Friday Five: Frank's Birthday Five

It's that special Friday again, friends! That annual treat for me and you - every year, Frank writes a birthday guest blog for me (see 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013), and today is that day!  
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Here we are again with my favorite birthday tradition, my yearly five. 44 has been quite the year indeed. I was back to work doing aftercare and substitute teaching in Haddon Township, student taught and graduated from Rutgers with a Master’s of Teaching, and I am now the new 2nd-grade teacher at James Stoy School in the Haddon Township school district. There have been so many people that have helped me get here but the number one person is my wife Amanda who worked so hard to support the family during these last two years. So in that vein, I figured I would write about the five things I have learned in my first full year in elementary school.

Kids are funny - I spent so many hours this year laughing and most of it was caused by the kids. They are often repeating the jokes and they soon get old but their timing and the things they say will make you crack up

Recess is life! - Even the meek and timid kids become savage warriors during recess. I don't remember games being so life and death when I was young but it gets more competitive than the super bowl. Days are made or broken depending on kickball outcomes.

Integrity is valued - Spending over 20 years in sales teaches you to win at all costs no matter who it hurts. Those with integrity are often stolen from, used, and thrown away when they no longer serve. In this field, it is the opposite. Your integrity is rewarded by the staff and the students. Kids have a large bullshit meter and they know when you aren't genuine. If you are genuine you will be rewarded with effort, kindness, and a bond that is pretty incredible.

People help if you ask - Even further they will help just because. Every educator I know has either done something to help me, offered to help, or advocated on my behalf. It is inspiring to receive all of that kindness and the only thing they ask in return is to pay it forward. For someone with my history, this was very strange and difficult at first. I now know that if you help people and put good things out there they come back to you. What a great lesson to learn at my age.

I have found my calling - This is truly what I was put on this earth to do. I am so lucky that my former career was thrown away because of Covid. I was highly successful, making great money, and was completely miserable. I am a rookie and I have a ton to learn but I am a teacher. I am completely addicted to helping my students learn and grow. It has been the most rewarding professional year of my life. I was great at sales and it never felt like I fit in. I am home, completely comfortable, and with people who are just like me. Not a lot of people get the chance to do what I have done at this age. I am so lucky to have been given this gift which was spearheaded by Amanda and Eva. 

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I am so proud of Frank for this beyond mid-life change, and Amanda for carrying a heavier load while he did that. I am really happy that Frank became a teacher, he is perfectly suited for it and we need more good people in education. We should also stop grounding the already good people in education down. All of us owe a great debt to our educators and school staff and some of this country has not shown that recently. Let teachers teach and treat them as the professionals they are, not the all-day babysitters some people have gotten twisted into thinking they are. And while we're at it pay them more for doing so. Get it together, everyone. 

Happy birthday Frank, thanks for doing your annual post which I love. See you tomorrow! Happy weekend all!

Friday Five: things from this week that are not related to Fascism

Happy Friday! Dismal as the weather is here in the Philadelphia area. 

I typically drop this stuff in Thursday Thoughts, but yesterday was for fascism.

Fascism. Fascist. The words never look like they're spelled correctly. Probably because the words, what they mean, and the people urging us quickly into them are abhorrent and the mind does not want to retain it. 

ANYWAY this is for not fascist shit. This is for the life things.

Like Billycat's first birthday, and pets in birthday hats. 

And amazing art Carol & Dad tracked down and bought for me from a local DE artist. This speaks to me and I love it so much. Cannot wait for girls weekend next week. 

And skies.

And shore chores like stripping every blessed piece of bedding and having it laundered, getting rid of a box spring, cleaning under beds, swapping mirrors, getting paint for the powder room and touch ups, fixing the freaking towel rack, swapping the living room rug, and hunting for new hardware.

Schnoozy days. Evening trips to dog beach. Eating jelly beans like an orderly psycho. Tiny treasures. Cat guards. Running all necessary errands and encountering gross shit. Do not litter outside or inside!

Good thoughts and love to Aunt Maureen and her kids and grands. MFD's uncle died of pancreatic cancer this week, very unexpectedly, very quickly, and very young. That's one to pancreatic cancer on my side with my Grandmom and one on his with Uncle Matt. Painful, silent, deadly. Just a terrible disease. 

