2 Opinions and Memes

1. You don't have to make sourdough. I let my starter go --it basically just lived in the fridge last spring and wasn't any good. My friend gave me an unconstituted starter over the summer to start anew. I finally attempted this last week. It didn't work. In fact, it grew mold! I had my other starter for over a year and it never did that. I decided I could try again but no. I can buy a loaf from Aldi for $3 each week. 

2. Speaking of Aldi: I don't like their food. Like, generally, I do not like shopping there. The Aldi in Missouri was a lot nicer than the Aldi here, too, so that probably has something to do with it. But I've always felt this way about Aldi. I can buy the staples: milk, butter, baking ingredients, whatever. I get the kids some snacks there. It's a lot cheaper for those things but I'm never excited about going there. I don't like their produce. It doesn't last. The bananas are always green and then they over-ripen overnight. So I bought a bunch of organic bananas last week because they were actually yellow and ...they over-ripened overnight. So they're in the fridge and maybe I'll make banana bread or maybe I'll toss them like the last bunch. Who can say...

I don't know what Walmart does to their produce but it's always the best bet. 

I think this is from the one in June. I mean, it worked: We don't have a king. Why are they protesting for something they already have?

I can't take women's rights advice from a self-proclaimed feminist who used her rights to go $100k in debt for an English degree (at best).

I've never been able to drink more than one sip of eggnog. 

I made sauce on the stove last week because I knew this would happen if I pulled out the crockpot. 

I saw a Facebook article that said "Deer are more active this time of year. Find out why.". Amateurs. 

I saw posts about how we should all be antifa. We're at the last stage here.

I don't know why this is funny. It's not funny-funny but it's comical in the sense that it looks like the apocalypse. Someone in the comments posted "This is what happens when it snows and gets cold at the same time. It's serious." And someone said "you mean winter?"

I did learn last week that the "best" games are for Thursday, Sunday, and Monday nights, followed by late Sunday afternoon. The "worst" games are sent overseas on purpose or have that 1pm eastern slot on Sundays. 

Exactly how it should be. 

Mondays thoughts & unpopular opinions & memes

I posted on instagram about how unsure I've felt about our co-op situation and I've been waffling a lot on it and don't believe we'll be doing it next semester. They meet on Friday mornings so, by Thursday, I'm overwhelmed by the idea of attending and Friday is a complete unproductive wash because of it. I don't want to do anything else or accomplish anything else and it's a really terrible way to set myself up for success for the weekend. It's actually worse than it used to be going to work on Friday (because at least that was part of the routine, if that makes sense). This is just an intrusive commitment that jumbles up the end of the week.  It's why I haven't mustered up the energy to write Friday posts for last two weeks. The last two Fridays have also been 87 degrees and .... that's enough to make anyone take to their bed. 

This is me on Thursday nights right now:

Scott bought Wells a terrarium from someone he works with. This person makes them to sell. You never ever take the cork out and the light is set to be on for 8 hours a day. It has these little worms in it that eat the mold that develops from the moisture? It's like a rainforest in a fishbowl and this one has George Washington slaying a dinosaur in it. I told Scott this will really mess up Wells' understanding of history. 

Unpopular opinions: 

I think spending all your time on youth sports isn't good for anyone. 

I played youth sports. I played rec leagues, mostly, because that's all we had in the 90s, but I don't even think it's about church attendance. It's about the sheer time commitment to parents and the over-scheduling of children. I know many love it but also, once you're so far in, you can't just quit; you're committed. 

Guess what kids do for hours every day in their classroom? They play on devices. Wells would literally start his day on a Chromebook at 7:30am, with a piece of candy in hand for completing his homework. This is *encouraged* in schools because administration is always impressed by the "use of technology" and parents see "1:1" and assume the school is "on top of things and keeping up with the times". 

I don’t think attending Share the Arrows seems even a little bit worth the effort. 

Reasons include: 

Dallas is far.

It’s one day. 

I’ve been to enough PD and conferences to know sitting in a chair all day is boring and uncomfortable.

It’s hot in Texas right now. 

It’s one day. 

I have listened to these speakers now or in the past and I know exactly what their POVs and speeches will be. You're not going to get anything from this that you couldn't get from their Youtube channels. 

I don’t like Taylor Dukes and don’t buy into her kool-aid. 

It’s ONE day. 

It should at least be a 2-3 day event with things to do, breakout sessions, local meet-ups, whatever. 

Merch should be included in the price of admission. 

I’m not contesting that it takes a lot of money to put on a conference. I’m saying that for one day, hundreds to thousands of dollars for a ticket plus airfare and hotel stays isn’t worth it. It doesn’t contain new or groundbreaking information. I know what Allie Stuckey is going to say. I know what Katy Faust is going to say. I know what Abbie Halberstadt's message is. Same with Alisa Childers. I've read their books!

I get that it’s about fellowship but it’s really hard to have fellowship with strangers when you spend exactly 8 hrs (or less) together and then fly back to your homes in opposite states. 

Prove me wrong here: 

It’s Allie Stuckey building her brand and that’s it. I’m not saying she can’t do that. I’m just saying…*gestures wildly at all that up there*

THAT BEING SAID, go watch ABS's Surrounded debate that came out yesterday. Absolutely killing it in speaking Truth using love and decency. 

My favorite this week:

 

My kids love all the scary things, which is weird right? 

We do Halloween but I generally stay away from the scary stuff just because I'm more of a #fall person than a "spooky season" person. 

This is them at Home Depot, just delighted beyond belief:

Funny Monday memes.

 I've gone all in on TV shows over the years. I went through a heavy Downton Abbey phase maybe 10 years ago or whatever and I'm considering watching The Gilded Age because it seems like it'd be good.

This is where I'm at right now. Also, what is money? Does it even matter?

To me, there's little worse than 90s/early 2000s country. I can't handle it. This is funny though:

And can we say that Tim McGraw's greatest accomplishment may have been 1883?

And it sounds dumb but LDW is greater than ALL the other weekends. It signals the start of all the good things. 

Travis Kelce has an AE line now. There has to be some crazy 3D version of a Venn diagram concerning Swifties, leftists, race baiters, and NFL fans. 

The title of this was "Mnemonic device for remembering the Great Lakes"

Bill Belichick and his 24 year old girlfriend. 

My favorite posts of back-to-school season: 

Concerning the royal family: Do those who stan Meghan Markle not know anything about her and just live in their own world or do they just not care? I don't care and I also don't know everything but I've read and listened to enough to wonder if people do this on purpose. 

We should never let her forget that she was in Cats. Never. 

I am about to figure out how to mute everything concerning this Earth-shattering event, but this is the winner: