Category — Friday Blog Roundup

I went to a Wegmans for the first time last weekend.  I’ll couch that by adding that I’ve run in and out of a Wegmans two other times in life with people who wanted to pick up an item, but I’ve never gone to Wegmans.  Like wander up and down the aisles and poke around the prepared foods bar.  I was, for all intents and purposes, a Wegmans virgin.  And proud of it.  Other people told me Wegmans was great, so I screwed myself over and didn’t go.

But my cousin wanted a certain pasta shape, and the Wolvog told me that the shape was at Wegmans.  He is a Wegmans connoisseur.  My mother takes him because I deprive him of all the deliciousness.  So I put my trust in the Wolvog and told the guys in my gaming club that I was going to head over to Wegmans after our meeting.

They seemed slightly confused that I had never been to Wegmans.  They all reassured me that they weren’t Wegmans fanatics, but… yeah… like the rest of the world, they had been to Wegmans.

I entered by the prepared foods section.  You can imagine my face walking through the prepared foods section.  They had vegetarian egg rolls.  Not spring rolls (I’m never impressed with spring rolls) — egg rolls.  Why, yes, I’d love to try two.  And then, yeah, the rest of the store.  They had foods I haven’t seen in other places in years, including three billion pasta shapes.  (Including the one my cousin wanted.). I had to text an apology to my mother for being such a brat about Wegmans all these years.

Then I got in line.  Two people in front of me with half-filled carts, one in the middle of the check out process.  18 minutes later, I am still in line.  Actually, I’m in a second line because the first line wasn’t moving so I moved into a similarly queued line and ended up spending over a quarter of an hour staring at the gum display.

So Wegmans.  It’s like the Hotel California of food stores.

*******

Stop procrastinating.  Go make your backups.  Don’t have regrets.

Seriously.  Stop what you’re doing for a moment.  It will take you fifteen minutes, tops.  But you will have peace of mind for days and days.  It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments in order to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week.  In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “Forgiving Myself” (Infertile Phoenix)
• “Sometimes It Just Hurts” (My Path to Mommyhood)

Okay, now my choices this week.

ANDMom has a good vent/explanation on her blog about the ups and downs in recent life, but it’s the opening that got under my skin.  She writes, “Sometimes I really miss blogging. Having that place to dump feelings and thoughts, and the connection with other people. So I keep coming back, but never seeming to make another real go of it.”  And that does seem to be the hardest thing; not returning to write the first post after a long pause, but coming back to do the second post.  This is actually the second for her, so I hope a third one is in the works soon as she finds her rhythm.

Jewish IVF is thinking about her upcoming 35th birthday and having the birthday blues.  Birthdays are hard.  Even when everything is going well, they can still be hard.  She writes, “I feel that it’s incredibly entitled to feel glum or complain about something as simple as a birthday and/or its celebration. No one owes me anything and I’m incredibly lucky to be turning a year older.”  And, yes, that is one angle, but there are also big feelings tied up in birthdays and holidays.

Lastly, Bereaved and Blessed has a powerful, must-read post processing the feelings after a suicide.  My heart is with her, and I think everyone needs to read her words, even if suicide has never touched your life.  There are so many places where we need to hear and absorb the words, “It’s not your fault.”

The roundup to the Roundup: No longer a Wegmans virgin.  Your weekly backup nudge.  And lots of great posts to read.  So what did you find this week?  Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between February 22nd and March 1st) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week?  Read the original open thread post here.

On Monday night, we went down to Politics and Prose to hear Jasper Fforde read.  When I saw that DC was a stop on his book tour, I ran around the house screaming, “WE ARE SEEING JASPER FFORDE IN FEBRUARY!” when the date was announced a few months ago.

He is one of my most favourite-ests.

A bookseller at Politics and Prose recommended The Eyre Affair right when it came out, promising that it was Harry Potter for adults.  And while it isn’t actually Harry Potter for adults, it is twenty kinds of fun and just makes me happy.  His writing makes me happy.  Even when he put a huge cliffhanger into the end of Shades of Grey and then didn’t work on the next book in the series.  Just saying.

I saw him once before in 2007, but it was the first time for the twins and Josh.  I love that we all enjoy the same author.  And that he kinda sorta has our last name.  And that the reading was so packed that we had to get there over an hour beforehand to get a seat.  (It’s nice to feel a part of a fandom.)  And that fifty people all shouted out about the ending of Shades of Grey at the same time when he was speaking about series work.  And that I have a new Jasper Fforde book to read.

*******

Stop procrastinating.  Go make your backups.  Don’t have regrets.

Seriously.  Stop what you’re doing for a moment.  It will take you fifteen minutes, tops.  But you will have peace of mind for days and days.  It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments in order to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week.  In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “Lucky” (Stirrup Queens) — thank you, Jess!
• “A Teaching Moment” (No Kidding in NZ)

Okay, now my choices this week.

