Hello and Happy Hamilton Day [or if you are somewhere else that Disney+ has failed you, please accept my condolences].
Weāre planning on doing a lil Hamilton-themed brunch because I am sometimes very extra about things and sometimes I just want to take a nap, but this is an extra thing. Hereās our menu (inspired by all the great suggestions here via Jamie Goldenās Twitter): Guns & Cheese Grits The Battle of Porktown (itās a sausage breakfast casserole) Dear Three-Mimosas Peggys in a Blanket Three Fundamental Fruits at the Exact Same Time Weāre also having waffles and I tried but I canāt figure out how to make it clever. So, waffles!
Okay I know OTHER THINGS are happening other than Hamilton, so Iām not gonna go totally nuts here. Iām chill.
š¬ This sweet interview into the friendship of Carl Reiner (who passed away this week) and Mel Brooks is about the purest thing.
š You know I love a belt bag (fanny pack except we canāt say that, fanny is a no-no word for basically the rest of the English-speaking world), but do I need a CASUAL belt bag? Like an athletic one? For reference, I own a āniceā leather one (that incidentally does less than zero for my figure but whatevs) from Target but I think I need one for outdoor walkings? I think Iām going to get one? Shout out`if you live the belt bag life and have recs.
š„ You want to read some DING-DANG fire about privilege and Black Lives Matter? May I direct you towards Shannan Martinās newsletter? Just this:
My face was hot when I climbed into my van, not because they were hateful people but precisely because they werenāt. They arenāt monsters. They donāt see themselves as racists. Theyāre respected in their communities, probably pleasant to their neighbors. They are people whose life experiences planted them in the simple narrative, as my friendĀ Becca StanleyĀ says. This is why the world is on fire. This is why some of us are burning.
Get you some of that.
š My new favorite Instagram account is @royalty_now_. Becca Saladin takes images and works of royalty from the past (think Cleopatra or Hapshepsut) and digitally paints them as they might look today. This is so specifically my jam. For real, Alexander the Great can get it.
I thought it might be fun to bring back the Q+A section because Iām trying to figure out how to slowly re-incorporate the actual WRITING aspect of the newsletter. So weāre gonna start here and see what happens.
Q: Do you have a favorite brand of chambray shirts/light jackets? - @robyn0525 A: First of all, this is the freaking funniest question Iāve ever read in my life because I wear this almost every day and it just makes me feel extremely known. I have gotten some great light utility jackets from Old Navy (I like this one) and Target, but my favorite jacket is from Eden Society that I got in my Stitch Fix box, but there is no link available online, for which I am very sorry. Universal Thread at Target sells my preferred chambray shirt.
Q: I think you mentioned once you donāt like the ESV. Can you tell me why? - @rosewasso A: The ESV (at times) suffers from a lack of sanctified common sense. Look, I know Iām not an ACTUAL Bible scholar, and there is a good bit about the ESV that I find well-translated. However, it has some serious gender-political issues that my beloved Carolyn Custis James has very thoughtfully and academically responded to. I recommend reading her post here on some of the heavy-handed choices the ESV makes in order to (this feels dramatic but) affirm a patriarchal view of Christianity (also this proves her point as well, with some hilarious out-of-context verse work). They may seem like small instances, but small instances can build up to larger, systemic problems. You didnāt ask, but my current fave is the NRSV.
Q: What have you been reading/what books do you recommend? - @tuckerficklin A: I read The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby and it wasā¦whatās the wordā¦devastating? Itā¦how do you say itā¦scraped me to my marrow? I honestly donāt know if Iāve ever read such an important and frankly, humiliating book. Important because if weāre going to change things, we have to understand how we go here. And humiliating because I JUST DIDNāT KNOW. I feel like I thought I knew, but I just did not even have a clue. I also finished Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, which was great. I love when novelists can identify specific behavior that so perfectly summarizes a character, and I think Reid did an excellent job at this. Iām in the middle of The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (which I just saw got sold to HBO) and it is incredible. I am diving into The Meaning of the Bible: What the Jewish Scriptures and the Christian Old Testament Can Teach Us by Douglas Knight and Amy-Jill Levine, as well as Dorothy Dayās The Reckless Way of Love. At my heart, I am a social justice Catholic. Iām also re-reading The Baby-sitterās Club because balance.
Q: How crazy would your life be if you added a dog into the mix? Do your kids ask for a pet? - @ringegl A: I grew up with dogs and the great sadness of my life is that my husband is allergic to them and also just kind of hates them. Itās not something I fully understood until post-marriage, but weāre locked in at this point. My kids beg for a dog, but I have been bribed by my husband to never speak of the possibility again. It was basically āThe Room Where It Happensā and the kids didnāt know how the sausage got made, but I won because Ben bought me new living room chairs if I shut up about getting a dog and now I sing this with even more gusto:
You got more than you gave And I wanted what I got When you got skin in the game, you stay in the game But you don't get a win unless you play in the game Oh, you get love for it, you get hate for it You get nothing if you Wait for it, wait for it, wait!
