Top Ten Tuesday: Beach/Beachy Reads

July 29, 2025 By 34 Comments


Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I don’t have a beach close to me; however, I do enjoy light summer reads.  Or even heavier ones that grab you in a way that you don’t want to stop reading.  Here are ten that filled that role for me.

Happy Place by Emily Henry.  Fun and sometimes heart-rending story of friends and lovers set during summer.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.  An insane and gripping novel that’s part chick lit and part thriller.  It is 100% crazy though.

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.  A fun, sweet, romance between a prince and the First Son of the US President.

Bonus red: Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall.  I don’t consider this a beachy read because Luc’s family issues make it a bit heavier, but if you like the above, you might enjoy this one, too.

The Guncle by Steven Rowley.  While this can get a little heavy at times, this story about grief and love is hilariously funny and poignant.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.  Another thriller that drew me in and kept me reading because I needed to know.

One for the Money (and the rest of the Stephanie Plum series) by Janet Evanovich.  These mysteries are ridiculous and over-the-top, but you can’t help but root for Steph and Lula to nab the FTA’s.

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London.  Despite not being a fan of reality television, a romance set during a dating show was intriguing to me.  It certainly didn’t let me down.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood.  My first and only Ali Hazelwood novel so far, but I did enjoy the mix of STEM and enemies to lovers (one of my favorite tropes).  And the NASA setting only made it better.

The Villa by Rachel Hawkins.  Another thriller (I have a type, I admit it) but this one told in alternating timelines.  I did enjoy the 70’s timeline a bit more, but overall, it was an engaging read.

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto.  Not sure if it’s a list by me if there isn’t at least one cozy mystery on the list, so I had to include one full of hijinks and family bonding.

Are any of these on your list this week?

 

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Thursday Thoughts: July 24, 2025… Thinking About After Work Routines

July 24, 2025 By 6 Comments

Thursday Thoughts: July 24, 2025 – After Work Routine

I’m lucky that my job isn’t physically taxing.  As a receptionist, the hardest part of my job is not hanging up on angry superintendents.  Fortunately for them, my mother raised me better than that, although it is tempting at times.

However, it still can be stressful.  I work for a construction company and since it’s a family business, the office part of the company is a small affair.  There are only six of us running everything, where other similar contractors have double or triple the staff.  What this means is that a lot of ‘little things’ end up on my desk or become my responsibility.  Things that aren’t time consuming but are still one more thing for me to do.  Also, over the years, I’ve acquired more responsibilities as the dynamic in the office has changed.  In a nutshell, I’m a receptionist, an accountant, a project assistant, the entire human resources department, and sometimes, an IT specialist (which is a joke if I ever heard one, but hey, I try).  Wearing so many hats can take its toll.

Because of this, there are days when four o’clock cannot come fast enough.  But I know we’ve all been there a time or two.  This is why my after-work routine is so important to me.

The first thing I do when I get home is take off my shoes and refill my water bottle.  That is, if the cats let me.  More often than not, I’m getting screamed at by a tiny orange critter with no access to a braincell because he’s starving.  I mean, how could I possibly let him go three hours without eating?  The nerve.

Obviously, the next thing I do is feed the cats.  Since Gideon was diagnosed as chonky last year, they’re no longer allowed to free feed.  There’s always one, right, who ruins it for everyone else?  Good thing he’s legitimately the sweetest, most loving animal you’ll ever encounter.  Even if his sister-in-fur, Violet, will forever hold a grudge.

Once the cats are happily munching, I change clothes so that I can get comfortable.  Sometimes, if I’ve had a rough day, just staying in my work clothes stresses me out.  It’s almost like there’s a connection between the clothes and the experiences of the day.  Therefore, if I get into my loungewear or into my pajamas, I’m a new person.  It makes no sense, but then, neither do I a lot of the time.

Freshly changed, I grab a snack.  One of my favorites is the white cheddar corn puffs from Trader Joe’s.  Other times, it’ll be fruit or crackers.  I take my snack and my water, and I get comfy on the couch.  That hour between when I get home and when I have to start dinner is the most valuable hour of my day.  It’s when I can sit down, relax, and not think about anything if I don’t want to.