Live fully now, hug people, love people, and have a good weekend. Stay dry out there fellow Mid-Atlantic folks. 

Happy Mother's Day to all moms and extra love to anyone who struggles with Mother's Day. 

Friday Five - marching on

1. Re-upped my soap and incense yesterday from local shops. I have returned to burning incense intensely over the past two years. Thanks to seventh grade me for falling in love with the ways of incense at the I-95 marketplace and all stages me for never fulling letting that love die. 

2. I also got a Here Comes the Sun from Bungalow Bowls. Blue Majik makes me happy and is the reason I can't make the sometimes switch to Playa Bowls. They don't have it. 

3. Toilet, shower curtain, and all other easily moveable shit gone from the small bath upstairs in preparation for tile painting Monday. This weekend I need to try to pry that towel bar off which appears to be stuck on with fairies and also remove what remains of the ceiling light fixture without electrocuting myself. Good luck to me! I also have awnings scheduled to go back up at the end of April, electrician to swap out some light fixtures in a week, and I need to start bugging my window people for when the next set of windows will be installed. Shore chores are moving along. I'm waiting for that oh shit we said we would do that/deal with that in the spring remembrance to come. 

4. After a few warm days, the cold days seem colder, right? Like I've already lost my ability to withstand cold. I'm ready for winter temps to go. Nothing below 40, please? Come on, give a little gift

5. We were all exhausted last night. It is such a relief to get a full, deep night sleep after a few nights without one. 

Happy Friday everyone. 

Friday Five: news & views & questions for you

Views: pouring rain and gray 

News: Freaking everyone out over rain stopping and the world turning to ice within seconds

I'm digging through all my under the bed storage boxes at the shore this weekend and completing a project. Either papering the powder room ceiling, which will require me to purchase a ladder, or possibly a countertop project in my apartment? I've had the materials for that since last spring. MFD won't be there to complain about the mess and disruption. Do you have any home projects going on, big or small?

I'm ready to order tile paint for the bathroom floor at the shore too. The space is super small. Who has painted a tile floor? Anyone? Bueller? 

I am going from the stud earrings I've been wearing relentlessly the past few years back to hoop earrings and came across unique nose rings in my search - I am not nose ring material but I do like them on other people. Earrings - change daily or wear the same or wear none? Are you a nose ring person? 

I started working at 6:45 today and 7:15 yesterday. I quite like doing that to flex time and have more room during the day. What is your optimal work start time?

I'm in the market for a new hyaluronic serum. I swear I have looked at a zillion on the internet. I'm leaning toward The Ordinary, because I've used it in the past so know my skin will be fine with it and I'm not looking to spend a mint on this particular skincare piece and I'm not looking to switch to any skincare system. Do you use a hyaluronic serum, and if so, which one? 

Today is the American Heart Association's Wear Red Day - heart disease and strokes are responsible for 1 in 3 deaths among women each year. Read more here. 

Yesterday I drove from northern VA back to Philly in rain and fog. Can't wait to drive from Philly to the shore in rain after my morning meeting.  

Happy Friday friends. This is the last month without spring.

  

Friday Five - Recommendations

Happy Friday! I actually have something to do this weekend and next while the world screams and seethes around us. No talk of pandemic, late stage capitalism, ineffective government in a dying republic, why people like Pete Davidson and Machine Gun Kelly, mean girls, possible cat UTIs, dog eyes not healing, dirty houses, the cost of everything, or anything else unpleasing today. It's Friday and I need a break from swimming in reality for a minute so I'm sharing five recent recommendations.

1. Increase veggie intake - I know, groundbreaking. But it is insane how much better it feels to live in a body that is doing this

2. Herr's Fire Roasted Sweet Corn - because we're not only here for good for you things

3. Homemade vanilla pudding - see the flecks in the recipe photo? Pudding packet schmackit, it is easy and delicious to make at home. Vanilla paste - I bought a jar of it last year and it is chefs kiss in ways I did not imagine. I also have a cake recipe that calls for vanilla paste. It is depth and deliciousness. 

4. Fleece lined leggings from Old Navy - If you spend any amount of time outside in the winter - or would like to but are always too cold - you need these. Mid-Atlantic region winter, not like Alaska winter. They are the real MVP. They are warm but not too warm to wear comfortably inside, and they don't fall down or ride up. Fabulous. 

