Hello my friends! OH MY WORDLE we made it through January. I didnāt think I was going to, but I am proud of literally everyone. Way to go, team. Iāve had a very weird week where I accidentally got scammed in a very stupid way, but thatās a story for next week. EITHER WAY, cue Shaina Twain ācause it looks like we made it.
I am here late because after a generally good day I came home to discover that I had accidentally flooded my living room, which I then spent the next 2 hours dealing with while pretending that if I got aggressive enough with the shop-vac, I might have a chance at getting my security deposit back.
In happy news, my boss told me that I'll be starting a three day/week schedule next month, which is what I've been asking for. She phrased it kind of weird initially, then I said "so...can I start looking for a house?" and she said I could. That gave me plenty to daydream about while I was de-icing my car and steps and trying desperately to stay warm in my trailer yesterday. I never want to set foot in any type of recreational vehicle again. Ts and Ps that I can find a reasonably priced rental soon!
I watched about 30 minutes of the opening ceremony and Ralph Lauren absolutely did Team USA dirty. Also if anyone can shed some light on Canada's inflatable scarves (???) , it would be much appreciated.
I am also late todayā¦because I had a facial and therapy. Two big treasures. We had snow and ice the last two days (no school/in-person work since Tuesday) but was able to get out safely this morning and do what I needed to.
My current big treasure is watching my kiddo build a Lego set for each season. Thereās a tree and a tractor and different accessories depending on season and it is such a delight. Heās engaging in some introvert time after spending a day and a half out sledding with his friends.
Work is finally getting back on an even keelā¦just in time for tax season.
Olympics!! Canāt wait to watch alllllll the things.
Hope every one has the best weekend available to them!
Very late to the party but better than never! My update is short but sweet - it's February PTL and since we did not get ice, snow, or flooding (yet!) and my parents are no longer quarantining, WE ARE GOING OUT ON A DATE. The house projects beckon but if I don't leave these four walls I may start to talk to them š I've got my eye on a plate of fried Korean cauliflower and a strong drink (Horse Inn for all the Lancaster Swipes) and it looks like my brother and SIL are joining us, yay! My COVID anxiety is ever-present, but the desire to be amongst adults, wearing real clothes, with clean hair and makeup (my 5 year old son told me this week I should start fixing my hair - what in the actual world) is stronger.
I will be back this weekend to read all of your updates, but for now I am belting old Taylor Swift and raising a glass for a communal Swipe cheers!
I had a pretty good week, I think. Stayed home Monday due to digestive issues but also went to the optometrist, and it was 65 degrees. In Kansas. In January. Very it's not right, but I enjoyed it anyway! Wednesday I was hoping for a snow day but alas, it went south and east of us. But I was in meetings all day and we got a lot done!
My husband, daughter, and I have been watching The Righteous Gemstones together and are finally caught up. It's so good! Also my daughter and I are watching Joe Millionaire and it is so much better than the Bachelor! There are two guys, one a wealthy farmer/CEO (net worth $10 million), and the other guy has jut gone out on his own as a general contractor. They both seem like good guys and support each other. Because there are two guys, the women aren't as weirdly obsessed about being in love with someone they just met. And the group dates are better as well, often the women are divided in half and one date is fancy and expensive, like going to a strings concert in formal gowns/tux, and the other is going to a honky tonk. It's delightful!
Turds: lack of hoped for snow day, extremely cold weather, etc. I need to move to somewhere Spanish-speaking, warm, with a beach!
Can I get some good vibes friends? I live in the country (it's a bit new to me) and the other day with my kids in the truck with me I, driving in frustration, drove into the 4 foot high snowbank in my driveway. For 3 days I've been trying to dig it out and my husband was working in the city so I was solo in all of this. Now it turns out I may have effed up my truck pretty bad. If you could pray that it isn't too damaged, we just had to fix our other car for $$$$ and I'm shame spiralling pretty bad. The enneagram 9 in me wants to sleep till spring. I live in northern Canada so it's crazy the amount of snow we have and it's been record year! In other news I bought one of those huge oversized cozy hoodies so at least I'm hibernating in style! (Worth every penny multiple times over)
Hi Lil Swipes! It's been a couple of months since I was able to be in the comments. Since then, I got a new job!!! I've been at the new place for two months already and I'm still so excited. Who know it would make such a difference not to be in a toxic unstable environment ;)
That video from the Jimmy Kimmel show definitely hacked my crying. My sister has been a teacher for six years, and I can imagine reunions like this happening for her one day. Especially when teachers are going through so much stress right now, it was nice to see Ms. Abbott recognized. (And the show is great, too)!
