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It is Tuesday and I am finally getting around to reading and commenting because...May.

Just coming in to say, I went to T Swift last weekend and we were there on Night 3, the infamous and memorable rain show. The concert itself was amazing but would have been even more so had we not stood in a massive crowd because of lightning for a couple of hours. It was suffocating and people were panicking and/or passing out! But again, the concert itself was amazing. 😁

Busy week getting ready for my daughter’s grad party, among other things!

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I’m knee deep in finishing my lab research in Israel for my dissertation/archaeology publication while also trying to be in the moment and say goodbye (for now) to a bunch of dear friends I have been fortunate to get to live with this past year. And I feel like I have very little time to process it all, much less journal about it, so this is my two minutes on what’s going one here! Oh, and I’m also job-hunting for when I move back already. 🤦🏻‍♀️😅 All I really feel like doing is anything but what I must do! Or eating street falafel...grateful for the book discussion (adding those to my list of things to read in two years) and the reminders that there are many good things to look forward to after this!

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I am finally finished with the maintenance/property management hell that started the literal moment I moved into this house. If anything else goes wrong, I'll just start praying the house burns down while my dog and I are on a walk. There's another house on my block that just came up for rent with the same company, and I really want to go put a sign on it that says "abandon hope, all ye who enter here". Also I have jury duty Monday. I think it could be fun and interesting, unless it lasts longer than a day, at which point I'll be grumpy about it. My staff and I spent the whole day dealing with a deeply obnoxious client and we are all over it.

Re: The Modesty Discourse (TM) - My infinitesimal act of purity culture rebellion is that if I am wearing workout leggings for walking the dog or around the house and I need to run a couple of errands, I remind myself that I'm not actually obligated to change clothes to buy groceries and put gas in my car. Creepers gonna creep, but it's not my problem.

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@kristenlavalley had a lovely IG post about not succumbing to the pressure of "you only get 18 summers" comments. Also finished two excellent memoirs (via audio book) - 'Crying in H Mart' by Michelle Zauner & 'All my Knotted up life' by Beth Moore. Both good & so very different but holding & pondering nuggets from from.

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I loved both of those memoirs!

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My treasure this week is that all my students have finished their AP exams! It is so nice to have this big thing that we have been working all year towards completed.

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What a week, y'all. For work I analyze pharmaceutical drug policy, and my least favorite activity associated with my job is anything related to Congress. This week was packed full of hearings I had to watch, which was dreadful, and I rewarded myself with a glass of red wine almost every day. Very ready for the weekend.

On the bright side, I found some great new workout gear on Poshmark last week, so I felt like a new woman at the gym every morning!

Other treasures: I fell behind on my podcasts in dramatic fashion and just listened to the Bible Binge I Kid You Not episode on Good Friday. It was so, so good. But also I feel like I need to do a deep dive on Atonement doctrine, because the question one child asked about why we still sin even though Jesus died for our sins humbled me intellectually, and Erin's earlier brief-dive into Atonement doctrines really got me thinking that I need to explore that more.

Also: new Can it Kirkland, everybody!! And in this one they're testing water. A new favorite. https://www.tiktok.com/@neverendingfall/video/7232095173537320234?_t=8cF5mzKQCJK&_r=1

This weekend I'm headed down to Virginia Beach to celebrate Mother's Day with my boyfriend's parents, which will be so nice. I haven't seen his mom in person since last summer, and she deserves all the Mother's Day celebrating! Hope you all have a great weekend!

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Gaypril and Gay are like Advent for Pride Month. Prepare your hearts for the coming (out) festive season. 😁🌈🏳️‍🌈

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Advent for pride month!!! OMG this is amazing.

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Happy weekend, friends! My week was equal parts productive and diminishing. I guess that’s good?

🧹 On Tuesday, my adult niece helped me declutter and move a bit of furniture around to create a sewing nook for my mom and empty out a junk room. It took all day and stretched my body in ways that I haven’t used since the stroke last November, but we got it done and I was able to check off 6 items from the massive house projects list. The sense of accomplishment is huge, but I could barely lift my feet to walk the day after. 🥴

🪡 My mom continues to do well in therapy and actually returned to her sewing machine this week for a small project. She hasn’t had any desire to sew since her own stroke in 2019—it was always her creative joy—so this is a good sign for some emotional recovery. Unfortunately, while I had been hoping to recover from my aches and pains that day, we discovered that Mom needs a partner to act as designer and engineer, calling out each step for her to construct. She got overwhelmed in the thought process, so it became a tag team effort to create a small blackout panel curtain. The 8-hour day nearly broke her (it used to take 2 hours), but the sense of accomplishment and enjoyment at having a sewing space again was truly a gift to her heart. I’m very excited at the small steps Mom is taking to finally feel more like herself again.

🐦 The talk of birds from Sarah Clark convinced me to share my current rage-inducing situation. I have been in a years-long battle with a nesting couple, and this spring it was taken to a whole new level. These menaces build mud nests under the portico of our front porch and proceed to poop in piles just outside the front entrance. They have hatched broods of four or more babies each time, adding to the mess pile, and I have never been able to make them leave. When they returned this spring to build the first nest, I truly saw red. So each time a nest went up, I had it torn down. Which has led these birds to kamikaze behavior, swooping in on me each time I come through the front door. 😱 I’ve been using every DIY remedy the internet has to offer, including purchasing a spray canister and dousing the porch with a noxious mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. I’ve also had a fake owl in the mix for months, but last week they got wise to it and proceeded to actually *build a nest on top of his head*. 😡 It was a big middle finger from those stupid birds and my absolute last straw. I think I’m gonna have to use rubber snakes and garden netting strung across the top of our porch entry just to seal off the area. When I say I’m at my wits’ end!

🤕 These birds have made me so crazy that I actually did the very thing last night that I chastise my mother about all the time: while dousing the porch with the chili spray, I tried to stand on a stepstool without a spotter, which is something I’ve not been able to do since the stroke, and I proceeded to fall backwards onto my butt… just inside the open doorway… at midnight, with the porch light spotlighting me for the whole neighborhood. I can’t get myself up off the ground yet, so picture me screeching for help, followed by two old women *in pajamas* struggling to get this one-good-arm/one-good leg girl upright. 😳 And still the bird’s nest is being built. I’ve become Tom Skerritt in Steel Magnolias, at war with the birds; if I had a shotgun, I wouldn’t think twice about knocking this bird couple off. Please send help.

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Oh my gosh, the birds! 😱 That's awful!

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My grandmother's list of sewing projects ended up being a primary motivator for getting her out of rehab and back home - don't get between these old ladies and their sewing machines!

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I too have a war with birds every spring as the love those hiding nooks on porches and have tried everything as well. My mom still likes to talk about the kamikaze birds for when I got rid of nest once. Them nesting on top of the owl gave me a good chuckle though.

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The owl nest put me over. 😤 But yes, I also laugh at the ridiculous situation I’m in.

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Oh my word, Jules. Birds are the worst.

We had a pair of finches hanging out in the eaves of our deck and the poo was SO ANNOYING. The would roost on the wires of our deck lights in one particular spot, so my husband finally covered that wire with a pool noodle for a bit, and it seemed to dissuade them from roosting there anymore.

However, before they left, my boys opened the deck door one night and one of the birds decided to come in for a visit 😳 Thanks goodness I was not home.

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😱😱😱

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I'm so glad that you were able to support your mom with getting back to sewing, Jules! Hope you're able to get some rest and recovery this weekend.

I truly could not relate to your bird struggles more. I don't know what I would do if one ever pulled the kamikaze behavior on me, probably move underground. I've got a set of mourning doves that are obsessed with the balcony outside my little apartment and they have driven me bonkers. Their poo is constantly all over the ground and rocking chairs I have out there. I have reflective bird tape all over the place to drive them away and it has more or less worked for the last year - they stopped nesting, but they still stop by every day to defecate in their favorite places. I work from home and sit facing where they sit on the balcony, every time they land on the rail I get up and slam the blinds/loudly open and shut the door to scare them away. My blood boils every time; they are my worse nemeses.

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When I lived in an apartment, I also had a nesting pair of doves! Thankfully, I never used that balcony and they nested on top of an unused baker’ rack, so it was kind of a pleasure to hear the cooing each morning and to witness the birth of baby doves. But I can totally relate to your predicament now! I laughed out loud at the image of the dislocated doves coming by just to poop on your balcony. 😆 It’s not funny, but it’s so spiteful that it surprised me. Solidarity, sister.

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You guys. It's been raining in Denver since Wednesday night, and I am living my best life. 310 days of sunshine a year might not be enough for most Coloradans, but sometimes I just need a day or two to hunker. I'm cozy on the couch, drinking coffee, reading a book about menopause, and listening to the dog snore. It's magical.

We have a sleepover, a birthday party, Mother's Day plans, and my parents coming into town. Maycember is in full swing at school, work is really busy, and my husband just gave his notice at his current job, starting at a new one at the beginning of June. But right now? Right now it's raining, and I'm ready for a nap. I hope you have the best weekend available to you, friends.

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Thank you for opening up my memory vault and dusting off the library memories.

