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This week in…: Volume 31

September 4, 2015 by Jana 16 Comments

Slow news week but let’s recap anyway

Didn’t finish any books this week because I’m having a hard time committing to just one but I did pick up Dietland, Gangsterland, and Galveston because clearly I like one word titles. I have one book left for the Literary Ladies challenge (reading Trust No One for Thriller/Suspense category). SHOW US YOUR BOOKS THIS TUESDAY!!!!
I have approximately no less than 15 pounds of tomatoes that I picked from my garden. Ladies who cook, give me your best tomato based recipe. I can only make so much sauce and while I do plan to freeze a lot, I want to do something with them while they’re still fresh.
My dog has worms. I feel like the worst pet parent on the planet.
Miles logged in my car this week: 239403274. Given that, I’ve been listening to some podcasts and if you’re not listening to Criminal, do yourself a favor and change that. She digs into some pretty fascinating crimes, specifically of the weird and old nature, and each episode is about 20 minutes.
Have you guess heard about the clerk in Kentucky who thinks she’s above the law and has been refusing to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples? Did you hear that she was arrested because there actually is justice? Look, if you want to think same sex marriage is wrong, that’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it. BUT. When you hold a public office, or any job for that matter, you are required to follow the rules of your employer, religious convictions or not. If you don’t like the rules, resign your position or face the consequences. It’s that simple.
I started planning my wardrobe for my conference in Charlotte and let me tell you, nothing makes you feel inadequate about your yoga pants and t-shirt uniform more than having to find 4 nice outfits to wear. Not to mention the fact that I’ll be going to bars. WHAT DO PEOPLE WEAR TO BARS??
I’m working on a special post with Erin and I’m very irritated that the songs by one band I need to include are no where to be found anywhere on any streaming service so not only can I not use them in the post unless I use the video from YouTube, I can’t add them to my playlist. #firstworldproblems
Internet reads: Laura Vanderkam wrote about 5 More Time Management Mistakes You May Be Making (I’m definitely guilty of a couple of these). There’s this really cool infographic on Electric Literature with the most popular books of all time. Cracked had a post with the 8 creepiest identity theft cases of all time. And finally, this hard to read chart with the most satisfying and disappointing TV series finales.
In college we called it the suite

Happy weekend! I’ll see you back here on Tuesday for Show Us Your Books! Get your Goodreads ready!

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All the leaves are brown and other things I love about fall

August 31, 2015 by Jana 40 Comments

And now we begin the basic of all basic posts…

I know that technically fall starts in a few weeks but since school is back in session (yay!), it’s fall in my book.

I didn’t used to love fall. As a kid, summer was the best for all the reasons you’d think–Sleep-away camp, no school, sleeping late when I wasn’t as camp, swimming all the time, reading all day long…fun, kid stuff. Also, back then, the heat didn’t bother me quite like it does now and I didn’t mind wearing shorts, either.

But now, as an adult, I much prefer the autumn months for so many reasons.

Cooler weather. Look, I am all for embracing whatever it is you look like and wearing whatever you want but for me, I like to be covered up. Hoodies and yoga pants for this gal.
Soups and casseroles and stews. A girl can only eat so many hot dogs and barbecued chicken before she hates them. Bring on the soups! Bring on the cheesy casseroles! I’m ready for a menu change.
The colors. I adore fall colors. Summer ones are nice but the deep purples and reds and yellows of fall make me feel all cozy.
Staying indoors is preferable. I am of the indoorsy kind (with some exceptions like the beach). Cooler weather means it’s acceptable and guilt free to binge watch Netflix on a Saturday instead of being outside, communing with nature and other people.
Football. Not to watch, of course. But when the husband is watching it, I get hours of uninterrupted reading, cooking, and baking time. It’s relaxing and makes me feel productive.
NO MOSQUITOES!! Die, you insufferable pests!
Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday. No fall, no Thanksgiving.
Turning off the AC and opening the windows. There is nothing like the feeling of fresh air circulating through your home and does anyone else sleep better when the windows are open? Also, no AC means lower electric bills and who doesn’t love saving a little money?
More routine. Yes, the unstructuredness of summer is nice but I function better with a schedule. I have less anxiety, more productivity, and it’s all around easier to manage.
Fall TV!! True, many of the shows I watch exist in 10 episode bursts but fall means some of them are giving me new episodes and there’s new one to try, too. Plus this fall has The Muppets so it’s basically the greatest fall of all time.