More-than-a-turd of the week...the villages in Malawi where the kids live who are part of the nonprofit that I run for education sponsorships were hit badly by a hurricane. Our staff there have been assessing the damages and many of the kids in our program have lost their homes and all of their crops, which was going to be their food for the year. Trying to make plans and see how we can assist, but we are a tiny org, so our funding is extremely limited. My grandmother told me this week, "All you can do is all you can do." I'm trying to, but it's heartbreaking.
Man, I am so glad that it's Friday. I am almost surprised that I made it to the end of the week. š
It has been very encouraging to read all your comments and advice about home buying. My husband and I are getting to that place where we are aching to own, but we live in Los Angeles, where a hollowed-out shack is branded as a "fixer-upper" and listed for 600k. š„² (Cute "starter" homes are close to the 1 mill mark). So right now it feels like we might finally be able to buy when we start having grandkids. šš (And don't even get me started on the 20% down advice. The first time I did the math and realized that would be at least 120k, I spent a whole week very sad.)
Anyway, I know houses are crazy prices everywhere, so it has been v v v encouraging to read how I'm feeling echoed in the comments.
šŖ” I am currently in the process of being ordained with my denomination. However, over the last few months, I have had the curtain pulled back and seen some things that make me seriously consider leaving - mostly in regards to the lack of women and people of color in leadership (it is a *lot* of white dudes). I had a conversation with a colleague that was so deeply discouraging, I spent the rest of the day distracted, crying on and off, and feeling so lost and disappointed. 2 weeks ago I decided to take this year to discern whether I want to stay. And I think I want to leave, but I'm not sure what denomination I would go to. Do you have a denomination you love? I'd love to hear about it.
Despite the Massive Professional Disappointment and Disillusionmentā¢ļø that happened this week, there were some bright spots:
āØš§¢ I am working towards becoming an actual, credentialed Leadership Coach with the International Coaching Federation (the only body that gives out any licenses/accreditations), and this week I had my first few sessions with clients that are outside my normal job! It was really lovely. As part of my training, I get to do a number of hours of pro-bono coaching. So I want to offer to all my lovely Swipes, in case you'd like a space to talk with someone about goals, life, or a specific issue you can't wrap your head around - I'd love to walk alongside you for an hour. Also, if you're intrigued, but have more questions, feel free to email me!(juliana.gh.ford@gmail.com)
āØš I finally watched Encanto, and now I get all of the funny videos/reels/tiktoks/jokes and am v happy about that. Also, as our beloved Shelby said, "I am Luisa, Luisa is me." Very rude of Lin to break into my therapy sessions and write a song about it.
āØš Here are my funnies from the week, in case you need a giggle:
If there are any humans in your home that cannot find the thing you *know* you put on the counter, you'll appreciate this: https://www.instagram.com/p/CY4JibspLqx/
Thanks for the encouragement, and a place to share all that's on my heart. š Love you, mean it!
Can we just normalize asking "Stupid Questions" in every aspect of life? My old boss had a saying "There are no stupid questions. Just stupid forms." (Like silly insurance asking for birthday three different ways on the same darn paper.....)
Treasure: New series that I thought I would hate and turned how I really really liked
Turd: I am running on very little sleep thanks to said series and inability to just go to sleep.
Treasure: My boyfriend was traveling and he brought me stuff back from a really good gluten free bakery!
Treasure: I have food allergies so bread is expensive for me to buy at the grocery store. Well i did it anyway and forgot just how much PB&Js really do make a great lunch
Undecided: Said series is Throne of Glass - I can't put it down/mildly obsessed but I still haven't come to a conclusion if I really like it or not. Sometimes it feels unnecessarily complicated and yet tropey and sometimes feel new and exciting. So basically my 2022 theme - I just don't know.
