Hello! Hello!Welcome to another weekly episode of Good Things where I give you a peek into my everyday life during the week, and roundup my good links, ideas, books, and more.
Another change of scenery! Today I flew to LA where I’m sharing what we do at Ompractice at #VIVE digital health conference (thank you, AARP Innovation!)
While the week will be lots of work, making connections, and being on my feet, I’m squeezing in as much curiosity time as I can get while I’m in LA.
I managed to get to the Broad tonight for an hour before closing. And in highly exciting news, I was snuck into the Kusama exhibit at the Broad tonight without a ticket because of a very kind museum staff person! Thank you, Jen!
TOPICS on my mind this week:
Emojis: I had a few interesting conversations about emoji this week, including learning about a law professor who specializes in emoji(s?) and the law. (I did just learn that ‘emojis’ is the preferred plural by AP Stylebook. One reason I love them is how they help people better express their emotion. I’m also a fan of the memes where people ask you to “describe your day in emoji”. ❄️🏃🏻♀️☕️✈️👩🏻💻🐻👯♂️🍣🖼️🍜.
Spoon Theory: I had to have a challenging conversation with a friend about my energy levels and capacity to do things. If you haven’t heard the term “Spoon Theory”, this is a good link. Generally speaking, it’s a way to describe a decrease in energy capacity throughout the day for those living with chronic health conditions. In my case, I have boundless amounts of physical energy, but my executive function drastically decreases regularly (and usually at inopportune times). It makes it challenging to do certain things: scheduling, pro-active outreach, or spending time with friends 1-1. (Even when I really want to!)
Fair Play: I’m fascinated by “Fair Play” cards, designed to better balance the emotional labor and household management between partners (or even roommates) and this was a great (if not depressing) essay on the topic.
Women’s Hobbies: on that note, I also read this phenomenal piece by Anne Helen Peterson, about gender-coded hobbies, and who gets quality leisure time. Spoiler alert, it’s not the women. (But it’s much more fascinating an essay than the surface level thesis!)
Bluey. What’s not to love? Seriously, if you’ve not watched yourself some Bluey (maybe you don’t have a small child to watch it with – truly, watch it yourself and heal your inner child.
More Good Reading
Typically I work on planes (some of my favorite places to write!) but the internet was cranky today on my 6+ hours cross country. I did manage to get about 13 articles written on a project to re-organize and update the Ompractice support knowledgeable, but aside from that, I tried to spend time catching up on some reading.
I really enjoyed this interview David Epstein (author of one of my favorite validating books ‘Range’) with Pablo Torre. There’s not much I love more than wildly curious people interviewing wildly curious people. I love the far ranging topics.
A Few More Moments from the Museum
Some Keith Haring at the BroadKara WalkerBarbara Kruger
Other Good Things
📖 Reading: I’ve been reading Mistborn (Wax and Wayne) – I’m on the last book in this series. Fortunately there are several series in the same general universe. I’ve picked up Charles Duhigg’s Supercommunicators after listening to an episode of LifeKit with him featured that I quite enjoyed!
📺 Watching: Next Goal Wins on Disney+, a feel good movie by Taika Waititi about the true story of the American Samoa national soccer team.
🛍 Good Acquisitions: my Rancho Gordo Bean Club Shipment and my Burlap and Barrel Spice Club shipment arrived in the same week.
🤣 Memes and randomness of the week: this absolutely insane story about the Strava Chipotle Burrito Challenge // you can still buy Brain Quest and Cricket Magazine
Santa Barbara Uni at Sugarfish today!
The Weekly Meal Plan:
On hiatus this week! I’ll be eating good things in LA (both at the conference, and when I manage to sneak out. If you’d like some food inspiration though, please look at this INCREDIBLE web page highlighting the food (where/when/what) at this conference this week. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something so beautiful!
Edamame Tuna Sashimi – ponzu and chives Albacore Sushi – ponzu and chives, 2-pc Salmon Sushi – toasted sesame, 2-pc Toro Hand Roll Japanese Yellowtail* Sushi – lemon, 1-pc Hirame* Sushi – yuzu ponzu, 1-pc Blue & Dungeness Crab Hand Roll
(Plus ankimo and uni!)
