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Laura Zimmerman's avatar

My daughter used to call me Naked Mole Rat, as a term of endearment. “I love you, Naked Mole Rat.” “Goodnight Naked Mole Rat, sleep good.”

There you have it.

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Erin H Moon's avatar

This is perfect. 🥰

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MJ Thach's avatar

Aloha from Hawaii where ac is not standard issue and we’re fine until the trade winds disappear in aug/sept.

After many weeks of moving nonsense and non-stop family time I am busting out of here for a 48 hour trip to San Diego to see The Chicks. I am playing it cool in front of my husband who will listen to our 7yo lament the fact she starts school in 10 days but inside I am belting the lyrics to Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen and dancing all the way to the airport.

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Erin H Moon's avatar

This will be magical!

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Rebecka's avatar

Have a wonderful trip!

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MJ Thach's avatar

Thank you!

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Juliana Ford (@jules.ford.27)'s avatar

Good morning from the West Coast Lil' Swipes!

🏜 This week has been particularly treasure-full because we have been staying in Page, Arizona with my beloved SIL. There are lots of fun layers to this week (my SIL is 6 months pregnant, there are 3 dogs that I can love on, my in-laws are here too), and overall it's been really relaxing. Pretty much everyone is working (mostly WFH), but my boss told me to take wednesday through friday off! I was honestly really nervous about it. As the only extrovert around 5 introverts, I was expecting that I would annoy everyone and not know what to do with myself (we are legit in the middle of nowhere), but I brought some books and made myself a whole list of things to do (I am basically a 5 year old 😂), and it's been surprisingly sooo lovely. 🥰

Also, I watched the new Persuasion and simultaneously hated it (so many anachronisms), but also didn't hate how it made me laugh out loud? I know it's absolutely unfaithful to the source material (boooo), but weirdly Dakota Johnson was charming. I love Jane Austen and am reading through Persuasion for the first time this week! Has anyone else dared to watch it yet?

Okay, hoping for some pure joy in your day today. See you in the comments! :)

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Melanie S.'s avatar

My expectations for the new Persuasion are the same as they are for Hallmark-type movies: it will not be good, but also I think it'll be a good time!

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Erin H Moon's avatar

This is PERFECTION. "It will not be good, but it will be a good time." 👏👏👏

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Juliana Ford (@jules.ford.27)'s avatar

Those were my expectations too! Go in with them really low and maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised 😆

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Rebecka's avatar

I kind of felt the same way about Persuasion. Like it was a terrible adaptation but not an awful movie if you ignored that? I think. Maybe? It wasn't good but I enjoyed it? Clearly, it confused me. 😂

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Juliana Ford (@jules.ford.27)'s avatar

"it wasn't good but I enjoyed it?" YES this, 100%! 😂

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Jenna DeWitt's avatar

The BatB bookshop owner always felt like a stand-in for the English teachers that little weird nerd girls who relate Too Heavily to Belle would come to rely upon to get through high school

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Erin H Moon's avatar

These teachers are a BLESSING.

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Eliza Barger's avatar

Jumping into the comments a little late today, but it's been a great week!

📚 I finished The Cartographers last night, it wasn't for me but I'm glad I gave it a shot. I finally picked up Ali Hazelwood's Love Hypothesis and loved it! I'm also enjoying Tobacco Wives which features a seamstress and is sent in NC, so no surprise there, lol

🍱 I took the day off to read and participate in the MMD readers retreat which starts tonight, so I've bought myself all sorts delicious snacky things that I'm very excited about. Including some frozen brownies, y'all don't sleep on freezing leftover brownies especially when they're underbaked and gooey. It's like fudge but better.

That's it for me, have a lovely weekend everyone!

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Rebecka's avatar

Frozen brownies sound amazing!

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Juliana Ford (@jules.ford.27)'s avatar

Okay I literally baked brownies yesterday and am now tempted to stick a couple in the freezer. That sounds amazing. 🤤

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Juliana Ford (@jules.ford.27)'s avatar

Okay I would like to report back that it was FANTASTIC. Forever freezing my leftover brownies now 🤩

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Erin H Moon's avatar

Thank you for scientifically researching this for us.

