This week was a roller coaster, I was riding high Tuesday and Wednesday thinking I was done pet sitting forever, which came crashing down on Thursday when I got a message confirming that I was still good for this weekend. I didn’t know whether to laugh, scream, or cry. But it is more spending money for while I am home on vacation, or so I keep telling myself. But I am so tired.
Which brings me to my next point, I don’t know if I have ever needed a vacation more in my life. I thought I was tired after each semester of university and grad school, after exams, when I was working four jobs and in grad school. But this is a level of exhaustion that goes deeper than anything I have ever felt before. No night’s sleep is ever enough to make me not tired.
Social Media Favorite: Cleaning out the follows // private on Instagram
This week I did one of my favorite things that I do, on a semi-regular basis I go through who I follow and unfollow nearly everyone but people I actually know in real life and a small handful of influencers and podcasters. I think I kept a slightly larger group than normal, normally I cap it at 5-10, but this time I went off vibes.
The influencers that survived the cull were: Caroline Angelica Winkler (YouTuber, hilarious person), Olivia Muenter, Becca Freeman, Grace Atwood, Carly Hill, Mary Orton, Carly Riordan, Carin Olsson, Simply Elsa, Nellie Diamond, Trae Crowder (comedian), Sami Sage, Lady Di Revenge Looks, ButLikeMaybe, Hill House Vintage, Lauren Conrad, Marie Faustin (comedian), Tinx, Katie Sturino, Pattie Gonia (drag queen environmentalist), AOC, Laura Whaley, Pete Souza (photographer), Jack Edwards (booktuber), Eli Rallo (author, list maker), Half-Baked Harvest, and Jared Fried (although I don’t know if he survived as such, because I unfollowed him a while ago and then I refollowed after the cull).
It feels weird to call some of these people influencers. A few of them never run ads, some of them are photographers, congresswomen, comedians, cartoonists. These people are artists, not content creators, but somehow all art has become content.
I also am back to being private on Instagram and I’m really enjoying it. My go back to having my parents blocked too! It’s peaceful.
Movie/TV Favorite: Merlin
I don’t know if this is truly a favorite show. It is highly enjoyable and an easy watch, but I mostly have it on in the background while I work on other things.
Podcast Favorite: This Podcast Will Kill You: The Bends
This was one of the most interesting podcast episodes I have listened to in ages. It is a very fascinating story about a disease that so-called “progress” created. The bends, decompression sickness, did not exist until we invented air compressors. It is literally a result of the industrial revolution. Fascinating stuff.
Random Favorite 1: Crave Frozen Meals
Listen Linda. I know that frozen meals are not it generally. But this week has been hell and I skipped my Hello Fresh and these were on sale. And I sometimes buy them before I go up north because I know when I am up there all I am doing is working (and sometimes you can’t cook with the water) that I will not be able to cook dinner. And these actually taste good, and you can see all the ingredients, which doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but it is reassuring.

Random Favorite 2: My Silk Pillowcases
I have never added anything better to my bed than these. I got them when I thought I was losing hair at an alarming rate, but they also just feel so nice on your skin. I got mine on Amazon before I cancelled my Prime membership.

Have a great weekend!
Laura