“It is not an easy thing — maybe the work of a lifetime — to live as if we are loved. To quiet the voices of self-condemnation. To live outside the tiny cosmos of our own desires. To extend the grace we have been shown. To act on a vision of humanity in which all are equally loved by God.”
To Xfinity and Beyond
Two years ago, Joe got really into Mr. Money Mustache. I rue the day he found that blog. Mr. Money Mustache advocates an intense cheapskate sensibility that was diametrically opposed to my profession at the time (running a fashion/shopping blog called Racked DC).
Mr. Money Mustache writes posts with names like “Luxury is Just Another Weakness” and he would surely scoff at $30 fitness classes. He retains special disdain, however, for anyone who subscribes to cable. Enjoy your 100+ channels now, he would say, because you are destined to die a pauper.
So Joe somehow ended up talking me into cutting cable, even though it was only $20 more a month than our stupid internet service. I've been making that argument to him for the past two years and he must've finally got sick of me saying it, because we just got cable back! Ironically, I'm balling out with cable after I got laid off.
For some reason, I'm OBSESSED with Morning Joe. I can't even tell you why. I love Mika and I felt so informed while watching it. I thought I needed Morning Joe now that we are in the Trump era, shudder, but the jury is still out on this one.
Anyway, we have this fancy voice-controlled Xfinity remote now. The cable guy told me all about it when he was setting it up, but in the back of my head, I thought the remote was extravagant and I would just use the guide like old times. This voice control thing works really, really well though.
Maybe the best part about our new cable is listening to Joe talk into the remote, saying the names of the ridiculous shows he loves in a very slow, deliberate manner. It sounds a bit like this:
"White. Collar. Brawlers"
"Axe....Men"
"Moon....shiners"
I'm not any better though. "America's. Next. Top. Model."
"Real Housewives. Beverly. Hills."
GOD IT FEELS GOOD TO BE BACK!
New Year's Resolutions, 2009
I've been on an organizing kick, and started pulling old, half-written-in notebooks off the shelf. So amusing to see my New Year's Resolutions from eight years ago. This list could be my resolutions today! I'd replace "start a blog" with "write in my blog" but the rest are spot on. Does this say something about the futility of our attempts every January? Or maybe these resolutions from 2009 are just very general.
I did accomplish one of these, though! I was obviously trying to play it cool by putting that "Get a boyfriend" resolution second-to-last, when it really always was top of mind. The exclamation point gives it away. As it turns out, it would take me one more year to meet Joe, and I am so thankful everyday to have him in my life.
And just for laughs, check out the top of my to-do list a few pages back from that resolutions page.
Right, right.
Tunes Tuesday: "Real Love Baby," Father John Misty
It's definitely a sign of how disconnected I am from new music right now that I didn't know about this excellent new Father John Misty track until now. I'm a true fan girl and this song was released six months ago, for goodness sake!!!
I should probably put up a Google Alert for him. Instead, I had to stumble across a mean-spirited passage this fall about Father John Misty in the WaPo review of Lady Gaga's Joanne while reading a PRINTED OUT NEWSPAPER, egads.
“White men continue to enjoy the most security in our society, and because fraudulence doesn’t require much risk, Caucasoid fraud-bros are all around us. Among the most irritating to materialize in recent memory is Father John Misty, an obsequious indie-folk carpetbagger whose zany-smug lyrics about sex and cynicism help to posit him as a bit of a cad. When the New Yorker recently invited him to give a public talk in Manhattan, the singer greeted the audience by saying, “I cannot believe you guys bought tickets to this.” A fraud move for sure, but also something he might consider saying at the outset of every Father John Misty concert.”
Listen, a Lady Gaga country album was truly something no one asked for, but leave FMJ alone. "Caucasoid fraud-bro obsequious indie-folk carpet bagger?" It's an act and he is a national treasure.
Please ignore the haters and keep making reverb-soaked, wall-of-sound, sincerely fake indie-folk love songs, Father John Misty! Just like this one.
My Favorite Donald Trump Burns
"He is a ridiculous person who doesn’t know anything...” — Stuart Stevens in The Atlantic
"I didn't realize he was as stupid as he is.” — former casino worker, Mother Jones
"I'm a New Yorker, and I know a con when I see one." — Michael Bloomberg
*Note: This list will be updated as necessary.
Tunes Tuesday: "Season 2, Episode 3," Glass Animal
"My gal eats mayonnaise from a jar while she's getting blazed" has gotta be one of the most fun lyrics to sing along to in recent memory. Love this little slice of Netflix life, and I'm into this whole album. Anyone want to see them in DC this month??