Q: I am really, really. struggling with how hard this year has been. Any advice? - [I left this person anonymous] I am so sorry. I really am. In May (MAY!) I off-handedly said to my husband, āthe hardest thing about this year is that thereās no light at the end of the tunnel. We just donāt know when it will resolve.ā I now think about this every day. Not only are we all collectively going through a lot with the pandemic (Furloughs! Job loss! Whatever is happening with schools! Isolation! The politicizing of masks and social distancing! Seeing any sacrifice to the public good youāve made be rendered null by the fact that other people really want haircuts!) and completely re-adjusting almost every aspect of our lives, thereās now this other layer of cultural reckoning as it relates to systemic racism and the unveiling of a profoundly broken world. Guys. Thatās a lot. Be so gentle with yourselves. Take breaks from the internet if you need to. Go for a walk if you can. If itās within the realm of possibility, talk to a therapist. Pray (I donāt mean that in a trite, stupid way. I mean it. Journal, rage, complete your stress cycle in the presence of the Holy Spirit, cry, sit stoically, watch someone else pray for you). As much as you are capable, remove toxic people from your life. Set up a fake email address where you say all the things you need to say but canāt say out loud. Please please please be gentle with yourself. Everyone gets grace, including you. But hereās the thing: our old way wasnāt good. It wasnāt healthy. It sacrificed the powerless for the sake of the powerful, and we have a chance to tip those scales. I do not want to ālook on the bright sideā of people dying and I wonāt. But I also know there is a deep possibility for change here. I think that is what is keeping me afloat. We donāt have to accept a system that devalues life so consumerism can run unchecked. We donāt have to accept a system that negates the marginalized in order to promote the interests of the privileged. We can break systems that do not serve us, all of us. The idea that it could change is helping me along. If I can do my part, if I can love my neighbor, it can change. It is a LOT to unlearn entire (maybe unknown) portions of your life and the world you live in. Give yourself grace and learn to rest when you feel tired. Much love to you all who are feeling this Q in your souls. ā¤ļø
[lots of great Qs and Iāll answer more next week.]
Pals, I cannot wait to hear all about your turds and treasures in the comments (if youāre new, you can click below and chat about your week, and the comments are filled with lil treasures for you to peruse). I hope you have a safe and cognitively dissonant 4th of July if youāre here in the States and if youāre not, I hope the fourth day of July is still very lovely for you, as well as the rest of the week, see you on the other side, til we meet again.
Per usual, weāve got some affiliate links up in this club, which throw cash at me at no cost to you because you are cool like that. Ok bye.
It is lightweight and holds more than you would expect. I can carry my phone, 2 auto injectors, hand sanitizer, money, ID, lip balm, and these days a mask in it.
Just realized I never commented, cause I was that person who woke up promptly at 3am on Friday for my first Hamilton viewing - my b. Treasures include listening to Anthony Ramos' album, The Good and The Bad, to pretend I am in any way chill about having so much access to Hamilton.
The rest of the week was a sprint to the finish for work and I had a gloriously low-key weekend otherwise. Turds include accidentally spraying myself in the eye with bug spray for the nightly dog walk outing, so my patience was low that day :| Treasures include lots of reading (also working on The Vanishing Half and Hood Feminism) and good discussion with friends, some texting still with The Boy (the most extended first date, but I don't hate it?), and lots of laughter on a regular Powerpoint Party with friends. Topics presented were the History of Macarons, Lightsabers, Lucille Ball, and introduction to Hamilton. If you are still in an area where virtual parties are necessary, I HIGHLY recommend this format of a party :)
I reread (just like Danielle) Erin's email that she sent out earlier last week about her feelings leading up to Hamilton. AND OH MY WORD how it resonated!
I got teary a couple times as I watched ....Wait for It hit me in an unexpected way. Same with Dear Theodosia and Hurricane. Just some delicate tears.
Then Burn................... oh my, the tears lost that delicate nature.
But then from the grief filled scream in Stay Alive (Reprise)....and through It's Quiet Uptown?
SOBS.
Like handtowel clutching.
Gasps between breaths.
SOBS
I'm tearing up again just recalling this.
Then when I just started to recover and compose myself
Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story. AAAAAAHHH my word.
I tried to explain to my husband why I was indeed crying so hard from the other room, he indeed thought something was wrong with me. "Wait, you're still watching Hamilton and crying this much?" And I tried to explain why and how and just how good it was. And yes, "It Good" totally sums it up.
I never could have seen this in public and all of your who have, wow. I applaud you.
I left thick voiced messages to Danielle and 2 other friends who knew I was planning to watch this weekend.
I need this to be released in a way I can buy.
And I will need to watch again, but not right away. Letting all the feelings this brought out of me sort of settle and know I will probably emote that hard again...oof.
I loved it.
And, also, in my best Jamie B. Golden voice.....George Washington is verryy verrry sessssssyy.
My family makes fun of me endlessly for wearing in when I walk and mow the lawn, but whatās a girl to do when there are no pockets in her leggings and I want to listen to podcasts??
Huge stack of books for summer reading finally arrived. Iām barely into The Southern Book Clubās Guide to Slaying Vampires and itās some of the best writing Iāve read in a while and it is always a treat to read great writing. I canāt believe it wonāt hold up and be worth the gory content which is not usually my thing. As usual Iāve been overly ambitious in what I want to read. Donāt suppose there is any interest in a lil swipes reading club? Iām always looking for book friends and reading groups help keep me accountable so I thought Iād throw it out into the void! Happy Hamilfilm day š„³
My treasure: Packing our Amazon Fire Stick for our weekend getaway and thus being able to watch Hamilton on the huge tv in our hotel room instead of on my laptop!
-I made it into Flavor Town this week, and I will forever wear it as a badge of honor, even though I have taken much heat for it. š If you listen to The Popcast, yes, I am the person who hates chocolate and peanut butter together. I am not sorry for this opinion.
-I bought an accent chair this week to add to my new living room. Iām pretty sure this is the first piece of furniture Iāve actually bought brand new because Iām cheap and always buy used or have gotten things passed on to me, and it makes me feel very adult. Itās supposed to come today and I canāt wait to see how it pulls things together!
-I finally went real grocery shopping this week after not buying anything after moving other than a few vegetables, so my fridge no longer looks poor and sad.
-I get to see a few friends on Sunday that I havenāt seen for far too long! This is my core group of friends from college and our group has grown over the years as everyone has gotten married/engaged (celebrating the newest engagement on Sunday) and/or had kids other than me (still single and ready to mingle šš½), and we donāt see each other nearly enough anymore but every time we do we end up playing games and talking and end up laughing until we cry. Itās my favorite thing.
Turd of the week:
-Iām having an endometriosis flare up and have basically been curled up on my couch in pain since leaving work early yesterday. Iāve done a lot of things to heal and manage this thing over the last few years, but occasionally I still have bad days, and so here we are constantly attached to a heating pad in July and trying all the pain remedies without much relief. But at least itās a long holiday weekend so I already had today off. And Iām re-binging The Office thanks to The Popcast and am at the part where Jim is teasing Pam with a proposal and that makes my dumb reproductive organs a little less unbearable.
Thank you for the āLost in Translationā article. It really makes me think about which translation I read and to use multiple translations when studying. Why is your current fav the NRSV? Not looking to argue, just curious. Thanks.
Hello everyone! My original plan was 7am sāmores and Hamilton. I shifted gears and slept in because I needed it and then made Mickey Mouse waffles with my new waffle maker. When your old (cheap) waffle maker dies during a pandemic, a Mickey waffle maker is the best replacement.
I just finished watching Hamilton. There are no words for the experience. It was everything I wanted it to be.
Home for the long weekend, so I am sitting comfy on my couch after already taking a 4 mile walk. Y'all the heatwave in MN is NO joke. We have so many days of 90s in or future. Just dropping truth that MN is a lot of fun because not only do we get arctic cold temps for months of winter, but we get mental heat and humidity in the summer. SUPER FUN!
So my first treasure:
1. The makers of fans and central air.
2. Smoothies (not daily, but close) continue. I have been good not *always* spiking them ;) But I do add an Eme'gen'C packet and VOILA it's like an immunity boost (like so like that, it's my business)
3. Dresses or certain skorts While I was team linen pants back when we were in the 70s and 80s this week its been all about dresses or skorts. Back before Athleta went to become a Lululemon wannabe they used to have more quasi REI/Duluth Trader/Title Nine type clothes and I bought two skorts from them many moons ago and LOOOOVE them. I toss one of those on and a flowy tank and I'm living my best comfy life. I also bought a really cute faux wrap dress from the Lark & Ro line from Amazon and I look so put together at work. I am buying two other colorways of the same dress I love them that much.
4. Voice messages. I love being able to emote to friends LOL so they can truly hear my reaction. ;) I am *that* person
I really need to start using my Notes app and jotting down what I want to comment on and list here each week. Because today, poof nothing major is coming to mind and I feel like I have "The Dumb"
Iām John Laurens in the place to be. 2 pints of Sam Adams and Iām working on 3.
We are planning to watch Hamilton tonight so Disney+ doesnāt crash. š
I have a treasure and a turd but they both go hand in hand. The turd is that after three weeks of going into the office two days a week, we had an employee test positive. I feel bad for her and her family as she has 2 small children. Praying she gets better soon.
The treasure is I now no longer have to go into said office and can continue to work from home for the foreseeable future.
Regarding the missing star, Iāve seen some tweets floating around that someone must be time traveling back to 2020 and keeps changing things on our timeline, thus the disappearance of the murder hornets. I feel like the star may also be a victim of time travel mishaps.
Also I am with Ben in the anti-dog category. Sorry, not sorry.
Turd for the week: twin bedtime. Treasures below!
My husband finally got sick of his quarantine hair and asked me to give him a haircut. š³ I watched k8_smallthingsā menās haircut video on IGTV and gave it a shot, and itās not half bad! So if you need to give a man in your life a haircut, thatās my recommendation.
Other things giving me life are Nature Valley Almond Butter Biscuits (like cinnamon-y sandwich cookies), linen shorts from Old Navy (alternate you the linen pants we discussed a few weeks ago), the hand-me-down baby swing that keeps my āmore difficultā twin asleep for longer naps when I just canāt anymore, and the Jesus Storybook Bible, which I am reading with my 2yo at night (and is my only time āin the wordā currently). It legitimately is helpful for my faith at the moment when itās the closest thing I can get to a āquiet timeā these days.
Love to you all. Making myself hold off on Hamilton until later since my husband has to work today. Boo Texas A&Mās stingy holiday schedule.
One turd this week - my county in Kansas was doing SO WELL flattening our curve, and then all the bars opened and folks decided to quit social distancing and pack out the tiny college bars and now we have almost triple the number of Covid cases in 2 weeks time. Bah.
I am so friggin' happy with my recent impulse buy that I was TOTALLY influenced to buy by Instagram, and I think you folks are the only ones who will care. Even if you don't, that's ok. I just have to tell somebody!
Olive & June nail polish. You guys. It is LITERALLY (insert Chris Traeger voice) the best nail polish I have ever used. I got a lovely summer peach color that perfectly complements my skin tone and I am in love with my hands. Like I can't stop staring.
The @theholdernessfamily Instagram and YouTube channel are giving me lots of smiles these days. Iāve watched the Hamilton paradoy for mask wearing and have smiled and laughed each and every time. Plus the What If Disney songs is Broadway songs were about quarantine...just really needed all the smiles and laughs yesterday.
Do we know if Hamilton is streaming right this very second? We have connectivity issues with Disney+ when they're really busy, so maybe I could watch it sooner than later...
