is excellent. Juneteenth and the longest day of the year!!! I think my biggest treasure is white people getting a clue:) Also my MIL's nursing home had 1 case of COVID but it hasn't spread and that person is doing well!!!
Happy 30 weeks! It feels like forever and not that long at all since you started this, Erin! Enjoy the Friday off 😂
Y’all, since our IG follow thread last week, I’m loving seeing your names here and knowing what you’ve been up to on the interwebs. In a totally non creepy way. 💛
I’ve got “magic beans” to affix to poles this morning and a couple of YA books to crush for class. So those activities are my future things to treasure today. :)
Also ... if you follow my Instagram , and saw me share a photo of me on a trail with a dog to my stories, please know that the Boy was on the other end of that photo, took it when I was unaware (and therefore at ease) and posted it to his insta (AND tagged me), where I currently reside as the only girl on his photo feed. Soooo. There’s that. Nbd.
Yesterday I started watching Nadiya’s Time to Eat on Netflix (Nadiya from GBBO) and it’s so charming! The set (her actual house? Not sure...) is gorgeous and so colorful and she shows you how to make beautiful quick meals/dishes that include things like “tinned spaghetti” (spaghetti-o’s) but also like fresh raspberry cheesecake croissants. Perfect show to watch while attempting to bottle-feed twins by yourself.
Schoolteacher here, and LOTS of uncertainty about the Fall, but I found out yesterday that our English II classes will be dropping Macbeth ( I am admittedly a little sad about that) and replacing it with HAMILTON! As Sophie Hudson would say “Won’t He do it?”!!! All of my preparations this summer for LMM and Hamilton are professional development !
First, I want to say my linen pants arrived yesterday, and I have zero regrets. Thanks to the lil' swipes for changing my life! Second, I am experiencing a little emotional whip lash because the camp my husband and I staff every year canceled (understandable but still disappointing), but then some friends called and said "hey, come on a (safe, responsible) trip to Wyoming with us" so...we're doing that in two weeks. 🤷
Much love to you all from me! In one of the loneliest years I can remember (even before the 'rona), you all are a bright spot.
I have other treasures to tell, I hope, but I need to spend an hour or two working on my online class (I have about two hours of lectures to watch!). Godspeed, fellow Treasures.
So bad news is my town is now a hot spot- which considering its only 4 miles wide it’s not terribly shocking. Good news is my column came out and so far no hate mail🙌🏻, my four year old with apraxia has added some new words to his vocab. I met a new neighbor from afar whilst 4 year old stood next to me peeing on a tree. I also made the worlds best comfort/ feelings food chicken with bacon gravy. About to head out to the beach in a minute hoping the ocean and sun crack open my soul!
To recap my year so far: got COVID, graduated from graduate school while still sick/recovering from Rona, my apartment flooded, temporarily homeless and staying with friends for a couple of weeks, found the dream apartment and moved in (if any of y'all are passing through Chicago and need a place to stay, I LOVE hosting people). I had ONE WEEK of "normalcy" (if you count constant racial tensions and nationwide lynchings normal) and now my car is broken. Can 2020 just.. not?
I'm grateful for this space where people post the junk, but also the fun stuff.
Treasures:
My mom and I have been watching NCIS at night and that's been a lot of fun.
I'm working on making a pie (not actually making it, but inventing a recipe) and I'm probably over-thinking it but I have nothing better to do anyway 😂
I've been reading a lot of good books lately (If you want recommendations let me know)
My basil plant is getting pretty big.
I'm writing a novel and that's been pretty fun.
Turds include losing sleep over extended family saying uninformed things on social media and stressing out over covid test results.
Treasures include: negative test results which finally came, my dream of eating Florean Fortescue’s ice cream came true, and after 5 years of being single AF, a childhood friend privately messaged me to ask if he could introduce me to another friend to maybe date (said guy is in my small group, so I surface know how) and I said yes (and now i’m sitting with little butterflies of anticipation in my stomach, don’t let me get ahead of myself), Netflix programming including Queer Eye and the Politician, and Sunday couch naps after having church outdoors for the first time in 3 months (!!!!)
