I know you were all waiting on the edge of your seat for the next thrilling episode of Nicole and Her Coffee, and I am happy to relate that you can all breathe a sigh of relief. My new coffee maker has arrived!
Isn’t it beautiful? I’m hoping that German engineering will break the long chain of leaky coffee makers that have been bolstering my mornings lo these many years.
Speaking of mornings, I noticed something strange on our walk a few weeks ago.
When was it so windy? I asked a woman who was walking by and complimenting me on my doggy model. She informed me, with an oddly curious look, that there was a terrible windstorm the night before. Didn’t you hear it? she asked, and I marvelled at the apparent coma I fall into at 8:30 pm every night, which is a bit of a downside to being an early morning bird.
There have been a few mysteries I have encountered lately, two of them very specifically app-related. I have a Garmin watch, and for a long time I have somehow been included in a “100K Step Challenge,” which is a weekly ranking between me and nine random strangers. I don’t remember joining this challenge, but here I am. I almost always hit 100,000 steps in a week, but I am never in the top three. There is always someone who blows everyone away, step-wise, and, knowing how much time I spend Getting My Steps In, I can only assume this person walks all their waking hours. Maybe it’s David Sedaris! Who can say.
But the mystery is that a few weeks ago, I idly checked my ranking only to discover that I was now in a “85K Step Challenge.” How did that happen? Did I get demoted? I didn’t get as many steps as normal while travelling in Morocco, but still. I don’t think that justified kicking me out of the 100K club, the club that I don’t remember joining but on which I am now, apparently, basing my personality. And indeed, after a few weeks of being home and taking the number one spot in the 85K challenge, I’m back in the middle of the pack in the 100K group. Perhaps this is one of those “challenges” that Garmin has to keep people motivated, rather than demoralised. I found my demotion, with my subsequent domination of the leader board, to have the opposite effect.
The other mystery is with regards to DuoLingo, the language learning app. I am on a 1358 day streak, and for all of those days I have been on a “Friend Streak” with my younger son. Every week, we receive a “Friend Quest,” which is just a little challenge that we complete together. Because this is a special thing between the two of us, I only follow my son, no one else, so that we are assured to be assigned to a Quest together.
Well. Lately DuoLingo has not sent either of us “Friend Quests,” instead telling us that we need to “sync our contacts” and “follow new people” in order to be assigned a “Friend Quest.” I WILL NOT. I am incensed by this blatant desperation for more DuoLingo users. NOT ON MY WATCH, DUOLINGO. My reaction to this lack of weekly “Quests” is probably wildly out of proportion to its actual importance in the not-even-grand scheme of things, and yet, I feel justified. I pay for the extended family plan and the “premium” edition, and this is the thanks I get? I cannot even work with my son on a shared goal to get 90% in 30 classes or 4500 XP? Nonsense! I am a Taurus, and if there is one thing Tauruses are known for, it is their stubbornness and inability to budge. My heels are dug in. THIS IS THE HILL I DIE ON.
I guess that is less of a mystery and more of a rage-inducing marketing attempt. After yet another week of realizing that we weren’t getting our Friend Quests, I headed out for a walk, hoping the steps would quell my disproportionate outrage. (I AM NOT DOING YOUR MARKETING FOR YOU, DUOLINGO!). While walking I listened to the latest episode of You Are Good, a recap of Billy Madison, a movie that I unapologetically love even though the humour is very, very stupid. I quote from it all the time: It must have been that damn Sasquatch, I’ll say when someone asks a question, and I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul, I’ll say randomly.
Back in my minivan-children chauffeur stage, I would frequently use I’ll turn this damn bus around.
But I got to the part when Billy debates which is better: shampoo or conditioner, and something occurred to me. When did we stop calling it “creme rinse?”
I remember it being creme rinse when I was a kid, but I do not remember when the switch happened. Is there a difference between creme rinse and conditioner? Don’t they both leave their hair silky and smooth? Does anyone else remember the product Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific? I could probably look up all of these things, but I think I will leave it as is, a little mystery.