This week in…: Volume 30

August 28, 2015 by Jana 34 Comments

I liked last week’s list format so let’s keep that going.

I finished Girl Waits with Gun, am halfway through Love May Fail, and am still hanging on to A Little Life. The latter is a great book but so damn depressing I’m just not feeling it right now which is why it’s taking me longer than usual to finish. Picked up Hyacinth Girls and In a Dark Dark Wood. Reset my Goodreads goal to 65 (upped from 50, which I completed).
School starts (finally) on Monday. I’m an underachieving mother so don’t expect any back to school posts on how I’m making my daughter’s lunches exciting or any cute outfits because I let her pick out her own clothes and as long as she matches, I truly don’t give a fuck what she wears or how I’m organized for the school year or whatever else it is that ambitious parents write about. I’ll take some pictures on Monday and that will be it. Then I’ll take a nap.
Speaking of naps, I have been ridiculously, overwhelmingly tired this week. I cannot get enough sleep. I’m wondering if maybe the summer has finally gotten the better of me.
YOU GUYS!!! There’s going to be an SOA spinoff!!! Kurt Sutter is developing it, it’s about one of the other gangs, The Mayans, and I CANNOT WAIT!!!
Another week, another Duggar rant. It’s ridiculous at this point. Today, though, we’re not going to give any more attention to Josh (but Josh? Your “rehab”? I call bullshit. It’s nothing but a calculated move to be able to drum up money and draw back fans with your “redemption story”. I’m on to you and those who spawned you) but we are going to talk a bit about Anna. She’s been making headlines lately, thanks to her brother who’s actively trying to get her out of the house, the fact that she’s absorbing the responsibility of Josh’s actions, as well as that viral Facebook post (which I agree with while adding that, unfortunately, there are too many Annas who need that message but will never receive it). My two cents is this–there is nothing wrong with standing by a spouse who cheated on you (adding that we’re going to pretend it’s all he did because when I add in the molestation, it’s too difficult to continue this train of thought). It is okay to seek counseling and work on your marriage and try to move on from the cheating for whatever reasons you might have. Women do it every single day. The difference between Anna and other women is this: Anna has no choice but to stay. Not only is there immense pressure from her family and church leaders to stay but if she leaves, she will consider herself a failure, that she wasn’t godly enough to make her marriage work. For someone who’s been indoctrinated to believe that her self-worth depends entirely upon being a wife and mother, can you imagine the depression she’d endure if she left? How would that help her kids or her self-esteem (which is probably in the toilet already)? And is it productive to scream that she should leave knowing that she has absolutely no means to support herself or the children? So while it’s popular to say she’s weak for standing by that cretin she’s married to, there’s way more to it and I think, maybe, we should give Anna a break and let her deal with what’s happened (note: this is not at all an endorsement of the horrible way she was raised or the archaic belief system she subscribes to. But those beliefs are precisely why there’s a conflict).
And then there was another shooting by another unhinged nutbag the same week the Aurora movie theater shooter (I refuse to acknowledge their names) gets sentenced to roughly a million years in prison. I’m not saying we need to take away all the guns but holy hell, what is it going to take to make some changes?
I leave for Charlotte in about 3 weeks. If anyone knows of anything free or inexpensive to do, or has recommendations for places to eat or bars to visit, please let me know. I’m at a loss.
The child and I went to the beach the other day. We got there early, staked out our spot, and, while we were in the ocean, a family of 23940937 incredibly loud, obnoxious asshats set up shop approximately 3 inches from our chairs. ON A WIDE OPEN BEACH. There is no reason for that nonsense at all. Respect personal space.
As for internet reads, there were a lot but in the interest of loving my fellow bloggers, the ones you really need to read are Kristen’s post on books and the 7 deadly sins, Ali’s post on the awful way men treat women on dating sites and apps, and Erin’s happy songs (which is similar to a post I did including title because #twinsies). And also this one from Scary Mommy who is not a friend but did share an awesome post about 80s characters I could use in my life right now (hint: John Bender is on the list. So is Duckie. And Mr. Miyagi (oh, guy with the theory that Daniel is the bully? Fuck off. You’re an idiot). And many others. You should definitely read this post).
And your funny of the week:

