Well, we survived the first day back. It was a good one, but we were all hungry and tired by the time we got home from school. It’s good to get back in a routine…at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
I saw this, and after a long day back to work, I had to laugh…
Anyway, I’m continuing on with the Bloganuary challenge…
…with this prompt today:
Before I jump into this post, I want to say, when I saw this prompt, I kind of rolled my eyes.
Last year, when I did the Bloganuary challenge, I felt like WordPress posed lots of great prompts.
I haven’t felt that way this year…but I’ve liked the “challenge” of posting every day, so I’ve shared my regular content as well as other prompts and some WordPress suggested ones.
So, I’m just going to roll with it because who doesn’t want to read about this sweet face?!
Also, I realized there hasn’t been much Homer content lately because, well, apparently when you are almost five years old, you behave…😆
No more stories of him running off (although, he still will if the front door isn’t shut all the way by accident), no more stories about him eating an entire cookie cake off the counter (but if there are crumbs on the counter, he will find them), and no more stories of him ruining pillows or shoe laces (but he will still snag a random item out of the trash can!)
Anyway, back to today’s prompt:
If we could make Homer understand one thing maybe it would be that we love him more than what’s probably normal? Actually, I think he probably knows that. We have so many nicknames for him, we all tell him goodbye when we leave, and of course he gets lots of cuddles…especially from Hadley.
So, really, I think I’d love for him to understand how helpful it would be for him to close the door when he comes inside. He asks to go out often, and then as soon as I sit down, whether it’s been three minutes or thirty, he comes inside only for me (or one of us) to have to go shut the back door. I guess we could probably teach him to nudge it closed…but it still wouldn’t be shut all the way.
Just a little dog owner “pet” peeve, I guess.
That minor inconvenience is worth it though! Just look at that face:
We feel lucky to have found Homer and have him as ours.
Well, we’re finally headed back to school for the first time since January 12th! That sure is hard to believe! While I’ve enjoyed some time at home, we definitely need to get back into a routine.
…and today I’m talking about this “by two” prompt:
Here’s an explanation for my answers:
2 things I love: Coffee and books are two things that I love. It’s been many years since I can say I haven’t had at least one cup of coffee for teh day…and I can probably say the same thing about reading.
2 names I like: When I was younger, I loved the names Lydia and Annie. It’s not that I didn’t like my name, but Jennifer was a popular name. My middle name is Ann, and sometimes I wished my name was Annie. I remember liking the name Lydia after seeing the movie Mrs. Doubtfire.
2 things that scare me: I’m definitely not a fan of heights. Choking is a new fear. I actually choked a little over a year ago, and my friend saved the day with the Heimlich maneuver. Ever since then, I’m very cognizant of choking…and I’m always telling my kids to slow down when they eat! If Trav coughs, I immediately ask him if he’s choking. Like I need one more thing to worry about…haha
2 careers I’ve considered: I’ve really never considered another career besides teaching. I do wish that I’d gotten a library science degree/certification. I would love to be in a library working with kids every day. My mom worked at the public library a couple days a week after she retired. Maybe I will do that one day? Also, ever since cookie decorating became popular, I’ve thought it would be fun to do. Again, I’m not thinking about a career change…but how fun would it be to make people happy by baking and decorating cute cookies? I’ve taken a few cookie classes for fun, and a lot of hard work goes into even one cookie!
2 places I want to visit: Nantucket continues to be on my dream list to visit. I’ve been to London, but it was when I was in high school…and I really hope to go again and take the kids.
2 accounts I love: Jen Reed (@thesisterstudioig) is just the most down to Earth woman to follow. She’s happy, encouraging, and supportive and just shares so much with her followers. Brittany Garcia (@kingdomofsequins) is so fun! She always starts her stories with “Hey girl!” and just has a bubbly personality. I could definitely be friends with both of those ladies (and they are friends in real life!)
2 books I love: I took a deeper dive into books in Sunday’s “All About Books” post, and it’s difficult for me to choose two of my favorite books. That being said, Where the Crawdads Sing and Becoming Mrs. Lewis were the first two to pop into my mind.
What are two things you can tell me about yourself from this prompt?
Well, the days have started to run together this week, but it is the end of the weekend…and I have another Bloganuary post.