Generally speaking, I spend that hour reading.  Sometimes, I’ll put on some music, other times, I need the quiet to calm my nerves.  On the really bad days, I’ll turn on the TV and watch something low-stress and low-focus, like Chopped or Cook’s Country.  I’m soon joined by at least one cat, often several.  And having them with me, purring or chittering at the birds and lizards in the yard, is one of the best parts of my day.  Until they all start battling for the best perch and a fight breaks out.  Cats, what can you do?

Before I know it, my child appears to pick what she wants for dinner from the handful of recipes I chose the previous Saturday.  This is the deal we made – I choose the meals for the week; she gets to choose dinner that night.  It works out for us.

Sometimes, an hour isn’t enough time, but it’s what I get, so I embrace it as best I can.  It is amazing though how much good can come of that one hour.  I can read a couple of chapters of a book, or I can get hooked on a new show.  My cats will cuddle with me, walk on me, and cause chaos.  And I always get to have a chat with my kid, which is one of the biggest perks.

How do you decompress after a long day?  Especially if you work from home, I’d love to hear how you separate your work-self from your home-self when they’re both so closely intertwined.  I’m excited to hear your routines and maybe even find some new tricks for myself.

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Thursday Thoughts: July 17, 2025 … Thinking about Short Stories

July 17, 2025 By 6 Comments

Last week, I opened up MSN to check the weather (they had this great program attached to the weather reports where you could complete tasks daily, earn points, and plant a tree, but sadly it’s been discontinued).  I usually glance at whatever headlines are showing to see what I missed overnight.  However, instead of the doom and gloom of word politics, I found an article titled “43 of the Most Iconic Short Stories in the English Language”.  I was intrigued (and you can find the article here).

As an avid reader, my first instinct was to scour the list and see how many I had read.  Unfortunately, I’ve only read twelve of them, and most of those were in middle and high school.

Of the ones that I did read, these were my favorites:

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe.  This is the story that turned me into a lover of all things Poe.  I think I read it in 7th or 8th grade and just became obsessed.  This and “The Cask of Amontillado” are my favorites.

“The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry I probably read around the same time as Poe.  I love how the author subtly twists the story and surprises you at the end.  And it’s always something I didn’t see coming, either.  Honorable mention to “The Ransom of Red Chief”, another fantastic story.

“The Most Dangerous Game” by Richard Connell.  To my pre-teen self, this was the most savage thing I’d ever read.  People hunting people?  That was insane to me!  Although, as an adult, it’s not nearly as shocking.

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson.  This was another that really grabbed me by the throat.  Looking back, I am now wondering how some of this was appropriate for middle school aged children.  However, this is a story that has stuck with me for decades, so the schools must know what they’re doing.  Also, I just love Shirley Jackson in general.

As a side note, when The Hunger Games originally came out, a friend insisted I read it.  Since she wasn’t a big reader, I figured that if she was this excited about a book, then I really did need to read it.  Once I finished it, my biggest takeaway was that it felt like Suzanne Collins had woven together both “The Most Dangerous Game” and “The Lottery” and turned both stories on their heads.

Lastly, but by far not least, “Brokeback Mountain” by Annie Proulx.  Several years after the movie released, I borrowed this from the library because I’m one of those nerds who wants to read first.  That was probably a mistake because this book broke me so badly that I still haven’t had the heart to watch the movie.  Let me just say that I finished it one morning before work and wound up having to text my boss to let him know I was going to be late because I could not stop crying.

Of the ones listed that I haven’t read, there are many that I still hope to read soon.

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.  I’ve seen this referenced so many times in so many places.  It’s high on my list.

“There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury.  He’s an icon, obviously, and I loved “A Sound of Thunder” when I read it in school.  More Bradbury is never a bad thing.

