I absolutely adore this song! From the first time I heard it in the car, to the umpteenth time I listened to it when I wrote this post.
This is Try Again by Andy Shauf.
What do y’all think?
Please listen responsibly.
a tune for Tuesday vol 64
worried but grateful
Our governor announced that Virginia schools will be closed for the remainder of the school year.
I am sad. And to be perfectly honest, sad isn’t a big enough word.
I’m sad for my school family.
I’m sad for my neighborhood kids.
I’m sad for the high school seniors who won’t experience the wonderful ritual of their senior year. No skip day. No prom. No graduation.
I’m worried for these kids.
For these educators. Y’all, if you don’t know, they are broken-hearted about not being in the classroom with their kids. I’m broken-hearted not to be in the classroom.
I miss being at school.
I miss being around kids and adults, teaching and learning together.
I’m worried because YBW had to go back to work today. Is he safe? Will he be exposed? Will he bring it home?
I am grateful that I am not sick. That none of my family is sick.
I am grateful I’m not worried about how to keep the lights on, or where our next meal is coming from.
I’m grateful for internet and streaming services and books and wine.
I am grateful that I have the ability to write about how this feels.
I’m reminded of something Hagrid tells Harry in the Philosopher’s Stone. “It was dark times, Harry, dark times.”
My heart hurts today.
But I’m quietly hopeful.
Categories: me
Tags: anxiety, fear, grateful, gratitude, love, quietly hopeful, sadness, school, self quarantine, social distancing, teaching, teaching and learning
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write it down
On his first day working from home, YBW said to me, “I wonder if I should be documenting this time?” His voice got all ‘movie trailer guy’ and he said, “YBW working from home: day one.”
I giggled, then encouraged him to document.
I told him about reading this interview with University of Virginia professor Herbert ‘Tico’ Braun.
In an email encouraging his current and former students to document their lives “during this unprecedented time” he wrote:
The mantra of our course is, ‘Write it down.’ When you do, much of your life and who you are will be different than if you don’t.
He tells his students, “You do not write alone.”
He’s so right!
We don’t write alone. Especially here, in this blogging community.
LA is sharing her life in this time. So is Maggie. Ellieejay and Betul shared theirs at Pointless Overthinking, Claudette is sharing her’s too.
What I love about reading these posts is that in an anxious and fearful time, these ladies are being real. Speaking their truths. Being honest and unmerciful with their thoughts and feelings. And using humor to their advantage.
I thank you for documenting your lives in these ‘unprecedented’ times. It helps us realize we are not alone, however shut away from the world we are. We are a community of human beings. And no matter how far and wide we are spread, we are all in this together.
By sharing our lives via the written word we begin to feel more connected in the immediate, and as time goes on these words will be powerful documentation to look back upon.
I’m choosing to journal about what I think and how I feel about this time in our world. It looks different than my blogging, but I approach it with the same level of honest and unmerciful truth, and a metric-fuck-ton more sass and complete disregard for proper grammar.
Regardless of where I write, I’m choosing to acknowledge fear and anxiety, flex my humor muscles, and embrace a whole lotta love, grace, and gratitude.
We’re all in this together.
Thank you.
I am truly grateful that we do not write alone.
fried chicken with an antihistamine chaser
Saturday afternoon, YBW decides he wants fried chicken for dinner. Partly because fried chicken is one of his favorite foods, partly because he wants to pay homage to Kenny Rogers.
Now, I’m a Southern girl, but I can’t make fried chicken to save my ass.
That means carry out, and I get behind the wheel of my car for the first time since…I honestly don’t remember when.
We go to one place, the drive up line is long so we keep moving.
We go to the next place, they’re monitoring the number of people entering the building. (no drive up) I don’t know what I want, and we both don’t want to go in.
One u-do-it (u turn) later and we’re passing the first place again, this time with more cars lined up around the building.
We finally land on a third place, get our chicken, and head home.
We’re catching up on Briarpatch episodes and nomming fried chicken.
All is well.
Until…
I start to get all dry and itchy in my throat.
I drink water, no relief.
I drink coca cola, no relief.
I take my plate to the dishwasher and begin to cough at the kitchen sink. So much so that YBW asks if I’m going to be sick.
