Happy Thanksgiving!
Last weekend my church had a pie party and we had one of those people bingo cards, but it was a pie chart. One of the categories was to find someone who had the same favorite holiday as yourself. I’ve long said Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but I don’t have Big Reason why. It’s a family holiday, so for me that means I know exactly what I’ll be doing. It’s food centric, but my favorite Thanksgiving food is rolls, which you can get at any holiday. I just like it.
I’m in Colorado for the week, I’m on that school schedule now. This afternoon my mom and I played pickle ball. I have no complaints.
I would like to remind you to add your address to the Christmas card list if have not already. Do send me your non-pentatonix Christmas music recommendations.
This sentence now has links to the my instagram, and old issues of the newsletter. I hope today is beautiful for you. I did have to create a Facebook account for my new job, you’re welcome to add me as a friend.
Number One: Barbara Shutt and Barbara Wilson
If you are traveling for Thanksgiving, or if you find yourself hiding in your childhood bedroom, I highly recommend the two most recent episodes of the podcast Heavyweight. It’s heartbreaking and complicated, but like almost all Heavyweight episodes, it delivers.
I know that it’s unofficial Five Things decorum to not really use the comment section (and instead you all sweetly reply, and then I read those replies and forget to respond until weeks later), but there is a comment section, and if you have recommended road trip listening, leave a little comment for the other readers.
Number Two: The biscuits at Oddly Correct
When it comes to KC coffee shops, I’ve mostly been a Filling Station girl. Occasionally Split Log. I had my PH phase. Rochester is nice. But the biscuits with jam at Oddly Correct may just turn me into a true believer. We’re talking Espresso a Mano croissant level love here.
Number Three: It is actually that easy to clean your dishwasher filter
I am on the “clean out your gutters” side of TikTok at the moment, but I’m scared of ladders, so I will be paying someone to do that for me.
Here’s the story, it really is super easy to clean your dishwasher’s filter. Just open it up, move the bottom drawer, pull out the filter, clean it off using an old toothbrush, pop it back in. Now hopefully your dishes will smell less like old bell peppers.
Number Four: taking out the “to be” verb
I love reading and talking about writing. I love that this little newsletter makes me a better writer. My “Writing for Marketing Professionals” professor recently challenged our class to remove “to be” verbs from our writing to tighten it up. And gang, what a challenge. Even describing her advice right now without “to be” usage forced me to turn my brain inside out. Confidence wanes that I achieved my goal even with multiple read-throughs. A passion for passive only begins to describe my use of “has.”
Spanish 3 for how you feel or where you are always use the verb ‘estar’ plays in my mind.
Break your brain a little this holiday season, and try writing a little something without am/is/are/was/were/being/been/be. You might find it fun.
Number Five: Library Stamp // Crate and Barrel Wine Glasses // LL Bean Pullover
Three gifts I got last Christmas that I am still raving about and could be easy wins for you too:
My sister gave me a “From the Library of” stamp, and I love it. Stamping my books gives me so much pleasure. She got mine from Etsy, but Paper Source has some good ones too.
My parents gave me Crate and Barrel wine glasses. Just this week I got over my fear of putting them in the dishwasher - they survived and look better than ever!
This LL Bean Pullover was a part of our Christmas pajamas and I would wear it every day if I could.
Song to add to your Just Girly Things playlist: Stupid