“The Birds” by Daphne du Maurier.  Mostly because of the Hitchcock adaptation.  But also partially to see if she’s better as a short story writer than she is a novelist.  I’ve tried two of her novels (My Cousin Rachel and Rebecca) and was hugely disappointed by both.

“House Heart” by Amelia Gray.  Honestly?  I looked up a summary and man does it sound crazy.  I don’t know about you, but I do love this kind of thing.

Have you read any of the stories I mentioned here?  What about the others in the article?  I thought the author of the article did a good job of collecting a wide variety of themes and topics.  She also deserves a lot of credit for noticing that the initial list is ‘much too white and male’ and adding a long list of authors who aren’t necessarily white or male.

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Thursday Thoughts: July 10, 2025

July 10, 2025 By 4 Comments

Welcome to the cutest day of the year – National Kitten Day!

While I know that not everyone is a cat person, how can you resist those cute little faces?  Okay, maybe I’m biased, but I’m good with that.

My first kitten I adopted from my mom’s neighbors in 2001.  She was the cutest little calico.  My mom knew I was a sucker for a calico, too, and made a point to tell her neighbors exactly that.  Needless to say, I wound up taking that little girl home.  Cali’s been gone for a long time and I didn’t adopt another kitten until 2019.  We’d had other cats, but we’d made a point to adopt older cats for various reasons.

We’d had an amazing cat named Buddy, who was part Maine Coon.  He was friendly, he loved being with the girls, just an all around great cat.  Plus, he was huge.  I don’t know about you, but I like a sturdy cat.  When we lost him to kidney disease, it devastated all of us.  It also sent me on the hunt for our next Maine Coon.  Now, this was harder than you might think because at no time have I ever had $2,500 to drop on a cat, so I had to wait until I found one for adoption.  The upside to this is that I was not set on having a purebred, a mix was more than okay with me.

Enter Violet.

A little over a month after my late husband had his kidney transplant, I ran out to get cat food at a small, independent pet store near the house.  To my surprise, they were having a cat adoption event with one of our local rescues.  I wasn’t looking to adopt a cat that day, especially with my husband temporarily unable to work, but then, I stumbled onto the cutest, most curious little critter.  I looked down at her and sighed.  She was at least a little Maine Coon, with her hairy ears and giant paws.  I took a picture, sent it to my husband and our daughter who was home (the other child was working).  Figuring I’d get an immediate response of, “DON’T YOU DARE”, I went and got the cat food I needed and went to check out.  Still no response.  I told the guy working that day, “I’ll be back,” and went home.

My husband had been playing video games and hadn’t heard his phone and my kid had been in the shower.  When I told them to check their phones, my daughter says, “I’m coming with you,” not even asking if we were getting a new cat.  It was a serious impulse, but it was one of the best I’d ever made.  My husband died seven months later, never having fully recovered from the transplant.  But that tiny bundle of energy brought him so much joy.  The way his face lit up every time he saw her melted my heart.  And she still brings us joy every single day.  She’s silly and sweet and just ‘the cutest girl’ as my oldest dubbed her.

The two cats we had at the time weren’t too sure of this little critter invading their home, but they eventually warmed up to her.  Even our grouchy old ragdoll, Nayla, learned to tolerate the interloper.  Although there wasn’t always peace between the two of them, Nayla was a good matriarch and took care of the baby anyway.

Fast forward to June 2023.  Nayla had been acting oddly and not eating.  We took a trip to the vet and discovered she had a softball sized tumor and that it had spread into her lungs.  Our vet said that there wasn’t anything they could do at that point, but that she wasn’t in any pain.  So, we took her home, loved on her, and let her be with her girls and her feline sisters.  We lost her a few weeks later.

The day after her diagnosis, however, I’m walking past my boss’ office and I hear, “Hey, you want a cat?”  This of course caught my attention, so I stopped.  My boss whips out his cell phone and starts showing me pictures of these tiny, days old kittens.  Apparently, his cat had gotten herself into a bit of trouble and now he had four kittens.  It seemed like destiny – I was going to lose one cat soon and here were these innocent little babies needing a home.  I told him that if there were any girls, I’d take one.  Then, I proceeded to ask my kids if they wanted a kitten.  My older child texted back with, “Is this a joke?”  Hah!  None of the kittens turned out to be girls (approximately 80% of ginger cats are male), but I was already excited and couldn’t say no.