Weekly Reading
A Home For The Holidays. Okay. Someone posted about this last holiday season, I think it was my friend Sarah (HI SARAH), and I did NOT read a synopsis nor the flap copy, instead I just put it on my “For Later” list and activated it recently, so I could read what I thought was a light holiday rom-com. A feel-good book, if you will. So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered that it is a book about grief, about a woman losing her alcoholic mother two weeks before Christmas. Trigger warning, everyone! In the weeks following her mother’s death, she begins a kind of wild emotional journey to discovery. She learns about her mother’s past, and to learn that her mother was more than her addiction. There is an almost unbelievably quick romantic sideline, as well as a nice story about family and chosen family. It was far too soon after The Bright Years to read another book about a family semi-destroyed by alcoholism, but the ending was nice. So I guess it was a feel-good book after all, albeit one about addiction and a weirdly quick romance and a surprise long-lost best friend. Maybe don’t overthink this, just go along for the ride.
Americanah. I had recently read, and loved, Dream Count and The Thing Around Your Neck, and years ago had read, and loved Purple Hibiscus – all of which written by this author. So I was excited to read Americanah, and also was curious that I hadn’t read it before. Friends, I started on the very first page and thought, huh. By the time I finished the first scene, I realized that I had read it before. But when? I started keeping track of my books read in January 2017, and Americanah came out in 2013, so I guess sometime in between. I didn’t remember how it ended, and I only remembered scenes as I read them, so it was definitely worth a reread, this book about a Nigerian woman who goes to America to live and then returns to her homeland to find it, and herself, very changed.
How are you all doing, friends? Any little mysteries in your life of late? Tell me everything. xo
I wonder if you read about that holiday read on my blog. I read it after the holidays last year. I found the swift romance a little bit problematic but overall enjoyed the book which seemed to be somewhat of an auto-fiction book.
We never called conditioner cream rinse but that does sound like a nicer name! And gosh that is a beautiful pic of sweet Rex! I can sleep through loud storms at night since I wear ear plugs at night. I am glad you slept so deeply you missed the wind storm!!
I’m currently reading ‘Bug Hollow’ which I am loving!!
Yes, when I read the acknowledgements I was like “Ohhhhhh.” I mean, it’s fine, I didn’t overthink it too much (although how can they go from meeting each other one day to being IN LOVE 24 hours later????)
Yes! I really like the Duolingo app, but they should not be doing such cheap marketing tricks. I also have the paid version and I think it’s outrageous.
To get your quest back with your son, I would try writing them at support@duolingo.com. I’m sure they would enable the quests for you again!
I’m impressed by your steps!! Who knows, maybe Kayleigh E is in peak marathon training? If so, her steps should drop drastically at some point!
Oooh this is good advice. I’m going to try it! I have nothing to lose since we haven’t had a quest in weeks! Thanks Catrina!
I’m so annoyed on your behalf about Duolingo! ESP since you are a premium and family plan member. I definitely think you should at least give it an ask and see what happens! I am thinking I will finally upgrade to Premium since my son is using it (and we also have a friend streak 🙂 )
I know! It’s so annoying. Well, I think I’ll take Catrina’s advice and at least give it a try. THIS IS OUR SPECIAL THING! I don’t WANT to follow anyone else!
Ha, that’s funny- yes, I guess you got demoted when you weren’t walking as much. I love how Garmin just assumes you want to be part of this challenge? I mostly only wear my Garmin for running (since I can’t wear it at work) but every once in a while I’ll wear it all day, and at some point I’ll get a notification, congratulating me on reaching my goal. What? I don’t remember setting any goals???
I do remember “cream rinse!” I’m not sure if it’s something different, but I think it might just have been what we called conditioner back then. And yes I do remember Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific! I guess they no longer make that- I wish I could just give it a sniff and see if I recognize the scent (I’m pretty sure I used it at some point).
That book is definitely giving off the wrong vibes, based on the cover! I would be kind of mad if I thought it was going to be a cozy, light read about wrapping gifts and decorating cookies. Even the blurb on the front makes it sound light and frothy.
Hahaha Jenny, I often get “you won a badge!” and it will be for something totally stupid like wearing my watch while sleeping, which I do every single night. Or “you won the Halloween badge!” for going for a walk on Halloween. I find them so silly and not motivating.