We live in Denver, and went backpacking with our neighbors this week. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Colorado is kind of wasted on me. It's super dry, so no campfire and instant dehydration. Everything is at altitude, and hauling a 35-pound pack up and down mountainsides at 9000 feet is exhausting. My body hates sleeping on the ground, and the dang sun insists on coming up at 5 or something, then staying up for way too long - nine hours is not possible while camping. I spend most of my time doing all the things I do at home (picking up people's crap, making food), but without running water or electricity. Nature is pretty, but the ROI is just not enough for me (enneagram 9, or couldn't you tell?)
I didn't realize the camping trip was my turd, but apparently it is. š¤·š¼āāļø
Treasure: I have a small woodworking business, and I'm staying pretty consistently busy. It's weird, after 40+ years of buying the conservative evangelical "wife and mother are the highest callings" line, to be sought out and to have to explain to people that I can't get their _____ built until September because of my backlog. I love it.
Work is closed today in observance of the 4th and I couldnāt be happier for a break. Bummed that Iāll mostly be sticking inside: eat, read, tv, walk dog š, repeat.
Turd goes to the excessive āolderā complainers in my tiny condo. One thing I never thought about when making the move from a house to a condo. Iāve never wanted to shout expletives more in my life. š¤¬
Treasure this week goes to finally getting over the decision fatigue and ordering all the final fixtures for my new place! Ceiling fans ā , vanity lights ā , gold faucet ā , feels pretty great! Now will await their arrival... š¦
Happy Hamilton Day and observed 4th! Iām coming to you live from BED cause the library is closed (hallelujah, praise baby Jesus!)
Turd of the week was related to work - just as we were getting our āphase oneā feet under us and people were getting used to the *new* new normal of library service, we got word of positive cases in our circles, too close for comfort, and had to shut down abruptly again. The glimpse of light is smaller and farther away now.
But Treasures still abound!
-in the vein of Erinās spreadsheets- I became deeply enthralled with the Dark Academia aesthetic on Instagram/tumblr and started a document for my best pop culture friend deep diving it. Itās got headings, definitions, a thesis, application points. Itās a enneagram 5w4ās quintessential head in the sand obsessive project. Maybe not healthy? Idk. Itās fun though.
-The Boy introduced me to Stardew Valley, a farming sim game thatās mindless and peaceful and pretty (ā*youāre* pretty!ā he says when I commented that š) - for any one who PC games, itās like 9 bucks on Steam right now! Well worth it! Iām gonna make coffee and go play now š
All of this- the funny tweets, the very important Hamilton menu, and the answers to questions! All of this is giving me life today. Thank you, Erin for helping us get through this really hard time by not only offering laughs but by helping us to be better.
Okay, well, now I have āDear Three-Mimosasā stuck in my head forever. Iām cool with it.
Very, very excited to watch Hamilton with my sister & my husband tonight. We all saw it together in September in Philly, so reliving it with them will be a treat. āļø
Also, the Daphne K. Lee tweet made me feel VEEERY SEEN. Dang.
My lil treasures this week:
1) My 8-month-old started crawling (this also may qualify as a turd?? š ). I love him dearly; he leaves a path of destruction in his wake. Heās into EVERYTHING. Our WiFi has come unplugged twice already, so thatās not terrifying at all. Second child things.
2) I finally got around to starting Never Have I Ever on Netflix & it. is. fantastic. Gah, I love it so much.
I bought my Herschel belt bag to take to Disney World and have easy access to all of the supposed magical moments that can be provided through the app on my phone. Our Disney trip was canceled (thanks covid) but instead, that ash rose "waist pack" has joined me on all of my outdoor quarantine adventures. I would highly recommend!
I was gifted anāIāll say itāathletic fanny pack for my birthday and itās been a game changer on my walks and bike rides. Thereās a place for my phone and mask and chapstick and itās glorious. Brand name is Manxisi and itās neon green I am assuming it was ordered off Amazon since thatās where everyone is getting everything currently. But I can confirm from my sister-in-law if youād like more info!
I have recently discovered tiktok (and also that I am old at the age of 30, which I previously considered to be fairly young š¤Ŗ), and I love it fiercely. Iām not sure thereās anything else that could make me pee my pants from laughter three days in a row like it does.
My mom has always said her favorite emotion is laughter through tears, being upset and crying but then something makes you start laughing hysterically. I had that experience this week with these two tiktoks.
So if you been hesitant to download tiktok, I say give it a try!
Side note about age that Iāve been thinking about this week...
Do any of you remember your parents at a specific age when you were a child? My mom at 36 sticks out in my mind. Looking back, you donāt realize as a child that your parents are *people*. Now that Iām getting closer to that age and have kids of my own, I realize my mom had dreams, interests, dislikes, and a whole life I wasnāt aware of when I was 9. I know so much more about her now that Iām older, but itās just funny (humbling?) to look back and realize that she had life other than just taking care of me and my sister. Itās made my love and appreciation for her even bigger. ā¤ļø
Weighing in on the belt bag - I just got a basic one from IKEA. (Ikea brings me so much life b/c I'm Canadian and don't have target) It is really functional, not pretty but has the right amount of room so I can get groceries with 3 kids and not worry about a purse. It basically doubles as pocket for all the stupid women's clothing that doesn't have pockets. Definitely has me thinking about getting a cute one to zhuz up outfits and be functional.
- I started a new job last week and itās been so good. While I know that I canāt share a link to this and itās kind of a personal treasure, Iām a firm believer in sharing happy news. I feel totally useful and respected and utilized at work and even though Iām remote working there are beautiful systems for everything that make my type A heart soar
- I discovered Trader Joeās has pub cheese in large containers for half the price of what the grocery store sells for small, and yāall should get you some of that
- I have 5 gorgeous foster kittens who remind me every time I go into my foster nursery (shout out to my husband for allowing this room to exist) all about newness and life and happy things. If you care for pictures I post cute ones on their IG page @fosterintheheights
ā But I also know there is a deep possibility for change here. I think that is what is keeping me afloat.ā Same. Itās the only thing I can hold onto. We have to change, right? Right?