Lavender Luz has a post about the movie Three Identical Strangers and a reaction to a piece in Psychology Today.  It’s a disturbing story, and I’m a little stunned someone would publish something supporting the study in Psychology Today (and that the piece would pass the magazine’s editorial team standards).  While there is probably more to the story than presented by the filmmakers, the fact that the notes are sealed and will be until all the (unwilling) participants are gone is indefensible.  She makes dozens of great points in the post — go read it.

Not a Wasted Word has a post about identifying core values.  One, I love the reframing of, “We don’t prioritize that.”  And then this: “It was easy to believe our choices were drastically limited, but the reality is that we limit them ourselves, with our assumptions, our preconceptions, and our values.”  It’s empowering to think that you can take an unhappy situation and change it or find peace with it by bringing in your core values.  Food for thought.

Life Without Baby has a post about how time moves differently when you don’t have children.  She explains the difference with her friend: “She marks the passing of time with birthday parties, school grades, and childhood milestones. She knows how long ago something happened, because she knows how old her kids were, or what grade they were in at the time.”  It’s about finding your anchors and milestones.

Lastly, Torthúil has a post marking the five years since her positive pregnancy test.  It’s amazing to look back on what you didn’t know in the moment from the vantage point of the future, and it’s a beautiful reminder you may one day reach a day where you don’t automatically know the day of your cycle.  She writes: “The weeks after February 17th didn’t go smoothly. At the time it felt like they might be the undoing of me. But they began a new story, and here we are.”  Congratulations!

The roundup to the Roundup: I got to see Jasper Fforde this week.  Your weekly backup nudge.  And lots of great posts to read.  So what did you find this week?  Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between February 15th and 22nd) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week?  Read the original open thread post here.

I have been dealing with a paperwork balagan for two weeks.  Like… think goat rodeo involving very long hold times followed by repeating the same story over and over again to people who all state, “whoa, this is a problem,” but do not seem to be able to get to the solution for said problem.

There are issues that don’t have a solution.  Like… for instance… infertility.  But my situation has a fairly straightforward solution.  It just needs to be implemented.  And sooner would be better.

I feel a little bit like Alice in Wonderland, trying to get the hookah-smoking caterpillar or the Mad Hatter to have a rational conversation with me.  And like Alice, I feel a little bit apart from everything right now because all of my emotional energy is either going toward dealing with this situation or deep breathing to keep my blood pressure down.

Hopefully I’ll emerge soon.  I mean, this has to end at some point… right?  There will be a day that I won’t have to listen to hold music.  I think.

*******

Stop procrastinating.  Go make your backups.  Don’t have regrets.

Seriously.  Stop what you’re doing for a moment.  It will take you fifteen minutes, tops.  But you will have peace of mind for days and days.  It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments in order to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week.  In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• None… sniff.

Okay, now my choices this week.

A Separate Life has a post about life, in general, but it contains a moment of attending an aunt-in-law’s memorial service and being unable to tell the people around her that it’s also the anniversary of her mother’s death.  She writes, “It felt weird to be unable to honour my mother by mentioning the anniversary or by talking about her. But I knew – as set out in the Circles of Grief principle – that this day was not about me.”  It’s a wonderful insight, but it made me think about all the times we need to squelch our own feelings.  Maybe squelch isn’t the right word, but I think about all the things we hide in order to not dump them in someone else’s lap.  It’s just food for thought.

My Path to Mommyhood has a post about leaving behind items they didn’t want to bring into their new house.  She has been driving around with them in her trunk, but a visit to a cabin over the weekend gave her the idea of giving them a new home.  She writes, “This was a way to give those books a home where they’ll be loved in a getaway setting, loved by lots of tiny hands.  And it got my backseat to be a little less weighed down with sadness and heartbreak.”  Letting go, as she says, is a process.

Lastly, In Search of a Binky Moongee has a post about seeing a sight she thought she’d never get to see: her children running back and forth.  So many people take those small moments for granted.  She explains, “I don’t always think about my past of trying so hard to have these kids. But that day I did, especially hearing the sounds of those little feet pounding on the floor.”  It’s a sweet moment tying back to an earlier wish from a friend.  It’s nice when you see someone’s wish come true.

The roundup to the Roundup: Can’t someone compose better hold music?  Your weekly backup nudge.  And lots of great posts to read.  So what did you find this week?  Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between February 8th and 15th) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week?  Read the original open thread post here.

So remember back in December when I told you my New Year’s resolution?  I was going to spend 15 minutes every weekday morning doing something to “better” myself, and I was going to find the time by not mindlessly scrolling through Facebook?  Well, I’ve done it.  I guess I can’t really say “done” because we’re only a month into the new year, but I have completed a month + a week with gold stars.  No missed days.

It’s now a habit, and it’s my favourite habit.  It makes me feel productive, especially because I do it first thing in the morning.  I’ve managed to squeeze an extra 1 1/2 books into the first month, and it has sparked pages of ideas.  So, yeah, I’d call this one a win, even if it’s only February.

I plan on keeping this going indefinitely.

Totally easy if you want to do it, too.  Choose something you’ve been meaning to do to make yourself better.  Set aside 15 minutes every weekday morning.  Track it in a notebook or with an app.  Done — you’re like 15 minutes closer to your best you.