It’s no secret that reading is one of my favorite hobbies. Today, I’m sharing a few fun book graphics and my answers to an “All About Books” prompt.
I like to think that I’m “lives in the book shop/library” and “the bookworm.”
Pinterest/ @idotdoodle
Via Pinterest, I found this “All About Books” prompt…and here are my answers:
C/o Pinterest @glammtemplates
Favorite book: I remember everyone talking about Where the CrawdadsSing, and for whatever reason, I put off reading it. Once I started to read it on vacation a few summers ago, I couldn’t put it down. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to read it. I think the movie is pretty amazing too.
Book I regret reading: Travis asked me once if I ever start a book and don’t finish it…and I told him I used to never quit a book, but now I do if needed. There are so many books that I want to read, so I try not to feel like I “have” to read a book. Anyway, Block Party was a “hot” book this summer, and I trudged through it. I should have stopped reading when I wasn’t enjoying it, but since it was pretty popular, I kept reading…and I wasted time I could have spent on a good book.
Currently reading: I’ve had All the Light We Cannot See on my list for a while, but I finally made it a priority to read because I also want to watch it on Netflix! I’m enjoying, but it’s a long book…so I hope I can finish it soon.
Books I recommend: This varies based on the person or situation…but the Class Mom series is so funny, and Elin Hilderbrand is the queen of beach reads!
A book I can always reread:To Kill a Mockingbird is one that I could read over and over…and do thanks to my job! haha You would think that I would have read this book in high school, but I never did. The first time I read it was right before I taught the unit my first year teaching. Now, over twenty years later, I can say that I’ve read it at least 12-15 times. The past few years, the students I’ve worked with have read the graphic novel version.
Favorite genre:I used to like chick lit and light, easy reads. A few years ago, I really started enjoying historical fiction.
Least favorite genre: I do not like sci-fi or fantasy…books or movies.
Buy or borrow books? It’s pretty rare for me to buy a book. Again, since there are so many I’d like to read, I’m ok with being on the wait list at the library until it’s my turn to read a book. I do love buying books from time to time though.
Write a book someday? I don’t think that’s something I desire to do. I like being the author of Show Me and Sweet Tea. 😉
Pinterest @becauseallthebooks
What’s the best book you’ve ever read?
I will post this template from @glammtemplates on Instagram today. I’d love to know your answers…and don’t forget to tag me in your responses.
I hope you’ve been able to stay warm this week. I know many of us are dealing with winter weather…and we are on NTI day #3 around here.
Today, for…
…I’m continuing with….
Besides WordPress ideas for blogging topics, I have a few ideas saved on Pinterest. One journal prompt was:
Favorite part of my evening.
Is there anything better than getting home after a long day and getting settled for the night?
Today, I’m sharing my top five favorite parts of my evening.
Not counted in the count, but something I love is when I get home, and I know that I don’t have to go back out. Of course, we’re in a busy season of life, so a night at home is a rarity and a treat. If that’s the case, then these five things really apply:
Pajamas!! Now, many times I get home from school, change into workout clothes, and head to the basement for my workout. Even workout clothes are a nice change from wearing school clothes, but as soon as I can put on my pjs and slippers, I’m a happy camper.
Leftovers for dinner! While I love cooking, it’s so nice to just pull a meal out of the fridge to warm up for everyone. Often times, even if we have leftovers, I still add something new to the meal like rolls, salad, or green beans.
Family dinner/everyone is home!
Again, being in a busy season with all of the kids’ activities, we don’t get to eat dinner together every night. So, the two to three nights a week that we are able to do so mean so much to me. That’s one of those “mom things” that I don’t think the kids know that parents appreciate.
I can’t remember if I’ve shared this, but the kids have Language Arts class together this year…and this semester, they have Tech Ed together too. While Hayden doesn’t share as much, Hadley usually has funny stories or the kids end up falling into a conversation about school or the classes they have together, and it’s nice to hear about their day…even if they don’t always like to give us all the details. haha
Hot shower/skin care! Usually right after dinner, I take my evening shower, do my nightly skincare, and put those pjs (back?) on.
I’m still loving a shower steamer when I remember to throw one in the shower. I’m still using body butter, and the Candy Cane one from Trader Joe’s is my favorite this season.
Then, of course, I like washing my face and using my Dime Beauty products along with a few other things. It’s nice to have a clean face that’s ready for bed.