Treasure: I've been reading The Warmth of Other Suns about the great migration out of the South and I was expecting pretty dry history (which actually would have been fine--I have a high tolerance for dry history books) but wowzers it is not dry. So much narrative drive! So intimate while telling such a big, broad era in history! Anyway. I'm only 90 pages in and I'm already calling it masterful.
Enjoy your break this week, Erin - it’s well deserved!
My big treasure for the week is getting my official acceptance for the Pharmacy Technician program I applied to last October! I’d been wait listed so had pretty much given up, but nope, I’m heading back to college in the fall. I already have a B.A. in History so this is a pretty big pivot. I’d spent 25 years in the non-profit world but decided last year to quit my job and go for a new challenge. I will graduate exactly one month after I turn 50 😂 I’m hoping I can balance the academic load while still keeping my current part-time job, which I love.
The school year here finally came to an end yesterday, and my kiddo finished grade 11 with straight A’s so that’s pretty awesome considering all the disruption of the last 3 months.
I treated myself to some new clothes and decided to jump on the linen pants bandwagon, which I have not regretted for a second. So soft and comfy, and totally breathable. I also stepped out of my comfort zone to try some new colours and I really feel fancy now. I wear all black for work so some bright colours in my off time is perfect!
My current job is in beauty and cosmetics, so here are a few of my current faves: the Clinique ID system, where you can customize your moisturizer with a treatment boost to get skincare tailored exactly to your needs; the Shiseido Urban Environment tinted sunscreen has excellent protection coupled with a lovely non-greasy feel; Lise Watier’s lipstick line is amazing and has something for everyone: gorgeous colour range, tons of different finishes, and it wears like a dream; I also picked up the Benefit Cheek Stars palette which contains 5 of the best-selling blushes, bronzers and highlighter, and it’s given me a compliment-worthy glow.
Have a great week fellow Swipes!
Hey all from Minnesota, where I didn't have to spend a day masked at the office as our office was closed in honor of Juneteenth. So that is treasure #1.
Last week my treasure was having take-out dinner and outdoor hard cider at a local cider taproom with my dearest friend Stacey. I have known Stace for.........*pauses for dramatic effect and math* -- 38 years. We joke in 2 years we are going to get some sort of symbolic tattoo because we have known each other that long. Since 40 years is the Ruby anniversary we joke something red. It was lovely to see her. We opened and closed the bar ;) Granted, it was only open from 4-8 pm. But still! HA
Treasures of the week
1. Queer Eye. Man, this show. I am in the 7th episode of the most current season. It's been a triggering episode as the husband has ALS, which my mom passed of. Hearing that he has been living for 8 years since diagnosis? Blew my mind. My mom's case was....... well very fast. But I just adore this show so much. Although it really makes me look around where I could improve pretty much every room of my house so its not like a 'before' house.
2. Reading a lot with my 7 year old. This school year was one where we really focused on reading and writing with Lincoln. Long story short, Lincoln had cataract surgery when he was 4 years old. Yes, like your gramma probably has had. He was diagnosed at 2, but we had to wait until he was 4 so he could better vocalize WHAT he was seeing and explain it. He wears bifocals and it has led to him having some small motor issues because for years his depth perception was impacted. So this year was one where really getting his writing and reading ramped up.
The reading has been easy. The switches are firing and we read at least 4 different books a night. If you want to follow all the books we read, and maybe some of what I sneak in there, follow me on GoodReads.
https://www.goodreads.com/mellemo
3. All the walking. Last year I used Charity Miles to devote 1000 miles to the ALS Association for my mom. This year its 1135 miles. I am down to 479 miles by the end of 2020. Let's just say, getting outside for at least 3.1 miles a day has been very easy since our winter was pretty mild.
4. My friend's daughter being able to say "Hi Mel" via messenger videos. You guys. This makes my day. So I sent her videos each day too. I'm like the free Cameo for toddlers. It's so fabulous ;)
5. Frozen juice cups as a tasty treat. SO my kids get to have free lunches (its offered to all in our district) and they basically run on the bus line 2x a week and give lunches to whomever will take them. In them there are a collection of different juice cups. I have taken to freezing them and eating them as a refreshing treat post run or before bed and don't feel guilty.
6. Kuddoooz to Danielle for reaching out to me today to be sure I was okay when she saw I hadn't entered the chat. Thank you for seeing me friend.