Treasure: Instagram getting me with meme/twitter/feeds about nappying. It's been raining here which makes me just want to sleep even more. And I just have a firm - if it's cold it must be snowing - policy so cold rain just really....reallly makes me not leave my house.
If I've learned anything from buying a condo by myself, it's that it is easier than it should be to buy real estate! I am mildly horrified when I look back on the things I didn't know, and I still fear that when I go to sell someday a massive mistake will be revealed and I'll go bankrupt or something. (But that's a Future Brianna problem.) So my best advice is to research, research, research! Look if there are classes in your area (or online) about buying a home, research any programs in your state or city that might help you, especially as a first time home buyer, and ask around for trusted realtors and mortgage lenders.
Ha! Nightmare vortex is right! My main advice is to take a lot of deep breaths and remember that that industry kind of wants to feed the frenzy. They want you to think your life will be over if you don't get this exact house (with all these problems at this many thousand dollars over your top budget). Erin is right - decide your features and budget ahead of time and stick to it. And if you have a wonderful real estate agent get them a nice gift at the end, cuz you will be hopefully working with them again some day. A good real estate agent is worth their weight in gift baskets.
Gals. I am carrying that Nick Miller gif into my weekend. I started my week with an extended panic attack (I have complex ptsd that will randomly get triggered over things like a potential medical issue) over some sudden vision problems. And finished it with a massive deadline at work (which was tough to complete bc the vision problems are giving me headaches.) But I did it! And got the word from the ophthalmologist that my retinas are OK. That was enough to calm me down. Next up optometrist and primary care. But at least the scary eyeball things have been ruled out. Treasures:
šÆ A friend surprised us with a giant bouquet and red envelopes for Lunar New Year. I haven't gotten an envelope in years, and it was a sweet reminder of my dear childhood friend who's dad would give them to me every year. A simple thing, but it felt special to be included.
āļø We celebrated Groundhog Day/Candlemas in our goofy way of making and delivering cream puffs to people after dinner. (In honor of that scene in Groundhog Day when Bill Murray is surrounded by all those sweet and shoves a whole slice of cake in his mouth.) My puffs collapsed a bit this year, but still tasted good. So I feel like Mary Berry would give me credit for flavor, but Paul would deduct for my pastry texture. It was so fun to do porch dropoffs and yell "Happy Groundhog Day!" at bewildered friends as we drove away.
š Lil Swipes book club! It was my first time to participate, and they were so welcoming. It was a delight to see your lovely faces and to talk books with such smart, thoughtful, curious women. Thanks all for getting this going and letting me participate! Highlight of my week.
šŗ I listened to/kind of watched documentaries this week. PBS American Masters shows on James Beard, Heddy Lamar, Charlie Pride, and Sammy Davis Jr. They were all well done. And I learned a lot- especially about Sammy Davis Jr. I have learned the secret though - if they made the documentary before the person has passed, it will likely be triumphant and hopeful. If they make it afterwards things almost always take a tragic turn.
That's me. Look forward to hearing from you all in the comments.
Ok hi everyone, I know I haven't commented in forever but I want to do so more regularly so here I am!!
In regards to the house talk, I have no idea what anything means and am glad that my Husband Who Learns For Fun (aka: enneagram 5) has decided to learn about how to buy a house. One time, I was gone for a week on a work trip, and he got bored and pre-qualified us for a home loan. (Something important to this situation is that we will not be in a position to buy a home for probably...two or three years? But that did not stop the learning train.)
Zac Efron was my first celeb crush. I am just the right age to have realized that boys are cute as he played Troy Bolton, and consequently, he will never not be delightful to me.
Husband and I started going to a young adults' spiritual formation class at church. Last night was my first time going, and when we broke into our little small groups to do the "what are you hoping to get out of this", I teared up telling the other gals that I just feel like I need something that's just for me and Jesus. I work in ministry, and I've realized that's slowly made just about everything in my spiritual life feel some level of pressure and perform-y. So, I'm hopeful that this group will be refreshing. Will keep you updated!
I have just gone down a Jedidah Jenkins rabbit hole. Gosh that resonated with me today. I had never heard of him but followed him on IG and requested his book from the library. I love his words. Thanks for the introduction, Erin!