Also, the idea of setting up a fake email and pounding out life there sounds so appealing. I donāt know why that could help more than journaling but I love that idea.
treasures this week:
- headed to whidbey island with my family (island outside Seattle) for the fourth. Yay for leaving my house.
- I do (sometimes) listen to those podcasts where you learn things and better yourself but sometimes you need an ESCAPE. Enter RomPods, which has taken me back to 1941, where Iām pressed up against the wireless to hear a radio drama romantic comedy. There are sound effects! Music! Different voices! Itās set in Italy! I binged all the episodes and now am waiting for the upcoming episode dropping Monday. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/romcompods/id1511796352
- I made lasagna this week because comfort food and then I had extra ricotta so Iāve been making ricotta toasts like Iām an expensive hipster coffee shop. It started with ricotta, tomatoes, fresh basil and Trader Joeās Everything Bagel seasoning and then transcended to avocado, ricotta, sliced turkey, tomato and feta. YUM.
Can we talk about the laziness (or special kind of genius) in naming one of the worldās most massive telescopes āThe Very Large Telescope?ā Iād like to think there was a contest, like when the people named that British boat āBoaty McBoatface,ā but the naming committee gave up and went with āVery Large Telescope.ā I picture a suited man flinging down a folder full of subpar suggestions with a tired sigh.
I'm deathly allergic to bees and yellow jackets so I always have to have epinephrine with me. I've carried what I refer to as a "waist pack" for years when I'm out for a walk or bike ride and love it. I do wear mine at the small of my back instead of the front because I find it more comfortable. I have this one (my color isn't shown) from Patagonia and LOVE IT. https://www.patagonia.com/product/ultralight-black-hole-mini-hip-pack-1-liter/49447.html?dwvar_49447_color=PWRE#q=waist%2Bpack&lang=en_US&start=1
It is lightweight and holds more than you would expect. I can carry my phone, 2 auto injectors, hand sanitizer, money, ID, lip balm, and these days a mask in it.
Just realized I never commented, cause I was that person who woke up promptly at 3am on Friday for my first Hamilton viewing - my b. Treasures include listening to Anthony Ramos' album, The Good and The Bad, to pretend I am in any way chill about having so much access to Hamilton.
The rest of the week was a sprint to the finish for work and I had a gloriously low-key weekend otherwise. Turds include accidentally spraying myself in the eye with bug spray for the nightly dog walk outing, so my patience was low that day :| Treasures include lots of reading (also working on The Vanishing Half and Hood Feminism) and good discussion with friends, some texting still with The Boy (the most extended first date, but I don't hate it?), and lots of laughter on a regular Powerpoint Party with friends. Topics presented were the History of Macarons, Lightsabers, Lucille Ball, and introduction to Hamilton. If you are still in an area where virtual parties are necessary, I HIGHLY recommend this format of a party :)
Okay, so I watched Hamilton last night.
I still have not emotionally recovered.
I reread (just like Danielle) Erin's email that she sent out earlier last week about her feelings leading up to Hamilton. AND OH MY WORD how it resonated!
I got teary a couple times as I watched ....Wait for It hit me in an unexpected way. Same with Dear Theodosia and Hurricane. Just some delicate tears.
Then Burn................... oh my, the tears lost that delicate nature.
But then from the grief filled scream in Stay Alive (Reprise)....and through It's Quiet Uptown?
SOBS.
Like handtowel clutching.
Gasps between breaths.
SOBS
I'm tearing up again just recalling this.
Then when I just started to recover and compose myself
Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story. AAAAAAHHH my word.
I tried to explain to my husband why I was indeed crying so hard from the other room, he indeed thought something was wrong with me. "Wait, you're still watching Hamilton and crying this much?" And I tried to explain why and how and just how good it was. And yes, "It Good" totally sums it up.
I never could have seen this in public and all of your who have, wow. I applaud you.
I left thick voiced messages to Danielle and 2 other friends who knew I was planning to watch this weekend.
I need this to be released in a way I can buy.
And I will need to watch again, but not right away. Letting all the feelings this brought out of me sort of settle and know I will probably emote that hard again...oof.
I loved it.
And, also, in my best Jamie B. Golden voice.....George Washington is verryy verrry sessssssyy.
Hi! Iām new here! Not sure how this works, but here are my T&Ts of this week.
Turds:
1)compassion fatigue and burnout. Iām a nurse and itās been a rough few months. Waffling between optimism and fatalism.
Treasures:
1)friends who share disney plus and will rewatch Hamilton with you
2) frozen peaches (Why have I not been using these & making peach cobbler all my life. So easy!)
3) literally half a dozen taco places within 10 min of me
4) really good coffee
5) Erin moon for reminding me to COMPLETE MY STRESS CYCLE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
RE: casual belt bag for walking - LL Bean all the way! https://m.llbean.com/llb/shop/118117?productId=1634361&attrValue_0=Spruce/Rich%20Berry&pla1=0&mr:trackingCode=E9D5F113-0398-E911-8102-00505694403D&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=m&mr:adType=pla_with_promotiononline&qs=3125053&pcd=SUMMER10&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9NO_mfmz6gIVUdbACh301gD8EAQYASABEgKgtfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
My family makes fun of me endlessly for wearing in when I walk and mow the lawn, but whatās a girl to do when there are no pockets in her leggings and I want to listen to podcasts??