5. These socks in style B or style A (affiliate links) - I don't know how to talk about these without sounding like I'm over the edge. My mother in law got these for everyone her last Christmas and I was like socks, cool, because I like socks. When I started wearing them I was like THESE ARE MAGIC SOCKS. They fit your foot firmly, don't slide around, are warm but not too warm, feel thick but don't inhibit foot in shoe fitting. I never asked where she got them but came across them on amazon and they are them! Recommend, highly. The ones she and I bought again are style B and I'm confident style A feel the same. Can't vouch for the rest yet. They look so low rent when they come but they are awesome. Also in this photo I am holding recommendation #5 while wearing recommendation #4. 

You only get actual recommendations here that are well used and loved. You got any recommendations for me? 

Happy weekend!

Friday Five: Leaning into December

Happy Friday friends! I know most of you love this month because Chrrisssstmaaaas. I hope it is everything you want and more.

If you have been around for a while, you know I do not fall under the Love All Christmas Shit banner. I lean into the Christmas stuff I do like - Christmas music a few days before Christmas, Christmas lights and sparkly things and mugs (I'll be sharing every Friday on the gram) and ceramic trees, a select few holiday movies (and this year, some Hallmark Christmas movies with Carol), Secret Santa'ing for kids, but it's not my favorite and that's fine. 

I know I'm not alone out here - some of you, like me, simply don't love it in a world that is gaga over it or want to celebrate a week of it and not a month plus - some of you associate it with something hard, or are missing someone or feeling something missing, you hate the commercialization of it, it stresses you the fuck out, you celebrate another holiday, you are struggling with health problems or money, you are finding it difficult to spark joy in this heavy world right now, or a combination of all of those things. If you identify with any of that, luckily December is good for other things as well! Some things I'm looking forward to this month:

1. Ending my year intentionally. Making my swim aerobics classes, scheduling my mammogram and skin check, reaching inbox zero in all inboxes, looking into a CPR course and the quick test now option to get certified, getting all of my shore contracts for next summer out, daily stretching. It's all happening and I'm putting this year in order and to bed gently.

2. Completing three tasks I have been putting off forever. Those three for me are reorganizing basement bookshelves, putting some stuff up on Poshmark to sell and donating some items, and linking my closet with the contact paper I've had for a blessed eternity.

3. Celebrating the solstice. I'm off this year, so I have even more time to get my altar assembled and plan a meal! It is the shortest day, which means more light is coming. Until it does, candles and string lights will do. A day to reflect, release, let go, and set intentions for the new season. To think about how to spend this winter to feed our souls. 

4. Festivus. Airing of the grievances on December 23? Tradition.

5. Rest. I'm off for a good chunk of time the week before Christmas into January. 

Every year on New Year's Eve I send the year off on a good note by donating to two causes that are not my standard go-tos. I invite you to join me in that this year! 

What are you looking forward to this month? 

Friday Five - Bad and Good

This world, this week. This year? This past 18 months. This past four years. This decade? Weeks like this it feels like a pounding down and a pushing in from all sides. 

We've got terror in Afghanistan, US service people and Afghans dead and wounded. The clock ticks to get everyone out and there is literally nothing to do to help people on the ground. We can't help our troops or the people they're trying to help and we can't help the people being left behind under a regime that is intent on murder. People are quiet about what is happening, and I get it - what the fuck is there to say or do? Stating the obvious - that war is dangerous as fuck for US troops and civilians caught in the crossfire? That terrorism and extremists cause irrevocable harm in this world? That the United States spread fuck ups in the Middle East in general and Afghanistan in particular across at least four presidents and all of them and every goddamn person behind those presidents carries blame as well? I think being willing to do anything to help and having no avenue to do so is a hard thing to sit with and I think most of us are experiencing this right now and punching out at each other. The goal of every mission is obviously no US or civilian casualties but the reality of war is different. You can't get back a life. You can't return a family member to these military families now experiencing tremendous loss. You cannot restore civility to civilians who have lived and died in the shadow of this for the past 20 years and will now face the reckoning and wreckage going forward. Did anyone actually think we were going to extricate from a 20 year war that carried through four American presidents with ease? The best laid plans and not the best laid plans are all so fucking perilous in this situation - like do keyboard warriors actually think the commanders of US forces had no "plan?" Of course they had a fucking plan. Nothing is guaranteed safety. Knowing that doesn't make the peril and helplessness any easier to see happen. I hope rage energy is channeled into pushing for acceptance and aid for refugees in this country and pay increases and full and robust healthcare for U.S. troops. And not sending them to unwinnable wars in impossible situations in the first fucking place. Just because we can ask US service people to put their lives on the line because they signed up for that doesn't mean we should. Thank God they are there performing miracles to get people out but this country and its government needs to learn to not put them in these positions in the first place. And the rest of us need to realize blind patriotism and never questioning anything serves none of us, most especially the people we send out to uphold that Americanism - whether it truly be our ideals or our defense or to fight a rich man's war - in situations the rest of us would never want to find ourselves in.