I kind of wish I could smell it too – I can’t remember at all what it smelled like. Likely, just the same as any shampoo!
Fellow stubborn Taurean here. I had a Braun coffeemaker for many, many years. I can’t remember when or how it died but it was a long faithful provider of morning brew. I still have my Braun coffee-bean grinder – older now than my daughter. I have the unpaid Duolingo version and get suggestions to ‘friend’ people, all of which I ignore of course. The only friend quest I have going is with my daughter and that’s the way it’s going to stay. I wish Duolingo would stop treating us like kids hankering after stickers.
Oh I am jealous you still have friend quests with your daughter. I might write the support centre to complain. I confess that I got the premium in part because the ads were SO irritating, and also I wanted to do more lessons than my three strikes would allow.
I’ve never seen _Billy Madison_, and now I’ll have to, Nicole… I AM familiar with the line about turning the bus around, so clearly, I’m missing out on a big cultural moment.
I chuckled into my tea when you told me about your _Americanah_ reread. I hope it was as close to a “ceiling” moment as a book could get, my friend! XOXO
Ceiling! May we all have one.
Maya, I feel like you’ll enjoy Billy Madison – it is SO stupid, but funny stupid. Every single detail is absolutely ridiculous and yet it is amazing.
I like imagining you in a step challenge with David Sedaris.
I had forgotten all about creme rinse. I do think it’s exactly the same thing but I can’t remember when the verbal transition took place.
I can see why you’d be expecting a light romance from that cover. Noah had to read Purple Hibiscus in high school and I read it, too. I liked it but don’t remember too much about it.
Steph, ME TOO. I like to imagine it’s him. I know you love Stepping Out too, it might be my very favourite. I relate to it so much, when he realises there is no end to it and he’s just going to be walking until his feet break off, and then it’s just his jagged ankle bones sinking into the soft dirt. I think about that line almost every single day!
Yeah the only logical assumption is that you’re pitted against David Sedaris every week. I used to have a fitbit, but I was never that motivated by the step challenges. I think I was at first but then cheerfully ignored being less active than all my more type A friends. I love Americanah, but couldn’t get into Dream Counts when I started it a few months ago. Maybe it was my mood rather than the book since I’ve loved everything else that she has written (Half of a Yellow Sun is really good too although very, very sad). I may give it another try soon!
Sam, I’m with you – I am not particularly motivated by the challenges, but I usually check my ranking once or twice a week. It doesn’t change my behaviour though!
I have Half of a Yellow Sun on my TBR list! I shall report back.
Whew. I’m glad the Great Coffeemaker Crisis of 2025 has been resolved. I’m been worried about the lives of your family.
I have a confession. I liked Americanah a lot, but I just DNFed Dream Count. And I felt guilty about it because everyone else likes Dream Count. What is wrong with me? Please absolve me, although since you adored Dream Count perhaps you will not find it in your soul to help me out.
Engie, you are absolved! We all like different things at different times in our lives – I have had some books that I just loathed, and then coming back to them I realised it was the time that I read them, and vice versa. Also I am not one to talk, I read one chapter of the first Harry Potter book and never returned. I am definitely in the minority!
This fellow Taurus stands with you!!!! Nope, not happening! I’m tired of it all. Between ‘friend suggestions’ and retailers now requiring you to have their App to get discounts, I just refuse!
I am almost finished with Mean Moms and it was all levels of cray cray! Loved every minute of it, so thank you for the recommendation.
Hahaha I know, wasn’t it a fun book? I loved every moment of it! It was so wild and ridiculous and FUN.
OMG getting the app, or being on the mailing list, or or or…there are so many things and I’m so tired of them too!
My last 2 coffee makers have been Braun and they have never leaked. The first lasted years & years and our current one is 2-3 yrs old. Great choice. My mystery – when we left a couple of years ago for our 3 months in mystery my nephew stays at our house. When I returned my favourite Cutco (and $$$$) knife was missing). I didn’t ask him as there is no way he would have taken it. He doesn’t drink and doesn’t party; his wildest act is to have a few guys over to play poker. I searched the house and for months expected it to turn up. But alas I had to replace it. I can assume it went into the garbage accidentally??
