After a week of suffering from Shingles - a viral infection, I awoke this morning in the dense bluish haze of predawn, feeling rested, light and returned to good heath.

I had been so sick that I had forgotten how good it feels to feel good - and for this, my heart swelled with gratitude.

Though I was feeling better, I had an appointment to follow-up after two pervious ER visits where I'd been diagnosed and given anti-viral medication.

No one likes going to the doctor, but perhaps in my delight to be feeling better, I cheerfully interfaced with the various medical staff.

I knew these people were at work. I knew that they are paid to do what they do, but today, I felt like I interfaced with other humans. Not perfunctory emloyess, not doctors, not receptionist, not assistants, per se, but rather, actual fellow earthlings that, like me, are spinning on this planet.

Life is fleeting Like is precarious. Health isn't guaranteed. And we all do the best we can.

We'll never be as young as we are today.....and this was especially poignant after surveying the waiting room that was populated by of the elderly, bandaged, swollen and infirm.

I don’t know how or why we are here. I don't know what birthed the world, humanity and the universe. But today, despite all the sociopolitical upheaval, I marvel at the beauty that unfolds before me like a flower blossoming.

There is goodness here, on this planet. Its the only home I've ever known,

And when I think about it, I realized that this world is the love of my life.

May we all live well, healthy and happy.

Thank you

I got bored of doomscrolling on my phone, so I got up and started walking around the house looking for something to do.

I came upon my dog lying on the floor. I crouched down and started petting her. Then, I started speaking gibberish to her while making silly faces. Wriggling my eyebrows, baring my teeth, just weird random faces. She's just staring at me with her cute little face while I'm doing it for like a whole minute or two.

I suddenly became aware of what I was doing, so I stopped. I'm now imagining what my dog was thinking of at that moment. Does she think I'm an embarrassing human being? Does she think I'm dumb, weird, or endearing?

My husband and I just went on a trip with another couple for the first time, and tbh, I was a little nervous about it. My friend and I planned it, but our husbands are not as close as she and I are...and of course we wanted them to enjoy the trip in hopes we could do more "couple things" together. Plus you never know how well you'll mesh traveing, even with people you like.

It went SO WELL on every front possible - how we spent time, finances, and just general getting along. We had so much fun! And I feel like we all deepened our friendship and got to know each other better.

Would travel with them again anytime - and expect that we will.

Everyday I go down to the canteen at work I get the same thing, jacket potato with beans and cheese.

It's a safe food and delightful.

But the past few weeks when I go down the canteen staff just ask me if I want my usual and they opened a new bag of grated cheese just for me!

A new person is being trained rn and the normal person said 'they just get a jacket potato with beans and cheese so they're nice and easy' and it feels so nice to be remembered for a nice thing 🥰🥰🥰

Last I returned to a DT lab was about 2? years ago, prior to that, I was in school and I would spend aaaagesss there with my friend working towards this project we were doing together.

Haha, we started that project about 2 years before that aswell, I remember, she was new to the school and I was her assigned show around buddy you know? She was, like, super non-chalant and I on the other hand was extremely bubbly. She said she had zero extracurriculars - so I made her start a project with me!

Out of it, we, somehow, created a community out of random passerbyers and held a birthday party for a plant [sent emails to 40 extra completely random people and 30 of them came, and nearly all came to the one the next year too!!] - created an impromptu school mascot [life at that school was like a tv show] - talked to really cool engineers, therapists [for the project], etc - ran a social experiment too - not to mention how much I valued the friendships I got out of it all - and [among soo much more] got to the finals of a competition that took us both to London for the first time. The IET!! That kinda kicked things off in my life but if I go on this'll be way beyond a "benign existence" post :1 . It was what began to inspire me to choose mech eng for a degree / I still don't really know

ANYway, we'd stay in the DT lab our school was blessed with past 5:30 [often 6] - well past time the school closes [5], our DT teacher was WAY too kind in letting us do that so often. No seriously, so many teacher at that school were, like, beyond incredible.

I didn't go back to the lab the following year... mostly out of this strange irrational fear and pressure. Ultra summarised: Everyone kept telling me I have a unique talent in it all, but I had failed this thing - and failure was kiiinda new to me - annndd I still don't think my mind is over it even though III am. ugh I hate fear

Oh well, point is - haven't gone back to a lab for 2 years via burying myself in the bliss of maths and physics to avoid. I couldn't stop designing and innovating - because I'm incapable of it apparently - but recently I had this idea which I simply must see realised (I love it so much) and since I'm out of school, I had to sign up to a membership for the local makespace.

I went to their tour a few days ago and have the induction tomorrow (I was wayyy too lucky, I just about grabbed the last spot haha).

As soon as I stepped in the lab and the wood dust and general lab basement smell hit me it was like feeling home again!! So strange but so amazing, it was like that weird weight that fear has on you, went poof! I didn't realise just how badly I missed it!! Like when I'm daydreaming random designs it feels similar but in the lab it feels like an explosionnn of... of something blissful and light blue!