Y’all, something in the breading or seasoned fries has triggered and allergic reaction in me.
And with what’s going on in the world this is not the time to head out for help. But I know how to handle it, it’s not the first time this has happened to me. Handful of zyrtec later I’m hoarse but breathing perfectly well.
(Benadryl works better but I’m allergic, so that’s a)
Only once I’m ready for bed, the coughing starts again.
FUUUUUUUCK!
So I get up go back downstairs and turn on Mad Men.
This morning I’m breathing and swallowing well, but my throat hurts. Not like a sore throat, more like like tight muscles.
So, RIP Kenny Rogers and his chicken. I’m grateful for zyrtec when it was inconvenient to seek medical attention, but I’ll pass on that cold chicken breast I was planning to eat today.
Categories: me
Tags: antihistamine, food allergies, fried chicken, self quarantine, social distancing
10 Comments
an opportunity
So YBW’s company has divided his team into two groups and they’re alternating working from home and going into the office each week. This plan began Tuesday. Wednesday morning he’s at his computer in his jammies with the cutest bedhead hair ready to work.
His group won’t go back to work until Monday. Of course, he’s on call this week, so if anything blows up, he’ll be going into the office anyway.
This working from home thing is tricky because of the kind of work he does.
I don’t actually have an opinion about him working from home. (be sure to document my lack of opinion)
I’m up and dressed and going about the Robyn things.
I sort of feel like I should be adventurous when it comes to meal prep. But that also sounds like more effort than I’m willing to put forth. Not to mention more dishes for me to do.
I might actually tackle cleaning my closet. I mean, I recently did a bit of a purge, but I need to examine my shoe situation. They need to be put away properly, and I could take this opportunity to wash all the sweaters and get them put away for spring.
I’ve got a huge project of going through the last thirty years of photos that I was saving for when Thing 2 comes the first week of April. Of course, now, she may not actually come.
We had tickets to for a live Welcome to Night Vale show, but the US shows have all been postponed.
So I can either tackle that alone, or wait patiently for Thing 2 to come and assist. Seems a shame to waste the opportunity when I’m actively trapped in the house for the foreseeable future.
YBW asked me last night if I thought I might go stir crazy being trapped at home.
I honestly hadn’t thought about it.
But now, as I put forth (slack-ass) effort to plan my days, I’m beginning to wonder.
I have Netflix and Hulu. And Disney + is a thing, right? But I’m already over the television.
According to my local meteorologist, it’ll be 81 today. Maybe I’ll get on setting up some porch life?
I feel bad for complaining. Though TBPH, I’m not actually complaining, I’m just expressing my thoughts.
That’s the key. Minding the attitude. I’m not being a dick. I’m simply trying to suss it out…out loud…to all y’all…
My mood is actually quite good.
I have a big ass stack of TBR.
I have a ton of music to be organized.
I can go outside and get some vitamin D.
It’s just that I know there’s an opportunity in all this and I’m disinclined to waste it.
But an opportunity for what?
Stay tuned, y’all!
Categories: me
Tags: around the house, books, opportunity, project, reading, self quarantine, social distancing, welcome to night vale
9 Comments
all Lady Macbeth up in this bitch
Thing 1 and Baby K left and made it safely home Monday. I know they’re happy to be home and with Husband N and the animals, to sleep in their own beds.
And I gotta say, that baby is pretty much all consuming. I’m glad I had babies when I was young. I’m much slower now, and she’s non-stop! But those sweet smiles and waves and kisses are worth every moment of being tired!
I was more sad than I anticipated that night, but Tuesday I was less sad. Missing them, but also kind of pleased to be alone.
Thing G never ever leaves the house, but decided Tuesday to go out into the world. (You do you, kid.)
So I was completely alone in this house.
Did y’all hear my most satisfied “Ahhhh”?
I stripped and remade my bed and the guest bed. Did the dishes, and seven loads of laundry (all those extra sheets and towels, yo).
After that, I opened all the windows, the big garage door, even closets and the pantry and I went systematically through every room burning white sage.
I went all Lady Macbeth up in this bitch, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”
This house needed a good smudging. I’m ushering out the chaos and inviting in peace.
And while tensions are high with what’s going on in the world, it seemed a smart choice to facilitate peace where we dwell.