OMG Pat, that is SO strange. I had something weird like that happen when we moved. I could not find the…what is it called, the pie server? The thing you use to pick up a piece of pie? Anyway, MONTHS later I found it in a box of cereal. The movers must have put it all in the same box and it ended up IN the cereal. I think you’re right, the most likely scenario is that it got somehow thrown out. Maybe when he was cleaning up the kitchen or something?
The Garmin challenge is indeed mysterious. Just let the people walk as much as they want without making it a competition, Garmin!
The Duolingo thing really is irritating, especially since you pay for premium.
Let’s see. A mystery that I cannot solve lately is how my cat can continually produce literal BALLS of fur even immediately after I have bathed and/or brushed him. How is this possible?
I love Billy Madison too, Nicole! I also quote from it extensively. “Great, grand, wonderful – no yelling on the bus!” is something I say frequently, much to my child’s perplexity. Also, apropos of nothing, “That Veronica Vaughn…” It is perhaps a bit of a secret language between my husband and me. We also quote from Happy Gilmore quite a lot. “You eat pieces of shit for breakfast???” “Grizzly Adams DID have a beard.” Adam Sandler movies may be crude and childish but they are a lot of fun. Except for Waterboy. I’m not exactly sure why, but I harbor a visceral and intense hatred for that movie.
SHE’S A NICE PIECE OF ACCCEEE.
OMG Suzanne, I love Happy Gilmore too! The Ben Stiller character will never not be funny. “You’re playing by MY rules now, grandma.” And I think that all the time “you eat pieces of shit for breakfast?” “NO.” I totally forgot about Grizzly Adams!!! Also, “The Price is Wrong, Bitch.”
One more, this one from Billy Madison. “If peeing in your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.” It NEVER gets old for me. Also – the kindergarten teacher, Miss Lippy! Her interpretive dance! I feel like you are nodding along to this but anyone who hasn’t seen these movies might be reading this comment and thinking I’m unhinged. I AM!
You have a non-leaking coffee maker, all is right with the world!
I like DL because it’s easy to use, but I hate the ads and the weird gamey things. Like seriously, it needs to be satisfied that I’m using it 5 days a week and get over itself.
I’ve never seen Billy Madison, but now that I know better I will do better.
OMG Birchy, you haven’t seen Billy Madison? I mean, it might be the stupidest movie of all time, but it is HILARIOUS stupid. Maybe we should watch it and live-whatsapp together!
I am relieved that the coffee crisis is resolved and I wish you many, many happy years with your lovely Braun! And yes, I see your Tiny Festive Season mug sitting there festively! OMG, I had forgotten that I used to call is Creme Rinse!!!! Yes, why did that change? I never had Gee Your Hair Smell Terrific, but I’ve heard of it. My mom (and therefore I) used Jhirmack when I was growing up. Victoria Principal was their celebrity spokesperson. I like Adam Sandler movies. It’s been a long time since I saw Billy Madison. Time for a rewatch! My favorite of his movies is The Wedding Singer.
VICTORIA PRINCIPAL!!!! My cousin and I were low-key obsessed with her (really, she was, and since she was a year older and I wanted to be like her I was too). Did you watch Dallas?
Oh I LOVE the Wedding Singer! Julia Gulia, that’s funny. Why is that funny? I don’t know. Lol! Great movie, and I think I should rewatch it!
Thank goodness there is no fear of running out of caffeine in your house. Crisis averted.
My dad is always worried about things like this and so stockpiles little appliances like this. He ALWAYS has an unopened bread machine in his garage.
I…was not prepared for the unopened bread machine! That’s so specific! Why is this derailing me right now, I DON’T KNOW. But what this comment highlights for me is the need for A BACKUP all the time! (my stand mixer just broke, Elisabeth, MY STAND MIXER).
For some inexplicable reason, the first thought that came to my head was Panic at the Disco. I guess in my mind you are The Disco and you must be panicking. AHEAD OF CHRISTMAS BAKING SEASON???!!!