Huge stack of books for summer reading finally arrived. Iām barely into The Southern Book Clubās Guide to Slaying Vampires and itās some of the best writing Iāve read in a while and it is always a treat to read great writing. I canāt believe it wonāt hold up and be worth the gory content which is not usually my thing. As usual Iāve been overly ambitious in what I want to read. Donāt suppose there is any interest in a lil swipes reading club? Iām always looking for book friends and reading groups help keep me accountable so I thought Iād throw it out into the void! Happy Hamilfilm day š„³
My treasure: Packing our Amazon Fire Stick for our weekend getaway and thus being able to watch Hamilton on the huge tv in our hotel room instead of on my laptop!
Treasure-
Finally took the plunge and procured this waist satchel :-)
Herschel Fifteen, Summer Floral... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VXWM37W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thank you for sharing the deets on ESV, I hadnāt heard any of that and am always down for some context/knowledge.
Treasures:
-I made it into Flavor Town this week, and I will forever wear it as a badge of honor, even though I have taken much heat for it. š If you listen to The Popcast, yes, I am the person who hates chocolate and peanut butter together. I am not sorry for this opinion.
-I bought an accent chair this week to add to my new living room. Iām pretty sure this is the first piece of furniture Iāve actually bought brand new because Iām cheap and always buy used or have gotten things passed on to me, and it makes me feel very adult. Itās supposed to come today and I canāt wait to see how it pulls things together!
-I finally went real grocery shopping this week after not buying anything after moving other than a few vegetables, so my fridge no longer looks poor and sad.
-I get to see a few friends on Sunday that I havenāt seen for far too long! This is my core group of friends from college and our group has grown over the years as everyone has gotten married/engaged (celebrating the newest engagement on Sunday) and/or had kids other than me (still single and ready to mingle šš½), and we donāt see each other nearly enough anymore but every time we do we end up playing games and talking and end up laughing until we cry. Itās my favorite thing.
Turd of the week:
-Iām having an endometriosis flare up and have basically been curled up on my couch in pain since leaving work early yesterday. Iāve done a lot of things to heal and manage this thing over the last few years, but occasionally I still have bad days, and so here we are constantly attached to a heating pad in July and trying all the pain remedies without much relief. But at least itās a long holiday weekend so I already had today off. And Iām re-binging The Office thanks to The Popcast and am at the part where Jim is teasing Pam with a proposal and that makes my dumb reproductive organs a little less unbearable.
Waffle-ton on Your Side? š
I am living that belt bag life and I use this one every day. It is 27.99 and comes in 41 different colors. https://herschel.com/shop/hip-packs/fourteen-hip-pack?v=10514-03922-OS
Erin, just did a search for Color of Compromise and there appears to be a video series for this on Prime.
Have you watched?
Thank you for the āLost in Translationā article. It really makes me think about which translation I read and to use multiple translations when studying. Why is your current fav the NRSV? Not looking to argue, just curious. Thanks.
Yāall Iām in the mountains! Cell phone reception is very spotty! Iāll check in later! Happy Hammi day!! xoxo
Hello everyone! My original plan was 7am sāmores and Hamilton. I shifted gears and slept in because I needed it and then made Mickey Mouse waffles with my new waffle maker. When your old (cheap) waffle maker dies during a pandemic, a Mickey waffle maker is the best replacement.
I just finished watching Hamilton. There are no words for the experience. It was everything I wanted it to be.
Other treasures:
- Krogerās Private Selection brand Blueberry Cheescake ice cream. Itās sooo creamy and wonderful.
- Sunflowers from my mom
- Discovering that Pinterest lets you create subsections for boards. My pins have never been more organized
- 4 day weekends!!
Afternoon from MN!
Home for the long weekend, so I am sitting comfy on my couch after already taking a 4 mile walk. Y'all the heatwave in MN is NO joke. We have so many days of 90s in or future. Just dropping truth that MN is a lot of fun because not only do we get arctic cold temps for months of winter, but we get mental heat and humidity in the summer. SUPER FUN!
So my first treasure:
1. The makers of fans and central air.
2. Smoothies (not daily, but close) continue. I have been good not *always* spiking them ;) But I do add an Eme'gen'C packet and VOILA it's like an immunity boost (like so like that, it's my business)
3. Dresses or certain skorts While I was team linen pants back when we were in the 70s and 80s this week its been all about dresses or skorts. Back before Athleta went to become a Lululemon wannabe they used to have more quasi REI/Duluth Trader/Title Nine type clothes and I bought two skorts from them many moons ago and LOOOOVE them. I toss one of those on and a flowy tank and I'm living my best comfy life. I also bought a really cute faux wrap dress from the Lark & Ro line from Amazon and I look so put together at work. I am buying two other colorways of the same dress I love them that much.
4. Voice messages. I love being able to emote to friends LOL so they can truly hear my reaction. ;) I am *that* person
I really need to start using my Notes app and jotting down what I want to comment on and list here each week. Because today, poof nothing major is coming to mind and I feel like I have "The Dumb"
Stay cool (this feels like a yearbook sign off)
Mel
WHAT TIME IS IT?
SHOW TIME!
Iām John Laurens in the place to be. 2 pints of Sam Adams and Iām working on 3.
We are planning to watch Hamilton tonight so Disney+ doesnāt crash. š
I have a treasure and a turd but they both go hand in hand. The turd is that after three weeks of going into the office two days a week, we had an employee test positive. I feel bad for her and her family as she has 2 small children. Praying she gets better soon.
The treasure is I now no longer have to go into said office and can continue to work from home for the foreseeable future.
Stay safe, yāall!!
