From now on, I’m going to direct at least 10% of the LWs who write to me to the above image. It sums it up pretty perfectly, don’t you think?
Anyway, happy Friday. How was your week? Has your new year gotten off to a good start? I’m feeling pretty positive about the year ahead after a productive first week. I made a few loose resolutions that I’ve done ok sticking to. I’m limiting my alcohol and bread and sugar consumption and skipping seconds on meals. I’m walking an average of five miles a day or more, and my goal is to read at least one book a month (with the intention of getting to two a month). To that end, I started the much-hyped Neapolitan trilogy by Elena Ferranta and 20% into the first novel, my verdict is ZZZZZZZzzzzzzz. All I’ve heard for the last year is how beautifully written and absolutely wonderful this series is, but I think it’s super boring! I’m so disappointed. I’m not one of those people who forces myself to finish a book I’m not enjoying, so I’m putting this one aside and instead going to read M Train, but Patti Smith. I loved Just Kids, so I’m hoping this one is equally enjoyable. I’m also working on embracing that I may just not be a fiction person. Is it so wrong that all I want to read are memoirs?
Also, you know what else everyone else raves about that I can’t seem to get into? “Making a Murderer.” Drew and I watched the first episode (twice, because I fell asleep the first time) and, after a slow start, we really liked the way it ended. But the second episode? Total snooze fest. It put me to sleep three times! What am I missing (um, besides a decent night’s sleep, ever)? (For the record, Drew wasn’t into it either, so at least I know I’m not the only person who doesn’t get it).
Lest it seem that I’m subtly (or not so subtly) implying that I turn my nose up at mainstream cultural phenomenons, I eagerly anticipated the premier of the new season of “The Bachelor,” which started this Monday. Drew and I even placed some bets on who will get the final rose, who will be the next bachelorette, and who will be this season’s villain and this season’s crazy. Hey, we need something to get us through the winter since a sad and enraging documentary about a man wrongly committed for murder surprisingly isn’t cutting it…
One more thing: last night I went to a dance performance that my dancer friend was in, and afterwards she and I and our other friend grabbed a drink nearby. I’m the youngest at 39, so when we were all three asked for IDs upon entering the bar, we got sort of giddy in the way middle-aged mothers would. And then the bouncer said the one thing that totally burst my bubble: After looking at our IDs, he smiled at us and said, “Oh, you guys look really good… for your age.” And that was the moment I officially became old.
[image via]
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LadyinPurpleNotRed January 8, 2016, 4:09 pm
Happy weekend! Nothing wrong with wanting to read memoirs…that’s basically all I read. I love them! And M Train is great, just like Just Kids. I loved it.
My 2016 is starting off alright. I’m looking for a new job. It’s just definitely time to move on from my current job. Job hunting is sucking my soul a little bit, but I’m trying not to let it get me down.
I’m going home next weekend and I can’t wait! I’m hoping it will be snowy and cold. I need some other season than hot!
K January 8, 2016, 4:25 pm
Job hunting is sucking my soul too – I need to throw myself more forcefully into it this year. On Jan. 2 it’s been 9 years that I’ve been here, and I’ve been wanting to move on for oh, about 6 years. I also like memoirs, although I haven’t read one in a while.
LadyinPurpleNotRed January 8, 2016, 4:30 pm
I’ve been looking for a few months now, but I definitely need to step it up.
Portia January 8, 2016, 4:37 pm
Bassanio has been basically job hunting for the last 5 years. He stepped up his game on the last few months because his job has been basically unsustainable. It is certainly an exhausting/soul sucking process, good luck!
Portia January 8, 2016, 4:30 pm
I haven’t started Making a Murderer since I was quite out of the loop for a few weeks honeymooning, but I don’t know if I’m going to. Maybe if I have a weekend to marathon it. I also haven’t really been into Serial this season. I am a fan of Aziz Anzari’s Netflix show, so I’ll focus some of my energy there. Also, definitely nothing wrong with preferring memoirs.
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This evening I will be taking part in voting for Word of the Year! So excited! It’s been my favorite part of the Linguistic Society of America’s annual meeting (technically the American Dialect Society puts it on, but who’s keeping track). I accidentally missed the nominations, which can be more fun, but I love to hear people advocate for different words.
