Thursday Thoughts - So happy Christmas

The publishing houses were giving this week. I got surprise packages from St. Martins Press - Maame by Jessica George, publishing February 7, 2023 (according to this copy, I have January 31, 2023 marked on Netgalley?) - and from Macmillan Red Queen (Antonia Scott #1) by Juan Gomez-Jurado with a bonus puzzle. This was originally published in 2018 and is the basis for an Amazon streaming series that's coming in 2023. I had Maame from Netgalley already, but prefer the physical book any day so will happily add both to my winter store of books I always start amassing in December. 

I'm also going to share books on Instagram that I'll mail for the cost of postage or a donation to Mighty Writers (which has pivoted to ALSO provide food donation in the face of food insecurity beginning in Covid and beyond in our communities as well as encouraging kids to be writers) or Room to Read. So keep an eye out for that, probably will do that next week in stories? I'm not sure yet. 

Jim has been the anchor of Action News since I was just over two months old. I cried a little on his last broadcast last night. I hope he has a terrific retirement.

Zelinskyy was amazing in front of Congress. 

All the motherfucking windows at the shore house save one have finally been replaced. It just took a little small claims court prodding for the last four. 

Billy Hicks has taken the guest room over as his room. There's a double bed and a single in the room, and they're pushed together so it's like an extra large bed. He sleeps on every part of it, under the comforter and under the sheets. Over the last week Ben has been joining him. They are sun animals. Yesterday they got evicted because humans need to use the room and we had to wash all the bedding. Billy lay outside and bitch meowed all day

I swear Shit MFD Says is coming back one day. Until then the fucking toenail clippers again.

Fantastic energy around the Winter Solstice last night. I was happy and clear setting my intentions for this new season. I hope you are at peace and ready for winter. 

Speaking of, the forecasted temperatures this weekend are rude. Really very rude. 

Mom dropped our Christmas Cookies off this week! I was very happy. As was Bruce.

Billy sat with me this week, which is not a thing. And other pet things.

Big love and hugs to anyone having a hard time with anything right now, big or small. This season is shiny and bright but it's also hard as fuck for a lot of people, sometimes for reasons they can't put into words. 

 
What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Fairytale of New York by The Pogues

Thursday Thoughts - I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind, I feel free now

Glorious night. The air was great last night, and so were the skies. I was out there for a long time walking and stretching my neck like nobody's business. I'm making a pier pics photo book for our house this winter. Allegedly

Bruce was running wild through the ocean with his leash on, Ben following, and Mae bringing up the rear although how she made it out there I don't know. We all got soaked but it was fun and they didn't move the rest of the night. 

Fuck everyone who has things to say about a man recovering from a stroke speaking in public. Especially if you voted for the former president who is a fucking terrible public speaker and don't know your ass from a hole in the wall regarding strokes or any kind of processing delays. Being able to speak well in public is great, but we do not need the sound bytes and we do not need the fire tweets. We need people who will write, read, and pass legislation that will HELP REGULAR AMERICANS. That's the fucking job. People who will actually work and produce RESULTS that are not TV interviews and tweets. We've had so many years of gridlock and so many years of do nothing shit under McConnell previously that we might have forgotten they are not in office to make names for themselves or be twitter stars or make appearances at fucking baseball games or anything else people on both sides do, they are there to work for the American people. Period. The ableism and fake concern for health people have been spouting this week is fucking vile. Many people out there clearly taking their health for granted and have not had to work through the recovery from any physical or mental health issue in public and if fucking shows. Enough. Act right. What is wrong with people. My god. Elect people who will not lie and will work for us. 

Last day for Yunizon kickstarter. Please click here to support this campaign if you haven't! I did it by pledging the sunglasses. Amba and Andy, baby.

Desk refreshes. In Philly I changed up my lighting because the room is dark and winter is coming, my friends. At the shore I just cleared out around my computer shit - there had been a scary stack of receipts and miscellaneous bullshit everywhere. I have a tiny lamp coming to light up the back of this area. Anyhoo easier to live and work in brighter, clearer areas. 