I KNOW I KNOW I KNOWWWWWWWW
i’m also in the 8:30pm in bed/asleep camp, with earplug, so I wouldn’t have heard anything!
I am guessing some people in the leaders board are runners? I can easily hit that number if I am running 5-6 days a week.
I have that book in my office, will read it at some point as one of my close friend is from nigeria and lives in US.
Coco, yes, they might be runners. Who knows! The leaderboard changes every week, so it’s hard to say. My steps are pretty consistent, and I’m happy with them anyway!
Long time lurker that just had to comment on the creme rinse/conditioner mystery. I don’t know when the term changed, but I gladly went along with it, and hubby did not! Now it’s a thing, as he insists on the old name, and I insist on the new. It’s not a hill I’ll die on like your Duolingo battle, and yet. Also, I remember Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific, and I say that to my now-adult daughter probably more often than I should admit. And it’s true, she has beautiful, thick blonde hair and I love the way it smells when I get a chance to hug her. Thanks for always having such entertaining blogs, Nicole – I do often mention things to my husband that I’ve read here, and I’m sure he thinks your name is Nicolefromkelowna – all one word, since that’s the way I talk about you!
Emma! Thank you so much for commenting! This made me smile so much, thank you! I love that you use the Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific phrase, and as much as I’d love to remember what it smelled like, I don’t! Do you have any idea? I’m guessing floral?
I LOVE that your husband uses the term creme rinse. I didn’t know anyone still used it! I feel like a whole new world is being opened up to me!
In sum, Ms. Nicole MacPherson, the minor mysteries that you recently experienced have to do with a windstorm, the Garmin watch, DuoLingo, and the latest episode of You Are Good, respectively. I’m not using DuoLingo right now, but if I am to use it in the future, I think I may discuss your experience with DuoLingo with the staff members at DuoLingo. I, of course, do speak both Chinese and English, but I did not study either language via DuoLingo. Although, if any updates about DuoLingo come up in the future, you can elaborate on them as well.
A mystery that I noticed is that when someone comments on your blog posts, and many other bloggers’ blog posts that are built on WordPress, WordPress will just devour that whole comment. In many cases, neither the commenter nor the blogger knows what is going on. I, too, have experienced that when I comment on many blog posts, actually. I think I, too, may need to participate in solving this issue. Another mystery I experienced earlier this year actually concerns you, Ms. Nicole MacPherson, as a yoga instructor. I found 2 other people who are also called “Nicole McPherson” – without the “a” – who are also yoga instructors. One person, I can only find on Instagram and YouTube – with the name “Move with Nicole”. The other person, I can find on her main site, “everstretch.co”.
I think I got a glimpse of the 2 books that you’re reading via your evaluations. I actually don’t know what the name of the book you’re writing right now is, Ms. Nicole MacPherson, and I wonder if you could refer me to a past blog post of yours that introduces this book.
Hi Yukon, I have definitely had wordpress “eat” my comments before. It’s a weird glitch for sure.
The book I have written is called Inhale Exhale. It will be out in the New Year!
Thanks very much, Ms. Nicole MacPherson.
I have a mystery that’s more of a moan. Here in Australia, it is EXTRAORDINARILY hard to find Christmas lights that look like the incandescent lights of our 70s/80s childhoods. People have resorted to buying one set of warm white LEDs (nice light, but boring) and a set of multicoloured LEDS (horrific RED/BLUE/GREEN/YELLOW lights that look like a computer display), and switching the covers on each individual bulb, just to get a string that looks halfway decent. Anyway, I found a set of genuine 80s incandescent lights, on FB marketplace. They were in good working condition- I plugged them in and checked at the handover! However… now that I have them home and it’s Christmas decorating time (no Thanksgiving over here)… they do not work! It’s probably not really surprising, given just how finicky they always were. Anyway, we will persist.
The 136,000 step count must be a runner, or they’re doing a long-distance hike. I had to go and check my Garmin to see if I’ve been joined up to any challenges, but I haven’t. Interesting. That is so annoying about Duolingo, but it follows the usual trajectory of tech. Corey Doctorow has written a book about the Enshitiffication of tech platforms. I’m jealous of your ability to sleep through a storm like that.