Reading! Once we got back to school, I didn’t have as much time to read. That being said, there are many nights that I scroll my phone for a few minutes, so now I’ve decided to be a bit more intentional about reading time.
When I read on my Kindle, I always read before bed, but if I’m reading a book, that’s harder to do…because Travis is ready for me to turn the lamp off.
Anyway, for the past week, I’ve been reading this book and making sure to read for 20-30 minutes after my shower which has been nice to do.
If Travis and I have time to watch a show together, that’s always good too. We just finished The Night Agent two nights ago, and we loved it. It’s been a long time since we’ve “binge watched” a show together.
Many times, we’ll watch Kentucky or Missouri basketball games too. He’s lucky to have a wife that loves sports…haha
I’ve also started Fool Me Once, and I’m almost finished with The Crown. While those are shows just I watch, it’s nice to have an evening at home to watch them.
How is your weekend going? We had a busy day yesterday, but we don’t have much on tap today. I’m ready for a bit of downtime.
I’m continuing with my Bloganuary posts…
…and sharing about…
When I was little, I loved my Madeline doll based on the Madeline children’s book. The main character lives in an all girls boarding school in Paris, France.
The first pic I found of me with my Madeline doll is at my second birthday party.
I carried that doll everywhere…so much so that I think my mom had to “repair” it at some point by sewing a few parts back on…an eye or arm, maybe? Then, eventually, I even got a new one to replace the original.
Madeline and I logged a lot of time together and many memories.
When the kids were little, I got the Madeline book for Hadley and read it to her often.
I wrote this Let’s Lookpost a couple of years ago about Love Languages.
“Acts of service” continues to be the best gift I can receive…especially from my immediate household. haha
I still really appreciate help picking up, doing the laundry, unloading the dishwasher, etc.
Taking things off my plate is definitely the best gift I could receive.
As far as other gifts…
To be clear, I have everything I need. I don’t need material things. Of course, I appreciate the gesture and thoughtfulness of receiving a gift, but I tend to buy what I need.
That being said, I love cards. I’ve always appreciated a card, a written note, a sticky note saying “Have a great day” and more.
Travis is known for his “bubble letters” which I love.
I don’t get flowers very often, but I do love them!
Kind of like with the cards, I appreciate sentimental gifts…
Sorry to mention it again, but these pics of the kids were my favorite Christmas gift this year. They were such a lovely surprise, and they were perfect!
A few years ago, Travis gave me this burlap print with our address and the year we moved into this house. It’s not anything I would have asked for, but it’s an example of something thoughtful that I see every day and love.
I also really love traditions like receiving two hanging ferns for the front porch as my Mother’s Day gift.
We went to Julep Farm because Trav gave me a gift card to the restaurant there. An “experience” is always a thoughtful gift.
The gift of self-care is always nice.
Years ago, Travis gave me a gift card to the med spa where I now go monthly for my facials. I appreciate having that 45 minutes to an hour every month to take care of myself.
He’s also given me gift cards for manicures/pedicures which I can always use.
Last year for my birthday, Travis gave me a gift card for a massage. Again, that’s not something I typically buy for myself, so I appreciate him “forcing” me to take a break and relax.
This year for Christmas another one of my gifts came in a cute gift bag…gift cards for a massage, dinner out, and a night at a hotel. It was all very thoughtful and unexpected.
Travis and the kids taking the time to think about me and tell me I can take a break and have some time for myself is beyond thoughtful.
So, the gift of self-care really is appreciated!
What’s the greatest gift you could receive?
I will have another post tomorrow — I’m sharing my recent Amazon purchases…buckle up!
Today I’m sharing my first “Bloganuary” post. Yesterday’s WordPress topic was “what colleges have you attended?”
At first I thought this topic might be boring, but then I realized that I had a journey/story for each part of my college career.
University of Missouri:
University of Missouri (KC):
When I graduated high school, I was really uncertain about where I wanted to go or if I even wanted to leave home.
My “homebody” tendencies started early, and I wasn’t much of a “risk taker.” I was really comfortable living at home, working part-time at a dentist office, and sticking with my surroundings. Ultimately, I decided to stay home and attend UMKC which is a smaller branch of the University of Missouri system. Looking back, I still think this was the right decision for me. I was able to ease into college while being in the comfort of what I already knew at home and work.