IT Department, Party of One. One of my least favorite things about WFH is being my own IT department. I woke up yesterday to no internet with a deadline looming so I tethered to my personal hotspot and chatted with comcast until we got a temporary fix, and they sent someone out in the afternoon who told me 3/4 things that make the modem work had a filter on them so we were only getting 1/4 of the power. Guess who showed up one day unannounced and put the filter on for "interference reports?" Comcast. The guy yesterday just shook his head.

Booking accommodations for next year's family trip. My first time out of the country since 2016 which does not seem possible. 

Halloween candy ordered. I nearly forgot. You? Who needs a costume? It's funny but it's fucking not

Reading. I have had issues settling on a book recently. I'm trying Celeste Ng's newest, which is absolutely nothing like her other books. I do have a new hold in at the library so I'll get that tomorrow.

Watching. Last night I watched the second Austin Powers for some LOLs 

That's it. Go Phils.

 
What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve

Thursday Thoughts - Autumn comes for a time, but autumn sways

Streets Dept Walls To the  Polls 2022 murals are up in LOVE Park and they are worth seeing.

The birthplace of American independence from the British is showing out against fascism. Hopefully you show out against fascism too. Election deniers are fascists. People against bodily autonomy are fascists. Fascists are anti-freedom. Anti-freedom is anti-America. People in PA, if you vote for Mastriano, he is an Election denier and that makes you... What are you? Let's stop dancing around shit. If you vote for people who America would have been against in WWII because of their "beliefs" about elections that have been disproven in courts ad infinitum and bodily autonomy which is a human right for all people, that's voting for fascism. If you are an elected official and you support someone who is an election denier, you are supporting fascism and you do not belong in office. If you can't bring yourself to vote for a democrat don't vote for that position on Election Day. Just you and yourself in that booth. No one else needs to know, but your heart will know you didn't vote for fascism. 

Monthly massage at Blossom Bodywork on Tuesday - you need to get in with Sarah if you are in Northeast Philly/Bucks County. Trust me. Monthly massage for wellness is so good for me. It's good for you too, and you should do it.

I hit up my acupuncturist too. Which is also so good for me and my wellness and I need to get back on the monthly rotation versus every three to six months. My acu is amazing for many reasons and shit like this hanging in their window is one.

Best good boy

Must be Fall Family Event season. 

Have I ever told you MFD eats old people food? Here's an example.

Two days in the office this week did me in. So weird to think I used to do that all the time. We're still putting the Philly house back together after the bathroom project. When I finish getting my artwork for that I'll share photos. Construction dust is still everywhere and will be for a while but MFD is working on eradicating that in passes. 

I'm pivoting to the big bathroom at the shore, which will be undergoing a mini transformation soon. I need to pick a paint color and order my canvases for that too. 

Happy Thursday! It's gray here today and a good day to sink into the couch with a book (I'm reading Mad Honey, Jodi Picoult's newest, and it feels like old Jodi Picoult). But alas we must participate in the capitalism. Cheerio

 
What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Autumn Comes by David Gramberg

Thursday Thoughts - Oh well, I guess we're gonna find out

Dogs on the regular beach season is back. And we are thrilled.

Electric blanket season is also back for Ben. It's always Mae bees mean and Chewy advertisement season.

You've got to be fucking kidding me with this price. 

Does craving citrus mean you're about to have scurvy? If so, sign me up. I already have a mild concussion from clocking my head into the fucking pier coming and going on the second to last day of the Nor'Easter because the tide was so high.

I got these angry ocean photos as a souvenir.

Yesterday was much better. 

Fall must haves. These are LLBean but I also love my Sperry Syrens which are not easy to find right now. And the takes a licking keeps on ticking Columbia Acadia II rain jacket. I also use my non-polarized sunglasses on overcast and drizzly days because they are still too bright for bare eyes.

Fresh off my hold shelf.

Fall shore decor loading.

So tempted to list Found: piece of large Tonka Toy on the local facebook page

Out of office behavior. I'm off today and tomorrow with no agenda and it has been a damn long time since that was the case.