Hi, hi friends. I'm settled in at my library desk this rainy Friday morning with the biggest cup of coffee Dunkin' will give me. This week has been fairly difficult and I definitely cried a few times but we made it!
With my recent job switch, we're also switching to my husband's insurance and still waiting on cards which means I haven't been able to do therapy for the last few weeks and I've been really needing it so that's been frustrating. I've also not been able to find somewhere affordable to be evaluated for ADHD which is also incredibly frustrating.
A handful of treasures for the week:
- I've started going to thrift stores again, which is something I used to love to do. My entire work outfit today is thrifted and I've already gotten a few compliments. I spend most days with kiddos so I dress more casually but I'm only at the library on Fridays so those have become my days to play around a little more and it's been really fun.
-I started the Map Your Week course from Hannah Brenchner after debating for a bit about spending the money. I'm only a few sections in but it seems like it will be incredibly helpful.
-I downloaded the NYT crossword app and the mini puzzles have been both delightful and infuriating.
-I have been really, really sad lately and the lil' swipes and the PMG have been saving my life so thank you for being truly delightful and genuine humans.
Salutations! We got seven inches of snow here on Wednesday, which was pretty and also a bother because my job includes shoveling/snowblowing and I didn't get a snow day.
We bought our first house fifteen years ago, right before the market collapsed. The bad news is that we owed more than the house would sell for for about four years. The good news was that they were giving out mortgages to anyone with a pulse - I don't think we would have qualified otherwise. My advice, though, is make sure your mortgage interest rate is fixed, and can't be adjusted if the Fed increases interest rates (which it sounds like they're about to do). Fixed rate mortgages tend to be a little more expensive than ARMs, but if rates go up, your mortgage payment won't. You can always refinance your fixed rate if rates go down significantly, and an adjustable rate will also go down if rates go down, but you're protected against rate increases. It's worth the extra hundred bucks a month.
The tweets! What a gem miner you are! So is Zac Enron both the people in that commercial? Itās funny.
I am here late because after a generally good day I came home to discover that I had accidentally flooded my living room, which I then spent the next 2 hours dealing with while pretending that if I got aggressive enough with the shop-vac, I might have a chance at getting my security deposit back.
In happy news, my boss told me that I'll be starting a three day/week schedule next month, which is what I've been asking for. She phrased it kind of weird initially, then I said "so...can I start looking for a house?" and she said I could. That gave me plenty to daydream about while I was de-icing my car and steps and trying desperately to stay warm in my trailer yesterday. I never want to set foot in any type of recreational vehicle again. Ts and Ps that I can find a reasonably priced rental soon!
I watched about 30 minutes of the opening ceremony and Ralph Lauren absolutely did Team USA dirty. Also if anyone can shed some light on Canada's inflatable scarves (???) , it would be much appreciated.
I am also late todayā¦because I had a facial and therapy. Two big treasures. We had snow and ice the last two days (no school/in-person work since Tuesday) but was able to get out safely this morning and do what I needed to.
My current big treasure is watching my kiddo build a Lego set for each season. Thereās a tree and a tractor and different accessories depending on season and it is such a delight. Heās engaging in some introvert time after spending a day and a half out sledding with his friends.
Work is finally getting back on an even keelā¦just in time for tax season.
Olympics!! Canāt wait to watch alllllll the things.
Hope every one has the best weekend available to them!
I am super late today but hey I just had my 21st Wedding anniversary!!!! Love to all and have a great weekend!
Very late to the party but better than never! My update is short but sweet - it's February PTL and since we did not get ice, snow, or flooding (yet!) and my parents are no longer quarantining, WE ARE GOING OUT ON A DATE. The house projects beckon but if I don't leave these four walls I may start to talk to them š I've got my eye on a plate of fried Korean cauliflower and a strong drink (Horse Inn for all the Lancaster Swipes) and it looks like my brother and SIL are joining us, yay! My COVID anxiety is ever-present, but the desire to be amongst adults, wearing real clothes, with clean hair and makeup (my 5 year old son told me this week I should start fixing my hair - what in the actual world) is stronger.
I will be back this weekend to read all of your updates, but for now I am belting old Taylor Swift and raising a glass for a communal Swipe cheers!
