Nickname your loved ones
Push vs. break, a new poll, Joey time, & hot recs
I want to write about going to therapy and pursuing change.
I want to write about unsticking from the things, people, and actions that make me feel stuck.
I want to write about taking responsibility, adjusting my perspective, gaining confidence, and increasing my self-worth.
But it feels like I can’t. The balance between reality and writing it into reality can be heavy. Today, it is too heavy.
Any motion to write about these wants it interrupted. Instead, I am thinking about how dirty my hair is, whether I should break to drink water or break in general. And although I’m frustrated, I’d rather take a break.
HOT – Hot lunches. Children's eyes. Spanx. Hot Country. Passenger princess. Silence. Oatmeal baths. High-yield savings accounts.
NOT – Chill brides. Earwigs. Pretty much all pickup trucks on the highway. When the trainer shares a semi-spiritual monologue at the end of class. Night sweats. Cooked bell peppers. Ingrown hairs. People pleasing.
My partner and I adopted Jolene on May 4, 2020. We were not home on the anniversary this year and could not celebrate, but Jolene does not understand any of this and does not care, so it was okay.
Adopting Jolene was life-changing, and I really do love her and need her. So, to honor our stout little deity, I have attempted to collect all of the nicknames we call her (out of deep affection and everlasting marvel).
Top 10 Jolene Nicknames
Joe Jonas – She stops and turns around for this one. Cross your fingers for Camp Rock 3.
Jobin – Classic, rolls off the tongue.
Jodie – It’s nice to linger on the end and sing it.
Bean Joe – Jolene wouldn’t be a dog without her toe beans.
P Boy – The “P” stands for pee.
Johnny 8 Nips – Jolene’s mighty body hosts eight full nipples!
Toey – Joey, but make it toe.
Mother – Jolene can be a matriarch too!
Smackin – Famously, Jolene gets car sick–this is the sound she makes just before she throws up.
Bubeny for Goveny (rhymes) – In this scenario, Jolene is either running for governor (last name Bubeny) or is the current governor. I ask her hard-hitting questions about her campaign and policies. Imagine “Bubeny for Goveny” on a small front lawn sign.
Next time you see Jolene, I dare you to use one of these.
DANCE – Lately, all music has not worked for me except for one genre, bossa nova. Admittedly, I did not use to like bossa nova, but something shifted a couple of years ago, and now I like it. I've had this playlist on in the background and find myself dancing and trying to sing along.
PLAY – One of my favorite games to play on a road trip or long drive is reading one-star reviews of local shopping malls you are driving by. This is how I learned the insult “ass-hat.”
LEARN – At the beginning of the year, I enrolled in The Science of Well-Being as I began TMS treatment. I found it very intriguing and helpful. The course is taught by Dr. Laurie Santos (The Happiness Lab) in her living room with a sample of Yale students present. It is part psychology and part practice. My “happiness score” went up by the end. It is a free course and low stakes.
LISTEN – For juicy, judgey, guilt-free fun, listen to Normal Gossip. You will laugh out loud. For familiar, trashy British chat, listen to Sentimental Garbage. It has a similar vibe to You’re Wrong About but focused in a different way.
READ – Why We Don't Trust Ourselves - Resourced with Fanny Priest
SUBSCRIBE – Maybe Baby (Recs: #147: Who’s allowed to want kids? & #148: Too much music)
WATCH – One of my main shows ended recently, so I have filled the gap with trash or trash-adjacent alternatives. I watched XO, Kitty. Everyone on this show is either gay or related. It was hard to follow, but it was very fun! I watched a big chunk of Queer Eye (one more ep). Right now, my favorite character is Antoni’s biceps.
“'Cause I'm alright with a slow burn.” - Kacey Musgraves