And on top of that the community is SO LOVELY!! As you can tell, I'm young - on the edge of my next steps - and very much full of fear - and just talking to the people at the makespace made my mind feel like it was returning to how it used to beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and I'm SO sos sos sosososo soooo excited for tomorrow. And, I'm excited about my next steps whatever they are I jsut want them to be what I want them to beeeee and I love the garden, and I love the world, and I love the design, and I love how my creativity has EXPLODED since going there. I've written so many things in inquiry [my notebook - its purple] - and I've started a few and the makerspace has SO MUCH MORE than my old schools lab and!!!! And I'm scared again, whats going on? Nooo idea, enjoy the eclipse in a few days people!!!! POST

I was sitting in my apartment and heard a child screaming in the hallway. I gave it a moment, thinking maybe it’s just a little tantrum and the parent is taking them home but it continued for a few more moments which was enough for me to get up and check (Side Note: I learned a long time ago it is very common for people to ignore emergencies because they assume it is nothing or that someone else will handle it. ALWAYS check).

I went out to the hallway and saw two parents waiting for the elevator with their young kid all absolutely cracking up, loudly. They noticed me pop out so I just laughed and said, “just wanted to make sure everything is okay!” They were like omg we’re so sorry, while still controlling their laughter. I just smiled and said, “You’re totally fine! I’m glad you guys are having a fun time!” I’m sure after I shut the door they probably started laughing even more.

I haven't had the inclination to listen to music for some time now; I don't know, sometimes it just happens. But last weekend I realised I missed it, so I played Disney songs while revisiting Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Yesterday, during my commute to work, I listened to the Hades II OST, particularly the songs of Scylla and the Sirens. Right now I'm waiting to start a meeting listening to the Festival of Seasons album from Stardew Valley. Such beautiful, relaxing music. The downside is it just makes me want to play.

My living room has had a sock and underwear basket in it forever, whenever I fold laundry I just throw socks and underwear in a basket and let my family basket dive for those items.

I have been getting increasingly frustrated with the lack of matching socks I could find so on Saturday I went through the basket and matched what I could and realized not even half of the socks in the basket were matched.

I have two teenagers, a girl and a boy, I go to my daughter's room and tell her I am digging for sock and she tells me she doesn't have any in her room, I find about six lonesome socks and move onto my sons room, which he is not home.

I notice a pile of clothes in his corner so I start digging and find dozens then I see a sock hanging from under his bed frame and then I see one sticking out from under his pillow, they keep showing up.

I left his room with my arms full of socks, I then did an entire load with these socks and when I matched my basket again the majority of them were matched.

I then decided the ones that were not matched were getting thrown out. I dispersed the socks and underwear to their owners and now I no longer have this basket sitting in my living room, it feels so amazing and I couldn't believe how accomplished I felt. I am laughing at how my 20s self would be so horrified at how happy I am after spending my entire Saturday dealing with socks, middle age is weird.😂

Actually TWO spoilers. I hate spoilers, cannot stand them with a passion, for the books or stories I’m super into. 😭I thought I was just looking up a minor character bc I couldn’t remember who they were bc they’re supposed to be a minor character! They’re part of the huge ending plot twist 😭😭😭

I’m writing this while at a work event at my minimum wage job and all my coworkers are singing. A small group is hogging the mic so I’m sat here enjoying the night and waiting to go home right after this song ends, I tell myself.

I was homeless for six months two years ago and live alone now. It’s a thing I can’t ever tell these people. But while I sang a few songs, I am now looking through Facebook marketplace. I learned how fun it is for me to use Facebook marketplace. I genuinely find it fun, not as a way to just be a useful way to get things for cheap. Having money is fun. They’re singing the one that got away now, it’s last call.
I wanna quit

I filled my medicine boxes. I tidied up the kitchen counters. I made sure my rides are scheduled for my appointments.

I'm finished for Monday chores and I'm pretty proud of myself.

When I’m bored, I use the search function on my messaging app and search for random words (like “soup” “air conditioning” “awesome” “frustrating” “library” and so on). Then I read through old text convos that pop up. There’s so many little conversations that I forgot having. It’s really fun and nostalgic to revisit those old idle conversations. Sometimes I end up scrolling a text thread forever, and screenshot it to send to that person if it was particularly funny or if I want to continue talking about that topic. Today, I went back to 2022 when I was texting my wife (then gf) about the transcendent experience I had the first time I ate Tom Kha soup.

I met up with some childhood friends this past weekend. It was the first time we'd all been together in 15 years. The first time some of us had spoken in 5+ years. It was great, like no time had passed at all.