I had a pretty good week, I think. Stayed home Monday due to digestive issues but also went to the optometrist, and it was 65 degrees. In Kansas. In January. Very it's not right, but I enjoyed it anyway! Wednesday I was hoping for a snow day but alas, it went south and east of us. But I was in meetings all day and we got a lot done!
My husband, daughter, and I have been watching The Righteous Gemstones together and are finally caught up. It's so good! Also my daughter and I are watching Joe Millionaire and it is so much better than the Bachelor! There are two guys, one a wealthy farmer/CEO (net worth $10 million), and the other guy has jut gone out on his own as a general contractor. They both seem like good guys and support each other. Because there are two guys, the women aren't as weirdly obsessed about being in love with someone they just met. And the group dates are better as well, often the women are divided in half and one date is fancy and expensive, like going to a strings concert in formal gowns/tux, and the other is going to a honky tonk. It's delightful!
Turds: lack of hoped for snow day, extremely cold weather, etc. I need to move to somewhere Spanish-speaking, warm, with a beach!
Can I get some good vibes friends? I live in the country (it's a bit new to me) and the other day with my kids in the truck with me I, driving in frustration, drove into the 4 foot high snowbank in my driveway. For 3 days I've been trying to dig it out and my husband was working in the city so I was solo in all of this. Now it turns out I may have effed up my truck pretty bad. If you could pray that it isn't too damaged, we just had to fix our other car for $$$$ and I'm shame spiralling pretty bad. The enneagram 9 in me wants to sleep till spring. I live in northern Canada so it's crazy the amount of snow we have and it's been record year! In other news I bought one of those huge oversized cozy hoodies so at least I'm hibernating in style! (Worth every penny multiple times over)
Hi Lil Swipes! It's been a couple of months since I was able to be in the comments. Since then, I got a new job!!! I've been at the new place for two months already and I'm still so excited. Who know it would make such a difference not to be in a toxic unstable environment ;)
That video from the Jimmy Kimmel show definitely hacked my crying. My sister has been a teacher for six years, and I can imagine reunions like this happening for her one day. Especially when teachers are going through so much stress right now, it was nice to see Ms. Abbott recognized. (And the show is great, too)!
More-than-a-turd of the week...the villages in Malawi where the kids live who are part of the nonprofit that I run for education sponsorships were hit badly by a hurricane. Our staff there have been assessing the damages and many of the kids in our program have lost their homes and all of their crops, which was going to be their food for the year. Trying to make plans and see how we can assist, but we are a tiny org, so our funding is extremely limited. My grandmother told me this week, "All you can do is all you can do." I'm trying to, but it's heartbreaking.
Good morning swipes!
Man, I am so glad that it's Friday. I am almost surprised that I made it to the end of the week. š
It has been very encouraging to read all your comments and advice about home buying. My husband and I are getting to that place where we are aching to own, but we live in Los Angeles, where a hollowed-out shack is branded as a "fixer-upper" and listed for 600k. š„² (Cute "starter" homes are close to the 1 mill mark). So right now it feels like we might finally be able to buy when we start having grandkids. šš (And don't even get me started on the 20% down advice. The first time I did the math and realized that would be at least 120k, I spent a whole week very sad.)
Anyway, I know houses are crazy prices everywhere, so it has been v v v encouraging to read how I'm feeling echoed in the comments.
Now for some š© & āØ:
š©š This might be the hardest week I've had since winter of 2020. The place I work (a Christian University, where I also received my bachelor's and master's) is facing a massive financial crisis and many of the lovely people I work with are about to be laid off. I know my job is safe, but the whole situation is generally terrible. People are worried we're going under (which is scary), but I did hear that if a university goes bankrupt, you don't have to pay your student loans back. So pros and cons I guess?
šŖ” I am currently in the process of being ordained with my denomination. However, over the last few months, I have had the curtain pulled back and seen some things that make me seriously consider leaving - mostly in regards to the lack of women and people of color in leadership (it is a *lot* of white dudes). I had a conversation with a colleague that was so deeply discouraging, I spent the rest of the day distracted, crying on and off, and feeling so lost and disappointed. 2 weeks ago I decided to take this year to discern whether I want to stay. And I think I want to leave, but I'm not sure what denomination I would go to. Do you have a denomination you love? I'd love to hear about it.