A month after we lost Nayla, my boss says, “The kittens are ready to go home.”  I get excited and he tells me to give his address to the girls so they can go pick theirs out.  Because I have known him since he was in middle school, he promised us first choice.  “But just so you know, my wife has already decided that they each need to pick a cat.”  I was not sure I was ready for TWO kittens, especially two ORANGE kittens, but again, I didn’t say no.

All I can say is that all the things you hear about orange cats?  They’re true.  At least with these two they are.  They’re absolutely nuts and, at times, dumb as a box of rocks.  However, they have these crazy flashes of brilliance that stun me.  Meet my boys – they are Fawkes and Gideon, Gids has the white paws.  Fawkes embraced his namesake (Dumbledore’s phoenix) and is the feistiest thing – and that hasn’t change one bit, despite being two now and no longer a kitten.  Gideon, on the other hand, has leaned into his namesake as well (one of Molly Weasley’s brothers was named Gideon, and you know he had to have been a sweetheart), just a giant cuddlebug.  Thankfully, they entertained each other as kittens and still do for the most part.

While Violet and Sunny, our SIC (a standard issue cat, aka a mackerel tabby), are still ever-present in our lives, these two little one brain cell sharing felines are front and center in everything I do – or try to do.  Since I am currently at max feline capacity (there is a 2:1 cat to human ratio in my home), it’ll be a long time before I have another kitten.

My older daughter moved out last August and every time she came to visit, she’d pet the cats and mention how much she missed having a kitty.  If you suggested she get one, she’d make a face and complain about pet rent.  Which is understandable.  Rent is exorbitant in these parts, so adding $20 a month onto it is a lot.  However, one of the ladies she works with started showing her pictures of her sister’s cat’s kittens.  I knew she was going to cave and, honestly, I’m glad she did.  She’s living alone for the first time ever and it has to be lonely sometimes.  Even with friends and her family not far away, going home to an empty apartment can be tough.

Meet Abraxos, my grand kitty.

He’s the sweetest, chattiest kitten I’ve come across in a long time.  My daughter says his mama is Siamese, which explains the chattiness.  I’m not sure what explains his crazy antics.  Well, other than he’s a baby cat, and cats are crazy already.  Babies even more so.  He’s like the Energizer Bunny in that he never slows down and is constantly on the move.  I think my kid has met her match in this little one though.  We’ll see who has the stronger will.

The above picture is currently the lock screen photo on my phone.  He’s just too cute.

I never thought I’d turn into the crazy cat lady, but it seems to have been my destiny all along.  Having only grown up with dogs as pets, having cats has been an adjustment, but one I’m glad I made.  Dogs are wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but there’s something special about a cat.

How are you spending National Kitten Day?  However you do it, I hope today brings lots of cuteness, silliness, and feline drama into your life.

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Thursday Thoughts: July 3, 2025

July 3, 2025 By 4 Comments

Since tomorrow is Independence Day here in the US, I started wondering what things are celebrated the day before.

If you didn’t already know, every day has its own set of weird holidays.  For example, my younger daughter’s birthday is January 4th, which also happens to be national spaghetti day.  Strangely enough, spaghetti and red sauce is her favorite meal.  Although, these days, hot pot is coming in a close second.

So, what about July 3rd?  What kind of interesting things are happening today?

National Stay out of the Sun Day is an obvious choice for today.  Partly because it is the height of summer in the US.  Although I do wonder if it’s partly due to knowing everyone will be out and about all the following day for July 4th celebrations.

In a similar vein, July 3rd is also Air Conditioning Appreciation Day.  So, um, hug your favorite HVAC guy, I suppose?