On this soil there's a war between people who are over Covid or always have been and people trying to listen to science and do the right thing. This is a global issue and not an America-only issue. The bitching about masks and vaccine mandates is driving me fucking insane. You've always been required to get vaccinations to do so many things including go to school. Nurses, doctors, and hospital staff are getting drug under another wave and everyone is out here acting a fucking fool. 

Devastating flooding in the south. Insane wildfires in North America and Europe. Remember Haiti was rocked by an awful earthquake? 

And of course always everywhere people are hungry or without resources and opportunities, kids with no school supplies or food or love, people with no housing, a healthcare system that is serving no one, people crushed under systemic racism and misogyny, on and on and on within these borders and outside of them. 

Then your normal life shit work and bills and responsibilities and interpersonal shit and illness or loss or grief or rage or crumbs on the counter or dog shit on the floor. The world keeps turning within us and without us. 

Having the privilege to keep a good thought for everyone in danger and suffering from anything, anywhere, while stepping out from the Death Star turning looks like this for me today:

1. We've got Billy unbothered. It's like he's always been here. We're pretty good at integrating animals by now and it appears that that extends to cats. 

2. This book is violent and devastating and beautiful. Trigger warnings for rape and violence but if you can do it, it's worth it. It's sitting in my stomach and lodged in my throat.

3. Back to the shore tonight, last weekly guests this week. I'll be there until the Wednesday after Labor Day. I have one more weekend check in and I'm hoping this is the last year for that. We'll see. 

4. Deconstructed hamburgers always and forever.

5. Building out my office gallery wall some more with Goodfellas, 90210, Stand By Me, and Vision Quest art. I finally got a cork board and wall mounted paper holder up. Thanks to Dad for hanging. 

I hope you take a breath this weekend, have a nap, put the phone down, go outside, read a book, go for a drive, recharge yourself. Step gently in this world. Do something small to help someone who needs it. Take care of yourself so we can take care of each other. 

Friday Five - Frank's Last Year Learning Curve

It's that special Friday again, friends! That annual treat for me and you - every year, Frank writes a birthday guest blog for me (see 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013), and today is that day!  
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Well here we are again celebrating another trip around the sun for me. This makes 44 and I am happy to say that things are a lot more settled for me than they were this time last year. Eva survived Hybrid learning 1st grade, Amanda has a new gig that she loves and I am a little over half way to finishing my Masters program. Nice to report good things even though it made it hard to come up with a topic for my annual five. While I know that Steph would love a list of the five reasons that the Beatles are the greatest band in the history of music, I figured that I would reflect on everything that I have learned about myself as a 43 year old who is back in college full time and learning a new profession. I hope you enjoy and thank you Steph for the opportunity.

It is strange to be the example -  Having gone through elementary school in the 80s where the way of the world was the “3 R’s,” (Readin writin arithmetic) I am often called on to explain how it was in those days. My fellow students listen to my stories as if I am telling fables of ancient times and I feel extremely old yet respected for having survived school in the days before google and cell phones.

I have great time management skills - I always considered myself to be a procrastinator but this last year has changed my perception. I managed to pass my praxis, take seven masters courses, help Eva with Hybrid learning, and build a Halloween and award winning Christmas display in my front lawn.

Elementary school is completely different - I am lucky to have a soon to be 2nd grader in my home to observe as I learn how to become a teacher. What I have learned and witnessed is that these children experience school way differently than I did. Forget the hybrid component, classrooms today are filled with activity, tools, and student interaction that provides them with experience. Eva is learning material that I didn't touch till I was much older due to this change in philosophy and classroom dynamic and I wish it was like that for me when I was her age.