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Erin H Moon's avatar

Oh I have Tobacco Wives on my TBR. Should I bump it up?

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Eliza Barger's avatar

Yes! It was great

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Heidi's avatar

Hey friends!

It's Friday, which is my Saturday because I work Sunday through Thursday. I'm incapable of sleeping in (hello middle age), so I've been up for awhile, enjoying the cooler morning air and the quiet house. Looking forward to my nap this afternoon!

I was talking with my bestie the other day about parenting types - she and I are both more interested in reading on the couch with our kids, not playing dollies or Legos with them. She has a friend visiting who has spent more time interacting with her kids than with her, which makes her feel jealous and also inadequate. We talked about how being the "fun mom" is considered the cultural ideal, even though not all of us are cut out to be fun moms. I'm not the fun mom, but I think I am the listening mom. The challenge is not assigning a value to the characterization. Just something I've been thinking about this week!

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Erin H Moon's avatar

I love this, Heidi. I hope you enjoy your nap!

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Kellie's avatar

I’ve fully immersed myself in the Tour de France and the World Athletics (track and field) Championships. This mostly means that I’m scrolling quickly past Jan. 6 updates and climate disaster updates and chasing the high of inspirational athletic performances and humans who manage not to be jerks.

🇺🇸 A US silver medalist shot putter didn’t have his warm ups to wear for his medal ceremony. US hurdler and all around great human Grant Holloway lent him his (much smaller) jacket to wear.

https://twitter.com/prepcaltrack/status/1548873231444062208?s=21&t=aorbTruFgRp1Rw5RvbpumQ

🇯🇲 Gold medalist in the 100meter race, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made sure to place the 200m gold medalist (and teammate) in the spotlight after her win. When she fixes her hair in the video, I cried.

https://twitter.com/televisionjam1/status/1550323474031427585?s=21&t=aorbTruFgRp1Rw5RvbpumQ

🇫🇷 The two top cyclists in the Tour de France broke away and were leading the race. The second place rider fell and was scrambling to get back on his bike. The lead rider (and main rival) waited for him.

https://twitter.com/annamacb/status/1550196143300268034?s=21&t=aorbTruFgRp1Rw5RvbpumQ

I have no idea how I’m going to rejoin regular Twitter/Instagram after all this positive content. In the meantime, I’m just luxuriating in the best feed I could possibly have at the moment.

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Melanie S.'s avatar

Wow I love all of these!

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Jenny Tillay's avatar

Love me some tour de france 🤩

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Kellie's avatar

The castles and the churches and the villages just make me feel like I’ve been transported out of our current hellish timeline.

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Juliana Ford (@jules.ford.27)'s avatar

Gosh these are all so good! 😭

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Erin H Moon's avatar

That tiny sweat top! 😆

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Rocky's avatar

These are delightful, thank you for sharing them!

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Rocky's avatar

Last week I shared I was going to KC to spend time with friends from high school, and that one of them's son had died by suicide in November. We had a good time and I think she's doing as well as can be expected. I felt really melancholy as I drove away, I feel lonely where I live and feel like I have lots of surface level friends/friendly relationships but not beyond that. We live on a farm 20 miles from town and 3 hours from my friends in KC.

We are going to move to town within the next few years and that should help, but our house is part of the farm, not separate property, so we can't/won't sell it to buy a house in town. I will have to save up the down payment, etc. Not having enough money for what I want is a giant 💩 but we have enough for what we need, so I'm grateful for that. Our son will graduate in May from college in Connecticut so we'll have to save money for that as well.

Besides visiting my friends, I have been a hermit at home which isn't great for me but I went to yoga 2 days this week and feel so much better physically and mentally. Plus a Stupid Walk! Who knew physical exercise leads to feeling better?🤡

I'm obsessed with sorbet now (had it every night for supper in Spain) and ordered a countertop ice cream maker which should be here tomorrow! First up: cantaloupe sorbet!