The library of my 80s childhood was probably a small space since I lived in a smallish town but it felt huge and full of wonder and possibilities. The children’s librarian was an older lady with some sort of speech impediment. She seemed ancient at the time but she was probably just about 60. She was great at story time despite her speech impediment. I loved her and I have a memory of feeling like she was the keeper of the stories. Looking back I realize that it taught me that you can overcome physical barriers that the world thinks should hold you back, be accomplished at a job and/or passion, and do amazing things even with a disability.

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May 12, 2023Liked by Erin H Moon

Hello!

I've been in stalker mode lately and even though I've loved reading about your treasures I've missed "talking" to you guys. Not that I have that much to tell you. 🤷‍♀️ Although I did just start a new treatment plan so I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic about seeing some health improvements in the not too distant future. Fingers crossed.

🐝 My oldest nephew has been away working, first in LA for a month then several weeks in Paris, on a secret project he couldn't tell anyone about. Well, yesterday I found out he's been doing video programming for Beyoncé! It simultaneously blew my mind and didn't surprise me at all, the kid is super talented. If you're going to see her on tour, let me know if he did good. 😉

🌺 My parents are kindly letting me commandeer part of their garden this summer and I'm trying to plan what I want to grow. I have a few ideas and I hope this will be a fun summer project (and maybe even good for my mental health).

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

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I think we may be switching places soon in that I’ll be the lurker who likes everyone’s comments and occasionally comments but doesn’t post. It’s been a weird long season for me.

However, I am so excited for your nephew and your garden!

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Yeah, I've noticed you getting quieter. And while I miss hearing about your life, I totally get it. Sometimes you just have to take a step back. ❤

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This is why I love this community, the unconditional love and support shared whether I share or not. 🩷

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Same!

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Welcome to the Lurker Cave. Sometimes the mind and heart just need to listen and nod in solidarity without adding to the conversation. 💙

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I need that tooooooo so badly. 💛

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WHOA! This is amazing! Way to go, Rebecka's nephew!

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May 12, 2023Liked by Erin H Moon

Hello hello! Maybe you already knew this, but I learned this week that I can use my HSA at work to buy sunscreen if it's 50 SPF or over! We're switching health plans at work, and basically I have to spend down the funds I have remaining by the end of June or I lose them, since we can't roll them over to the new plan. I was stressing about how to use it, when I heard on another podcast that sunscreen is probably covered. So I've been able to order a few different kinds of pricier sunscreen I would never buy on my own just to trial, and hope to find one that doesn't irritate my skin. So far I think I'm having some success with Purito, and next I'm trying d'Alba waterfull sunscreen.

Also, someone recommended Jury Duty on Netflix to me; I'm through the first 4 episodes (I think of 6), and it is really hitting the spot of short & funny. :)

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I just finished Jury Duty and Ronald is a delightful human.

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I think I'm going to finish it tonight! I keep forgetting the premise that they're all actors, and I can't figure out how that is going to factor in!

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I don't have an HSA for work but if I did I would use literally all of it on sunscreen. It's my favorite skincare item! My boyfriend literally buys me new sunscreens to try instead of picking up candy for me in the checkout line at the grocery store.

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That is so sweet! Is there any you've particularly liked or disliked? I've figured out mineral sunscreens dry my face out way too much :(

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I use mineral exclusively on my face because my eyes burn and produce tears allllll day if I don't, but I have dry skin so I need a creamier formula! It's been a lot of trial and error, the worst I tried was definitely the CeraVe mineral. Kinship's Self Reflect is mineral and I find it hydrating (SPF 32 though), same with Tower28's SunnyDays (tinted, and only SPF 30). Avene's Solaire UV (the non-tinted one) is my all time favorite for face (mineral, SPF 50, so hydrating) but I only buy it when it's on sale because it's a little spendy ($34 USD for 50 mL). The only one I've tolerated on my face that isn't mineral is Everyday Humans' Resting Beach Face (but I think it's only SPF 30).

For non-mineral, I loooooove Coppertone Glow, the Sheseido sunscreen stick, and the regular Coola lotions (the SPF 50 guava scent is great). I've also been very pleasantly surprised by the new Eucerin sunscreens! I've tried many a Neutrogena sunscreen and always end up hating them, I can really feel the sunscreen film with those whereas the Coola lotions and Coppertone Glow often feel more like regular body lotion.

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I wish I could like this twice! I will definitely try some of these. I use Avene moisturizer, so I might consider trying their sunblock especially since it's your favorite and I am playing with free money 😂 I've also heard good things about the Sheseido sunscreen stick. The Neutrogena mineral sunscreen is the one I tried using this winter that basically wrecked my face, so I'm not surprised to hear you also did not like it. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing all this great info!

