Let me get this straight? The tariff chaos caused the price of everything to double. Now they’ve been deemed illegal. And I’m going to have to pay all those billions in tariffs back again (via my tax money) to the companies who paid them. But I’ll never see a dime of those refunds. And the runaway consumer prices most likely won’t go down. Sounds legit.

We don’t go outside.

We spend so much time living in our heads and ignoring the wonders of the world around us. What a shame! I was thinking yesterday that I have no idea when on my timeline I last saw a train rumbling through my hometown. When I was young, there were trains everywhere. One used to chug right down the street along my grandmother’s house. When we would hear it coming, we’d run out and place coins on the tracks. We’d go fetch them later, crushed into thin discs of unrecognizable metal from the weight of the train’s wheels. It was a long time ago. No one thought that toddlers running along trains was risky. My town was a rustbelt manufacturing hub of everything from clothing to tanks up until the 1980s. The factories, port, and train depots were constantly buzzing with activity. The trains ran right through town, snaked along the river, sometimes ducked into underground tunnels, and then darted over the water on an iron trellis bridge. Like everyone, I took the trains for granted and didn’t pay much attention. They were like background noise. And now they’re gone. The tracks have been torn up. Some have been converted to linear parks. The old track bed where my grandmother’s house used to be is a community garden. The former iron train bridge is now a pedestrian walkway that conveniently leads directly from my home to the library on the other side of the river. There’s also an old train tunnel that leads to a big park. I don’t like to walk through the tunnel as it’s cold, damp, and dark with sometimes sketchy characters hanging out therein. I don’t want to get shanked. I can walk around.

Today’s my Friday!

My travel checklist is not bluffin.

Wait? Am I outside? First time in six months walk to west park to read my book.

I miss having bookshelves with tons of books thereon. I used to have a wall of books when I was younger. I was one of those nerds with fourteen subscriptions to the scifi bookclub. I can still smell a fresh delivery of those trade-sized hardcovers that gave me so much delight. I’ve convinced myself that I cannot read real books anymore because my eyes are so old and tired. But with my 3X cheaters, I could probably read a newspaper on the surface of the moon. Maybe I’ll start hoarding books and make it a home improvement project to install some fancy shelves in my living room. I bet Ikea has some great resources for this.

Fixin to go outside today!

Did you throw away everything your pantry this morning? Me neither.

After we got back into town, Mr. K and I took Mother to lunch. It was a gorgeous day. When I got back home, I did a few loads of laundry, treadmill, and read. I’m now into season two of 12 Monkeys on the treadmill tele. It’s a fun ride. Soon, I’ll be walking outside again – yay! – which will render my tv time close to zero. Who has time?

My 2026 Reading List has been updated. Click link to view.

When I lunged and immediately threw this in the cart, Mother said, “There’s something wrong with you!”

Current mood

Why are the algos stalking me?

Hello?

New t-shirt who dis?

What a charming event! We took a road trip to see the GenX Takeover Show. We got the tickets for free and had no idea who was performing. I didn’t realize that it was famous people from TikTok until we actually sat down and saw the pre-show slideshow. Wow! A lot of the people who make me giggle daily were up on stage, and we had second row seats. Lots of giggles and I hardly stopped smiling. The performers were all unpolished – with notecards! – and kinda shocked to discover themselves suddenly famous and touring the country doing shows. Their unpolished and kinda nervous nature made it even more cute and engaging. Funniest line? Kelly Manno describing putting on eyeliner in middle age like decorating a ballsack. I cackled! Highly recommended if it’s coming near you. I think they are headed your way next, Chicago peeps.

I had to buy a t-shirt!!! I’m fangirling hard!

We’re young and fun!

I don’t want my new micro e-reader to get hurt in the travel bag, so I shoved it in a sock. As one does.

I’m wearing a hoodie outside!

Road Trip Fantasy

We are off on a road trip adventure today. We got free tickets to a comedy event panel thingy. It should be fun!

Have you steamed your eggs today?

Made me cackle!