Some good news!
RAGBRAI is ending in Guttenberg this year – right where my family has property along the Mississippi River!
RAGBRAI is the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. It’s a weeklong bike ride, and you can choose to do the whole thing, or individual days. It’s always held the last full week of July and the route changes every year. The first time I rode a day of it was in 2014 when it ended in Guttenberg, and I have been not-so-patiently waiting for it to end there again ever since.
So, yay! Having the route near where family lives makes the logistics so much easier. (It’s also going through Cedar Falls this year, where my snis lives, but I don’t know if I want to ride more than one day, and the last day is the most fun so I’m leaning toward doing that one only.)
My brain’s been so scattered lately. Even though I mentioned the upcoming announcement on my blog and remembered it once last night, I completely forgot by the time I went to bed and didn’t check! So it was fun to wake up today to texts from my dad and snis chatting me about it.
Dad is definitely riding it, Val and Steve are in, and maybe my snister’s husband. Can’t wait! It looks like I’ll be getting on my bike in the spring! Last year I only rode it once. EEK!
Most unrelaxing salon visit ever
LOL, you guys. This has been the longest four-day work week ever.
I took the afternoon off for my cut/color at the salon and had to take my computer and work the entire time, stay there after to work, then work when I got home. (Just signed off at 6:50pm)
I did take a moment to close my eyes and really enjoy that shampoo/scalp massage. I’d been looking forward to that all week.
But ugh. Most unrelaxing salon visit ever! Better luck next time.
I am committing to relaxing and fun and NOT THINKING ABOUT work (my full time job anyway) this weekend.
Random Thoughts Thursday 483
- RAGBRAI, the week-long bike ride across Iowa held every July, is revealing this year’s route on Saturday night. I’m excited to see where it’s headed and start planning my summer – will or won’t I be training for a day of the ride?!
- I went for summer vibes with my last mani! I maybe regret it a bit, lol. Too soon. Although I have received a few compliments!
- The more life I live, the more I realize I’m someone who needs to take time and process before I can share/talk about things that upset me. If at all. I need to come up with a better way to say “thanks for asking, but I don’t want to talk about that.” Because it’s all about me protecting my space, and nothing to do with the asker. But I feel bitchy saying that.
- Has anyone been getting way more spam email and phone calls this week than usual?
Penny update
Lorena was telling me how her daughter loved our holiday card but wanted to know all the kitties’ names,
so I sent her these extremely helpful guides, LOL:
After I sent it, I realized how little I write here about the cats, especially the outdoor ones. I think it’s because I’ve heard so many unwelcome “cat lady” jokes in real life that I’ve started censoring myself – both here and offline. In reality though, my cat lover friends get plenty of unsolicited cat photos, and half my texts to Steven are just us saying “best friends” alongside pictures of all four indoor cats on the bed (with Ned always off to one side by himself). But outside of that, I usually don’t bring them up unless someone asks!
But… enough of that. At least here. This is where I document life and these furballs are part of it.
So today you get a little Penny update.
Penny showed up at our house in June. I thought she was just passing by BUT SHE HAS NOT LEFT ONCE.
She was SUCH A MESS when she showed up. Tons of fleas, knotted hair, wobbly, and weak.
We took care of all that – I combed all the fleas out several times and gave her regular meds so she doesn’t get them anymore. I brushed her until the knots came out (they are all back now because she doesn’t clean herself, sigh – that is a spring Kim problem). We fed her and she got some energy back. We’ve even see her get the zoomies and run around!
In August we found out she’s chipped and belonged to a family in Wisconsin. The family would never return our vet’s calls.
We also found out she’s old – probably 13 by now.
She kind of breaks my heart because her life seems so tough. She was a humane society cat then adopted then… what? Was she booted? Did she escape? Did she ever live outside? Is she used to a comfortable indoor cat life?
I try not to think about it and just be glad we can provide her a safe, comfy place to live and LOTS of food and fresh water (she drinks SO MUCH).
I was worried about how she’d do this winter. We have a heated cat house (if you want to deep dive that, click here), and she WAS using it. But she won’t go in it if Greg is in the first room (he will let her pass – it’s just some weird territory thing). I’ve showed her the second entrance but she won’t use it.
So I go outside yesterday morning and it’s -8F and I see her sleeping in a little structure we have on our deck that is nowhere near as warm as the cat house.
This poor little bebe.
She stays in the cat house most of the day because Greg isn’t there. But he comes back for the afternoon meal and she’s out again.