Oooh I might go look for that book. It’s enraging. Everything is just a hustle now, even DuoLingo. AND I PAY FOR IT.
ooooooooh that’s a lovely coffee maker. I am looking to replace our Ninja because the water reservoir gets slimy when we pre-fill it.
So far it works great, Sarah!
My husband does the same thing with his mom on Duolingo and has apparently had multiple conversations about the same issue- I read him part of your blog post and he could relate to the rage!
Leneigh, THANK YOU for telling me that, I was wondering if it was just me or anyone else! Not that that makes my rage subside. DuoLingo is screwing us all around!!!
I loved Americanah, she’s such a talented writer.
I’m relieved that you have your new coffee maker, and I’m sure your spare is still ready if needed. I still think you need a cheap little pour over thing in case the power is out. Could you boil water if the power were out?
I can’t! I can’t boil water if the power is out *panics*
I had to google your question re: creme rinse evolving into conditioner because it bothered me and because it was so quirky. I’m forever grateful for The Internet precisely for things like that.
Fellow Taurean here. And I think that Kayleigh bitch is cheating.
And??? What was the answer? Was there a clear turn from creme rinse to conditioner? Inquiring minds (I guess I too could google this, I have the power, I do NOT need to be this lazy!)
I’ve had my Mr. Coffee for a while now, and that’s usually the brand I stick with, but now you have me interested in Braun for my next coffee maker whenever that may be.
Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific! I remember the commercials. I always wanted to try it, but we never did. Now you have me wanting to look up 80s hair shampoo and conditioner products—that might be a fun rabbit hole.
Lol, let me know if you emerge from the rabbit hole!!!
I still sing the Tresomme, Tresomme, Oooh la la theme every once in a while.
I support you in your Friends Quest fury! My daughter and I Friends Quest each week and she was so upset when she couldn’t select me (although, she was also equally upset when I wouldn’t let her sync her contacts, so… sigh, tweens.) I hate when apps take away the seemingly little things that make them applicable to us.
IT IS SO INFURIATING!!!! I kind of thought it was a “just me” thing, but now I’m realizing that no, it’s everyone. GET IT TOGETHER, DUOLINGO.
A company needs to bring back Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific! I loved that stuff! It, literally, made your hair smell sooo gooood! When my friend and I were young, we used to wash our hair in the summer at our local swim club with GYHST in the shower. A lot of teen age girls would leave their shampoo bottles and we would “borrow it”!..lol Good times!
Oooh what a memory!!! I just flashed back to those communal showers at the pool, scrubbing the chlorine out of our hair!
I thought I commented on this, I wonder what happened. Sigh.
I loved Americannah, but I’ve loved all of her books so far. My favorite has been Dream Count, though I have a soft spot for Half of a Yellow Sun. I think you should get one of those cheap little pour overs that you put over your cup, just in case your power goes out (why am I so obsessed with the power going out?). Also filters, clearly. Could you boil water without power?
I just finished listening to ‘The Audition’, and I loved it, but what did I just read???
Hahahah I cannot IMAGINE what the audiobook of Audition would be like. It would be wild! I mean…whoa. Were you confused? Because after the first act I was like “wait, what’s happening?” I did love that book, it was so original!
J, if my power goes out, I have no way to boil water. My stove is electric! So I need to think about this. Maybe some instant coffee and I could make myself a cold coffee…I mean, that doesn’t sound great, does it. But it would be better than nothing!
Do you have an outside grill? And a pot you could use to boil water on the grill? If so, PROBLEM SOLVED. Instant coffee would be even easier than a pour over, wouldn’t it? Can you tell I’m not a coffee drinker? I THINK my gas stove still works without power, so I could boil water for my tea.
Was I confused about Audition? Absolutely. She was spiraling during the first act and I found her confusing and unreliable already, then the second act started and I had to go back and listen again to make sure I hadn’t misunderstood. None of this stopped me from enjoying the hell out of it.
I DO have an outdoor grill!!! This is a solution! It could work, I’m sure.
Congratulations on the new coffee maker!