Ways to celebrate: The first two really do go hand in hand, don’t they?  You celebrate staying out of the sun by staying inside and thanking the Powers that Be for the all mighty air conditioning.

On July 3rd, it is also International Plastic Bag Free Day, which is an important one.  We should honestly be practicing this as much as possible every day, but starting small can also have a long-lasting impact as well.  As a side note, I’ve seen a lot of my favorite sites promoting a plastic free July.

Ways to celebrate: Bring your reusable bags!  Most stores in my area have them for sale in-store.  And, if you have a Trader Joe’s near you, they always have the cutest reusable bags.  On the flip side, if you knit (or crochet), you can make your own.  I have a good friend who has knitted me several and they’re perfect for produce.

Another important thing to celebrate today is National Compliment Your Mirror Day.  We should all be kinder to ourselves on a regular basis, me especially.  I could probably start by cleaning the nose prints off the glass… dang cats.

Ways to celebrate: Acknowledge your positives, no matter how small.  The more you do this, the better you’ll get, and you might be surprised the things you like about yourself.

Today is also Thirsty Thursday and, with rising temps and crazy hot days in places where it isn’t usually very hot, remember to stay hydrated.  It’s good for your skin, it’s good for your organs, and it’s also essential to keep your body working and cooling itself properly during the summertime.

Ways to celebrate: Drink that water!  Add some frozen fruit or citrus for a fresh kick of flavor.  There are also a ton of flavor enhancers out there that work wonders if you find plain water boring as well as flavored sparkling waters.  One of my favorite alternatives are fruit infusion teas.  Light, refreshing, and many are caffeine free.

One last thing to think about today is Start the Conversation Day.  This reminds us to reach out to our loved ones and check in on them and their mental health.  When someone’s struggling, they often withdraw and isolate themselves, making it harder for them to get help at a crucial time.

Ways to celebrate: Call or text the people who matter to you.  Send cat pics or links to your favorite songs.  You never know what a simple check in can do for someone who might be having a difficult time.

Which of these holidays appeals to you?  How would you celebrate them if you decided to?

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Thursday Thoughts: June 26, 2025

June 26, 2025 By 10 Comments

Thursday Thoughts: June 25, 2025

While I’m not a big TV watcher, I do like to put a show on in the evening to watch while winding down before bed.  Which is kind of funny when you consider that I watch a lot of murdery shows before bedtime.  How I don’t have more nightmares, I’m not sure.  But it’s what I seem to be drawn to the most when choosing a series.

Crime shows aren’t the only thing I watch, however.  I do love a good comedy or even a drama when the mood suits.  A friend of mine introduced me to K-dramas, which are also really fun, even if I’ve only watched one so far. Documentaries and fictionalized versions of real events are also high on my list of things I enjoy.

The best shows I’ve watched recently are very much a mixed bag of genres.  Which I think is fun.  Everyone has their own tastes and interests, but I tend to get bored if I watch (or read!) too much of the same kind of thing.

My favorite shows recently (in no particular order) are as follows:

(All links will take you to IMDB.)

Mid-Century Modern (Hulu/Disney+).

Summary: After an unexpected death, three best friends–gay gentlemen of a certain age–decide to spend their golden years living together in Palm Springs, where the wealthiest one lives with his mother.

I was first enticed by this show when I saw Matt Bomer was part of the main cast.  I lived to hate him as Bryce Larkin on Chuck but came to love him as Neal Caffrey on White Collar.  However, as I perused the list of cast members, I realized that this show was chock full of great talent.  Nathan Lane and Linda Lavin are also main characters, despite Linda Lavin passing away during filming.  As a bonus, this show managed to nab a ton of excellent guest stars each episode.

Top Chef (Bravo on cable, Peacock streaming).

Summary: Aspiring chefs are judged by a panel of food and wine experts while competing against one another for a shot at culinary stardom.