Then when Steven comes home she runs into the garage and into our house and the next thing I know, Steven’s setting up a litter box for her for the downstairs bathroom and I’m taking everything out of the bathroom then getting out a cat bed, towels, toys, and water.
Worst photo ever, but she is comfy and SUPER warm until it warms up a bit more outside.
Sigh. The things we do for these randos who show up at our house (Steven also ordered a bunch of stuff to try to make those little structures on the deck warmer, because Snow Jr, who used the cat house all last winter, also won’t go in it with Greg and Penny there, UGH). And the things I don’t share with people because they’ll call me crazy…
Weekend snapshots
A few snapshots from my trip to Iowa this weekend for our youngest nephews’ birthday party!
Reading Update (2024 #85, 2025 #1-3)
[85] Behind Every Good Man by Sara Goodman Confino
Fiction / Historical, can’t remember why I downloaded this!, Audio
Synopsis: Beverly Diamond finds her husband cheating on her with his secretary. With no degree or financial support, Beverly throws herself into helping an underdog senatorial candidate, Michael Landau, run a modern, women-focused campaign against her husband’s candidate. I should note – this is set in 1962.
Review: I was so confused by this book at first – like what’s with the old-timey names, and why can’t this woman just get a job? Then something revealed that the story was set in the 1960s, and suddenly everything clicked. At that point, I was barely tolerating reading it though, mostly because of all the barriers Beverly faced and her fraught relationship with her mother. But surprisingly, I got into it and really wanted Beverly to succeed. She turned out to be incredibly smart and likeable – someone you can’t help but root for. What can I say? It was a RIDE.
Recommend? Sure! Be warned if you listen to it – the way the narrator does the children’s voices is extremely grating
[1] Mullane’s Guide to Learning to Fly: Deep Dives into Select Topics for Today’s Student Pilot by Patrick Mullane
Non-fiction, saw on this 24 books for pilots to read in 2024 list, Kindle
Synopsis: Through anecdotes from his own personal pilot training, Mullane tackles topics every aspiring pilot needs to know with a straightforward and humorous approach.
Review: I really enjoyed this book, even though parts of it left my brain feeling fried! Combining real-life situations with straightforward language and humor is a great way for me to understand and remember a concept – especially when I can compare it to what I’ve seen and heard in my passenger flying experience. Mullane’s snarky takes on things I’ve also wondered WhY iS iT sTiLl DoNe ThIs WaY added to the fun.
This is a fantastic tool and helped me immensely, though I wonder if it would have made any sense to me a year ago or earlier, before Steven shared a lot of these concepts with me and I was riding along with him. Random – I also enjoyed the historical tidbits and explanations, like why planes in the U.S. have an N on their tail number or even why a bikini is called a bikini.
Recommend? Yes, if you are interested in a glimpse of what it takes to get your private pilot license, this is a great place to start!
[2] A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
Fiction / Romance / Paranormal, saw in a book store, Kindle
Synopsis: Eileen Merriweather escapes into romance novels to avoid real-life, but when her car breaks on the way to a book club retreat, she finds herself in Eloraton – the magical town from her favorite romance series. Trapped in the late author’s unfinished story, Eileen believes she’s meant to complete the town’s happy ending. Complicating matters is a grumpy, alluring bookstore owner who doesn’t want her meddling. As Eileen navigates fictional and real-life emotions, she starts to wonder if Eloraton’s happily-ever-after is tied to her own.
Review: I saw this in a bookstore and put it on Libby, having no idea what it was about. That’s my preferred approach to books – I hate blurbs that give away too much of the plot and would rather go in knowing nothing. But had I looked this up and seen the “paranormal” genre or any hints of magical realism, I would bolted. Those aren’t my genres.
So, I do want to say the premise was wonderfully creative, bravo! But the fictional novels and their characters, which were so important to Eileen, were painfully boring to me. I struggled to keep the characters straight and found it hard to connect with the town’s happenings. I skimmed this book more than I have any other. All because I wanted to see it resolved, but… (spoiler in next paragraph!)
The magical realism was never explained, which left me unsatisfied, and the love story felt rushed and oddly restrained. It seemingly leaned on the sunshine/grumpy trope, but Eileen only really felt like “sunshine” once she reached the fictional town. While the concept was unique, the “book-within-a-book” approach ultimately didn’t work for me.
Recommend? No
[3] Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo
Fiction / Family Life, rec from Val, Audio
Synopsis: At 57, Julia Ames feels like she finally has a handle on life. But a few surprises and a reemergence of her past upend her sense of control. As old patterns threaten to resurface, Julia navigates maternal ambivalence, intergenerational friendship, and the unpredictable twists of life. I know, not very descriptive but I don’t want to spoil what little of a plot there is in this character-driven novel. And that is not a dig!