Despite the Massive Professional Disappointment and Disillusionmentā¢ļø that happened this week, there were some bright spots:
āØš§¢ I am working towards becoming an actual, credentialed Leadership Coach with the International Coaching Federation (the only body that gives out any licenses/accreditations), and this week I had my first few sessions with clients that are outside my normal job! It was really lovely. As part of my training, I get to do a number of hours of pro-bono coaching. So I want to offer to all my lovely Swipes, in case you'd like a space to talk with someone about goals, life, or a specific issue you can't wrap your head around - I'd love to walk alongside you for an hour. Also, if you're intrigued, but have more questions, feel free to email me!(juliana.gh.ford@gmail.com)
āØš I finally watched Encanto, and now I get all of the funny videos/reels/tiktoks/jokes and am v happy about that. Also, as our beloved Shelby said, "I am Luisa, Luisa is me." Very rude of Lin to break into my therapy sessions and write a song about it.
āØš Here are my funnies from the week, in case you need a giggle:
This one I keep watching on a loop until I'm cry-laughing: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZUYc1UI2QV/
A very good punk remix of "Traitor": https://www.instagram.com/p/CYe5xlWBgVT/
Every Christian Radio Station: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZIAlz7JuJh/
If there are any humans in your home that cannot find the thing you *know* you put on the counter, you'll appreciate this: https://www.instagram.com/p/CY4JibspLqx/
Thanks for the encouragement, and a place to share all that's on my heart. š Love you, mean it!
Can we just normalize asking "Stupid Questions" in every aspect of life? My old boss had a saying "There are no stupid questions. Just stupid forms." (Like silly insurance asking for birthday three different ways on the same darn paper.....)
Treasure: New series that I thought I would hate and turned how I really really liked
Turd: I am running on very little sleep thanks to said series and inability to just go to sleep.
Treasure: My boyfriend was traveling and he brought me stuff back from a really good gluten free bakery!
Treasure: I have food allergies so bread is expensive for me to buy at the grocery store. Well i did it anyway and forgot just how much PB&Js really do make a great lunch
Undecided: Said series is Throne of Glass - I can't put it down/mildly obsessed but I still haven't come to a conclusion if I really like it or not. Sometimes it feels unnecessarily complicated and yet tropey and sometimes feel new and exciting. So basically my 2022 theme - I just don't know.
Treasure: Instagram getting me with meme/twitter/feeds about nappying. It's been raining here which makes me just want to sleep even more. And I just have a firm - if it's cold it must be snowing - policy so cold rain just really....reallly makes me not leave my house.
If I've learned anything from buying a condo by myself, it's that it is easier than it should be to buy real estate! I am mildly horrified when I look back on the things I didn't know, and I still fear that when I go to sell someday a massive mistake will be revealed and I'll go bankrupt or something. (But that's a Future Brianna problem.) So my best advice is to research, research, research! Look if there are classes in your area (or online) about buying a home, research any programs in your state or city that might help you, especially as a first time home buyer, and ask around for trusted realtors and mortgage lenders.
Ha! Nightmare vortex is right! My main advice is to take a lot of deep breaths and remember that that industry kind of wants to feed the frenzy. They want you to think your life will be over if you don't get this exact house (with all these problems at this many thousand dollars over your top budget). Erin is right - decide your features and budget ahead of time and stick to it. And if you have a wonderful real estate agent get them a nice gift at the end, cuz you will be hopefully working with them again some day. A good real estate agent is worth their weight in gift baskets.
Gals. I am carrying that Nick Miller gif into my weekend. I started my week with an extended panic attack (I have complex ptsd that will randomly get triggered over things like a potential medical issue) over some sudden vision problems. And finished it with a massive deadline at work (which was tough to complete bc the vision problems are giving me headaches.) But I did it! And got the word from the ophthalmologist that my retinas are OK. That was enough to calm me down. Next up optometrist and primary care. But at least the scary eyeball things have been ruled out. Treasures:
šÆ A friend surprised us with a giant bouquet and red envelopes for Lunar New Year. I haven't gotten an envelope in years, and it was a sweet reminder of my dear childhood friend who's dad would give them to me every year. A simple thing, but it felt special to be included.
