Michelle 🦥

Book cover of "Anxious People" by Fredrik Backman

"Anyone can nurture a myth about their life if they have enough manure, so if the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, that's probably because it's full of shit."

#booksky💙📚

The cover of "The Lantern of Lost Memories" by Sanaka Hiiragi

"You've got all the time in the world, so please take as long as you need. I'd like you to pick out ninety-two photos, one for every year you were alive."

#booksky💙📚

Book cover of "Madhouse at the End of the Earth" by Julian Sancton.

I would have been a horrible Antarctic explorer. At the first meal of canned meat, I would have launched my own lifeboat. And probably pulled a Tanya McQuoid in the process. #booksky 💙📚

This was the first I've read by her - I may have to check out some of her other works. Do you have a favorite to recommend?

Book cover of "Shrines of Gaiety" by Kate Atkinson.

I'm a sucker for a book set in London. #booksky 💙📚

Wall with 13 different green paint sample cards hung on it to help pick the future wall color.

How many weeks/months will these paint chips be up before I finally make a decision?

Oh hey! My work inbox is filling up w/ Price Increase Notifications for equipment.

We just did this at the end of 2024 (EoY is normal in my industry).

I wonder why the additional price increases now?

(*psst!* Tariffs. It's tariffs. You know, the ones that Americans totally won't have to pay...)

Duolingo icon shows a very wide-eyed owl mascot that looks to be screaming in agony.

I think the Duolingo Owl must be watching the shitshow that is American politics right now.

A wish tag on a paper lantern for 2025 that reads "I wish to have a healthy baby with my wife & to save money so that I no longer need to work abroad"

This 2025 wish will stay with me.

To the anonymous poster, I sincerely hope both your wishes come true.

Paper lanterns take to the sky at the Pingxi Lantern Festival 2025

Pingxi Lantern Festival 2025 - Year of the Snake.

Pictures do not do it justice x

Front street view of Songshan Ciyou Temple (松山慈祐宮), complete with line of taxi cabs, in Taipei, Taiwan.

Taipei, you're beautiful.

Daaang... A bit of inspiration perhaps!

Sculpture of a hybrid-esq animal. Head of a pelican, wings of a small dragon, chest of a lactating mammal, and legs of a frog. Artist: Emmanuel Fremiet

I love sculpture.
I went to the Art Institute of Chicago last weekend and found this absolute menace. Pelican / dragon / frog / mammal? I'm here for it!

Artist: Emmanuel Fremiet

Brisket, ham, buns, condiments, charcuterie, and mixed beverage options for 20 adults + ? kids. And 5 dogs.

In our house that usually only has 2 adults and 1 dog.

How did my mom and aunties do this for every holiday for all those years?!?

The underwire in my bra just broke while I was sitting at my desk at the office.

I knew I should have worked from home today.

Happy Monday, y'all.

Anyone else slightly... confused... about Applebee's using Ginuwine's "Pony" in their commercial?

What exactly do they want me to do to that chicken sandwich?

Dinner spread for two: cauliflower & corn gratin, potato puree, beef tenderloin, broccoli rabe with ricotta, capers, and lemon sauce, wedge salad with avocado dill dressing, garlic rolls, and Sicilian red wine.

We decided to spend Thanksgiving at home this year, just the two of us. The Chef, not cooking at the restaurant today, opted for a "Steakhouse Theme" in lieu of a traditional spread. It was perfect.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Badge of honor showing a 50 day learning streak with Duolingo.

My New Year's Resolution was to make friends again with the Duolingo Owl. We were BFFs in 2020 but lost touch for a few years. Happy to have reconnected!

"So if I don't call the health advocate svc prior to getting medical care, I get fined $500? Is that what you're saying?"

"It's not a "fine" but an incentive to use the services made available to you."

"But if I don't call first, I get charged $500?"

"Yes. But really, what's $500?"

🤨

Happy grey and white Schnauzer dog lounges in the grass with a tug-o-war rope

Ah, my first post. Oh man, I didn't expect this to be so stressful! How do I... What do I...

Nevermind. Got it sorted. *whew*