**Unbelievably good chicken soup** from Hangari Kalguksu
Today’s dinner: an absolutely insane Chicken Kalguksu soup from Hangari Kalguksu. Hand pulled noodles, anchovy and chicken broth with dates, squash, zucchini. Pickled vegetables. Kimchi. I’m rarely shocked by a meal but this was beyond.
🥑 Good Eats from this past week: scallops and pasta with eggplant sauce. Wasa crackers with boursin, kalles, and maple butter. Pork tenderloin, french fries, and paprikash mustard from my Burlap + Barrel spice subscription. Chicken soup dumplings, cabbage, and chicken cutlet. Salmon with sherry vinegar and tahini beets. La Fermière desserts (chocolate, creme vanille, and creme caramel). Sukhi’s Chicken Tikka from the fridge case, cauliflower, with coriander chutney.
Hello! Hello!Welcome to another weekly episode of Good Things where I give you a peek into my everyday life during the week, and roundup my good links, ideas, books, and more.
This week’s Photo of the Week brought to you by a very cute Bertram in a cone (we scratched our eye again.) When we walk outside, people either are immediately sympathetic – or think that I’m mildly insane for walking my dog around in a travel pillow.
Last week’s highlight was a long awaited cheese class led by the ever entertaining Adam Centamore at Formaggio Kitchen with our Boston Area Wellesley Club, which included a tour of the cheese cave.
Even with above-average food and cheese knowledge, I’m always interested in learning new things, and classes at Formaggio never disappoint! (I think my favorite fun fact was that goat cheese is white because goats process beta carotene much better than cows, and thus don’t have any in their milk.)
Topics of Interest:
Usually when I sit down to write, I start out with a list of topics that I’m interested or I’ve been thinking about. Here are some of the things on my mind this week:
Cheese cave horror story: at a cheese class this week at Formaggio, Adam recalled the horror story of someone going into the cheese cave (years and years ago) and leaving a half eaten sandwich on a shelf – which ended up completely destroying the flora of the entire cave.
The Roman Empire: if you haven’t seen the memes – this is a trend of people asking their (usually male) partners how often they think of the Roman Empire. (The answer? A lot more than you’d expect.)
Ryan and Lucy’s Pet of the Week: Ryan and Lucy have Meg the Frenchie, and five cats, and each week they choose a pet of the week. (Logged in an apple note.)
This Week in Good Things:
💪 Let’s MOVE! I lifted 500 pounds. If you have not tried barbell hip thrusts… I whole heartedly recommend.
🥣 Family Dinner: my mom and brother live an hour away in New Hampshire, and we’ve started doing a family dinner at a restaurant once a month. This month was da LaPosta: winter chicories salad, fried calamari, bagna cauda pizza, and chicken parm. With some mini cheesecake from Crystal Bakery next door to go.
🐾 Pup Walks with Friends: I needed to be lured out of the house this afternoon, to get some steps in the cold weather, so Bertram and I ended up on a walk with Somchay and Penny.
🗝✨ Keys to the Kingdom: one of my favorite Wellesley alums, Darcy, gave us a mini zoom tour – an abbreviated version of the five hour Keys to the Kingdom tour at Magic Kingdom she used to give as a Disney cast member.
A Smattering of Other Good Things
📖 Reading: This week I finally dove into Sarah J. Maas’ newest Crescent City Book. I’ve also been listening to the Butcher & Blackbird on Audible, seduced by BookTok’s recommendation of the double narrator duo.
📺 Watching: I finished The Brothers Sun (dark action comedy). It was entertaining, violent, very silly, and just what I needed.
🛍 Good Acquisitions: working out at home is $ when you get stronger. I got myself another heavier dumbbell this week.
🚽 Tackling a nagging task: this week’s nagging task was replacing a toilet seat that had broken. If you ever need to go to Home Depot with zero crowds, highly recommend going during the Superbowl.
🤣 Memes and randomness of the week: the Dune marketing team popcorn swag choice (I’d say it’s NSFW… but they rolled these out at the theaters!) // I’m (still) obsessed with this woman’s father who goes to the bar every week with a list of topics for his friends to discuss. // This relatable image:
The Weekly Meal Plan:
Still working through my long list of foods I’d like to eat in January. I’ve been eating my meals with some of the fruits of my labor (a Pondicheri cooking class where I made minced garlic, ginger, a green masala, and a coconut masala). Having pre-caramelized onions on hand in a good sized quantity is SO handy.