Have a wonderful weekend! See you back on Monday when we’ll discuss all the things I love about fall.

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This week in…: Volume 28

August 21, 2015 by Jana 26 Comments

Weekly recap headed your way in a different format because it’s good to change things up.

We went to the Mets/Orioles game on Tuesday night. After a brief delay due to the threat of inclement weather, my beloved Mets beat the Orioles 5-3, keeping my streak of seeing the Mets win at Camden Yards alive.
It took us 5 minutes to get out of Baltimore following the game. Granted we left midway through the 9th but 5 minutes from arriving at our car to getting on the highway home was nothing short of a miracle worth discussing because I am old and old people talk about traffic.
I am beyond looking forward to this show on TNT, Public Morals, that premieres on Tuesday. Not only does it look AWESOME but also, it has Michael Rapaport. I love Michael Rapaport. It started back in the 90s, grew during his Boston Public days and has pretty much reached a point where I get giggly school girl excited whenever he’s in something. So much is the fangirlness that I made my daughter watch the cartoon version of Pound Puppies because he voiced one of the dogs. #sorrynotsorry
Do you see him? He’s in the blue stripe in the middle. YAY!
Currently reading an ARC of Girl Waits with Gun which is not only an amazing book but based on a true story of some badass women. I also finished Every Last Word and Inside the O’Briens. Full recap on Tuesday, September 8 for Show Us Your Books.
I cannot stop eating zucchini fritters. Not even kidding, I eat them every single day. In other news, this is probably why I’m fat.
Speaking of fat, the husband and I decided we’re going to walk–not run because let’s not get carried away–a 10K in the spring so we started training for that. It feels good to have a fitness goal again. This also might offset the 277 pounds of fried zucchini I’ve eaten the last month.
Had a dentist appointment on Wednesday. No cavities for this gal!
I can’t not mention this–Josh Duggar. Oh, my. I want to say I’m surprised by the cheating and the porn but I’m actually not. It seems par for the course with him and probably, in part, had something to do with the fact that he lived under the oppressive rule of his asshole father for so long that once given the freedom, he didn’t know what to do with it and wanted to explore what was previously forbidden. This is not to excuse the behavior as infidelity is reprehensible and to do it in the manner he did is just disgusting and I am pleased as punch that he got caught. And, if I’m being honest, I am deriving some sort of sick pleasure at seeing him and his parents freefall into disgrace given the hatred and intolerance that they preach and the superiority complex in which they conducted themselves. But I feel terrible for his wife. I can’t even begin to imagine the shame and humiliation she feels on top of having to cope with all of this in the public eye. It’s hard enough doing it in private but the vultures are circling and you know they’re dying to see what she does. Speculation will run amok. And, while I think she needs to take her kids and leave, I have a sinking feeling she won’t for reasons that have to do with her faith, what she’s been indoctrinated to think, and maybe, possibly, money. There is no way to explain away Josh’s actions as an adult. But it’s going to be interesting to watch them try. (I also planned to rant about The Fat Jew and plagiarism and stealing jokes and content but my friend Ali already did that and probably better than I could so you should just read what she wrote instead)
Favorite internet reads/awesomes of the week–The story of how one guy used Monopoly to help WWII POWs escape. This tableware for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Kids like this one. And while I have zero desire to ever go back to high school, should I ever need to go all Billy Madison or whatever Drew Barrymore’s name was in Never Been Kissed, this list would give me something to think about (although I do like to think that I wasn’t as big of an asshole as the author of the post seems to have been. #yesimjudging)
This funny, sent to me by the husband:

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This week in…: Volume 27

August 14, 2015 by Jana 20 Comments

This week in reading…Thanks again to everyone who participated in Show Us Your Books. Next one is September 8. Since Tuesday, I’ve finished I Regret Nothing, am halfway through Inside the O’Briens and A Little Life, and picked up The Oregon Train: A New American Journey and Some Girls Are. Good stuff.

This week in listening…While I’m still listening to my rock standards, I’m trying to incorporate some new songs into my repertoire. Like these:

This week in shit my husband says…In response to my explanation of the term “ship” as it pertains to wanting fictional characters to get together. He replies: I’ve shipped someone somewhere. You don’t need to know why.

This week in sweet ass deals…My husband is an Orioles fan. I am a Mets fan. Every so often, the stars align and they play one another during the regular season. This summer is that special time. We knew we wanted to go and I managed to find us tickets in decent seats for $10 a piece! Plus we prepaid for parking which is exponentially better than driving around Baltimore on a game day trying to find a garage and that also was $10. So 3 tickets and parking (plus the requisite ticket fees) cost $50. That’s basically less than one normal ticket. And I can go to Camden Yards wearing a Mets shirt and not fear for my life!

This week in confusion…Am I the only one puzzled by the outrage at Target for doing away with gender designations on their toy aisles? Doesn’t this sort of fly in the face of the gender equality, girls can do anything boys can do mentality we’re trying to adopt? I mean, if we truly want it to be okay for girls to play with dinosaurs and boys to play with dolls, why wouldn’t we put them all together with no gender labels distinguishing between the two? And as for the people who truly believe that mixing the toys together will cause gender identity crises in children…well, Ron White says you can’t fix stupid and he’s completely correct. What you can do, however, is educate them and hopefully change their ignorance to understanding. Also, it’s fucking toys. Can we all calm the hell down?

This week in I’m not sure what to think…Did you guys see the viral video pregnancy announcement where the husband used pee the wife left in the toilet to do a pregnancy test and surprise her with the positive test? Then did you see how they posted a video a few days later where they said she had a miscarriage? To be honest, I’m struggling with the whole thing. First, because it sounds like absolute bullshit that he was able to get a positive test from urine diluted with water. Also, it’s fucking gross that he did that if it’s actually true and it’s even more disgusting that she doesn’t flush after she goes (the excuse that she doesn’t want to wake the kids? How loud is their toilet? Do the kids sleep in the bathroom? I can’t make sense of this) but that’s another discussion. Second, I watched the video announcing the miscarriage and it just seemed…off to me. I’m not saying that everyone grieves the same way but I can tell you that after mine, my first instinct was not to film a video just a few hours later and share it with the world. And some of the comments they made smacked of attention seeking behavior rather than genuine grief and pain. And I hope to god that they’re just completely narcissistic (which, from reading a bit about them, they really and truly are. Exhibit A: A video they posted titled “Good Looking Parents Sing Frozen” or something like that) and not lying because if they are…well, that’s a slap in the face to those of who have experienced it. And it’s disgusting. And despicable. And reprehensible. Miscarriages are not something to fake for attention or fame. And if it makes me callous and heartless that I don’t believe them, I can live with that. But my spidey senses are tingling from this story.

This week in internet reads…Two great ones from Buzzfeed: 37 things you’ll only understand if you went to college in the 90s and 19 things only women who love swearing will understand. This post on things I’m too old to tolerate. This one from the Huffington Post with 22 habits to make your life more peaceful every day. And finally, since I’m trying to find classics I want to read, I liked this list with 25 American classics everyone should read.

This week in funnies…