Thursday Thoughts - some nights I call it a draw

1. Jesus crapbag this week has been nuts at work and home. Lots going on, one of those weeks you skid into the end of out of breath and happy to be alive.

2. Monday night errand fails: Went to Target #1 to pick up bedding I ordered online, which did not look like it looked online. Strike one. Only dull coir doormats strike two. No 3 foot extension cords. Strike three. Went to Target #2. Coir doormat score. No 3 foot extension cords. Who knew they'd be so fucking hard to find? And then to Marshalls, where I was delirious and bought bedding that was too expensive and is being returned. Regretskies.I came home and ate a cupcake. No regretskies. Tuesday was mildly better with success at Sherwin Williams and Home Depot, fail at two different TJ Maxx stores, and a blessed massage at 9 pm. Amen.

3. Wednesday I took off to hang with my niece, the inimitable Lola Jean. We had a fun day playing outside and reading Madeline books that were my grandmom's while laying on the floor in her room. She makes me laugh and I'm so glad she is in this world. We also listened to music, of course.

4. While she was napping, I painted my nails terribly (Zoya Sia, and there there the excess came with hand washing) and MFD dropped off a coffee. I also took a little snooze myself and didn't wake up in a troll mood. SUCCESS, you guys. After I left there, I got a pedicure (OPI Innie Minnie Mightie Bow) and brow wax using a birthday gift card from Debbie. It was a great day off and I was home over 1.5 hours earlier than I would be from work so I got 40982 loads of laundry done too.

5. I actually don't think the world is getting worse, but I do think social media makes it seem like it is. We have the power to share all the negativity we can find in an instant, which we do, relentlessly. The news cycle is also focused on the bad. Look, bad things have always happened and will always happen. In those times we should not only look for the helpers, but condition ourselves to BE the helpers. If all we do is lament online about how things are going to shit, we are not being the helpers. Being the helper is simple. Be aware. Be open. Be compassionate. Be present. Be the change you want to see in the world. If you see a need you can serve, don't overthink it. Just fill it, no matter how small of a thing it seems. Small gestures save lives and ease situations every single day. People who have good in their hearts need to be putting themselves out there. When we don't, people look around and can't see the helpers. Our energy and presence is needed. It's okay to get discouraged, disgusted, upset, weary, or afraid. We all do. But we shake that off and we get back out there because we are helpers and that is what helpers do.

6. Can meme creators watch the grammar? It pains me to share this given that an should be and, but I have to. If Mae looked like a fawn pug, this would be her. It cracks me up when she runs and leaps with the zest of a mighty dog.

7. I have not gotten so many laughs out of one thing in a long time. Thank you man rompers. You are giving me the grins.

8. Oh except this. I have watched this a million times. And I typically hate gifs because they give me motion sickness but this...this is gold. Call me petty but it brings me joy to watch this white supremacist architect of the Muslim ban appear so uncomfortable in Saudi Arabia.

9. No matter how much strife this country is experiencing at any given time, one of my favorite things to photograph is our flag. I believe in what is stands for. I am humbled by the true meaning of this three day weekend that kicks off the summer. My personal pet peeve is that it is treated like Veterans Day. Listen, every day is the day to be thankful for our veterans, but Veterans Day is a day in November specifically dedicated to the appreciation of veterans. Monday is not Veterans Day. Monday is MEMORIAL Day. It's a day dedicated to those who have died in service to this country. Monday is for the ones who did not come back.

Last Memorial Day weekend in OCNJ

10. E-card of the week: appropriate for a three day weekend ahead, no?

I'll see you back here with a late weekend post on Monday night and this month's recommendations on Tuesday. Follow on Instagram this weekend! My account and the shore house account if you're not following there! I don't duplicate, but I do use the shore house account to do more OCNJ-centric things. 

Enjoy your long weekend and remember the reason for it. 

Linking up with Kristin & Joey 

A Comedy of errors

If you need a detailer in the Philly area, Chris from Hunter's Finish Line is the man for you. I am happy to pass along his info, he finished the clean up and got it back to looking how I never dreamed it would look again. 

I've had good practice admitting defeat lately as I have been involved in a series of unfortunate events that have me throwing in the towel at the end of the day, secure in the knowledge that a new day dawns tomorrow. Admitting defeat allows me to test if the resilience I pride myself on is still intact. 

Between the paint fuckery in my car last Wednesday (entirely my fault, I still shiver when I think about it), two sort of broken toilets and one actually cracked toilet at the shore this weekend that may or may not have leaked into our efficiency apartment (I'll find out the extent of the damage this weekend, no one's fault), and a 12 day old new storm door ripped out of the frame on the porch down there (probably someone's fault), I've been putting out fires like a fucking boss. 

When a series of small shitstorms happens in quick succession and it begins to feel like a larger problem, I don't ask why can't I catch a break because I've caught a million breaks in my life and I don't need or deserve one right now because it's all still small shit. Throwing pity parties is so not my style either, because I fucking hate pity parties especially when I'm the hostess and sole attendee. It feels self indulgent and boring. I do throw a mean tantrum though...which is also self indulgent but rarely boring, hahaha. In the grand scheme of things these are mosquitos on the skin of life.

The first thing I do is deal with it because the only way through it is through it. I do what I can to put the fire out or call who I need to call to fix it. The second thing I do is find the humor because honestly my first instinct is never cry - it's always laugh - unless I am stuck somewhere in a travel related hell. The third thing I do is try to spin it funny. If I am dealing with some pain in the ass thing, I can at least attempt to entertain others with the tale. So when I share a WTF/ugh moment, never feel bad laughing at me. Life is messy and messy is good material for laughs. 

I don't think I'll be able to top the fact that I drove home from Pier 1 with green dog poop bags on my hands after the paint incident for quite a while. That mess will live in infamy. Thank God for dogs. And the fact that they need us to carry bags for their poop.

Linking up with Kristen & Gretch