I enjoy writing - When I first went to college in the 90s my roommate Brian Compton, a professional writer for the NHL, would wonder if I was ever even taught the English language in school. 25 years later, and in my third stint of college coursework, I find myself not only enjoying my writing assignments, I have even received compliments from my professors. I still spell like a dumpster fire but I have learned to convey my thoughts, have a voice, and provoke thought.  

Zoom Classes are torture - I give credit to anyone who tries to teach a class via Zoom or any platform like it. Between the technical problems, people who don't know how to mute themselves, and the lack of appropriate clothing (I'm not joking) it is almost impossible to run a proper lesson or class.  Kudos to anyone in the profession who has taught this way due to Covid.

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It is so great to know someone for so long like I've known Frank. You get to see all the versions of themselves your friend has been. I am super pumped for now loading teacher Frank and happy to see embraces writing Frank because he's pretty good at it in blog form at least, right friends? We love to see it. 

Beatles loving Frank can get to the back of the line with  AJ, Jimmy, Mark, MFD, and the rest of you.

Happy birthday Frank, thanks for doing your annual post which I love. Happy weekend all!

Friday Five 5.28.2021

1. This morning on Dog Beach. It's hard to believe the weather will devolve into absolute shit by this evening. 

2. What better time to experience the latest in a long, long, like 18+ year long line of joint Key Fuckery incidents than hours before the first guests of the season check in? There were many WHERE IS THE DEADBOLT KEY hunts and conversations. One was identified and MFD was quickly off to make 2349802834 copies. Jesus take the wheel. Yes, thank you, we know there are electronic key situations but I'm still looking for one that will fit. 

3. We're as ready as we're going to be for this rental season. Lots of burning it at both ends early in the morning and late at night busting our asses to get cleaning, organizing, re-stocking, personal stuff removing, errands, and touch up paint done this week. We've got our soft opening this weekend and my family is coming in next week for my brother's birthday then we're booked for the season up to Labor Day weekend with numerous projects on deck we're hoping to get done this fall if labor and materials are available. Here we go! I literally remembered to re-up to Hulu Live with no ads seconds before check in time. I hope I remember to take photos Tuesday to update my listings everywhere since we've changed stuff and I never remember to do that. 

4. A week like that has nails looking like this. Mae is concerned because she knows what it means when my nails look like that. After work today I'm planning to paint them and also close the door and windows and lay the fuck down, drink my water, read, and zone out until Saturday morning, not leaving my apartment except to walk B&B. MFD went home to work this morning after all the shit was done and took the old dogs with him. I'm exhausted and Memorial Day Weekend at the shore is a lot and someone staying close to me is playing fucking awful music. Time to recharge!

5. My oldest coworker keeps sleeping on the job all day. RUDE.

That's it for me. Dad & Carol's house officially went on the market today if anyone knows of someone looking to buy in Langhorne. It's in Tareyton Estates and I love it. It's the last house I lived in as a dependent. Picture one of the bedrooms blue with spray painted clouds with silver linings on the wall and one of the bathrooms an under the sea mural painted by KVSR and you have my late teen/early 20s life.

My coworker shared this piece reflecting on the role of war in the world and it was a good read leading up to the three day weekend we have in remembrance of those who died in service to this country.

Happy Friday! Have a safe and restful weekend.

Friday Five How Tos 4.9.2021

How to get out of a meeting - Have zoom crash your entire computer and get a black screen when you re-boot

How to get an instant mood boost - Paint your nails. We've got Essie Penny Talk, Essie Without Reservations, and Essie Stop, look & glisten

How to make foaming hand soap - Fill your dispenser (I use this glass pump one, the link is an affiliate) 3/4 of the way with water - if you are making in advance and storing, use distilled or boiled water. Otherwise tap is fine. Add two tablespoons of Dr. Bronner's castile soap of your choice. I usually use peppermint or lavender. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil - I use grapeseed, but you can use olive or almond too. Optional, but I am a scent person so mandatory for me: essential oil of your choice. I use 10 drops of rosemary and a few of lemon or eucalyptus. 

