HUGE LOVE today to everyone at The Outline, who just got laid off. By which I mean: everyone got laid off, including one of my best friends, and I’m really mad and sad.
Friends friends friends! I remain chest-coughy, but I am no worse! I am stable! MY CONDITION IS STABLE!!!! And my parents sent me a beautiful precious pizza from my homeland and it will arrive frozen in the mail today.
Nicole, can we talk about how amazing your Care and Feeding column today is? It is amazing. "I do not want any of my readers to die because they don’t want to enforce a boundary with their grown children. I like my job." in particular is such a good line.
(Teenagers are awful. I know. I KNOW. I used to teach high school, and now I teach undergrads. But you know what is worse? Contracting a virus, bringing it home to your nuclear family, and then having a member of said nuclear family die on the floor of your TV room in front of you while you helplessly wait for the paramedics to show up. If your teenager is not taking this seriously, I will gladly get on the phone with him/her/them and describe in exquisite detail what said experience was like for me. And my experience was with a normal-whacky-virus, not a pandemic-whacky-virus, so I will impress the exponential consequences of such actions. I am a biologist and my best friend is a medical doctor; I will use very big, very scary words. KEEP YOUR OFFSPRING AT HOME.)
Nicole, I have a nice cry almost every morning when I read the last paragraph of the newsletter. It always hits exactly where I need it to. It is very embarrassing to have to get on a video call with my boss afterward. I love you and I like you and I appreciate you.
Nicky I love the affirmations and I love them at the start of my day. I had a big HAPPY cry this week because for two years I’ve worked on a fundraising campaign to remodel the kitchen for our county’s domestic violence shelter. The money was slow coming in and we found a donor to fund the balance of what we need. As soon as this time is over our shelter is getting a new kitchen. The old one is 30 years old and our shelter has tripled the number of residents. I’m crying again sharing this news.
I haven't read in a few days for Reasons but am excited to be back. My shingles (I don't know if I mentioned that I have SHINGLES) have largely abated and I am in substantially less pain than I was a week ago; I think finally well enough to exercise again, which I'm extremely excited about.
Because I haven't read in a few days (and haven't gone back to check things out yet), I'm not sure if Martha Stewart's personal instagram (https://www.instagram.com/marthastewart48/) has graced the pages of this fine and astute publication. Within the past day or so, her posts have ranged from weirdly wholesome personal care advice to videos of her animals set to music to extremely verbose musings on green juice. It's exactly what I need right now.
Now I'm going back to my important morning tasks - watching Sister Act while trying to actually get some work done. It's Friday, it's almost shabbat, I'm being gentle with myself. Hope everyone has exactly the morning they need.
One of my old friends just told this story on our Discord and I thought the cuteness might resonate with some of you:
The boys were just telling Your Mama’s So Fat jokes while they get dressed. I’m not sure where they picked that up. Finally, H says “Hey, we have the same Mom.” J: “Oh yeah, our Mom is nice.” Then two minutes later they started again.
I realized the reason these daily threads are so comforting: they remind me a lot of the MBTV/TWOP message boards, which were my formative (and largely positive) Internet playgrounds as a teenager/college student. (Also, importantly, featuring moderators with A Strong Blocking Hand.) happy Friday all.
I have been coveting Keds x Rifle Paper Co shoes for literally years and I FINALLY bought some. AND some for the toddler (on eBay, for a sweet discount).
Our Peloton shows up on Monday and so does the kid's new play set! Peloton was offering 39 months same as cash financing and getting the deposit back on my wife's 40th trip paid for the play set. I feel like this is all a bit of retail therapy, but right now I am still jazzed about it.
I am really feeling it this morning after several days of being more or less okay.
Two of the last three things left on my summer calendar were officially cancelled last night/this morning. I expected they would be; it is of course the right thing; but I am still sad every time. (A production of Emma that we bought tickets to for my mom's birthday, and a local music festival whose lineup this year was all women/queer folks/non-cismen, basically.)
Also yesterday was to be the home opener for my beloved MN Twins. I miss baseball!!!
These are petty grievances though really. In better news, I have officially been living with my gf for a week and that part is going really well.
I am generally not a big Pranks Person but hiding someone’s meds and lying about it while they cry is not a Prank, it’s cruel and fucked up.
HUGE LOVE today to everyone at The Outline, who just got laid off. By which I mean: everyone got laid off, including one of my best friends, and I’m really mad and sad.
Friends friends friends! I remain chest-coughy, but I am no worse! I am stable! MY CONDITION IS STABLE!!!! And my parents sent me a beautiful precious pizza from my homeland and it will arrive frozen in the mail today.
