Hello, Sunday.

After a week of back to normal life, and half a weekend so far to recover, I’m starting to feel like myself.  The Chicagogrammers’ party went off last weekend without a hitch and that, too, is back to a reasonable pace.

I had been so distracted by it all that I haven’t had much time to focus on the reality of what’s happening around us, but once I snapped back into it, I realized that’s maybe a good thing. Is ignorance bliss?  I don’t know. I feel like the mood everywhere is that everyone is hoping, wishing and praying for the best outcome, though in reality we’re all expecting the worst. And doesn’t that just sound so hopeless?

Yam’s sister was one of those injured in Charlottesville this weekend, and while it’s so hard to focus on the horrible, and what could have been, Eggplant reminded me through an Insta snap taken from her neighborhood block party that happiness, goodness and love is here, but maybe we just need to open our eyes a little wider to see it.

So my wish for you is to find a little goodness in every day this week, no matter how hard it might be.

Okay, I’ve just fallen off my soapbox for the day and am looking towards the internet, for better or worse. Here we go:

Chicago was just named the 2017 Restaurant City of the Year. Of course it is, after I moved.  Believe, of all the things I don’t miss about living in Chicago, food is one thing that I miss every day.

The families that can’t afford summer. I was SO unbelievably fortunate that I spent the whole of my summer vacation with my grandparents, my mom taking the whole summer off work to be with us.  I do worry that my someday-maybe-hypothetical children won’t have the same luxury. 

Have smartphones destroyed a generation? Yes and yes.

Birthday freebies!  Since mine is tomorrow, this could not be more timely. 

You know how I feel about extraneous kitchen gadgets, but I concur with all of these selections.

The story of the couple who bought a street and pissed everyone off.  It’s crazy how this happened.

Good for you, Taylor.

And finally, Jane Austen’s wise words are still relevant today. Very much indeed.

Oh wait! Tomorrow’s my birthday and I’ve got a treat for you coming. But if you want to indulge with me all week, I suggest:  The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich, slow-cooker pulled pork, Dutch pancake, vanilla cake with lemon and chocolate peanut butter ice cream.  Just to name a few favorites.

Have a great week!

Hello, Sunday.

Biscuit is here, and we’ve got donuts and ice cream and live music and all the good things happening. I’ve been mentally running like crazy while physically running not at all, and it’s all starting to build up thanks to Chicagogrammers, which is turning one in a party-official way next Sunday. I’ll be in Chicago co-hosting/celebrating/breathing a sigh of relief.  It’ll be a good time, but right now, it’s an overwhelming one.

I was not really all about the news this week, but sometimes it manages to sneak in. Here’s what got through the fog.  Just a few for you.

Science, ya’ll.  Thar she glows, and it’s beautiful. 

How much can you stuff into your intestines (if you’re a smuggler)? Quite a lot it seems. It also seems like a bad idea.

Related: smuggling is bad.  What is wrong with people?

For the love of Ina.

This was totally mine, as a hypothyroid with PCOS.  What’s been your health care experience?

Always take the trip. That’s my motto, always.

Save the cyclists- go Dutch (I hadn’t seen or thought of this until The Tulip Trip this year and it makes sense!).

We can now definitively say that football causes brain injury.  One player quit, and I wonder, how many will follow?

I’ve been thinking about these eggs a lot lately.

Have a good week!

Hello, Sunday.

It’s been a lovely weekend here with Grape paying me a visit, the first guest to visit the Buddha Bungalow. It’s weird how much you don’t realize how much you miss someone that you used to see literally every day (we used to work together) until you only get to see them once every few months.  Such is life, such is growing up, I guess.

Summer weekends are counting down, so I’m determined to make the most of them. Pool time, sun time and friend time continue to dominate, squeezing in a little work in between the play because I have to, determined to not let it run any good times.

I hope you’re not letting anything ruin your good times.

The internet? Whew. Just breathe. As always, I’ve tried to pick out mostly fun bits for these mostly not fun times.  

Breakfast at Wimbledon today? Well, here’s a funny bit, and in case you wondered, the tennis whites-only uniform applies to every player.

Related: I just finished The Singles Game this week and it was really cute, if you are in need of a good beach read.  But also, 1) I love tennis and 2) if I could have any profession without regard to skill or money, I would be a professional athlete, so there’s my added appeal.

Too old for a night out?  37 is the magic number according to this latest poll. After being called ma’am when I was at the club with Kettle Corn this past March (we were 35), I actually did consider our presence there tragic.

Child marriages? Still a thing. A very tragic thing.

It may still surprise you, but people can still be decently good.

Climate change? Yup. YUP.  A deep and scary look.

Breaking!  WILL SMITH is going to be the Genie in the new live-action Aladdin!  If it can’t be Robin, if anyone, Will can do it justice.

Online dating is the worst, but maybe for these guys it will be the best. After 3 years, these two are going on the ultimate Tinder date!

Mental health days? In my old job we had a plethora of sick days and once a month I took a mental health day. They were always necessary.

Mood art? Text your mood to the SF MOMA and you’ll get some back!

In loving memory…these are the best!

Have a great week!

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