Category — Friday Blog Roundup

Every year, on March 9, the ALI community comes together to perform random acts of kindness in Thomas’s name. I believe this is the 19th year. The action can be little or big. You can tell the person you did it for Thomas or quietly take action and whisper it to the universe when you’re alone. It’s really up to you.

And it’s incredible to think about how much good a person can still accomplish, even if they’re not here.

*******

Stop procrastinating. Go make your backups. Don’t have regrets.

Seriously. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. It will take you fifteen minutes, tops. But you will have peace of mind for days and days. It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

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And now the blogs…

But first, second, helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. To read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “Repetition” (No Kidding in NZ)

Okay, now my choices this week.

Dear John approaches the anniversary of her husband’s death with a letter explaining that she still misses him. She writes, “I don’t really know how people move on. I guess they’re more comfortable letting people into their lives, where I am somewhat more reserved.” And I found the Doritos moment touching, for lack of a better word.

Finding a Different Path has a story of technology to the rescue (computer) after technology failed her (car) when she was on her way to a book event. “I was so proud to be a part of it, and so bummed not to be there in person to chat with people after. But also so grateful that they were willing to zoom me in to share my fringe-y perspective on the need for reform in adoption.”

The roundup to the Roundup: Do a random act of kindness. Your weekly backup nudge. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between March 1 – 8) and not the blog’s main URL. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week. Read the original open thread post here.

It occurred to me earlier in the week that because employers base salaries on a 365-day calendar, everyone worked for free yesterday with the leap day. It would have been brilliant if the world had given the day as a holiday; 24 extra hours of found time to do with as you wish. But it didn’t, so I worked as if it were a typical day, albeit with an unusual date at the top of my notes.

What did you do with the leap day?

*******

Stop procrastinating. Go make your backups. Don’t have regrets.

Seriously. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. It will take you fifteen minutes, tops. But you will have peace of mind for days and days. It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second, helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. To read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “Is Positive Thinking Really THAT Powerful?” (Finding a Different Path)

Okay, now my choices this week.

The Road Less Travelled wins for coolest post experience this week. She wrote a book review, explaining how an unnecessary dig at childlessness ruined a few pages of the book for her. The author, S.J. Bennett, jumped into the comment section and gave the best answer, thanking her for pointing it out and stating that she would try to change it in future editions. I’m reading the same book right now (though not quite to that chapter), and it made me love it even more, and it was already a five-star book for me, just like the first three books in the series. As much as the internet can divide us, it can also bring us closer together and understand each other better. This is really a story of two women learning from each other.

Lastly, Infertile Phoenix talks about getting COVID, (continue to feel better!) and the thoughts that went through her head while sick. She writes: “Those were just some thoughts I had. I got sick and couldn’t do anything, but I had some time to think about things. And things have been different … And even though I’m a creature of habit, different can be good.”

The roundup to the Roundup: Leap day. Your weekly backup nudge. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between February 23 – March 1) and not the blog’s main URL. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week. Read the original open thread post here.

We went up to visit the twins at college.* For three days, we wandered around their campuses, ate apple cider donuts, hiked in the snow, explored new towns, and hung out in the hotel room talking. It was amazing to be back together, making the time to the next break a little easier.

It’s also hard to say goodnight every night and leave them at their dorms. (Or drop them off on campus so they could run off with friends. We know they’re not actually tucked up in bed at 10 pm.) It’s hard to say goodbye and drive away on the final day. It feels physically and emotionally awful.

It’s the balance of the highs and the lows.

* On the way up, we met A Half Baked Life for 15 minutes underneath the neon vape sign of a mini mart to give and get a hug. Mini mart meetups are the best.

*******

Stop procrastinating. Go make your backups. Don’t have regrets.

Seriously. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. It will take you fifteen minutes, tops. But you will have peace of mind for days and days. It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second, helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. To read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• None… sniff.

Okay, now my choices this week.

Did your father win an Oscar this week? No? Then go over and live vicariously through Finding a Different Path’s account of watching her father win a major award. Look at the pictures and feel the love: “I love my dad so much, and it’s always difficult to say goodbye. Those was an amazing visit though, with a day at the LA Zoo, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the fancy schmancy day, and the best Thai food I’ve ever had in my life last night.”

Lastly, No Kidding in NZ has a super helpful post about how to think positively (or what you’d put “on your personal encouragement card“) — both to use AND to get you thinking about your own list. I love this: “Love yourself, and feel compassion for yourself. Give yourself comfort. Stop beating yourself up. It helps more than you can imagine.”