Nicole, can we talk about how amazing your Care and Feeding column today is? It is amazing. "I do not want any of my readers to die because they don’t want to enforce a boundary with their grown children. I like my job." in particular is such a good line.
(Teenagers are awful. I know. I KNOW. I used to teach high school, and now I teach undergrads. But you know what is worse? Contracting a virus, bringing it home to your nuclear family, and then having a member of said nuclear family die on the floor of your TV room in front of you while you helplessly wait for the paramedics to show up. If your teenager is not taking this seriously, I will gladly get on the phone with him/her/them and describe in exquisite detail what said experience was like for me. And my experience was with a normal-whacky-virus, not a pandemic-whacky-virus, so I will impress the exponential consequences of such actions. I am a biologist and my best friend is a medical doctor; I will use very big, very scary words. KEEP YOUR OFFSPRING AT HOME.)
Nicole, I have a nice cry almost every morning when I read the last paragraph of the newsletter. It always hits exactly where I need it to. It is very embarrassing to have to get on a video call with my boss afterward. I love you and I like you and I appreciate you.
“I’ll block a man just to watch him be blocked.“ this line gave me my first good laugh of the day! Thanks for protecting us Nicole
Nicky I love the affirmations and I love them at the start of my day. I had a big HAPPY cry this week because for two years I’ve worked on a fundraising campaign to remodel the kitchen for our county’s domestic violence shelter. The money was slow coming in and we found a donor to fund the balance of what we need. As soon as this time is over our shelter is getting a new kitchen. The old one is 30 years old and our shelter has tripled the number of residents. I’m crying again sharing this news.
Also that GF who hid the meds is trash.
In these trying times, it seems important to me that I respectfully let you know the smol thrill I get it when you sign the newsletter 'nicky'.
Thanks for that. :)
A small triumph: my local grocer had their in house potato bread with cheddar and green onions *IN STOCK*
I cried thinking about all of the labor that went into that loaf and I also cried for all of the comfort that small reassurance gave me.
My deep love and affection for all of you who also bring me comfort and reassurance each day.
Good morning, everyone!
I haven't read in a few days for Reasons but am excited to be back. My shingles (I don't know if I mentioned that I have SHINGLES) have largely abated and I am in substantially less pain than I was a week ago; I think finally well enough to exercise again, which I'm extremely excited about.
Because I haven't read in a few days (and haven't gone back to check things out yet), I'm not sure if Martha Stewart's personal instagram (https://www.instagram.com/marthastewart48/) has graced the pages of this fine and astute publication. Within the past day or so, her posts have ranged from weirdly wholesome personal care advice to videos of her animals set to music to extremely verbose musings on green juice. It's exactly what I need right now.
Now I'm going back to my important morning tasks - watching Sister Act while trying to actually get some work done. It's Friday, it's almost shabbat, I'm being gentle with myself. Hope everyone has exactly the morning they need.
One of my old friends just told this story on our Discord and I thought the cuteness might resonate with some of you:
The boys were just telling Your Mama’s So Fat jokes while they get dressed. I’m not sure where they picked that up. Finally, H says “Hey, we have the same Mom.” J: “Oh yeah, our Mom is nice.” Then two minutes later they started again.
I realized the reason these daily threads are so comforting: they remind me a lot of the MBTV/TWOP message boards, which were my formative (and largely positive) Internet playgrounds as a teenager/college student. (Also, importantly, featuring moderators with A Strong Blocking Hand.) happy Friday all.
I have been coveting Keds x Rifle Paper Co shoes for literally years and I FINALLY bought some. AND some for the toddler (on eBay, for a sweet discount).
Our Peloton shows up on Monday and so does the kid's new play set! Peloton was offering 39 months same as cash financing and getting the deposit back on my wife's 40th trip paid for the play set. I feel like this is all a bit of retail therapy, but right now I am still jazzed about it.
tw for death
My dad is in the hospital and is probably going to d*e and it absolutely fucking sucks
I am really feeling it this morning after several days of being more or less okay.
Two of the last three things left on my summer calendar were officially cancelled last night/this morning. I expected they would be; it is of course the right thing; but I am still sad every time. (A production of Emma that we bought tickets to for my mom's birthday, and a local music festival whose lineup this year was all women/queer folks/non-cismen, basically.)
Also yesterday was to be the home opener for my beloved MN Twins. I miss baseball!!!
These are petty grievances though really. In better news, I have officially been living with my gf for a week and that part is going really well.