 
What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Let's See How Far We've Come by Matchbox 20

Thursday Thoughts - I'm livin' life, do or die, what can I say

You're late. 

Farewell, faithful lipstick. Always have a backup of a favorite, of course. This is Bobbi Brown Crushed Lipstick in lilac, one of my staples

Lunch trips. I went to Bristol one day this week to peruse some antiques shops and walk along the river. I used to go there with Mom Mom when I was little, to Ballow's shoes. Lovely memories, and a lovely lunch outing.

Vats of veggie meat sauce. I made what amounted to 15 jars to freeze and share (the bigger one has six cups instead of three). 

Hurricane Ian. Good thoughts to the folks in FL and others in its path of destruction. Climate action now. These events are just going to continue to increase in power and devastation if we carry on as we are. 

Splitskies. Billy wanted to go in on my niece's birthday gift

Halloween is here. Thanks to MFD's decor. The dogs are not pleased that their barking window is occupied. 

Bathroom reno still happening. Still living in an entire construction zone with shit on every level. 

Bailed on the Dahmer show on Netflix. Too creepy for me.

Bruce is a big baby.

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Amen.

Fresh hair. Thanks Kristi! Love it as always.

Miscellaneous pics from the week the bottom right is actually my back window with that reflected in it

Happy birthday to my cousin Tyler today!

 
What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Gangsta's Paradise. RIP Coolio

Thursday Thoughts - Desert loving in your eyes all the way if I listen to your lies, would you say

Women don't get raped because of what they're wearing and they don't get killed because of where they are at what time. The only thing I hate about the narrative that is happening around this is "in today's world" - BAAABYY - in THE world, since the dawn of time, at the hands of men with the unspoken permission of women who are foot soldiers to the patriarchy and other men who say and do nothing, perpetuated by systems that cater to and favor men. In TODAY'S world add in a country that glorifies violence, has for profit prisons with no intent to rehabilitate, is smothered in toxic masculinity, and is under minority rule that makes women's bodies public - for public consumption and rule. There are a lot of people to blame for why this shit happens, none of which are the woman it happens to, so fuck off out of here with any of that. All of this shit is tied together. Violence is continually perpetuated against women because arguing for fucking decades over who decides what she can do with her body signals to rapists and murderers that they can do what they please to her body because she already does not get to decide in other ways. It is only now, in 2022, that federal laws have made it harder for convicted domestic abusers to acquire guns despite the fact that when an abusive partner has access to a gun, a domestic violence victim is five times more likely to be killed. All the girl power shit in the world DOES NOT MATTER if you exist quietly among misogynists and patriarchal fucks and vote for people who are against bodily autonomy. Both things make women less safe. If that makes you upset or uncomfortable, sit with that for a while.

Bathroom reno is on Picked a contractor, thought we'd be in in October. He had a job pushed back and can do it starting Monday. Whaaaat. So my phone is full of lists and screenshots as we're buying the light fixture, vanity, cabinet, and any wall shelving. I am a master of maximizing space in small rooms so let us begin.

Googles on fire for things like checking out Covington Hill Country for an event around a conference, who is coming to Parx Casino for entertainment, commercial hood cleaning (click here) and also shiny but different engines (learn more) for articles I'm writing, best multigrain bread (do you have a favorite), bathroom vanity, using wall space in small bathrooms, can handymen put up drywall, bagels near me

Existing happily between summer and fall why do we need to pick, we can exist in both. Beach days are beach days until they're not. I am physically pained when I see people visibly sweating in cooler weather clothes when it is still hot

Train masks. I will probably wear masks on trains for a long time, perhaps forever? Have you ridden SEPTA regional rail? The gross shit I have experienced over the years...

Office day today. Obvi. The emptiness of the Central Business District is sad.

Excellent windows open sleeping weather this week. Mae agrees

 
What appears beyond the hyphen in Thursday Thoughts titles is what I'm listening to when I'm starting this - this week is Karma Chameleon by Boy George