That being said, I had always liked the idea of going to a bigger college, and in the spring of my freshman year, I applied to University of Missouri-Columbia. (MIZZOU).
University of Missouri (Columbia):
My sophomore-senior years were spent at MIZZOU. Again, the timing really worked well for me. I’m glad I waited to go until my sophomore year. I lived in the dorm that year, so I was able to experience that. I do wonder if I’d gone to MU my freshman year if I would have joined a sorority, but I did make some great friends living in Jones Hall!
I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. My mom was a middle school Language Arts teacher for over 30 years. Also, I loved to read and always had great English teachers. So, I never once changed my major. I was always going to be a high school English teacher. I couldn’t wrap my brain around working with elementary aged kids (they seem so needy…haha), and I just felt like older kids would be a great fit.
I graduated in four years with a B.S. Secondary Education: English (grades 9-12) in May 2002. I feel very fortunate that I entered adulthood debt free thanks to my parents paying for college (and I helped a bit financially by staying home the first year, earning a few college credits while in high school, and even managing the front desk of my dorm as a junior to have free room and board).
I loved CoMo, and stuck around one more year for my first year of teaching.
Rank 2: University of Missouri
I moved to Kentucky after my second year of teaching and started my first Master’s degree after teaching for three years. In Kentucky, the pay scale is by rank. So, teachers earn more every year with experience, but they also move on the pay scale with their rank. With a B.S., it’s Rank 3 pay. One Master’s degree is Rank 2, and then an additional Master’s gets Rank 1 pay. In my district, there is also Rank 1.2 (PhD).
Anyway, I knew I wanted to start on my Rank 2 before we had kids. I was living in Lexington, but the University of Missouri had an online Master’s with a focus in literacy. Literacy had always been something I was interested in. I also knew that having that focus could be of benefit to me as I grew as a professional. I started that program in the fall of 2005.
All of the courses were online, but I really enjoyed having the flexibility of the program and there was no commute! I think I typically took two classes each semester, but maybe I took three one summer?
In May 2008, I earned my M. Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, Focus: Literacy which got me my Rank 2.
I’m so thankful for that degree because right after that, I took a job as a Literacy Coach in my school building and really enjoyed that work.
Rank 1: University of Louisville
The Literacy Coach position came about because the district I was in was a part of a federal grant called Striving Readers. It was a three year grant with partners at the Collaborative for Teaching and Learning in Louisville and the University of Louisville.
As a part of the grant, I had the opportunity to earn a reading specialist degree which would give me my Rank 1. I delayed the start of this work because Travis and I had just had the kids.
Then, my school was able to add an additional year with the grant. Knowing that it was “now or never” and this degree would be paid for, I realized I should go ahead and take advantage of this opportunity. I started working on the degree when the kids were about a year old…I think!
That time period is a blur, and it was a lot of work…but much like my Rank 2, all the courses were online, and I had such great support from my mentors at CTL and U of L.
I enjoyed working on the courses and completing each Capstone. I’d much rather write a twenty page paper than take a test!
In May of 2012, I earned my M. Ed., Reading Specialist, May, 2012, Rank 1 through U of L.
Again, that degree is one of the main reasons I’m able to work as an interventionist today. Both of my Master’s degrees have really led me to wonderful opportunities, and I appreciate that I’ve been able to work in my school in a capacity besides as a traditional classroom teacher.
I know college isn’t for everyone, but I always say that no one can take away your education. Also, through the years, these degrees have enhanced my knowledge and expertise as well as allowed me to better support my family and my future.
So–those are the colleges I attended.
I’m still a big MIZZOU fan, but I can’t cheer for the U of L Cards in my house…haha
I will cheer for the CATS with the rest of the fam.
Like any year, we had our ups and downs, but overall it was a really good one. Here’s the more in-depth recap:
January:
Hadley and friends went to their first school-wide middle school dance.
Hayden played basketball for school.
I turned 43!
February:
The Chiefs won the Super Bowl!
The kids went to the Valentine’s Day dance at school.
I sent Valentine’s Day cards to family per tradition.
Hadley had her first dance competition of the season.
March:
We started off March by losing power for 5 days.
The kids ran in an indoor track meet.
April:
We spent a few days in Greenville, SC for spring break.