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Rebecka's avatar

Loneliness is so hard. ❤

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Erin H Moon's avatar

I really hate that exercise does everything it claims to do.

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Karen's avatar

Morning, everyone. Hope you’re surviving the heat. I just told my husband that we are going to plan activities this weekend as though it will be -10 degrees outside, since I have the same level of interest in being outside in those situations. Here’s some stuff from the week:

📚 Bought books for my husband’s sister for her birthday, but we don’t see her til next weekend, so I’m reading them first. 😂 First up was “The Tobacco Wives”. It was 3/5 stars for me. It wasn’t bad, just nothing over the top special. It would be an easy summer read for anyone who likes historical fiction/coming-of-age stories. Next up is “Sea of Tranquility.” I’ll let you know how it goes.

🪺 Erin, your tweets today were EXCELLENT. I laughed out loud about theology as fan theories.

🏃🏻‍♀️ If you need a giggle, I saw a Twitter thread this morning that has senator Josh Hawley running away from Jan. 6 protesters (whom just that morning he was egging on) set to music. I’m not on Twitter, so I can’t send a link, but check out Mallory Nees.

🎙 Sharon McMahon’s “Momentum” series on her Sharon Says So podcast is EXCELLENT. Definitely worth a listen.

I’m off to workout, friends, but I hope that you’re able to have a relaxing and/or productive weekend, depending on what you’re hoping for. Much love from Michigan!

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Rebecka's avatar

Oooh, I love this reading the books you bought for someone else thing. I might start gifting everyone books now just so I can do that. 😂

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Karen's avatar

The key was getting hardcover books so that reading it doesn’t bend the softcover spine.

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Rebecka's avatar

Very clever! 😂

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Eliza Barger's avatar

I just finished Tobacco Wives five minutes ago! I think it's one of those books where having a personal connection makes it more interesting. I live an hour from WS and have attended multiple conference with the folks at RJ Reynolds.

The tweets were excellent today!

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Karen's avatar

Oh that’s a really interesting perspective. Thanks for sharing that. You’re right—had it been set in Detroit, I might have felt differently.

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Rocky's avatar

The Josh Hawley videos are 💯, I especially like the one with the Bebny Hill song!😆

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Lauren White O'Brian's avatar

Sea of Tranquility is next on my list!

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Phoebe Barron's avatar

The subject line in my inbox read: “communion and naked m…” 👀 😂

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Erin H Moon's avatar

Accidental clickbait! 😆

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Rachel Claire Schroeder's avatar

are there any clothed mole rats?

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Erin H Moon's avatar

Sometimes a comment hits me just right. This was one of those times.

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Lauren White O'Brian's avatar

I feel like there were times when the naked mole rat on Kim Possible had clothes on? His name was Rufus.

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Ellen Tate's avatar

Good morning everyone!! I am getting over a cold, so I have been dragging this week, but I seem to be coming out of it. A few updates...

- we have a closing date for the house but not a move date, so I have no idea what my packing timeline should be. I look around my house and the only thing I can think is "look at all this stuff that's not packed". very fun and chill!

- my brother is getting married next weekend! however, his sweet bride is holding on really tightly to their plan to have the ceremony *outdoors at 5 PM in Austin, Texas in July*. But it's okay, because "there is a tree for shade". Jesus be near.

- my friend who has cancer got a good report from the latest scan - tumors have shrunk! grateful for a bit of good news.

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Beth's avatar

That moment in the moving process where you think "Look at all this stuff I have. I wonder how it's going to get to the new house. Guess we'll just have to see if this is the move where it magically transports itself!"

I have been wary of Tennessee ever since attending my bff's August outdoor wedding. Stay hydrated!

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Rebecka's avatar

Yay for shrunken tumors!

I hope and pray there will be more than one tree at the wedding. Or, you know, a surprise cold front.

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Erin H Moon's avatar

Jesus be a fan and really good a/c.