How to step into chaos - Bring all of your dogs to the beach and have them all be assholes at once, tangling you up in their leashes in the process. Here they are all off-leash, but as soon as humans come into view, they are leashed. Gus was walking into the water, which he always does, but he wasn't stopping so I had to go in after him lest he be a Virginia Woolf with his stout self as the stones. That required releasing the leashes of the others, and put on the Benny Hill theme music for the ensuing chaos. Bruce was digging up and eating dead crab body parts and refused to come when called because he was so distracted. Ben was barking a weird yodel bark at passerby dogs. Mae was an overzealous, psychotic greeter of all humans. I made MFD walk them back to the car with me and forgot my GD keys and had to walk back. Then I returned, got in the car and took off without saying a damn thing. 

How to feel healthy - Eating salmon and asparagus always makes me feel healthy. Rice does not, but I love it and eat it anyway. Except this rice, which I threw out last night. It was a Spanish rice and it was too smoky for me. 

Do you have any how tos to share with the group?

Happy Friday!

Friday Five 4.2.2021

1. I walked past the catholic church at the end of my street while Holy Thursday mass was in session last night. A door was propped open and I could hear singing. It would be nice if all church doors were open and welcoming of all people. As they are.  

2. Friday reminder from your favorite (?) feminist buzzkill to drink your water. 

3. I love seeing discarded flowers on the beach. I think up all kinds of stories surrounding them. 

4. We're under construction replacing our apartment entry off the drive here to attempt to address a structural issue in the house. Door replacement is next, all doors are finally in. 

5. You need these in your Easter baskets, peeps. My oreo testing family friends Ashley & John & their girls had these on the Instagram and I was like hell yes these are for me and they were, indeed, for me. 

What else? Kate and Dan are up in the house with the kids. Mom and Rich and Debbie were supposed to be here also, but best laid plans...Mom sent food though! 

I put all my Covid vaccine stuff in a story highlight on Instagram. 

My back is out like the 44 year old I am, and I was googling local chiros last night since mine is in Philly and I haven't seen him since February 2020. I also googled elderly foot care for foot pain and came up with articles about seniors so maybe elderly is not a good word for my age LOL. I bought heat tape for the shore to add to my pre-season list and have plans to hit the local meat shop around the corner as they open this weekend. 

You? 

Happy Friday, Happy Passover as I only said that out loud on Instagram last week, and Happy Easter! 

Friday Five 3.12.2021

1. MFD was on dinners a few days this week and since it was nice they were grilled - ribeyes and steamed asparagus and then hotdogs and bratwurst that he served with Redner's potato salad. I am anti-store potato salad because I rarely like it but theirs was really good. It was called Philly-style. I don't know what that means. 

2. Grill day #2 translated into hot dog time for dogs too. Always exciting. 

3. This MFing dog is out here doing whatever the F he wants and Brucing things. He is so ridiculous still, and he's going on four now. He'll be a fool for his whole life.

4. Tis the self tanner season. I use a drop of this Clarins Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster with my moisturizer a few times a week so I have emerged from my vampire winter. It says to use three drops but I'm telling you, if you use more than a drop you're going to look like Tan Mom. 

5. I picked this up from Lidia Bastianich years ago and there is no other olive oil. I can't find it in the store anymore so I order a Colavita two-pack (affiliate) from Amazon and have one at home and one at the shore. 

I meant to go back to the shore Wednesday, but I got to see Pop for his 90th birthday yesterday, the first time in over a year, so it's been good. I'm heading back to the shore today.

Birthday weekend! 

I mean that's the weekend after too, when my family comes. Then two weeks after we'll celebrate again when my family comes for Easter. Birthday month exists for a reason. I'm off Monday, of course, because I don't work on my birthday if I can help it, and I can usually help it.

Friday Five 3.5.2021

1. I spend more time resetting passwords, I fucking swear. 

2. If I'm using jarred sauce, it's some iteration of Rao's or Bottaro's if I can get my hands on that.

3. New Orleans nails in the house. MFD walked all dogs this morning so I spent my pre-work time doing my nails - OPI Rich Girls & Po-Boys is the blue and OPI Spare me a French Quarter is the pink. 

4. I'm sure this shoe got taken out with the tide from someone's beach set up or went over the side of a boat. Or there's the explanation that is in all of my serial killer books. 