My late husband got me hooked on cooking competitions, although I’m the one who got him watching The Food Network a million years ago.  Top Chef is a high-level competition with some of the best chefs from around the country and Canada competing for money and other prizes.  Each season is set in a different area, and the most recent season was set in Canada, mainly Toronto, but with a couple of episodes in Calgary as well.  They bring in a bunch of celebrity chefs as judges as well as former contestants, which is always fun to see again.  After 22 seasons, I can safely say that I’m invested.

The X-Files (Hulu).

Summary: Two F.B.I. Agents, Fox Mulder the believer and Dana Scully the skeptic, investigate the strange and unexplained, while hidden forces work to impede their efforts.

Admittedly, I’m about two decades late for this one.  In my defense, I saw the first episode premier and then started a job working nights the very next week.  And I did not have a VCR at the time.  I wonder if my kids have any idea how much easier their lives are thanks to technology? I’m only halfway through season 3, but I am loving this show.  Mulder and Scully’s relationship is fantastic.  He’s crazy and obsessed and she’s patient and willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, even at his craziest.  I also love all the weird things they investigate.  A highlight was seeing Jack Black in one of the early episodes.  I was definitely not expecting that.  That is a bonus to watching shows this old – you’re often encountering roles you never knew your favorites even had.

A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story (Britbox).

Summary: Follows the story of Ruth Ellis: her lifestyle as a young nightclub manageress, her violent relationship with the man she then killed in cold blood, her arrest, trial, and subsequent legal battle to get her release before she was hanged.

I stumbled across this in an email I received from Britbox announcing new shows.  Historical stories as well as legal stories fascinate me, so this was a win/win.  As infuriating as the entire situation was, I was glued to the TV for the entire mini-series.  In telling my in-laws about this show, my older daughter turns to me and says, “Where the heck do you find these things, mom?”  I would love more shows like this, honestly, even if it means I rage at the television when no one else is around.

Have you watched any of these shows?  What have you seen lately that you think more people need to know about?  I’m always looking for suggestions since sometimes I can’t make up my own mind.

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Thursday Thoughts: June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025 By 6 Comments

Image result for tacosIt’s time for Taco Tuesday Thursday!

Yeah, I know, Taco Thursday doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, but here we are.  And I don’t know about you, but I’m good with tacos any day of the week.  How about you?

My favorite tacos are al pastor.  They’re made from pork that’s been marinated in spices, cooked on a vertical spit, with pineapple and onion on top of the spit.  It’s the pineapple that does it for me, I think, because that sweet and spicy combo is always a hit with my taste buds.  In a pinch, a good old fashioned ground beef or grilled chicken taco is a win as well.

Tacos, for the most part, are a super simple meal that’s easy to prepare and generally is not too expensive.  So, I tend to make them often.  The trouble began when my older daughter went fully vegan.  Since I didn’t want to keep feeding her Beyond Beef tacos, I went on the hunt for vegan taco recipes that were both easy and delicious.

Our favorite by far are these crispy vegan potato tacos with jalapeño cilantro sauce.  Whenever I make these, I make two simple alterations to the recipe.  First, I double it because the leftovers make a great breakfast hash or taco.  Second, I add in half a poblano pepper or, if they’re in season and I can find them, a Hatch chile.  Poblanos are my favorite pepper and they add a great flavor to the tacos.  The jalapeño cilantro sauce is fantastic as well and is great for dipping fries into.

Another great vegan taco recipe are these simple black bean tacos with vegan lime crema.  Since I am not a fan of beans of any variety, these are something I make for my kids only.  But it’s easy enough to pan fry a chicken breast on the side for myself, so it all works out in the end.

Lastly, these beer battered Kung Pao cauliflower tacos aren’t exactly easy, but man are they ever worth it.  I’ve only made them a handful of times, but they are so good and crispy!  I had a hard time keeping the kids from snacking on the cauliflower while I got it all fried.

A shout out to Navajo tacos/fry bread tacos (they come by many names, depending on where you are).  These start with a piece of fry bread – aka a piece of fried dough – and are piled high with all your usual taco toppings.  I recently had one of these in a little hole in the wall restaurant in Gallup, NM and it was beyond delicious.  The green chile sauce it was topped with only made it better.  And I’ll forgive the son of the owners who told me it’s not really a taco if it doesn’t have beans on it (he was teasing me) because he gave us fantastic service.