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I'm so glad it's helpful! For a brand that hits the mark on so many products, Neutrogena really dropped the ball with sunscreen haha

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Okay how funny is Jury Duty?! We are loving it!

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It was the best!

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The scene when Noah tries to get out jury duty using the family guy tactic had me keeled over. I have not laughed that hard at a scene of tv since mindy wore josh’S shirt on the mindy project. I passed away it was so funny

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My favorite part so far is how much fun they were having at Margaritaville. It just came across as so pure and joyful and funny to me. :)

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May 12, 2023·edited May 12, 2023Liked by Erin H Moon

I'm here for Mallory's attitude about true crime (in the voice of Schmidt) ALL DAY LONG!

I've been mentally preparing myself for the end of the school year and the beginning of summer plans. We're still in the midst of BUSA soccer, which seems to consist of never-ending practices and games against Mtn. Brook teams that have been playing since birth. Sheesh. We're also giving out teacher gifts left and right this week (much deserved), but dang my bank account is gasping for air.

And what's with all of these end of year programs? Just hand 'em a certificate in class and I'll post it to the refrigerator when they get home. I don't have the PTO for these shenanigans.

Happy Friday, y'all. ;)

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The niche Mountain Brook reference here is 👌. I am sure they are lovely but an absolute youth sports menace.

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Mountain Brook teams that have been playing since birth 😂😂😂 that got me!

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Happy Friday, friends!

It has been A. Week. at the library. We're short staffed and heading into one of our busiest seasons, and the county can't seem to understand why librarians might not want to move to Florida to work here (truly a mystery 🙄).

The bright spot was last weekend I went to Virginia to see my college roommate graduate with her second Master's degree! Her sister invited me so I got to surprise her and it was such a delight to spend the weekend together.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to my first free Saturday in what feels like forever, and I plan on being as useless as possible.

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Happy being useless day! 😊

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I hope you enjoy your day tomorrow!! It's funny, I have such good memories of visiting my grandparents' library in Fort Myers as a kid/Florida in general in the '90s, that I've always vaguely pictured that it would be fun to work there as an adult. And library jobs are so hard to come by where I live in PA! That's interesting that there is somewhere with a librarian shortage, because you hear so much about how hard it is to find a library job most places.

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Happy Friday! We're doing a professional development today which always brings out my most critical side, so I'm working on being quiet 😶

It's been a fun week and I've gotten to do a lot of program planning.

The weather is finally beautiful and I've been eating lunch outside all week. That just makes my day so much better.

I'm ready for the weekend! Anna and I are going to Hadestown in Grand Rapids tonight and to the tulip festival tomorrow. So fun!

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Hadestown is SOOOO good! You're going to love it! I still cry every time I hear Wait for Me.

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Oooh, lunch outside sounds wonderful!

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May 12, 2023Liked by Erin H Moon

Hi everyone,

Off subject, but I need shoe help! Since there has been quality shoe talk here before, I thought you might be a good resource.

I am going to a mega city in S Asia during monsoon season. I need shoes that can handle rain, mud, stuff that looks like mud but isn’t 🤢 and be washed off each night to wear again. We will also be walking A LOT each day. Many miles, so they need to be supportive. My feet are a bit wide so I am definitely looking for a wide toe box. When I google, I get overwhelmed and therefore paralyzed by all the choices. Specific recommendations are appreciated! Any advice is welcome also. ☺️

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May 13, 2023·edited May 13, 2023

Idk if these will fit your width requirements, but they are worth every penny: https://www.salomon.com/en-us/shop/product/outpulse-gore-tex-lg8182.html#color=67471

They do run a bit large (I had to go down a half-size), so try on in person if possible. I got mine at REI. If you have one near you, their staff are really knowledgeable and will be able to help you find something that works.

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I've got wide feet and lived in my Merrell May Jane slip-on sneakers when we were in Mumbai for a year back in 2016. I've switched almost exclusively to Merrells since then - Keens and Chacos just aren't wide enough.

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I think Merrells might be a good fit (lol). I'd also recommend Chacos but you said mud and poo!!!

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I would look into Merrells. If there is a quality sports store near you, you may want to visit and see if they have any recommendations.

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Similar to the Chacos recommendation, but I can only wear Chacos with socks or I get horrible blisters; Keens are similar but less strappy. I wore them last summer to hike a lot in Costa Rica during the rainy season and had no complaints!

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Do they have to be close toed? If they don’t, I would recommend Chacos. Super supportive, easy to clean. I hiked the Angel Trail in them and they were amazing. I’ve been to Central America during their rainy season, and I wish I would have had Chacos.

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