Well, if this hasn’t been the longest week of my life.
And today, one of my twins bit the other twin — HARD — and it was a toliet-cleaning day, so you could say things are going swimmingly today. Currently, T has his hand lodged in a box of PB Crunch and N is drinking water and gargling it loudly. Ahhh, the beauty of twin life. Always noises. Always messes. And always two adorable boys who spend their pre-nap time laughing together. It makes up for all the crazy. Okay, now they’re pulling out every.single.wipe and “cleaning” the carpet. Back to the noisy mess part. (Don’t kids always just seem to know when mom is trying to get work done? It’s like their sixth sense or something, right??)
In today’s edition of Thursday Things, we have a great lineup I’ll share as I eat my healthy lunch of chocolate chips: earworms, awesome crowdfunding projects that deserve your dough, a dissertation (maybe) on why Utah is awesome, and YouTube rabbit holes you should fall down. Aren’t just chomping at the bit to read on? I knew it.
1. Bop, bop, bop to the top. Hey, wanna talk about that time I was at the communal gym at my apartment complex and I accidentally cast (via Chromecast) the SONG FROM THE TROLLS SOUNDTRACK I was listening to onto the room’s TV?? HAHAHAHHA, lol @ my life. Seriously. It was such a me moment, but I have yet to return to the gym, so there’s that. (I’ve mastered the look-around-the-room-like-it-wasn’t-you face so well.) Anyway, with that enchanting moment recounted, I must admit that I am one of those people who HAS to have music to exercise. Even if I’m simultaneously watching the news on the gym TVs, I also have to my earbuds in and music blasting. Whether it keeps me from focus off the agonizing torture I’m inflicting on myself, or I’m using the tunes to imagine I’m in a super cool athletic-themed music video, I don’t know. But it works for me. So I’m always looking for those bops to keep me plugging away on the Stairmaster. Okay, fine. Walking slowly on the treadmill. Whatever. Anyway, this is the latest jam on my workout playlist – a total earworm. Get ready to have it stuck in your head until the end of time.
2. Can I just say how awesome crowdfunding is? It’s the coolest business ideas + financial teamwork and I am HERE.FOR.IT. I’m stoked because a project I’m really excited about — a journaling edition of my favorite book — reached waaaaay over its finding goal and I cannot wave my (virtual) foam finger high enough.
This led me to think: what other great ideas are out there looking for pennies on Kickstarter? Why not give sacrifice your fancy lunch out for one day and put those dollars behind a great project? You’ll be supporting small businesses and could even score some sweet backer perks. Here are a few I’m totally behind:
- Little Sous Kitchen Academy: “A Creative Cooking Box for Kids: A monthly box that teaches and empowers the next generation of cooks—and connects families in the kitchen.” I didn’t really learn to cook later in my life, and it has impacted my life in so many ways. Teaching kids confidence in the kitchen is HUGE. Plus, what a great way to bond.
- The Candy Store: A Documentary: “The tale of a miraculous friendship between a young Iranian artist & the proprietor of the last all-night candy store in NYC.” I love storytelling. That’s why I’m a writer, hello? I crave the brave and unique stories of others, and this one is sure to be a heart-rending must-see.
- Art Snack – Vending Machine: “Art Snack is Santa Barbara’s premier vending machine art gallery. All art pieces are original, high-quality, handmade, and under $20.” Uhm, an art vending machine? Yes, please!
- Pillow Playsets: A World of Play, Hidden Away: “Transform your couch into a play kitchen, a dollhouse, or a doctor’s office. When playtime is over it all folds up into a throw pillow!” Yep, totally buying these for my twins. Genius.
3. The Beehive State is awesome. I lived there for 6 years while I was going to school (and it’s where I met my man, nbd), and while it sometimes has the living-in-a-bubble feeling, there are so many reasons to love it. Let me count the (many) ways: 1. Mountains that are so beautiful they look like a painting. 2. General religious atmosphere. 3. Incredible arts and culture. 4. The alma mater that I love. I could seriously write a dissertation on why it’s so great. But I won’t. Not yet. But for now, let’s just focus on how in SLC there is a HALL OF BREAKFAST. Like, !!!!! Seriously, I need to go there STAT. You all heard me rave about my love for the MoIC, but this surprises that adoration, no question. Breakfast is without a doubt the best meal of the day, so this is basically my dream. (Any SLC peeps been there? Send pics or it didn’t happen!) And I mean, listen to this teaser: “Our tribute to that morning moment when anything feels possible, Hall of Breakfast is an interactive pop-up experience celebrating everything about breakfast, from the trivial to the transcendent. Bask in the light of an egg yolk sunrise. Slide down a bacon slide. Snap a pic with a pineapple flamingo as you lounge in a giant neon fruit bowl.” *heart eyes*
4. The YouTubez. Guys, sometimes I get so lost in YouTube rabbits holes of dance choreography/Carpool Karaoke/Ellen recaps and an hour has passed and I’m like adljfaksjdfksdf what just happened. But sometimes we just need to step away from our to-do lists for a second and watch every single Backstreet Boys music video released since 1993. Oh…is that just me? Anyway, my newest naptime pastime is watching (and rewatching) Kalen Reacts videos. I swear, he is my spirit animal. Watch his videos and pee your pants laughing. …again, just me?
(A few of my favorite quotes from “Kalen Reacts to the Royal Wedding“):
“Ain’t nobody got time for bags under they eyes for sleep deprivation, absolutely not.”
“Is that Mother Oprah? Long. Live. The. Queen. Yes, indeed.”
“I need to go get on Bumble and find me somebody royal to wed. No exceptions.”
“Let’s get crackin’. …Or is it crumpets?”
“Can I get that through your H&M line?”
“This is way better than the marriage of Mia Thermopalis, Queen of Genovia.”
“Honey, that designer done bamboozled you…I hope you got the receipt…maybe they price match!”
Well, it’s lunchtime for the kiddos around these parts. Don’t you just hate it when they have to eat?? It’s like, hello?? I just fed you yesterday. Gosh. So needy.