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Have a great weekend everyone!
Dear Wendy January 10, 2016, 12:44 pm
SINGULAR THEY!!
Dear Wendy January 10, 2016, 12:47 pm
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/01/08/donald-trump-may-win-this-years-word-of-the-year/
othy January 10, 2016, 5:01 pm
Singular They is such a good idea.
Lianne January 8, 2016, 4:50 pm
I watched all of Making a Murderer and was not super into it 2-3 episodes in. Those 2-3 episodes also made me so angry, so that may have been why, but then I couldn’t stop watching. It reminded me a lot of how I felt listening to season one of the Serial podcast…so I would say, maybe give it a few more episodes? But hey, if you’re not into it, you’re not into it!
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I love memoirs AND fiction. What I don’t love is non-fiction – except for some recent baby/parenting books and Unbroken. I just started reading Without You There is No Us…anyone heard of it? It’s a memoir written by a woman who taught English at a Christian University in North Korea. I am very excited about it.
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Happy weekend!
honeybeenicki January 8, 2016, 4:54 pm
My year was starting out ok… but I found out today that my daycare (that I LOVE) is closing. In 2 weeks. I’m not thrilled. Hopefully she will reopen (she is not licensed but planned to be this spring and someone reported her as having a licensable number of kids so she is closing completely until she is fully licensed) but until then, we’re searching for care again. Makes me sad because she treats my kid like family. His face lights up when he sees her! 🙁
Dear Wendy January 8, 2016, 5:35 pm
Oh, that really sucks! Could you talk to her about being a nanny for your son until she’s licensed to run her daycare?
honeybeenicki January 11, 2016, 11:16 am
She’s too far away 🙁 She doesn’t want anyone in her home because she doesn’t want to do anything to jeopardize the licensing and it wouldn’t make sense for her to drive to me (its about a half hour drive). She is right by where my husband works.
Kelly January 16, 2016, 11:22 pm
I hate to be a downer but her story just isn’t adding up and you do not want to have her watch your children. First, in virtually all states licensing doesn’t take more than a week or two and it’s a one day course and paperwork. Second, you don’t want someone who doesn’t even follow rules to watch your child. As a child care provider she knows how many children she’s allowed without being licensed. Third, I’ve seen excuses like this when in reality a child abuse or neglect investigation has been opened or concluded. Have you considered cutting back of expenses so that you can take care of your own child? I don’t know how people do it-I could never give up my precious child to someone getting paid to watch my child.
Dear Wendy January 17, 2016, 4:26 am
Really? You wouldn’t send your precious child to school? Because you know what happens at school, don’t you? Someone else who is getting paid watches your child!
RedRoverRedRover January 17, 2016, 12:52 pm
I guess we do it by all just being horrible people and mothers! I know that’s how I manage to live with myself.
girltuesday January 8, 2016, 5:09 pm
OK, I’m with you on “Making a Murderer.” I LOVE true crime and most Netflix originals, but dang, it was such a snoozefest. I fell asleep in the first episode and didn’t care that much to return to it.
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Does anybody else watch Jessica Jones? I love watching Krystin Ritter’s RBF kick major butt in that show.
Stonegypsy January 8, 2016, 5:18 pm
I loved Jessica Jones!
othy January 9, 2016, 12:11 am
Jessica Jones was amazing. David Tennant was perfect in that role.
Lianne January 9, 2016, 10:36 am
Jessica Jones is AMAZING. Loved it so so much.
Sue Jones January 8, 2016, 5:12 pm
I LOVED the Neopolitan Series. Stay with it, the books get better and better as they go along!
Nadia January 8, 2016, 5:16 pm
If it makes you feel any better, I’m 34 and have been told since my late 20s that I look good “for my age.” :-\ As for making a murderer, do you know how it ends? I spoiled it for myself a couple episodes in, and although I still find it interesting, I think I’d find it even more so if I didn’t already know the outcome.