Ever wonder what kind of taco fits your foodie personality?  Yes?  Then you’re in luck because there’s a quiz for that (no, really!) and you can find it here.  And while I didn’t get the al pastor I’d been hoping for, I’m okay with what I did get.

What about you?  What kind of tacos do you like?  Which taco fits your personality best?

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Thursday Thoughts June 12, 2025

June 12, 2025 By 8 Comments

Over Memorial Day weekend, a good friend of mine flew out to see Kenny Chesney in concert.  She’d just been here in February, but Kenny has long been her favorite and her birthday was that weekend.  She told me, “Kenny wants me here.”  Who am I to argue with her?

The show was amazing – he’s truly an entertainer.  He sounded fantastic and engaged with the audience regularly.  Which is something some artists don’t bother with, and others try and fail at.  However, this post isn’t so much about Kenny, but something that happened to me during the show.

My friend’s favorite song is “Old Blue Chair”, something that he doesn’t perform live much these days.  Mine has been “Anything But Mine” since the first time I heard it all those years ago.  Neither of us had expected him to play these songs because hers was never a single, and mine was just really old.  (Heavens, I just looked and it released in 2004.)

Anyway, about halfway through the show, he stops to tell the audience that the next song hadn’t originally been on the playlist, but he’d gotten a request, so he was going to do it – and it turned out to be “Old Blue Chair”.  Sometime after the first chorus, I burst into tears.  I don’t know why, but there I was, sobbing.

During his encore, Kenny so kindly played “Anything But Mine”, during which, I burst into tears a second time.  This song, however, always gets me emotional.  So, it wasn’t such a surprise that it had stirred so much feeling within me.  Thankfully, he ended the set with “American Kids” which is fun and upbeat so I didn’t leave looking like I’d just been in a fight.

This did get me thinking of all the times I’ve been brought to tears by a song.

“Who You’d Be Today”, also by Kenny Chesney, gets me every time.  First time I’d ever heard it was days after learning a good friend had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed his truck, dying in the accident.

“Andy (I Can’t Live Without You)” by Ashley McBryde gets me as well.  It’s her calling out her partner for all his faults but also admitting that she loves him despite it all.  This is the kind of song that probably resonates with anyone who has ever been in a long-term relationship.  Because even when you have a fantastic partner, they still drive you crazy at times.

I’ll probably get teased about this, but “If Everyone Cared” by Nickelback hits me like a brick if I haven’t heard it in a while.  Especially now, with all the craziness in the world.  I think we could all use a little bit more empathy for others.

How about you?  Are you a sap like I am who cries at random songs (and occasional commercials)?  What song has moved you to feel things strongly, even if it didn’t bring you to tears?

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Thursday Thoughts: June 5, 2025

June 5, 2025 By 8 Comments

Since I’m about to embark on another road trip in a couple of weeks, I’ve been doing a lot of internet searching on things to keep my friend and myself from getting bored on the drive.  I’m still relatively new to this road tripping thing, so I definitely needed a bit of inspiration.  Especially since, when we did this when I was a kid, I’d sit in the back with my cassette Walkman (dating myself here) and a book.  But you can’t really do that when you’re the one driving.

So, how do we keep ourselves entertained?

The first thing my traveling partner suggested was an audiobook.  We’ve done this before, and it worked out really well.  We’re planning on a John Scalzi novel for this trip because he’s one of our favorites and his books are always lighthearted and a lot of fun.

The next thing she suggested were Mad Libs.  I am so excited that she did, too, because I haven’t done these things since my girls were in elementary school.  Found two different ones at Barnes and Noble and can’t wait to see what kind of ridiculousness we can come up with.

In a similar vein, since she and I are both writers, we have been known to randomly plot stories while we’re driving or otherwise preoccupied.  I’m hoping we can get some of that in during this trip, even if the stories never get written.