The roundup to the Roundup: Good visit. Your weekly backup nudge. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between February 16 – 23) and not the blog’s main URL. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week. Read the original open thread post here.

On the heels of replacing the computer came major car repairs. Why does the universe group large purchases/repairs together? Josh and I were trying to figure out why windshield wiper fluid wasn’t spraying out despite a full well (broken pump), and in doing so, we watched the check engine light come on (failed oxygen sensors).

So off we went to the mechanic to give up another astronomical sum in exchange for a functioning car.

I rarely drive my car, which is why I also felt guilty about fixing it. Why were we dumping money into something I use somewhere between 1 – 3 times per month? Because the cost of a new car (or even a new-to-us used car) is so much right now, fixing the one we have seems to be the smarter move. But yuck to spending money to fix existing stuff.

*******

Stop procrastinating. Go make your backups. Don’t have regrets.

Seriously. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. It will take you fifteen minutes, tops. But you will have peace of mind for days and days. It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second, helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. To read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• “This Anonymous Blog” (Infertile Phoenix)

Okay, now my choices this week.

I remember wearing grey for Missy, so this post from Bio Girl made me want to reach out with a hug over all the time that has passed. This made me weepy: “These days we live a lot of our lives because of you. Everyday I go to work and do the things I love, they are because of you – you pushing me out the door to start my graduate program. You telling me it was okay to take that time to learn to do something I might love.” What an amazing person to have had in your life.

Lastly, Bereaved and Blessed has a post about a mistake made on her mother’s headstone. I love the beginning: “One of many idioms that I grew up hearing was how things aren’t permanent until they are ‘set in stone.’ I didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about what it meant or how literal I took the expression until today.” As well as the end — that we can change things, even the things set in stone.

The roundup to the Roundup: More money spent. Your weekly backup nudge. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between February 9 – 16) and not the blog’s main URL. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week. Read the original open thread post here.

The worst feeling in the world is standing in front of a dead computer. One that contains all of your photos. The Wolvog was still home for one more day when my 11-year-old desktop refused to turn on, and after trying several different things, he gently told me that ole Deskie wasn’t going to spring back to life.

Well, that sucked.

While he was home, he picked out the computer I should order and even ran to the store to get the monitor for me. But there were two factors in play: (1) The Wolvog was not going to be home to set up the computer when it arrived, and that was a reminder that he now goes to college far away, which made me cry a lot. (2) Did I need a new desktop? I do a lot of my work on my laptop, but the desktop is an insurance plan, enabling me to do my job if I can’t use my laptop. Did I really need the insurance plan? Would I use the desktop enough to warrant the cost?

I felt super guilty, but I bought the computer to do all my photo stuff. But now I really need to do a lot of photo stuff to make it worth it.

Ouch.

*******

Stop procrastinating. Go make your backups. Don’t have regrets.

Seriously. Stop what you’re doing for a moment. It will take you fifteen minutes, tops. But you will have peace of mind for days and days. It’s the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

As always, add any new thoughts to the Friday Backup post and peruse new comments to find out about methods, plug-ins, and devices that help you quickly back up your data and accounts.

*******

And now the blogs…

But first, second, helpings of the posts that appeared in the open comment thread last week. To read the description before clicking over, please return to the open thread:

• None… sniff.

Okay, now my choices this week.

The Road Less Travelled has a post about how the words we use shape our understanding of the world. A case in point: regular families. It seems like a small thing, but when we see that term, our brain dredges up our understanding of the term and reinforces it, even when our primary understanding of the term reinforces a stereotype or misinformation. Simple fixes such as changing “regular families” to “people” ensure we’re not deeming one idea “regular” or “normal.”

Lastly, happy anniversary to No Kidding in NZ, who celebrated a milestone anniversary. She writes: “Being childless does not doom a relationship, just as having kids doesn’t keep people together. My husband and I became closer through our losses, and have stayed closer as the years have passed.” What made the post so interesting (beyond it being a huge accomplishment) is the idea of whether you celebrate your anniversary alone or together. I’ve always felt like anniversaries are for the couple — you celebrate your love for one another on your own. But then again, there are all these people at your wedding, so you start off celebrating your love with other people. Do you celebrate other people’s anniversaries with them?

The roundup to the Roundup: Goodbye, old computer. Your weekly backup nudge. And lots of great posts to read. So what did you find this week? Please use a permalink to the blog post (written between February 2 – 9) and not the blog’s main URL. Not understanding why I’m asking you what you found this week. Read the original open thread post here.