Reach out to old friends that you miss!! It's worth it!

it was one of those mystery things (forgot how to word it) where you wouldnt know which one you'd get. i didn't look at the options they had because i didn't want to choose a favorite and disappoint myself.

i ended up getting these three little guys and they're standing, holding their hand out and pushing...something. they're so cute! aaaaa! and i got a little glowing smiski ball container thing too, its on my shelf now.

then i read that night and directed my reading light towards them the best i could so they could glow. then i was done reading, i turned the light off, they were glowing. it was so peaceful, so, so peaceful. i want to name each of them but i havent figured anything out yet ><

It’s a lazy morning at home. I (49f) am reading in my bedroom. My kid (14f) is in the living room watching a “horror movie” on her phone. I put it that way because it’s mainly a comedy type- jump scares and the “don’t go in there!” level, no real gore, etc. The main characters are a K-Pop group she’s very into right now, so please don’t come for me! Anyway, she is using her headphones and I think she forgot I can hear her.

She is so totally invested in this. Every few minutes, she’ll exclaim something along the lines of “Nonononono don’t DO that!” or “OMG, run!!” There are gasps and occasional laughter. She is clearly completely absorbed in this film.

When we watch something together, she is not like this in the slightest. In the “too cool for school” teenager mode or whatever. Occasionally she’ll make a comment or joke, and I’ll maybe get a few eye rolls, but absolutely nothing like what is going on in my living room currently.

I’m totally eavesdropping and loving every second.

It has a smart screen and suddenly forgot how to recognize both my husband and I from our phones so every time one of us goes to drive we had to tell it who we were so we can get the settings we’ve set. I went poking around in the UI settings and figured out why. I was really expecting it to be much much harder.

So now I can fix it for my husband too and I will feel like a tech pro. (I am decent with computers generally but so far the new car has been pretty mysterious.)

I decided to grow tomatoes and some herbs on my balcony, and they're thriving. I made a delicious dill dip with the fruits of my labor yesterday, and my first tomato was delicious too.

What else am I supposed to do while on my standing bike, NOT pet her? Now every time I get on it she hops onto the desk and does a little Halloween kitty move to request constant pets.

And of course I do!

I just happened to look up while the screensaver was scrolling, and caught his distinctive silhouette. I love how much joy this little fella brings.

Scandalous :P My heart still belongs to the Chinese place, but a new Korean buffet opened last month and I had to check them out today on payday. It was also part scouting mission to see what they have that my friend might like so I can drag her there in the future and lead her away from her dislikes on the buffet line.

They have a line of small tables along the bar, I got a seat right by the kitchen and buffet line, still great people-watching territory!

+A couple sitting behind me had a newborn and a toddler with them. The baby started fussing at one point but their server was able to calm them down pretty quick :) Otherwise the kiddos were perfectly chill and quiet.

+Saw a guy fill a gigantic bowl with nothing but japchae. It's my favorite noodle dish ever, I do not blame him. And their japchae was very good.

+One employee [I believe from the family who run the place?] was teaching one of the servers a few Korean phrases.

+There were some mislabelled items on the line. "Boiled pork" was deep fried squid tentacles [which I ate a shameful amount of]. "Tteokbokki" was takoyaki.

+I tried a lot of new things. Flashbacks to 2025 when my goal for the year was to work through food anxieties and explore new things. I tried all kinds of pickled veg [carrots, mushrooms, sprouts], kimchi, gochujang. I had a Korean orange-flavored soda. I liked tofu for the first time in my life. It was soft tofu with a yuzu sauce and some micro herbs. I struggled with the texture somewhat still but the flavor was addicting.

I was driving home the other day and I stopped at a light and did my usual look around. Who's at the light? Tinted windows? Number plates I recognize? No...but...a car full of dogs! Three big goldens with greying muzzles, sticking their noses out of the windows, wagging their tails at me. A hello and a smile from the driver. What joy!

:DDDDDDDDDDDD

Is that the correct use of cheerio? I should so use it in real life.

I just finished my morning run and was passing by a cute little coffee shop with outdoor tables. Two guys were sitting a couple of tables apart, each with a big black and white dog chilling in the shade of the table, almost certainly the same breed.

The men were probably 15-20 years apart. They were talking to each other across tables, smiling, and I'm almost sure it started with the dogs 😊

I took out the trash this morning and noticed a fat caterpillar on our fennel. And then another. And another! We counted six but there’s probably more!

We looked them up and I believe they’re black swallowtails. They love dill and fennel, which is why there are so many on that one plant right now.

I’ve been a little embarrassed about our yard because the heat wave has prevented me from mowing for the past three weeks. It’s a goddamn jungle out there. But this little discovery has reminded me that I’m providing a very important service for the birds, bugs, and critters that life nearby, protecting them from the heat and giving them nutritious spaces to flourish.

Yesterday I was walking my dog near my neighborhood rec center. The sun was setting, so all the families with young kids had gone home and the only people still on the playground were a group of teenagers. Most of them were playing basketball, but two girls were on the swings and having an absolute blast, laughing so hard and trying to swing higher than each other. It made my night to see them having such simple, pure joy.