It feels different in here and I like it.
I’m going to wipe down the kitchen and my bathroom and get after my reading.
I’m curious about this book club book, have any of y’all read it?
Hope your Thursday is everything you need it to be.
Categories: around the house, me
Tags: cleaning up the mess, cleanse, Lady Macbeth, peace, smudging, white sage
8 Comments
Baby K and her mommy’s birthday pie
Thing 1 and Baby K were here for two weeks!
It was the loveliest (albeit exhausting-est) two weeks in many moons.
Y’all, I absolutely adore watching my daughter be her daughter’s mom!
I love seeing their closeness. I’m amused when they get frustrated with each other. I love the way Baby K says “mum-mum-mum-mum” for her mommy.
To witness and share in their relationship is an absolute delight!
Baby K learned to clap while she was here.
She even (sort of) learned to say clap while she was here.
She pulled up so much and began cruising around the sofa and coffee table while she was here.
She even crawled up two (non-sequential) steps while she was here!
She says “Papa” for YBW and she said “Ba-Da” when referring to me. Ba-Da for Birdie? I’ll take it.
They were here in time for Thing 1’s birthday!
It’s the first time I’ve hugged her on her actual birthday since she was eighteen! She just turned twenty six!
So! Much! Joy!
Neither of my girls actually like cake, so we celebrated with a delicious apple pie!
I miss them.
I mean, I’m glad to have my ‘baby duty’ scaled back, but I miss conversations with Thing 1 and special moments with Baby K.
We drank so much wine.
Thing 1 said “Get out of my head” more times than I can count. It’s nice to be on the same page. It’s lovely to feel so close and connected to her.
We talked plans of what it will look like when they’re here for however many months starting this summer.
I enjoyed meal planning and grocery shopping with Thing 1. I look forward to that when they’re here.
Baby K played with Meredith and Beau.
They have a cousin who’s only a couple of months older than Baby K, so they love being in baby mode. These kids are nine and seven, and their mom could barely drag them away from the baby toys!
I love that my friends-as-family and actual family are such a big part of and have such love for each other!
I was with Thing 1 for six weeks when Baby K was born and we vowed then to make sure we could see each other as often as possible. You know, we’ve seen each other pretty much every other month since then. And soon, they’ll be right here whenever I turn around, then as close as their own house nearby.
I am truly grateful for the blessing of being able to witness and be a part of my granddaughter’s growing up.
My cup runneth over!
Categories: love
Tags: apple pie, Baby K, Birdie and Baby K, birthday, blessed, family, grandmothers and granddaughters, grateful, happy birthday, joy, love, mothers and daughters, Thing 1, unconditional love
9 Comments
a tune for Tuesday vol 63
The lyrics of this lovelytheband song really got me.
‘Cause I keep mistaking loneliness for love
I’m tryna find myself inside someone
Anything at all not to feel alone
Anything at all just to feel whole
‘Cause I keep mistaking loneliness for love
When I think about how many of us have been in this situation, it hurts my heart. But, I do know just as many of us come out the other side different.
We find what we need in ourselves and stop mistaking loneliness for love.
Let me know what you think!
Please listen responsibly.
Categories: music
Tags: i dig music, loneliness for love, lovelytheband, music, tune for Tuesday
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a tune for Tuesday vol 62
The Strokes.
I dig them, but I’m not a huge fan.
This new tune Bad Decisions makes me love it more every single time I hear it.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Please listen responsibly.
a tune for Tuesday vol 61
I fell in love with this song the moment I heard it!
I love everything about it.
These lyrics though.
Talking with my mother she said
“Where’d you find this guy?”
I said, “Some people fall in love”
“With the wrong people sometimes”
Some mistakes get made
That’s alright, that’s okay
You can think that you’re in love
When you’re really just in pain
Some mistakes get made
That’s alright, that’s okay
In the end it’s better for me
That’s the moral of the story babe
This is Moral of the Story by Ashe.
Produced by Finneas O’Connell (you know, Billie Eilish’s brother)
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Please listen responsibly.
Categories: music
Tags: Ashe, Finneas O'Connell, i dig music, Moral of the Story, music, tune for Tuesday
6 Comments
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