Sunday: Cauliflower and Crispy Chicken with cocktail sauce
Monday: Shrimp bowl with rice, cabbage salad, pineapple salsa, guacamole
Tuesday: Steak, broccoli, blue cheese and balsamic
Snacks: Yogurt and berries (I’m on a berry kick, even though they aren’t in season), soft boiled eggs, cottage cheese, cheese sticks.
Treat options: TJ’s Tarte Tatin. TJ’s Pretzel Bread Pudding. TJ’s Iced Gingerbread in the freezer. Peppermint Hold the Cones. Fried bananas. TJ’s Chocolate Cheesecake Freezer Bites.
🥑 Good Eats from this past week: Bulgogi, rice, napa cabbage. This recipe of greek baked fish, made significantly easier with pre-cooked caramelized onions in the fridge. Nachos, and nacho bowls. Baked salmon, french fries, and cocktail sauce.
What are you eating this week?
Previous Years:
Something I really enjoy doing is flipping back in my journal or my blog to the week of the year over the past several years. When I write it out in a list like this, it feels like a nice accomplishment!
Hello! Hello!Welcome to another weekly episode of Good Things where I give you a peek into my everyday life during the week, and roundup my good links, ideas, books, and more.
Set out for some change of scenery in Texas (Houston, at the Land Bridge)
Last week I found myself getting a last minute change of scenery in Houston, Texas. I made a snap decision to get a ticket to see 3 month old Michael-Poundcake, and help my bff Caroline get a little extra sleep during the night while I fed some bottles and got in some late night snuggles with the sweetest baby.
I’ve never actually been to Houston in January, and very much enjoyed blue skies and mid-50s/low 60s for most of my time there. In addition to lots of happy baby time, I also managed to get my requisite fresh tortilla eating, and consume two breakfast kolaches.
February Intentions
Each month I sit down and write out a list of intentions for the month ahead. It’s not exactly a to-do list, more like an “options” list. Place-holders also help me make space for more exciting adventures! How do I want to feel this month? January felt like a bit of a wallop, but I still managed to make time for myself. Many of my intentions remain the same month to month, but I try to pick out a few new things regularly!
Out and About
Photography Walk with my nice camera • Movie Theater on $7 Tuesday • Dog Walks with friends (already squeezed one in this morning!) • Movie Night at Home with Popcorn • Monthly Boston dinner with my friend Kathy • Monthly family dinner out with my mom and brother (Capital Grille?) • Disney in Anaheim!
Good Eats
Formaggio Kitchen Cheese Tasting • Still working off my Food in January List • Clementines, Grapefruit, Cara Caras, all the citrus! • Lunar New Year Treats: (Longevity Noodles, Eight Treasures Rice) • Food in California (I’ll be at a conference, and then a day at Disney)
Self Care
Yearly Dermatologist Appointment • Wax some things off • Self-Care List • Massage • Eye Masks in the fridge in the morning • Stick on Nails until you can get a manicure again • Float Spa (want to test Float and The Indoor Oasis) • Sauna at Kelo
Move!
Lift (Weekly Lifting 3x at home with lifting schedule printed out, 1 at gym) • CRAW
Update Lists
Inputs List (Podcasts, Reading, Watching) • Recipes to Cook • Cooking Projects 2024 • Bean of the Month • Hobonichi Monthly Review 2024 • Placeholders for “Once in a Lifetime monthly activities”
List 5 things to giveaway on Buy Nothing • Order lid screws for toilet • Get knives sharpened • Break down the massive cardboard box in the back • Finish TAXES • Quarterly Kitchen Purge
Inputs
📺 Watch: Polite Society • Délicieux • Spirited Away • Reservoir Dogs • The Lost Boys • Anatomy of a Fall • True Detective (TV) • The Brothers Sun (TV) • Fargo (TV) • The Bear (TV) • New Season of Queer Eye (TV) • Jury Duty (TV) • Dr. Who (TV)
This Week in Good Things:
🔎 Taste Test: Girl Scout Cookie Throwdown: Caramel DeLites vs Samoas, for #science — some noticeable differences out the gate: bag and box. I grew up selling Samoas as a Brownie, personally. Samoas are generally a little smaller, darker and slightly toastier coconut. Caramel DeLites a tiny bit sweeter. Honestly I’m surprised at how similar they still ended up tasting! (Nominally prefer Samoas, but it’s hard to tell them apart much more than the color!)