5. My deaf and mostly blind old boy is still the cutest. He's disoriented up in the main part of the house at the shore so I try to settle him into a bed as soon as he comes up.

If you've got some spare coins today, head over to Bourbon & Lipstick to see how you can help Kentucky flood victims. This area has been hit extremely hard with weather related disasters piling on top of one another over the past month. 

Happy Friday! One week closer to spring even though today is a cold one. 

Friday Five 2.26.2021

1. I've been spent this week at night. Too much time in front of the computer and my body is recovering from the awesome free up in muscle and nerves it's feeling from my acupuncture appointment on Tuesday. The only thing I've done aside from loll on the couch is laundry.

2. I've been in Philly longer than I planned to be and for longer than usual. The old dogs don't mind. Less walking here. Since it's going to rain tomorrow I might just stay until Sunday morning and get a bunch of shit thrown out here, which I've been threatening to do since May 2020 but haven't been around to do. I forgot to bring my vitamins from the shore which bums me out but oh well. 

3. Comfort food, one of thy names is won ton soup.

4. We've been watching the Cecil Hotel thing on Netflix but one or both of us keep falling asleep. 

5. Today would be my mother-in-law's birthday. It's the first one without her, and MFD last saw her around her birthday last year before corona kicked in and we thought after two weeks when we flatten the curve (LOL) we'll move down the shore and take care of her. The plan was then for her to move up here with us through the end of her life but the curve was of course never flattened and the end came a little faster than anyone expected and by April she was no longer with us. Since we did not do the normal funeral, it still feels not exactly real. I'm still expecting her to be in my basement moving shit around puttering like she liked to do. It's been a hard year for MFD & his siblings and us as a family on top of the worldwide hard year. That's true for so many people. Sending love to all. 

It's Friday and I'm really, really happy about it. 

Friday Five 2.19.2021

Another gray day. I have my sun lamp out next to my face, but I'm going to need more than that. February is always a difficult month for me - I always feel like busting out, and this year is brutal with busting out options limited. But I'm safe, warm, with running water and access to food unlike many of our fellow citizens in the southern states right now. Still, five things I'm doing today to take my mind off the Februaryness of it all, the Groundhogdayness of it all, the winter restlessness of it all: 

1. Change of scenery. I'm working downstairs in the morning on my ottoman desk using the Focus Keeper app - it sets up in 25 minute increments with five minute breaks. When I use it, I write down what I'm doing in those increments so I can move from task to task (or work through a larger task) and I make sure I get my ass up on those five minute breaks to walk around and do a little stretching.

2. Starting a new book. 

3. Facing the day wearing undereye concealer, eyeliner, mascara, and lip balm.

4. Getting the fuck out of this house to get my eyebrows waxed. It's been 11 months and I've been thinking about it for months. I saw Kate post about it yesterday and I'm doing it. I'm also going into Target instead of doing curbside pickup. I need to see people I don't know. 

5. Refreshing my grocery store flowers. 

Happy weekend! What are you up to?

Friday Five 2.12.2021

1. My favorite seasoning hands down. It is expensive and it is worth it.

2. Who loves love of all types yet dislikes the commercial nature of Valentine’s Day but has ordered tons of sweets from all small businesses? Meee. Including this orange and dulce de leche cake roll I ordered through Kouklet Brazilian Bakehouse in Philly. It is delicate fucking perfection and they ship everywhere. The flavor was a Feminist Flea special. 

3. I got myself this neck pillow for Christmas and it helps a lot. Stretch for 10 minutes a day, nice nice. Then I slap on some Biofreeze like a proper elder and get on with my night. (affiliate links in this one)

4. My nails were a hot mess last night. I quickly did a little pink and red job because that’s my business  When they were all painted I realized  I never buffed or filed them. Next week. 

5. I am through with the snow but I don’t think the snow is through with us. This is like actual winter for the first time in years.

Speaking of small biz, South Fellini is having a sale - half off orders over $35 using the code HOAGIELIPS. Philly friends will get that jawn. They have the best tee-shirts, super soft, especially if you're from Philly.

Happy weekend! What are you up to?