We celebrated Easter.
Hayden got his braces off after almost three years.
Track season started.
Hayden met one of his goals by running under five minute (4:59) mile and qualified for state in a few events. Hadley did too in the 400 m.
Travis and I spent an afternoon at Keeneland.
May:
Travis and I kicked off May by going to Oaks.
…and watching Derby at home.
Dance competitions continued…
…including ones on Mother’s Day. I still felt celebrated and loved 🙂
The kids wrapped up 7th grade.
The kids ran in the state track meet in Louisville to wrap up the month.
June:
Hadley had her dance recital at the beginning of June, and decided to hang up her dance shoes to focus on volleyball.
Travis and I made a trip to Julep Farm for a few days.
We also celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary.
July:
Hadley went to camp.
We celebrated the 4th of July, and Hayden ran his first ever 10k.
Hadyen went to running camp, and he loved every minute.
Hadley and I spent a week in Florida, and she brought one of her friends along for the vacay.
We went to KC for a bit to see family. The kids hung out there while Travis and I went to California for a few days.
August:
Del Mar, California…one of my favorite places.
The kids hung out with some UK athletes when we got home.
Volleyball Photo Day.
Tommy Quarles | UK Athletics
We celebrated a friend’s birthday in Nashville.
…and one of Hadley’s friend’s at her bat mitzvah.
We headed back to school in August…8th grade for the kids and year 22 for me.
Cross country ramped up with Hayden starting his 8th grade season, and Travis as the coach again.
September:
Hadley got back into volleyball in September.
The kids, more than the adults, attended the UK football games with friends.
Hayden won the district championship cross country meet.
October:
For fall break, we spent a week in Florida with friends.
Per tradition, we hit up the pumpkin patch.
Hayden ran in the state meet with a top 10 finish.
Hadley and friends went to the first cotillion dance of the season.
October means Keeneland with friends!
The kids were still old enough to have fun on Halloween.
November:
Club season started for running, and Hayden (and team) was off to a great start.
Hayden ran another sub five minute mile, and enjoyed being coached by his dad and his cousin.
School volleyball started for Hadley, and she loved it.
The kids turned 14!!
They had fun with their friends celebrating their birthday.
We headed to KC for Thanksgiving.
We celebrated Hadley at 8th grade night, and volleyball season wrapped up in early December.
December:
Club season continued, and Travis and Hayden traveled to Tallahassee, Florida. Hayden ran in a downpour, but achieved his first All-American status.
Hayden had one more race mid-December to cap off club cross country season.
The kids went to the second cotillion dance: Glitter and Gold Gala
Hadley started off break having so much fun with her friends eating pizza, ice skating, and having a Secret Santa exchange.
We continued Christmas traditions like baking cookies,
…sending Christmas cards,
…seeing the lights at the horse park, and…
…adding a new tradition into the mix: Operation Secret Santa.
Christmas Eve Eve we went to Louisville for Christmas with Trav’s family.
We celebrated Christmas Eve with dinner at home followed by church, and then hung out with friends for a bit.
Christmas day we were at home, and I got the sweetest gifts.
The week between Christmas and the new year was much like it is for everyone…a blur of days with a mix of lazy and productivity. Unfortunately, I was sick for a few days with a sinus infection, but at least I had the downtime.
We celebrated New Year’s Eve with friends last night.
My “focus” words for the year are: faith, forgiveness, and growth.
We have a couple more days of break which we greatly appreciate. And… we’ve started 2024 off with a bedroom refresh for Hadley, so that’s been a fun focus this past week.
I hope you have had a great holiday season.
Last year, I participated in WordPress’ Bloganuary which means I hope to post all 31 days in January. There have been days this past year where it’s been harder to find time to write, but I do feel like January tends to be a slower month, so I’m up to the challenge!
Wow, this week seemed to fly by. After Christmas on Monday, I spent a couple of days sick with a sinus infection. I’m feeling better now and was a bit more productive yesterday.
Of course, I have to wrap up the year with one more Friday Favorites link up with Andrea (and Erika), but today I’m sharing some of my favorite posts that I wrote this year.
A few stats from the year:
Posts: 240
Total words: 165,006
Average words per post: 690
Best day: Friday; Best hour: 8 am
Most popular day: March 14 with 928 views
I started this blog as a hobby in August of 2019. I’m always blown away that people read my posts.