💪 Let’s MOVE! I think the most wild thing – a few weeks ago, I decided to try out some Barbell Hip Thrusts. I had only tried them at home with a heavy dumbbell, and because it wasn’t ever very comfortable, assumed that I’d not be able to do well with the barbell. In week one, I started out getting to 315 pounds, and by adjusting the setup, got up to 495 pounds last week, which honestly is *wild* to me.
✍️ Writing: been enjoying writing in my Hobonichi, and also writing for guidance, where you write questions and then listen for the answers – with the new Julia Cameron book, Living the Artists Way.
🐾 Pup Walks with Friends: we had a very fun romp with Gus and Hazel, our pug friends in the little pen.
🌸 Flowers of the Week: Purple mums (two colors) from Trader Joe’s. Looking forward to my spring flower share starting!
Good Ideas
This wisdom from Marie Poulin. (I’ll note that for me, personally, chill nervous system usually is a result of a good dose of adventuring!)
Other Good Things
📖 Reading: I’ll be updating my reading list (here is last quarter). I’ve been reading Mistborn (Wax and Wayne) before diving into the new Sarah J. Maas Crescent City Book this week.
📺 Watching: Party-watched ‘Echo’ with my friend Caroline, and finished watching BEEF. I can best describe BEEF as a show where each successive episode you say to yourself “well.. that escalated quickly”.. until you get to the very end. The Last Repair Shop on Disney+ if you need a heart warming 40 minute documentary about music in LA schools. Got started on the newest season of Queer Eye.
🛍 Good Acquisitions: the Aquanotes Big Shower Edition (these are incredible). I use this the pad every time I take a shower. Still wildly enjoying my Duraflame Electric Fireplace, including our new morning routine where I read next to the fire, and Bertram sleeps in his dog bed in front of the fire.
🤣 Memes and randomness of the week: This insane speedskating race at the youth olympics // I’m obsessed with this woman’s father who goes to the bar every week with a list of topics for his friends to discuss.
Bacon, egg, and cheese kolache at the Kolache Shoppe
The Weekly Meal Plan:
Still working through my long list of foods I’d like to eat in January. I’ve been eating my meals with some of the fruits of my labor (a Pondicheri cooking class where I made minced garlic, ginger, a green masala, and a coconut masala)
Sunday: Saucy scallops with mushrooms and rice
Monday: Tandoori chicken and naan, leftover vegetables in fridge
Tuesday: Steamed fish with rice, baby bok choy, braised mushrooms
Wednesday: Rice bowl with salmon, tomato, avocado, cucumber, pickled onions
Thursday: Yuba (tofu skin) peanut noodles
Friday: Out! to my neighbor’s for dinner
Saturday: Beef Nachos
Sunday: Formaggio Cheese Tasting (yes…. on Superbowl Sunday)
Snacks: Yogurt and berries (I’m on a berry kick, even though they aren’t in season), soft boiled eggs, cottage cheese, cheese sticks.
Treat options: Burdicks chocolate winter box (working my way through one bite at a time). TJ’s Pretzel Breadpudding. TJ’s Iced Gingerbread in the freezer. Peppermint Hold the Cones. Fried bananas. TJ’s Chocolate Cheesecake Freezer Bites
🥑 Good Eats from this past week: Trader Joe’s Peanut satay sauce with chicken, rice, and cabbage. Bacon Egg and Cheese Kolache from the Kolache Shoppe. Sonny + Joe’s Sauteed Eggplant. Copper Cow Churro Coffee Pourovers. Layla Peach Drinkable Yogurt.
What are you eating this week?
Previous Years:
Something I really enjoy doing is flipping back in my journal or my blog to the week of the year over the past several years. When I write it out in a list like this, it feels like a nice accomplishment!
The Second Lunch is a (mostly) food blog by Sam Tackeff about recipes, food writing, ingredient hunting, travel, healthy living, fitness, and everything in between.
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