This is the first post in what I hope becomes a regular series, a place for the little victories worth celebrating, the annoyances that deserve side-eye, and the random moments that somehow make up real life. Let's get to it... this week's collection of Tiny Wins, Petty Woes, and everything in between.
──── ❤️ Tiny Wins ────
❤️ Administrative Professionals Day made me feel genuinely appreciated at work.
Wednesday brought cards, kind emails, a plant, candy, lots of recognition, homemade coffee cake, and a lunch planned for next week. It’s always nice to see the people who keep everything moving get recognized. I know how rare it can be to find a healthy workplace, so I don’t take it for granted. I’m lucky to work with a great team where we all get along and the environment stays positive.
❤️ The monthly Bingo Squishmallow saga continued.
Last month, Holden won the monthly Squishmallow raffle. This month, my mom technically won, but Caleb immediately claimed the prize like a tiny hostile corporate takeover specialist.
❤️ I got completely pulled into Trust Me: The Lost Prophet.
I’ll watch almost anything involving cults, religious grifters, or spectacular delusion, and this documentary series delivered in spades. The self-proclaimed prophet was an absolute clown: white leather motorcycle jacket, dreams of convincing the Queen to move here via music video, and a strong desire to be filmed running over rocks and attempting motorcycle stunts. The filmmaker, Tolga, provided excellent commentary throughout that was completely hilarious.
❤️ Started The Dark Wizard on HBO Max and was instantly interested.
After finishing Trust Me, I needed another documentary series to fill the void. This one follows Dean Potter, a fearless and controversial climber whose record-setting stunts were matched by personal struggles behind the scenes. I was hooked right away and am already looking forward to the upcoming episodes. Always a good sign when I’m invested immediately instead of scrolling for 45 minutes first.
❤️ New snacks entered the chat.
Crumbl brownie dippers and Earth Day pudding dirt sundaes at Bingo both made an appearance this week, which feels like the kind of nonsense dessert innovation I fully support.
❤️ Kindle Unlimited is back in my life... for now.
I only subscribe when I can get a good deal, and I found a two-month offer worth taking.
❤️ I finally set up my hands-free reading system.
I’d had a tablet holder and remote page turner for quite a while, and finally got everything set up for reading in bed with both arms safely under the blanket. Peak comfort technology.
❤️ The scale is moving again.
After a couple of stalled weeks, my weight loss has started kicking back into gear. Always nice when patience finally pays off. And bonus: I finally hit 30 pounds lost since November!
❤️ Another musical with my aunt.
We saw A Beautiful Noise, the Neil Diamond musical. It probably won’t crack my all-time favorites list, but I had a really good time and enjoyed it more than I expected.
❤️ Spring is trying.
Not every day. Not consistently. But there have been moments where it remembers what season it’s supposed to be.
❤️ My weekly brownie mix testing has a current champion.
I’ve been trying a new brownie mix every week, purely in the name of public service. So far, the clear winner is the Ghirardelli Ultimate Chocolate mix. It costs a couple dollars more than the basic cheap boxes (just under $4 a box), but the difference is noticeable. Richer, better texture, worth it. More contenders are still ahead, and I’ll report back if anything manages to dethrone it. And also, why is this my second mention of brownies in one week?! Priorities.
❤️ My McDonald’s app glory days have returned.
All last year, I was living the dream with a free fries of any size deal when I bought a drink, which meant I could get a large fry and Diet Coke for around $1.50 like the budget queen I was born to be. The deal disappeared at the start of the year and I took it personally. But recently? It returned to my app. We are so back.
❤️ A music rabbit hole in the best way.
I’ve been really enjoying Smithfield lately, a country duo I discovered a couple of years ago. They just released a new song, Giving Up on Us, that I’m mildly obsessed with. I’ve also been revisiting older songs and finding new favorites all over again. They deserve to be far more well-known than they are. Incredible voices, and they’re refreshingly interactive with fans too.
──── 👎 Petty Woes ────
👎 I somehow lost my brand new enhanced license.
Yes. My three month old, nearly $200 enhanced license went missing. A couple of hours of panic later, I discovered a replacement was only $17.50. Honestly shocking. I ordered a new one immediately and considered that a partial emotional refund. Sidenote: the DMV website SUCKS and I had to wrestle with that for a bit before finally placing my order.
👎 Holden discovered the 4 a.m. hour.
Twice this week so far. I am operating on fumes and vague determination.
👎 The cold made its rounds.
Holden had a cold, which likely contributed to one of the early wake-ups, because illness loves to arrive with bonus inconvenience.
👎 I’ve been dealing with a belly button infection.
Yes, it is exactly as weird as it sounds. Antibiotics have helped, but it still isn’t fully healed, which feels rude at this point. I'm hoping I won't have to go back to the doctor again, but I messaged her an update. We'll see what she says!
👎 A hopeful opportunity didn’t pan out.
I spent most of the week anxiously waiting to hear back about something I really wanted, so it was a real letdown when the answer wasn’t what I’d hoped for. Disappointing, yes, but not the end of the story.
👎 Spring is still unreliable.
See also: false hope, cold wind, seasonal gaslighting. And yes, I know this also appears in my wins for the week. April weather giving us straight whiplash over here!
👎 My daily McDonald’s Diet Coke got more expensive. Again.
Once upon a time it was $1. Then it became $1.39. Now it’s $1.49. Is this still affordable? Yes. Will I survive? Also yes. But I reserve the right to be dramatically offended. And also, I clearly have a McDonald's problem. Two shout-outs in one week, SMH.
──── ➡️ Carrying Into Next Week ────
Hoping for more sleep, steadier weather, healed body parts, continued momentum, and better news where it counts. Until then, we keep moving.
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