Regarding the missing star, Iāve seen some tweets floating around that someone must be time traveling back to 2020 and keeps changing things on our timeline, thus the disappearance of the murder hornets. I feel like the star may also be a victim of time travel mishaps.
Also I am with Ben in the anti-dog category. Sorry, not sorry.
Turd for the week: twin bedtime. Treasures below!
My husband finally got sick of his quarantine hair and asked me to give him a haircut. š³ I watched k8_smallthingsā menās haircut video on IGTV and gave it a shot, and itās not half bad! So if you need to give a man in your life a haircut, thatās my recommendation.
Other things giving me life are Nature Valley Almond Butter Biscuits (like cinnamon-y sandwich cookies), linen shorts from Old Navy (alternate you the linen pants we discussed a few weeks ago), the hand-me-down baby swing that keeps my āmore difficultā twin asleep for longer naps when I just canāt anymore, and the Jesus Storybook Bible, which I am reading with my 2yo at night (and is my only time āin the wordā currently). It legitimately is helpful for my faith at the moment when itās the closest thing I can get to a āquiet timeā these days.
Love to you all. Making myself hold off on Hamilton until later since my husband has to work today. Boo Texas A&Mās stingy holiday schedule.
Your answer to your last question is what keeps me coming back to you week after week! I wish I knew you IRL.
One turd this week - my county in Kansas was doing SO WELL flattening our curve, and then all the bars opened and folks decided to quit social distancing and pack out the tiny college bars and now we have almost triple the number of Covid cases in 2 weeks time. Bah.
Treasures:
1. I am probably late to the game, but I discovered Matthew Pierce on Twitter this week and this thread made me laugh so much: https://twitter.com/MatthewEPierce/status/1272695289187643392 Christian culture + Saved By The Bell gifs = joy.
2. My summer wardrobe is revolving around this headband from The Bluest Willow: https://www.thebluestwillow.com/collections/extras/products/cheetah-turbin-headband
and this face mask https://www.etsy.com/listing/798872669/face-mask-organic-cotton-two-layer and the two of them together make me laugh at myself, but in a good way.
Have a great week, everyone!
Long time lurker, first time commenter! š¤Ŗ
I am so friggin' happy with my recent impulse buy that I was TOTALLY influenced to buy by Instagram, and I think you folks are the only ones who will care. Even if you don't, that's ok. I just have to tell somebody!
Olive & June nail polish. You guys. It is LITERALLY (insert Chris Traeger voice) the best nail polish I have ever used. I got a lovely summer peach color that perfectly complements my skin tone and I am in love with my hands. Like I can't stop staring.
That's all. Thanks for listening! šš š¼
The @theholdernessfamily Instagram and YouTube channel are giving me lots of smiles these days. Iāve watched the Hamilton paradoy for mask wearing and have smiled and laughed each and every time. Plus the What If Disney songs is Broadway songs were about quarantine...just really needed all the smiles and laughs yesterday.
Do we know if Hamilton is streaming right this very second? We have connectivity issues with Disney+ when they're really busy, so maybe I could watch it sooner than later...
We live in Denver, and went backpacking with our neighbors this week. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Colorado is kind of wasted on me. It's super dry, so no campfire and instant dehydration. Everything is at altitude, and hauling a 35-pound pack up and down mountainsides at 9000 feet is exhausting. My body hates sleeping on the ground, and the dang sun insists on coming up at 5 or something, then staying up for way too long - nine hours is not possible while camping. I spend most of my time doing all the things I do at home (picking up people's crap, making food), but without running water or electricity. Nature is pretty, but the ROI is just not enough for me (enneagram 9, or couldn't you tell?)
I didn't realize the camping trip was my turd, but apparently it is. š¤·š¼āāļø
Treasure: I have a small woodworking business, and I'm staying pretty consistently busy. It's weird, after 40+ years of buying the conservative evangelical "wife and mother are the highest callings" line, to be sought out and to have to explain to people that I can't get their _____ built until September because of my backlog. I love it.
Hi Swipes!
Work is closed today in observance of the 4th and I couldnāt be happier for a break. Bummed that Iāll mostly be sticking inside: eat, read, tv, walk dog š, repeat.
Turd goes to the excessive āolderā complainers in my tiny condo. One thing I never thought about when making the move from a house to a condo. Iāve never wanted to shout expletives more in my life. š¤¬
Treasure this week goes to finally getting over the decision fatigue and ordering all the final fixtures for my new place! Ceiling fans ā , vanity lights ā , gold faucet ā , feels pretty great! Now will await their arrival... š¦
Happy Hamilton Day and observed 4th! Iām coming to you live from BED cause the library is closed (hallelujah, praise baby Jesus!)
Turd of the week was related to work - just as we were getting our āphase oneā feet under us and people were getting used to the *new* new normal of library service, we got word of positive cases in our circles, too close for comfort, and had to shut down abruptly again. The glimpse of light is smaller and farther away now.
But Treasures still abound!
-in the vein of Erinās spreadsheets- I became deeply enthralled with the Dark Academia aesthetic on Instagram/tumblr and started a document for my best pop culture friend deep diving it. Itās got headings, definitions, a thesis, application points. Itās a enneagram 5w4ās quintessential head in the sand obsessive project. Maybe not healthy? Idk. Itās fun though.
-The Boy introduced me to Stardew Valley, a farming sim game thatās mindless and peaceful and pretty (ā*youāre* pretty!ā he says when I commented that š) - for any one who PC games, itās like 9 bucks on Steam right now! Well worth it! Iām gonna make coffee and go play now š
All of this- the funny tweets, the very important Hamilton menu, and the answers to questions! All of this is giving me life today. Thank you, Erin for helping us get through this really hard time by not only offering laughs but by helping us to be better.