Turds. Work has been frustrating. I have been debating starting to look for another job and go back to being in the nonprofit world. When I first started where I am, it was a very different company -- in fact it was my first true corporate job. But now? It's lost it's soul and its making me feel like I'm losing mine in tiny cuts. But as we have learned in the covid area. Tiny cuts HURT. I mean hello? Purel on a paper cut? Jeezum!
So have I rambled enough?
;)
Love you guys
Mel
Weirdest thing to happen to me all week was the receptionist at the vet this afternoon who told me that systemic racism is a conspiracy theory. I mean, what do you even say to that??? Especially someone at least 20 years older than you that you don't know very well. It was the first I'd seen in real love of how far people are willing to go to stay comfortable. Wow.
A few weeks ago I impulsed bought a packable hammock from Aldi. First, if you’re not a fan of Aldi I’m gonna need you to make a trip cause you’ll love it and become obsessed. Anyway back the hammock, I have found the perfect spot to hang it. Trees set apart the exact distance be plenty of shade cause Texas. I love the looks and comments I get from people when they see me just relaxing in public in a hammock. It’s the best!
Hi all! I’m shyly edging my way into this community after months of lurking and commenting twice.
My turd: I live in Tulsa which has the eyes of the nation trained on us this weekend as the president holds a poorly-timed campaign rally here tomorrow. Our positive COVID numbers have been escalating at an alarming pace over the last 10 days and our leaders are all in conflict about the wisdom of a “super spreader” event that will draw 100k people into our medium-sized city. Couple that with our simmering racial tensions and the very real potential for violence and you can sense why so many of us are on edge. My anxiety level is high, my FB feed is a dumpster fire of friends sniping at each other down party lines over every possible hot button issue. So on this last day of working from home, I’ve taken to my bed with an upset stomach!
Now for a treasure: I stumbled across Chris Jones’s Twitter account (@enswelljones) several weeks ago and it is my new favorite thing! He’s a Canadian writer and storyteller with a whip smart sense of humor and a seemingly endless supply of hilarious and touching personal stories. He usually posts a new Twitter thread story on Fridays. Start with the George Clooney story from May 15, which went viral and is when I discovered him. He’s also hilariously obsessed with his city’s inexplicable devotion to building gazebos in random places, including across the street from his house. There are many funny “gazebo updates.” It’s one of the bright spots on Twitter these days.
I’m fascinated with all of you, even though I’m I think I’m probably the oldest on this thread! I’ve just entered my 50s, and am single and the parent of a cat. I look forward to being more active in this lovely community!
Happy 30 Weeks!
A few treasures this week:
1. One of my favorite local twitter accounts to follow has been doing "deck reports" since March and they are a snarky delight. https://twitter.com/larryvillelife/status/1272009830736240640
Also, tweets by Erin, Jamie Golden, Beth Moore, and Pantsuit Politics have gotten me through the week. Mercy.
https://twitter.com/jamiebgolden/status/1272201443102076930
https://twitter.com/erinhmoon/status/1272294989016576000
https://twitter.com/BethMooreLPM/status/1272168100419510272
https://twitter.com/PantsuitPolitic/status/1273724596940935168
2. Rick Astley getting Rick-Rolled on Reddit, which led my husband and I to his YouTube page. I don't think I realized that Rick is actually a pretty good singer...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5oeWHngDS4
3. Discussion in the Black Coffee With White Friends: Cream & Sugar Bookclub started yesterday and it is so life-giving and hard and wonderful.
4. We finished the last episode of The Night Manager last night - guys, the last 3 episodes were SO TENSE - but it ended so well! And I DO really like Tom Hiddleston now!
But now we need a new show to watch! Any recommendations for shows on Hulu or Amazon Prime?
Turds this week:
- The pandemic and a friend doing rounds in a teaching hospital in Florida and sharing horror stories about the case load. Things up here are pretty closed still (Seattle), but I confess to having so much anxiety about it still.
- Our dog may or may not have cancer :/ waiting on biopsy results from the vet and I’m sad but my husband is a disaster. He’s 10 1/2 but still it’s hard.
Treasures:
- bought the old navy linen pants recommended last week! (Official lil swipes uniform?) I got them in the blue stripe and have converted three others in purchasing. https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=551156072&pcid=999&vid=1&searchText=linen+pants#pdp-page-content
Enjoy your break, Erin!
