Bri

Cat on a cat tree in front of a sliding glass door backlit in full sunshine

Things that make my heart swell

Neon colored paint by number of a skeleton with flowers coming out of it

If you're an adult whose brain can get just too loud sometimes, I highly recommend paint by number.

It's been so helpful for me to decompress and be creative without trying to turn that creativity into one more thing to obsess over.

Put on music/pod/audio book. Zone out. Paint.

And it looks cool!

My liiiiife

Stan (black medium haired cat) and Arnie (short grey haired cat) check out the reconstructed floor couch.

Me sitting on the couch with Arnie wrapped up in a blanket next to me and a paint by number of a colorful skull on my lap.

My cats don't love hanging out on the couch w/me. They prefer when I get down on their level and sit on the floor.

So last night I deconstructed my couch & rebuilt it on the floor to paint at their level.

The new perspective was pretty fun. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Might do it again more fort-like as it gets colder.

Partly because I got it. I'd experienced something similar to what they were doing with their team. I could relate deeply with it.

And sometimes the point can (should) be just connection. No selling. No downloads. I just want to have more human moments.

It's what we remember in the long run.

Had a lovely email convo w/a newsletter replier yesterday.

They were explaining more about what their word of the year means to them and what they're excited about this year.

But then they couched it with "none of this matters to you, of course."

I couldn't respond fast enough to say YES IT DOES!

I'm so here for this.

Bleeding Me Dry - A COLORS SHOW Alicia Creti · Bleeding Me Dry - A COLORS SHOW · Song · 2024

What's a song you can't get out of your head lately? Old or new, send me a link.

Here's mine: open.spotify.com/track/4bBjJX...

This has been in my brain all day. I'm not good at naming things but I love trying to name things. 😂

Here's what I've got so far...

What About This?
Let's Try It!

I'm sorry. That's not a suggestion, just my feelings lol

Definitely the latter. But we desperately need a new phrase.

How about "let's recombobulate in 2025"

Ish.

(Which is another saying apparently unique to Midwesterners--our equivalent to ick. It's gotten me into some communication confusion situations 😂)

Easy donation decision

Omg I'm going to use this next time I do have to write it.

Don't paniC; the c comes first

😂 Thankfully it's not a word I have to dig out often

Finished paint by number of a mountainside reflection in a lake

What do you do when you need to quiet your brain?

For me it's yoga, jigsaw puzzles, a long walk, or some sort of crafting. Recently been rocking paint by numbers.

License. I panic on the c and s placements.

Post a non-religious photo you think of as holy.

Just yesterday, just my city. A small break in the clouds to let the sun through made me stop to breathe deeper.

Ahhh forced renovations. 🙃 I hope you get a lot of mashed potatoes soon at least.

😂 I hope it's as easy of a galvanized pipe fix as humanly possible for you

Did you try offering it mashed potatoes?

It's softer so far

I think it was my first real job? So early-mid 20s.

My good friend and old boss @lizgross144.bsky.social. She works in higher ed fighting for progress starting from marketing into all areas of a campus brand. She makes change happen around her. 🔥

I keep hearing that! I just started it.

And finally listening to Britney Spears' memoir.

Man random reads that turn out to be good are 🤌

I'm reading "I Found You" by Lisa Jewel. Working my way through all of her stuff; she's excellent.

Also re-reading "Stories of Your Life and Others" by Ted Chiang that's a compilation of stories, one of which was the basis for the movie Arrival.

Ooh I love that! They both sound petty unique. Were they recs/on your list or random pick ups?

What's everyone reading? Any genre, any style--I want to hear about it.

I'm going to try really hard to do this from the energy of mpb2b. 🤞🏻

Hi!!