āļø We celebrated Groundhog Day/Candlemas in our goofy way of making and delivering cream puffs to people after dinner. (In honor of that scene in Groundhog Day when Bill Murray is surrounded by all those sweet and shoves a whole slice of cake in his mouth.) My puffs collapsed a bit this year, but still tasted good. So I feel like Mary Berry would give me credit for flavor, but Paul would deduct for my pastry texture. It was so fun to do porch dropoffs and yell "Happy Groundhog Day!" at bewildered friends as we drove away.
š Lil Swipes book club! It was my first time to participate, and they were so welcoming. It was a delight to see your lovely faces and to talk books with such smart, thoughtful, curious women. Thanks all for getting this going and letting me participate! Highlight of my week.
šŗ I listened to/kind of watched documentaries this week. PBS American Masters shows on James Beard, Heddy Lamar, Charlie Pride, and Sammy Davis Jr. They were all well done. And I learned a lot- especially about Sammy Davis Jr. I have learned the secret though - if they made the documentary before the person has passed, it will likely be triumphant and hopeful. If they make it afterwards things almost always take a tragic turn.
That's me. Look forward to hearing from you all in the comments.
Ok hi everyone, I know I haven't commented in forever but I want to do so more regularly so here I am!!
In regards to the house talk, I have no idea what anything means and am glad that my Husband Who Learns For Fun (aka: enneagram 5) has decided to learn about how to buy a house. One time, I was gone for a week on a work trip, and he got bored and pre-qualified us for a home loan. (Something important to this situation is that we will not be in a position to buy a home for probably...two or three years? But that did not stop the learning train.)
Zac Efron was my first celeb crush. I am just the right age to have realized that boys are cute as he played Troy Bolton, and consequently, he will never not be delightful to me.
Husband and I started going to a young adults' spiritual formation class at church. Last night was my first time going, and when we broke into our little small groups to do the "what are you hoping to get out of this", I teared up telling the other gals that I just feel like I need something that's just for me and Jesus. I work in ministry, and I've realized that's slowly made just about everything in my spiritual life feel some level of pressure and perform-y. So, I'm hopeful that this group will be refreshing. Will keep you updated!
I have just gone down a Jedidah Jenkins rabbit hole. Gosh that resonated with me today. I had never heard of him but followed him on IG and requested his book from the library. I love his words. Thanks for the introduction, Erin!
Hi, hi friends. I'm settled in at my library desk this rainy Friday morning with the biggest cup of coffee Dunkin' will give me. This week has been fairly difficult and I definitely cried a few times but we made it!
With my recent job switch, we're also switching to my husband's insurance and still waiting on cards which means I haven't been able to do therapy for the last few weeks and I've been really needing it so that's been frustrating. I've also not been able to find somewhere affordable to be evaluated for ADHD which is also incredibly frustrating.
A handful of treasures for the week:
- I've started going to thrift stores again, which is something I used to love to do. My entire work outfit today is thrifted and I've already gotten a few compliments. I spend most days with kiddos so I dress more casually but I'm only at the library on Fridays so those have become my days to play around a little more and it's been really fun.
-I started the Map Your Week course from Hannah Brenchner after debating for a bit about spending the money. I'm only a few sections in but it seems like it will be incredibly helpful.
-I downloaded the NYT crossword app and the mini puzzles have been both delightful and infuriating.
-I have been really, really sad lately and the lil' swipes and the PMG have been saving my life so thank you for being truly delightful and genuine humans.
Salutations! We got seven inches of snow here on Wednesday, which was pretty and also a bother because my job includes shoveling/snowblowing and I didn't get a snow day.
We bought our first house fifteen years ago, right before the market collapsed. The bad news is that we owed more than the house would sell for for about four years. The good news was that they were giving out mortgages to anyone with a pulse - I don't think we would have qualified otherwise. My advice, though, is make sure your mortgage interest rate is fixed, and can't be adjusted if the Fed increases interest rates (which it sounds like they're about to do). Fixed rate mortgages tend to be a little more expensive than ARMs, but if rates go up, your mortgage payment won't. You can always refinance your fixed rate if rates go down significantly, and an adjustable rate will also go down if rates go down, but you're protected against rate increases. It's worth the extra hundred bucks a month.