Turds this week: The heat wave that arrived this week and the heat and thunderstorms arriving next week. Also the drought here. Vermont summers used to be so nice.
Also, we have had two bats appear in our house on two separate nights. We don't know how they are getting in, but I have to tell you catching bats at 4:30am after being awakened by a man running into the bedroom and slamming the door yelling about bats....it's not fun guys. It's not fun.
Work is stressful. It feels like too much to even have to explain why. Just know that it is and that working from home and not being able to effectively communicate with people (because now that it's summer they are working "in the field" and not checking their email) is making me crazy.
My alma mater is possibly closing. This tears me up inside.
Treasures: Got to see my mom yesterday for about an hour. I've only seen her twice since quarantine with distancing.
I'm re-watching Northern Exposure on DVD because because it's wholesome and funny and distracting from the world. Do I want to move to small town Alaska? Sometimes.
Tim & I are headed up to my family's lake house in the North East Kingdom for a long weekend. No one has been there since February so we can quarantine easily while also getting in a little lake time. I have 18 hours of personal time that has to be used before the end of the month or I lose it so a little forced vacay never hurt anyone. I'm really, really, really looking forward to a little break from work.
Okay, today is moving day so I’m just going to hop on with a quick rom-com update. I told you guys I’d share how the long-awaited date with the dating app guy went, good or bad. And it was...not great. 😂😂😅
The guy ended up being just a little strange, and not just first date awkwardness strange. He seemed so normal and things were going so well for the six weeks before we met, and the date was really underwhelming. I knew during the date that it was going to be a no on my part. Unfortunately, he was still very into it, and wanted another date. I had to let the guy down gently. I think he was definitely a little hurt and confused, and I felt really bad, but then he said he understood.
But THEN, on Wednesday I woke up to a string of video messages in my Instagram DMs from him BEGGING FOR A SECOND CHANCE. You guys. I just. Can’t. The worst part is his videos got cut off at some point and he must not have realized it because it ended mid-thought. So I had to, again, gently respond and tell him I didn’t want to keep moving the relationship further along and string him along when I knew it wasn’t going to work out, and I hoped he understood. He was sad but said he did. But then asked if we could still be friends, to which I said okay because I hate conflict and can’t say a flat out no. So far he hasn’t been pestering since then, praise the Lord.
So all that to say, it didn’t work out, but I’m fine. It’s back to the drawing board. Usually this experience would have me trashing all the dating apps and giving up on finding a man for a long time, but I’m not doing that this time. I’m still braving the awful apps and have a couple conversations going, but nothing promising as of yet. Sorry for the anticlimactic ending to the boy saga. 😂😂
Also, had my third COVID test yesterday due to several clients and staff testing positive this week when just last week we all tested negative, so that’s fun. Doubt this will be the last. My coworker and I have our over/under on how many times we have to get tested by the end of this set at 8 (over).
Now, I’m going to go pick up my U-haul, load up my life, and move into my new apartment! As a reminder, the new apartment is attached to the house my best friend and her husband just bought. They moved in to the house Wednesday, and I’m moving in today. She has already said the backyard is dreamy and has declared 7:30 happy hour on the shared deck every night this summer. I am so, so excited! I will check back in tonight (or tomorrow - I may be enjoying myself too much tonight)!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBkOC0XJ4gG/?igshid=67ol3rjnec0s made me go "what?!" And felt like you guys would appreciate it, too.
Turds include my migraine and my 19 year old's stomach bug, but we are ok today! Treasures: I picked up The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires at the library- highly recommended by Annie B. Jones! I'm not into horror but yesterday while waiting for a new car battery I read about 50 pages and it is excellent. Juneteenth and the longest day of the year!!! I think my biggest treasure is white people getting a clue:) Also my MIL's nursing home had 1 case of COVID but it hasn't spread and that person is doing well!!!
Erin, thanks for leading by example and taking a break when you need it!
This made me tear up (admittedly, most things do these days).
https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1271985575759949829
And this Twitter thread made me giggle.
https://twitter.com/MatthewEPierce/status/1272695289187643392
You deserve a break! Have a good weekend!
Happy 30 weeks! It feels like forever and not that long at all since you started this, Erin! Enjoy the Friday off 😂
Y’all, since our IG follow thread last week, I’m loving seeing your names here and knowing what you’ve been up to on the interwebs. In a totally non creepy way. 💛
I’ve got “magic beans” to affix to poles this morning and a couple of YA books to crush for class. So those activities are my future things to treasure today. :)
Also ... if you follow my Instagram , and saw me share a photo of me on a trail with a dog to my stories, please know that the Boy was on the other end of that photo, took it when I was unaware (and therefore at ease) and posted it to his insta (AND tagged me), where I currently reside as the only girl on his photo feed. Soooo. There’s that. Nbd.
Enjoy you break, Erin!
Yesterday I started watching Nadiya’s Time to Eat on Netflix (Nadiya from GBBO) and it’s so charming! The set (her actual house? Not sure...) is gorgeous and so colorful and she shows you how to make beautiful quick meals/dishes that include things like “tinned spaghetti” (spaghetti-o’s) but also like fresh raspberry cheesecake croissants. Perfect show to watch while attempting to bottle-feed twins by yourself.
Also these tweets: https://twitter.com/joshcarlosjosh/status/1273292053540040705?s=21
https://twitter.com/ciarapollock/status/1272984064006463488?s=21
https://twitter.com/jestom/status/1272998642014707718?s=21
https://twitter.com/vinegarwithap/status/1272682963323564032?s=21
And the idea that Gen Z is very accurately roasting Millennials like myself makes me laugh. I think Erin and Jamie brought this to my attention via their Insta Story and Twitter “likes”: https://twitter.com/local__celeb/status/1272079624185544706?s=21
Schoolteacher here, and LOTS of uncertainty about the Fall, but I found out yesterday that our English II classes will be dropping Macbeth ( I am admittedly a little sad about that) and replacing it with HAMILTON! As Sophie Hudson would say “Won’t He do it?”!!! All of my preparations this summer for LMM and Hamilton are professional development !
Take as many breaks as you need, Erin!
First, I want to say my linen pants arrived yesterday, and I have zero regrets. Thanks to the lil' swipes for changing my life! Second, I am experiencing a little emotional whip lash because the camp my husband and I staff every year canceled (understandable but still disappointing), but then some friends called and said "hey, come on a (safe, responsible) trip to Wyoming with us" so...we're doing that in two weeks. 🤷
Much love to you all from me! In one of the loneliest years I can remember (even before the 'rona), you all are a bright spot.
Y'all, I just saw this on FB and think everyone needs to see it. What a special, precious story. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=3547994798563244&id=161883877174370
I have other treasures to tell, I hope, but I need to spend an hour or two working on my online class (I have about two hours of lectures to watch!). Godspeed, fellow Treasures.
I got a chance this week to watch the presentation section of your substack event Erin. Great job! Hope you enjoy a good weekend off!
So bad news is my town is now a hot spot- which considering its only 4 miles wide it’s not terribly shocking. Good news is my column came out and so far no hate mail🙌🏻, my four year old with apraxia has added some new words to his vocab. I met a new neighbor from afar whilst 4 year old stood next to me peeing on a tree. I also made the worlds best comfort/ feelings food chicken with bacon gravy. About to head out to the beach in a minute hoping the ocean and sun crack open my soul!
30 weeks! 🙌 Super grateful for this little corner of the Internet. 💗
Rest well, Erin.
This dog living his best life in a back yard brought me joy (along with lo, so many questions):
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBjxMA5gjls/
To recap my year so far: got COVID, graduated from graduate school while still sick/recovering from Rona, my apartment flooded, temporarily homeless and staying with friends for a couple of weeks, found the dream apartment and moved in (if any of y'all are passing through Chicago and need a place to stay, I LOVE hosting people). I had ONE WEEK of "normalcy" (if you count constant racial tensions and nationwide lynchings normal) and now my car is broken. Can 2020 just.. not?
I'm grateful for this space where people post the junk, but also the fun stuff.
This post where a teacher posts her favorite quotes from her students had me in ACTUAL TEARS this week: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBjb2B7JYAW/?igshid=1skw4uuaq3cw3
We appreciate you, Erin! We hope you are able to enjoy a much needed break 👏🏼
Yes, Erin take your break! If anyone deserves it, it's you! We're so appreciative of all that you do to create this space for us weekly.