Stonegypsy January 8, 2016, 5:23 pm
I’m so excited for this weekend. Tonight one of my friends is taking me out for drinks at the whiskey bar downtown (anytime someone wants to give me a gift, they know whiskey is the way to go), tomorrow night is my birthday party and there’s like 20 people total going to the geek bar in Fort Collins (Dungeons and Drafts) and we’re going to spend the whole night playing various tabletop games. Plus I get to introduce my new partner to all of my friends! And then Sunday (my actual birthday) I am just going to spend the whole day recovering and watching cartoons with my not-new partner.
veritek33 January 8, 2016, 5:36 pm
My ex and I got carded once at an awesome frozen drink place in Columbia (@AP I’m talking Trops, you must have stories from there, no?) and we are both redheaded. We order and the waitress is like “i need to see ids.” I was 30 and he was 28. So we show the ids and she laughs and says “I can never tell with you gingers, and he looks older than you!” So, complimented twice in one ID check lol.
Addie Pray January 9, 2016, 9:08 pm
I know Trops! But I don’t have a lot of good stories; I never seemed to live there when I could have used it. I was too young for Trops growing up, of course. And when I moved back to town for law school, I was kind of a big studier. (Zzzzz.) I didn’t become an alcoholic until I started practicing law after leaving town, ha.
Moneypenny January 8, 2016, 6:14 pm
I can’t get into The Bachelor. I usually love to watch to make fun of it, but I just… I dunno. I just read the recaps (Vulture has a hilarious one!) and Reality Steve.
MissDre January 8, 2016, 6:16 pm
I’m getting the age comments too… A guy sent me a message on OkCupid saying “You look really good for 29!” ummm and you thought that was going to get you a reply? No.
S January 9, 2016, 1:38 pm
You’re not alone, I also through the Elena Ferranta first book was a giant snoozefest! Which is sad when I keep seeing it recommended by so many people with such enthusiasm. I don’t remember how far in I got, but I did eventually just give up (and I do enjoy plenty of other fiction!). Maybe the later ones get better?
Ange January 9, 2016, 4:58 pm
I’m a non-fiction reader too, though more history than memoirs because hey, I know how to party lol. The big exception is Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series. Just brilliantly researched and written. She wrote seven books at over a thousand pages each and I’ve read them probably 8 or 9 times. The only quibble I have is the Antony and Cleopatra book felt superfluous.
vizslalvr January 9, 2016, 8:37 pm
We’re not too far into Making a Murderer, but I am obsessed. Then again, I’m a public defender and it’s right in my wheelhouse despite Avery’s comment in episode 3/4 that he “can’t win this with a public defender.” I was also so heartened when I heard 5-6 of the prosecutors I regularly deal with go on and on about how great the show was.
On a separate note, I am doing the January Cure from apartmenttherapy and feel super accomplished today. I totally reorganized/cleaned my kitchen and made significant progress on cleaning my (disgusting) copper pots. My house is generally pretty damn clean, but I really love checking boxes off a list and am looking forward to starting the new year off right.
Addie Pray January 9, 2016, 11:18 pm
I’m having a really boring Saturday night. I’ve been trying to figure out what I need to withhold from my nanny’s paycheck, and what payments I as the employer owe and to whom and when. And I’m eating a bowl of pretzels and Oreos because the damn diet can re-start on Monday, ok? Ok.
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But until my night got so boring, the day was good! My baby was such a good boy all day long. I had a lot of fun with him and I even took him out to a bridal shower. It’s rare for me to hop in the car and take him someplace just the two of us, so it felt special, like we were off on an adventure just the two of us. He was such a good boy. Damn he’s such a good boy I can’t stand it!
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Let’s see, what else… I have a headache. I need to drink water. I’ve been drinking too much orange soda lately. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, it’s like I WANT to NOT lose the baby weight. Also, how long can I call it “baby weight”? A few months post labor? A year? The rest of my life?
anonymousse January 10, 2016, 2:19 pm
Is the brunch beverage troll back? I’ve noticed an uptick in some of the same old queries and some OR maybe a thread(s) are MIA. Just curious.
Lianne January 10, 2016, 3:46 pm
Kate and her husband just left after coming over for a visit. She helped me objectively go through all of my clothes so I can downsize as we get organized for the baby and all of the things we will need for him. My husband and Kate’s husband went out to a bar to watch playoff football. It was a nice afternoon. Oh, it’s also torrentially raining here in the Boston area. It’s gross but at least it’s not rain.
Lianne January 10, 2016, 4:18 pm
Haha. That was supposed to say at least it’s not snow!