Something fun I saw online was to bring a notebook along and write down the interesting or crazy things you see on your trip.  Or funny things you and your travel partner say.  I love this idea because I want to make a travel junk journal once I’m back home, and these little observations and memories will be great to have for later.  Plus, it might remind me to keep all the silly little things you usually throw away on a trip.

Another idea I found online was to find the weirdest roadside attractions and stop at them.  This made me laugh because we came really close to doing something like this last year.  We’ll have more time and will be on the road more this trip, so I think we’ll have to factor this one in for sure.  And driving through the desert southwest, there’s bound to be some strange and odd things to stop and see along the way.  Maybe we’ll even spot a jackelope?

One I’d never have thought of on my own was to bring a project.  My travel partner is bringing her knitting, which I think is fantastic.  She can get caught up on her projects while I drive.  Since she has offered to take some of the driving duties off my hands, I ought to find something I can do while riding as well.  I’m open to suggestions as well.

Plus, I’m sure we’ll talk each other’s ears off whenever we have a bit of downtime, but I think that’s half the fun of a girl’s trip.

What kind of things do you do to keep yourself entertained on a long drive?

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Thursday Thoughts: May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025 By 4 Comments

We all probably remember what we wanted to be when we grew up.  Some of us wanted to be doctors or astronauts or cowboys even.  Me, I wanted to be a teacher.  Then, I got older and was hit with the realization that I a) did not explain things well and b) did not have the patience to teach.

So, I pivoted.

I went through a few different phases as I got older.  At first, I wanted to be a psychologist, working with people and helping them help themselves.  I wanted to make a difference and thought this was my way.  But the deeper I got into my studies, the more I lost faith in humanity as a whole.  I soon decided that this was not my future.

Since I live in a town supported by the hospitality industry, and because I love to cook, I thought a job in the culinary arts would be a good fit for me.  My parents were not happy with this shift, but I still made it. With the help of my counselor, I settled on restaurant management.  His thoughts were that with a management background, I wouldn’t be stuck in the kitchen forever.

That’s when a strange thing happened.  My sister-in-law knew I had been unhappy in the job I had and told me someone she knew was looking for a receptionist.  Despite knowing I wasn’t qualified – I had zero experience doing anything outside answering a telephone – but I went to the interview anyway.  Why not, right?

My interview went like this.  “Hi, I’m Jeff, this is Nicole, and this is my Dad.  Nice to meet you.  This is your desk.”

It truly was a sign.  Being a receptionist was never my dream job, but you know what?  As it turns out, I am good at this.  I’d always thought I was naturally disorganized until I started this job and discovered that I have a knack for keeping things organized in a sensible manner that makes sense.  Who knew?  Not me, that’s for sure.

I’ve also joked with my boss over the years that this job prepared me for motherhood.  I have never met so many grown men who can’t do anything for themselves until this job.  But in a weird way, it helps satisfy that need to help people that I’ve always had.  Even though I wish they’d sometimes take a little initiative, I’m still happy to help whenever I can.

It seems like I found my calling by accident.  I legitimately fell into this job and yet, I’m thriving.  Yes, my co-workers make me insane sometimes, but for the most part?  I’m happy here.  I do something I enjoy and something that I’m actually good at.  I work for some wonderful people – a dad and his two sons – who truly appreciate my efforts every day.  And we have some really great guys who are quick to share a joke or check in on me if I seem like I’m not me.  Things honestly couldn’t have worked out better for me.

Sometimes, I still have dreams of being a celebrity chef with my own show.  But then, I sometimes pretend like I’m a rock star, too, so there’s that.  At the end of the day, I might have missed out on more lucrative or rewarding careers, but that’s okay, because I found the place I was supposed to be.  Here I am, nearly twenty-eight years later, and still happy to come to work and do my job.

What were your dream jobs when you were young?  How about now, aside from being comfortably wealthy, what would you choose to be doing right now if you could do anything?

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