If you’ve listened to either of our last two podcasts, then you may already be aware that I have decided my word for 2018 is NO. As in NO THANK YOU, NOPE, and NO MA’AM.
And I’d kind of wondered if that was me coming from a bad place, a place of ALL I WANT TO DO IS WATCH NETFLIX. But then my dear friend and our worship leader at Community Worship, August, and I were talking last Sunday and without knowing anything about my YEAR OF NO, she said, “I feel like my word this year is UNSUBSCRIBE.” Which is basically just a fancier way of saying no.
I don’t really know what that means, but I think I’m starting with carefully evaluating the pros and cons of things I commit to, feeling free to remember that no is a complete sentence and that I can determine what I prioritize. It also means that I am literally unsubscribing to just about every email I get in my inbox, including those that are inexplicably addressed to Alfonso and Michael. I don’t know what Alfonso did, but his credit history is apparently very bad.
But what I’ve noticed as I’ve unsubscribed to emails about health insurance and roofing options and credit offers is that the emails are never-ending. In fact, I feel like unsubscribing is a larger scam that just puts my email on even more lists of people who want to sell me home insulation or car warranties. I don’t even understand.
I’ve also learned that I what I really resent are the ones with an unsubscribe feature that make me manually type in my email address to unsubscribe. Dear Sir, I did not ask to find out more about your vitamin infused coffee nor how to get a free LASIK consultation, therefore I should not have to take the time to type in my email for you to quit sending me things.
That really has nothing to do with the five things I’m going to share with you today, but I feel better having told you.
1. Egg Roll Soup from Gimme Some Oven
I have several recipes that have become staples that I’ve found from Ali at Gimme Some Oven and this is the newest one. I made this right before Christmas (I made it with ground pork and bought Won Ton Strips at the grocery store.) and it was so delicious and perfect for a cold night. I’m not even a fan of Chinese food and I liked it.
The bonus is that it couldn’t be easier to make.
2. Rise – Premieres March 13th on NBC
Just as I was lamenting that lack of good T.V. shows, I stumbled across this trailer for Rise which is a new show that starts in March on NBC. Here’s what you need to know, it’s produced by the same people who produced Friday Night Lights and Parenthood.
You know what I have to say about that? Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.
I’ve gotten several emails lately about where I bought our leather couch several years ago. This is it. It’s from Casco Bay Furniture and is exactly like the Maxwell leather sofa at Restoration Hardware but better and half the price. I still love ours and would totally order from them again.
They have a huge selection of things, offer free shipping and it’s all made in the USA. I know it feels weird to order furniture sight unseen, but I’m so glad I took the chance.
One of my favorite people to follow on Instagram is Kristen Bell because she is super funny and doesn’t take herself seriously which are really my favorite two attributes in a person. But she posted an Instastory about these glasses yesterday and it was one of those moments where you just know I AM ABOUT TO BUY THAT THING.
The official name is bed prism reading glasses, but what they are really LAY DOWN AND READ GLASSES. You can lie flat on your back in bed and use these to read your book without having to be propped up. Lazy Scientists UNITE. These are genius.
And if you’re looking for a real live hardback book to read, Church of the Small Things is now on sale for just $12.74 at Amazon. Which means you can have it in your hands by tomorrow along with toilet paper or granola bars or sunscreen or whatever else you buy off Amazon. You can find it here.
That’s all for today.
Love,
Alfonso or Michael