Some all time stats include:
Views: 332.5k
Visitors: 90.9k
Post published: 945
Countries: Readers in 93 countries have read at least one of my posts. That will never not blow my mind.
While some big time bloggers have my annual views in a day, it’s just been fun to see this blog grow year to year.
I love when readers take the time to “like” or comment on a post. I really appreciate and enjoy interacting with my SM&ST readers.
Favorite posts from 2023:
Last year, I shared my 10 favorites posts. This year, I kept a running list throughout the year of posts I really enjoyed writing and sharing.
I ended up with a list of 20, and here they are in the order that I wrote them.
1.
I loved starting the year participating in WordPress’ Bloganuary (and I think I might do this again this year!)
Two January Bloganuary topics were ones I enjoyed writing.
Camp packing list . Since Hadley has gone to camp quite a few summers, this was a fun post of ideas of how she preps for camp.
11.
Not Just a Mom: How We Became Moms Not only did I love writing this post, I enjoyed reading all the other bloggers’ posts who linked up with us.
12.
A travel recap with the 50 states list. This was a blog post that I thought would be a quick one to write. Boy was I wrong! I really enjoyed this trip down memory lane through and all the states I’ve visited through the years.
13.
Hadley’s Hair Tutorial – heatless curls. Hadley showed us step by step how she uses the heatless curlers for her hair.
14.
Friday Favorites/Summer Recap in August. I love a good recap. We had a busy but different summer in 2023.
15.
TV Tuesday: Childhood TV Shows. This was a blast from the past. Also, recently, I’ve found Who’s the Boss? on Hulu, and I’ve loved watching those episodes.
16.
After a week at the beach, I shared a Fall Break Recap. We had fun in the sun with our friends.
17.
Tuesday Talk – All about the Holidays . I loved writing this post and thinking about how we celebrate holidays through the year.
18.
Right before Thanksgiving, I wrote a Thanksgiving Funpost about activities, recipe, tablescapes and more.
19.
I shared all about the Shutterfly ornaments that I ordered with the kids’ Christmas and Santa pics through the years. It was a fun trip down memory lane.
I loved our trip to Julep Farm, and that trip recap is filled with so many pretty pictures and details about that beautiful property and surrounding areas.
Weekly Recap:
A week of recaps…and one more favorite post that I write every year is when I share the books I read and my top 5 favorites…
Today, I’m covering topics #29, #30 and 31 to wrap up this challenge.
29. Bucket List
I’m soooo lame! I can’t really think of anything, and I don’t plan on ever jumping out of an airplane or climbing Mt. Everest!
Even for being a home body, I do have travel on my list. I went to Europe when I was in high school, and I’d love to go there again.
When I was younger, I always said my dream was to be on Wheel of Fortune. I’m pretty good at that game. I guess if I ever get on that show, it will be with Ryan Seacrest as the host!
I have a tattoo on my foot, and I’ve always wanted one on my wrist. We’ll see!
I’d love to see the Golden Girls house!
My brother has been and sent me this pic! Jealous!
30. Favorite Comfort Food
Mac and cheese is for sure the best comfort food for me. I remember as a kid requesting mac and cheese as my birthday dinner. I love a homemade mac and cheese. This is one of my favorite recipes.
Soups and Mexican food are also up there on the list.
31. Weird Quirk of Mine
Oh…where to start?!?! haha
Three popped into my mind pretty immediately.
I’m superstitious about the number 13. I’ve shared that before, but I am. Even little things like the tv or car radio volume…I never have it on 13!
Also, I have a habit of playing with my hair. It’s not even a nervous thing, just something I do. I’ve tried to be cognizant of it, and not do it so much because my hair is thin and short enough!
I’d say my most weird quirk is I use my first two fingers and thumb to play with fabric like my pillow or a shirt. I don’t even know how to explain this but I guess it’s kind of soothing. When I was a kid, I sucked my thumb and held a blanket and did this with the blanket. Now if I’m sitting and thinking or I guess nervous, I do it as well.
Like I said, my list of quirks could go on and on…and on!
Do you have any “weird” quirks?
Anyway, this little “Blog Challenge” was fun. I enjoyed the topics, and there were definitely some I wouldn’t have thought to write about.