Nicole. You had me laughing. Damn the Duolingo people. They don’t know who they’re dealing with! I often say I’m gonna turn this bus around. I have zero recollection of: I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul. Billy Madison?
When you were saying someone walks more than you, I instantly thought of David Sedaris! I forgot to tell you that I saw him a few weeks ago; he was in town for one of his shows/readings. I took a friend who knew nothing of him, and we laughed our asses off for almost two hours. He’s a trip!
I remember creme rinse. The Shampoo Association decided to change the name; surely it’s a marketing scheme that is working.
ERMAGERRRRRD SUZ!!! You saw David Sedaris!!! That’s a dream come true! You know how I love him. Ooooh I’m jealous!!
Hooray for the new coffeemaker. I also have a Braun coffeemaker and hope it will last a long while (the time display is already misbehaving, but everything else works fine and dandy!) Fingers crossed.
Wow, 100k steps. Nicole, that is so impressive. Clearly Garmin thought you needed to compete on a higher level! 😉 (Like Jenny, I currently only wear my Garmin only for running, so most of my steps are counted on my Apple Watch. I definitely have a gadget problem. LOL
And the Duolingo situation is ridiculous.
You have a Garmin and an Apple! Does the Apple not work well for running? I am so curious now! Maybe this could be a post idea for you – gadgets!
Oh, I am so glad you have a coffeemaker again! That one looks like a big boy that will be able to handle many years of morning coffee!
I have never heard of creme rinse!
The Garmin challenge – how weird that you just got added to it randomly and then dropped down into a lower step group, bahahaha. I’m glad you’re back in the 100k group!
Hahahah oh my sweet young friend! I’m sure the switch from creme rinse to conditioner happened before you were born *she says as she looks at the liver spots suddenly showing up on her hands*
Isn’t that wild? I am so confused as to how I got into this challenge. Did I join it in my sleep? Was I drunk? It feels weird to be drunk and then decide to join a step challenge but I cannot think how this happened. Maybe it’s truly random.
Not on my WATCH, lolol that works on so many levels. Or just two, but I am WITH you on digging your heels in for something this seemingly trivial because FUCK YOU DUOLING THAT’S WHY.
We also called it cream rinse when I was younger and I was just thinking about that the other day. I have no idea when it morphed into conditioner.
I was about to say someone else just told me they started a book and then realized they’d already read it, but I can’t be wholly confident that it wasn’t you. Frig, my brain.
Maybe we were thinking about it at the same time! Excuse me while I marvel at the universe and our connection.
FUCK YOU DUOLINGO INDEED. It makes me so mad! I just want to, I don’t know, work towards getting 10 in a row for thirty lessons with J, is that too much to ask????
What I like about your photodocumented coffee saga is that we get to admire your collection of Elf coffee mugs. Are there more than two? I think that would be a very cheerful way to wake up. I have a few mugs that I rotate through: Boston marathon, plain white, Rosie the Riverter, and a gift mug from two chief residents picturing the two of them in a very promlike pose. It was there thing and kind of hilarious.
Billy Madison. I am definitely going to re-watch. In college, a friend of mine was very into the comedies from the early ’90s SNL stars that went into the movies- Billy Madison, Dumb and Dumber (technically Jim Carrey was ILC), Happy Gilmore, Water Boy… Hmm, now that I think about it, I think we just watched Adam Sandler’s early ouvre.
Years later, I watched So I Married an Axe Murderer and I realized I had NO idea how many jokes I had heard in the past came from that movie. I recommend!
OMG yes! I love So I Married An Axe Murderer. “Everyone here calls me Vicky.” “I’m juicing everything now.” It’s SUCH a great movie!
I only have two Elf mugs, and I rotate them each day. I only use them at this time of year of course! I love that you have a Rosie the Riveter mug. I had a poster of her in my office during grad school and I still smile thinking about it. “We can do it!”
Creme rinse – the only place I’ve ever seen the term is in “Are you there, God?” I wondered what the heck it was. Ha.
SO GLAD your new coffee maker arrived. I am still debating this Major Life Decision. I know you’re waiting with bated breath. 😉
I AM waiting!!! I hope you make a decision soon!