*******

Stop procrastinating.  Go make your backups.  Don’t have regrets.

Seriously.  Stop what you’re doing for a moment.  It will take you fifteen minutes, tops.  But you will have peace of mind for days and days.  It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments in order to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week.  In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “Menopause… It’s Not a Musical” (Inconceivable)
• “A Millennial and a Gen Xer Discuss Burnout” (Too Many Fish to Fry)

Okay, now my choices this week.

Infertile Fantasies posts the end of her embryo donation story.  The final transfer was cancelled; the embryo didn’t thaw.  She writes, “We are now left to navigate a new transition in our friendship with our recipients (somehow I only thought that would be a thing if the donation succeeded).”  It’s a story about endings.

Jewish IVF explains the curve her emotions go through during a cycle.  Of course, the curve doesn’t always stay the same: “Each time we lost a pregnancy, the dip went a little lower and made it harder to climb back up. Almost as though the baggage of previous losses weighed us down and helped gravity sink us even deeper.”  Which is why the curve has changed by this cycle, why it’s harder to climb back up to the peak of hope.

Infertile Phoenix has an amazing moment: her sister apologized.  She writes, “Here was my sister who was completely obsessed with her own child, almost her whole being seemed to be wrapped up in being my niece’s mother, and she could not empathize with my pain of not having children.”  A situation made her sister realize how she had potentially hurt her, and she called her with an apology.  It’s a great moment of closure.

Lastly, One Step at a Time has a beautiful post about playing the hand she was dealt after losing her husband.  Playing games with her child makes her realize that it’s the perfect opportunity to teach him that life is about continuing on.  “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’ve been dealt a difficult situation lately. But I’m working with what I’ve got to build something new.  I’ve also learnt a lot from my son’s Monopoly ways. To invest where it brings the most returns, and not to waste time on those that don’t.”  Go read the whole thing.

The roundup to the Roundup: I’m sticking to my resolution.  Your weekly backup nudge.  And lots of great posts to read.  So what did you find this week?  Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between February 1st and 8th) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week?  Read the original open thread post here.

I remembered to watch Rent!  We treated it like a three-hour sing along, which was probably annoying for the ChickieNob, though she didn’t say anything.  Rent is sort of like pizza; even bad Rent is still better than no Rent.  And this wasn’t bad Rent.  It was totally enjoyable with solid performances.  A night well spent.

But it kicked off trying to recapture how it felt to see the show in the 90s.  So first we tried to show the ChickieNob the film.  I didn’t realize (1) how many songs they skipped and (2) how much they spoke instead of sang.  But at least she got to see the original actors that we saw on stage.  Next, we’re moving on to Rent Live in 2008.  They filmed the stage version with that cast, so it’s the actual play without changes and the audience is behaving like an audience.  I was a little thrown off by the audience cheering during the Fox performance as well as the actors singing to the audience rather than each other.  So I’m hopeful about this one.

What did you think of last week’s Rent event?

*******

Stop procrastinating.  Go make your backups.  Don’t have regrets.

Seriously.  Stop what you’re doing for a moment.  It will take you fifteen minutes, tops.  But you will have peace of mind for days and days.  It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments in order to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week.  In order to read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “The First Follow Up” (R. Sativus)

Okay, now my choices this week.

I’m kicking things off with two non-IF posts because they’re both so good.  The first is Her Royal Highness (yes, the ChickieNob) warning about believing the faux royal feud.  I love this because she came downstairs to ask if she could read something to me before she posted, and it contained this nugget: “These are real people who you keep spreading rumors about.”  We often forget that as we scroll through social media; that what is written for our entertainment comes at another person’s expense.  So… go ChickieNob!

The other is The Skinny Black Girl writing about the primaries.  Again, a very smart way of seeing the world: “I’m listening. Because that’s what primaries are about. Have questions. Hold leaders accountable for their records. That’s part of a healthy, engaged democracy. But also: hear them out. That’s the point. To meet and learn the candidates.”  Skinny Black Girl for President because she’s literally that smart.  Go read the whole post.

The Road Less Travelled has a post about discovering the next selection at book club: The Mothers.  She explains, “I’m trying to tell myself that this is part of the reason why I’m joining a book club, to be exposed to books & authors I might not otherwise look at. Who knows, I might wind up enjoying it. But seriously — the next read just happens to be a book called The Mothers?? What are the odds, right? Just one more reminder of what I am not.”  Yes, book clubs push you onto new reading paths, but this is the flip side of that; when it leads you somewhere you don’t want to go.

Lastly, Res Cogitatae captures what love really is.  It’s not the big romantic gestures.  It’s not the wedding or the anniversary celebrations.  It’s 5:45 am in the snow.  Yes, I’m going to make you read the post to get the story.

The roundup to the Roundup: All Rent is good Rent.  Your weekly backup nudge.  And lots of great posts to read.  So what did you find this week?  Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between January 25th and February 1st) and not the blog’s main url. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week?  Read the original open thread post here.