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Rocky's avatar

Jamie Golden is correct about outdoor weddings.

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Heidi's avatar

I was going to say the same thing. They shouldn't be allowed in July or August, or any time the average temperature is above 80 degrees.

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Karen's avatar

I feel like there needs to be a new wedding etiquette rule that says “no outdoor weddings in July.” I went to one two weeks ago where there was **no forewarning** that it was all outside (including a tent reception (with some fans)). No. Just no.

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Noël Gieringer's avatar

Good morning :) I shared at the end of May that I did not renew my teaching contract and was looking for a new job... well, this week I found it! I will be teaching future educators, and I'm excited! I will also be working with my best friend. Thanks to all who shared your own stories of transitioning jobs earlier this year.

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Rebecka's avatar

Woohoo, that's amazing. Congratulations!

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Eliza Barger's avatar

Congrats Noel!!

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Erin H Moon's avatar

This is awesome Noel! Congrats!

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Rocky's avatar

Yay! Most of the teachers I know, including me, are thinking about what else we could do, and thinking about taking early retirement before we had imagined. I'm so excited for you!

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Noël Gieringer's avatar

Thank you, Jenni! It was scary, sad, and exciting to make the change. I'm grateful I'll still be so closely tied to teaching... some of the jobs I was applying for over the summer were much more of a stretch. Wishing you a great school year!

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Lauren White O'Brian's avatar

That is so awesome! Congratulations!!!

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Mark Dykeman's avatar

Amen, Jaclyn Siegel!

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Lauren White O'Brian's avatar

It's too hot. I understand why homicides go up in the summer time. If you know people with housing issues or unreliable AC please check on them. And check on pets!

Treasures:

- One of our friends is getting married in San Francisco next March!!! I'm so excited! I actually went to SF and Sonoma County for a wedding when I was 15, but my husband has never been, so I'm excited for him to see it and I'm excited to experience it as an adult. Let me know if y'all have any recommendations.

- I had a great conversation with our Regional CEO this week about my performance at work that made me feel good and also motivated me to improve in some areas.

- Yoga at the Y has been so good this month! It has become something I really look forward to. They turn off the lights and place these battery operated candles all over the room and the instructor puts really good smelling oil on our wrists and it's so relaxing.

- What We Do in the Shadows is back, baby! And so good. Vampire Night Club! If you have never watched this show, I can't recommend it enough! The episodes are short, so you could get caught up quickly.

Okay that's it. I hope everyone has a good weekend! Can't wait to catch up in the comments! <3

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Melanie S.'s avatar

Okay, I have been curious about What We Do in the Shadows, but I also can't handle things that are scary at all, particularly with vampires. Is it creepy, or just funny?

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Lauren White O'Brian's avatar

It’s not scary at all! It’s a mockumentary like the office, but it’s vampires trying to live in Staten Island. I recommend using closed captions.

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Melanie S.'s avatar

Thanks for the advice! I'm definitely going to give it a try!

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Beth's avatar

I haven't watched the show, but the movie is SO funny and I'm pretty sure it's all the same people behind the scenes. I'll get to the show one of these days!

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Melanie S.'s avatar

Ooh, I forgot it was a movie and a show!

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Juliana Ford (@jules.ford.27)'s avatar

So excited that you are coming back to California! SF in March is chilly, but soooo pretty. 😊

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Rebecka's avatar

San Fransisco seems like a beautiful place to visit. I hope you'll get lots of recommendations and can plan an awesome trip!

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Eliza Barger's avatar

I just started WWDITS this week, not sure how I feel about it just yet, but I'm wanting to love it.

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Erin H Moon's avatar

So happy for WWDITS return!

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Jenny Tillay's avatar

Lands End park is so great! Also at Lou's Cafe I had one of the best sandwiches of my life!

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Annette Silveira's avatar

I had to look up naked mole rats and that kid wasn’t wrong.

It’s been 100 degrees give or take a degree for over a week and will be for the foreseeable future. July sucks.

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Rebecka's avatar

That is too hot!

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