Belt bag: maybe Cotopaxi or Walker Family Goods
Okay, well, now I have āDear Three-Mimosasā stuck in my head forever. Iām cool with it.
Very, very excited to watch Hamilton with my sister & my husband tonight. We all saw it together in September in Philly, so reliving it with them will be a treat. āļø
Also, the Daphne K. Lee tweet made me feel VEEERY SEEN. Dang.
My lil treasures this week:
1) My 8-month-old started crawling (this also may qualify as a turd?? š ). I love him dearly; he leaves a path of destruction in his wake. Heās into EVERYTHING. Our WiFi has come unplugged twice already, so thatās not terrifying at all. Second child things.
2) I finally got around to starting Never Have I Ever on Netflix & it. is. fantastic. Gah, I love it so much.
3) The album āCarryā by Joy Oladokun is on repeat right now. Beautiful all-around. https://open.spotify.com/album/17UkqCkSXuoXbgNNg0VYQ8?si=413AI9FARga7LLu734xC_w
4) Conversations with friends that include phrases like, āIām still learning,ā āI might be wrong,ā and āI changed my mind.ā
May this weekend be one of reflection, rest & continued re-education, friends! āØ
I bought my Herschel belt bag to take to Disney World and have easy access to all of the supposed magical moments that can be provided through the app on my phone. Our Disney trip was canceled (thanks covid) but instead, that ash rose "waist pack" has joined me on all of my outdoor quarantine adventures. I would highly recommend!
Best of wives and best of waffles? A waffle-y armed battalion?
I DONāT GET THE HAMILTON HYPE.
There I said it, I feel better. Gonna run away now!! šš
Very favorite belt bag š
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T2N7N3P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_FcY.EbNBQBS80
I was gifted anāIāll say itāathletic fanny pack for my birthday and itās been a game changer on my walks and bike rides. Thereās a place for my phone and mask and chapstick and itās glorious. Brand name is Manxisi and itās neon green I am assuming it was ordered off Amazon since thatās where everyone is getting everything currently. But I can confirm from my sister-in-law if youād like more info!
I have recently discovered tiktok (and also that I am old at the age of 30, which I previously considered to be fairly young š¤Ŗ), and I love it fiercely. Iām not sure thereās anything else that could make me pee my pants from laughter three days in a row like it does.
My mom has always said her favorite emotion is laughter through tears, being upset and crying but then something makes you start laughing hysterically. I had that experience this week with these two tiktoks.
https://vm.tiktok.com/JeCJS4V/
https://vm.tiktok.com/JeQnRnv/
So if you been hesitant to download tiktok, I say give it a try!
Side note about age that Iāve been thinking about this week...
Do any of you remember your parents at a specific age when you were a child? My mom at 36 sticks out in my mind. Looking back, you donāt realize as a child that your parents are *people*. Now that Iām getting closer to that age and have kids of my own, I realize my mom had dreams, interests, dislikes, and a whole life I wasnāt aware of when I was 9. I know so much more about her now that Iām older, but itās just funny (humbling?) to look back and realize that she had life other than just taking care of me and my sister. Itās made my love and appreciation for her even bigger. ā¤ļø
Weighing in on the belt bag - I just got a basic one from IKEA. (Ikea brings me so much life b/c I'm Canadian and don't have target) It is really functional, not pretty but has the right amount of room so I can get groceries with 3 kids and not worry about a purse. It basically doubles as pocket for all the stupid women's clothing that doesn't have pockets. Definitely has me thinking about getting a cute one to zhuz up outfits and be functional.
These Swipe Ups give me so much!
Treasures:
- I started a new job last week and itās been so good. While I know that I canāt share a link to this and itās kind of a personal treasure, Iām a firm believer in sharing happy news. I feel totally useful and respected and utilized at work and even though Iām remote working there are beautiful systems for everything that make my type A heart soar
- I discovered Trader Joeās has pub cheese in large containers for half the price of what the grocery store sells for small, and yāall should get you some of that
- I have 5 gorgeous foster kittens who remind me every time I go into my foster nursery (shout out to my husband for allowing this room to exist) all about newness and life and happy things. If you care for pictures I post cute ones on their IG page @fosterintheheights
ā But I also know there is a deep possibility for change here. I think that is what is keeping me afloat.ā Same. Itās the only thing I can hold onto. We have to change, right? Right?
Also, the idea of setting up a fake email and pounding out life there sounds so appealing. I donāt know why that could help more than journaling but I love that idea.
treasures this week:
- headed to whidbey island with my family (island outside Seattle) for the fourth. Yay for leaving my house.
- I do (sometimes) listen to those podcasts where you learn things and better yourself but sometimes you need an ESCAPE. Enter RomPods, which has taken me back to 1941, where Iām pressed up against the wireless to hear a radio drama romantic comedy. There are sound effects! Music! Different voices! Itās set in Italy! I binged all the episodes and now am waiting for the upcoming episode dropping Monday. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/romcompods/id1511796352
- I made lasagna this week because comfort food and then I had extra ricotta so Iāve been making ricotta toasts like Iām an expensive hipster coffee shop. It started with ricotta, tomatoes, fresh basil and Trader Joeās Everything Bagel seasoning and then transcended to avocado, ricotta, sliced turkey, tomato and feta. YUM.
Can we talk about the laziness (or special kind of genius) in naming one of the worldās most massive telescopes āThe Very Large Telescope?ā Iād like to think there was a contest, like when the people named that British boat āBoaty McBoatface,ā but the naming committee gave up and went with āVery Large Telescope.ā I picture a suited man flinging down a folder full of subpar suggestions with a tired sigh.