Friday Five for Feet 2.5.2021

Friday five for feet. Are we excited? My heels are always cracked and my feet look terrible on the bottom like an always barefoot sea hag ogre. Until now. I've used some of my stay at home time over the past 10+ freaking months to figure out what the hell works. Here it is for me. There are some $ things on here. This is not a bargain basement list. I am now running a pedicure palace in my home where I am the only customer so I consider this an investment in my business. I got off the ground easy because I've been running a nail salon in my home since I was like 15. Boom. The two amazon links are affiliates. 

1. Foot tub. I've had the massagers, electric, whatever. Not for me. Just give me a roomy enough for water and soaking, like this one. I also keep one outside at the shore to rinse feet off. For inside soaks, I throw a towel under it  so when I pull my feet out to do other steps in this regimen I'm not getting water everywhere.

2. Special soaking mixture for foot tub. Hear me out. Some Dr. Teal's pink himalayan soak, about half a cup of vinegar, a cup of listerine, and a few drops of lavender. It sounds weird, I know, but it works. I sit back and read and let it do its thing. I soak every two weeks. 

3. The dead skin trio. I scrub a dub dub with my trusty pumice stone, then get busy with my cheese grater for feet. You might know this as a foot rasp? I prefer cheese grater for feet because that's what it is. You can use on wet or dry feet. I dry. Resist the urge to go wild with this or you will be walking around on bloody stumps. Go slow and use light pressure. When I'm done with that, I use this little Cala jobby that I found in Homegoods to even things out. I use these as necessary - don't always soak my feet first. 

4. The Bookman 1802 Goats. I got the Walking on Clouds goat milk heel polish and the pure goat milk cuticle serum on my BFF Laura's recommendation. They are excellent. I doused myself in the cuticle serum the first time so use con cuidado. The Sally Hansen cuticle remover followed by this is chef's kiss for cuticles. And cuticle maintenance is important for everyone, not just femmes. I do cuticle maintenance on nails and toes once a week. I will use the serum more often if my cuticles are looking raggedy. I use the heel polish every two weeks when I do the foot soak. 

5. Beauty Counter melting body balm. I got it during a big sale and it was half off praise the lord but honestly will buy it at full price because it works. I will pay for shit that works vs. trying a million less expensive things that don't and added up end up being more than the thing I didn't want to spend money on. If you don't know anyone who sells it I buy through Steph, always have & always will. The only thing that has actually addressed the cracked heels. I've tried every damn foot lotion, straight oils, you name it. I use this every day before I put socks on. When we go back to non-sock times, I will apply before bed. 

I'm happy that I have gotten my feet looking human, and staying that way. I've failed in the maintenance in the past. I'm on top of this shit now.

Happy Friday! What feet products make your list? 

Friday Five 1.29.2021

1. If you haven't, you need to see MFD's there's a bat in my house video from yesterday. I got the bat call during a busy part of my work day with him screaming and hanging up. I called back, thinking something really bad was happening, and he answered also screaming. Finally got out that there was a bat in the house. I was annoyed and said deal with it and hung up. Cue to like 9 pm at night when I finally see the facebook live video and I am fucking screaming laughing from him screaming like a loon and Mae on the video not giving a fuck. Him on the phone: I couldn't believe I was making these sounds. And I like bats. LOL forever, worth a watch.

2. Damn this extremely cold weather straight to hell. I haven't even been to the beach since Monday. Tuesday it rained and Wednesday I wasn't here. If the winds die down I might try to go this afternoon. I hate being stuck inside. 

3. The only time I ever read two books simultaneously is if one is non-fiction and my brain requires a break to process. that's what I have going on now. I did finally win a goodreads giveaway after five years so that's exciting. I already have the book from Netgalley but still. Find me on Goodreads here. 

4. My brain had so many trains on its tracks yesterday that when I turned my computer off I felt like someone was doing this to the top of my head. I don't like it.

5. I've been using this Seche Vive Gel Effect Top Coat about weekly since Thanksgiving. I hate when people just start using something and are like "I love it." Especially skin care because, no. Your face could be berserk five days from now Give it some time. Anyway by now I'm confident in saying this is a good one to switch to. It buys me about 1-1.5 extra days with most polishes and the overall wear is better - minor fading/chipping from the top, not deep gouges of missing polish down the side. Of course I don't even want to talk to you about your chipping polish if you don't use a base coat too. 

Happy birthday to my cousin Tiffany today!

Happy Friday to you all!