Review: This is a book where very little happens plot-wise, but it dives deeply into Julia’s character. I’ll be honest – Julia is NOT very likeable. She’s cynical, sarcastic, only really cares for her immediate family, and feels the need to hide her true self around most people. Her strained relationship with her mother and feelings of being unloved in her youth are palpable and shape who she is.
That might sound horrible, like why would I read this?!, but the writing was so beautiful and richly detailed that I was completely hooked, eager to understand why Julia is the way she is. Bonus points for being set in Chicago, which I loved! I do wish there had been more exploration of her husband feeling like his family didn’t understand him or find him interesting, but he wasn’t the focus of the story. Overall, a very compelling and intricately written character study with concepts I’ll be thinking about for some time.
Recommend? Yes!
A hidden gift
Surprise! You all received a little gift from me this Wednesday – without even knowing it! That’s right. After coming home from the dentist, fuming because they wouldn’t clean my teeth due to poor communication with my anticoagulation team, I channeled my frustration into a long, ranty blog post. And published it privately.
You’re welcome. 😆
Seriously, though, any time I keep a rant to myself* instead of blasting it across every channel imaginable, I feel so proud. I know it’s just a minor inconvenience, that I need time to cool off, and that airing it out will only fan the flames and leave me feeling even grumpier.
But on a work day that looked like this:
I really wish they hadn’t wasted my time.
*Well, obviously, except for poor Steven, who was actually getting his teeth cleaned while I waited for him in the lobby, then had to deal with me venting as soon as we got into the parking lot
Random Thoughts Thursday 482
- This year, I’m participating in my work’s mentoring program for the first time as a mentee. Yesterday we got our mentor assignments and mine is LITERALLY the top person of my organization! I feel like I won a prize. With so much uncertainty at work right now (I work for the federal government), the anxious energy around me feels overwhelming. I can already see myself relying on this connection to help navigate any upcoming changes.
- Instead of understanding things like basic math, science, meteorology, my brain is holding onto facts like this – what the first animated movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars was (Beauty and the Beast). I found a trivia section on our Roku and we played a bit of it Tuesday night. I surprisingly knew a lot just from random things I’ve read online and listened to on The Popcast. That was how I knew this fact – The Popcast just mentioned it in an episode! Good work, brain!(???)
- I totally jinxed myself last Thursday ranting about my bank sending me a new credit card, because that Friday morning I woke up and my other credit card had fraudulent charges. Thankfully the charges were small but the process to request a new card was pretty painful. I blame myself though. I got a text (and later I saw, an email) about it, and I never trust a text so I always call the number on the back of the card. Before I could request my new card I had to go through a bunch of steps, including declining an offer, being called back at the phone number on my account, going through the charges, etc. It seemed like if I would have just responded to the text with “NO” (that the charges aren’t mine) that would have sufficed. Lesson learned?
- You all know I love a funny butt shirt for the gym. My gym drops new designs a few times a year, and as soon as I saw this one, I knew I had to get it!
- The other week a friend asked me about painted rock commissions. I haven’t been doing them for a few years now for several reasons – high on the list being it sucks all the joy out of painting and that I’m very protective of my free time. All that being said I felt bad saying no to them, but proud of myself at the same time. Because I did consider it for a minute.
The Terminal
On Monday night after we finished The Departed (we’re reviewing it in work movie club tomorrow), we were looking for something else to watch. We came across The Terminal. I was like “I remember we both didn’t like this movie when it came out, but do you remember why?”
Steven said, “Yeah, we both thought it was super boring.”
Thinking perhaps we’ve changed and matured and might like it now (just kidding, I was sick of scrolling) I suggested “Maybe we should try it again! What year did this come out anyway?”
Queue me looking that up and seeing 2004 then HOLY SHIT THIS MOVIE IS 21 YEARS OLD! HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN TOGETHER?! (Answer: over 22 years.)
22+ years of so many movies viewed together. Aww.
By the way, this movie is still… not for us. It’s so disjointed we’re wondering if we even finished it the first time.
No related photo but here’s the cats chilling with us on the couch!
Should I already know this?!
I used to track my headaches to try to figure out what was causing them, in the hopes I could avoid them in the future. And from that exercise I learned how many things were in my control – food consumption, caffeine, dehydration, lighting/noise/fragrance levels (at home) – and what wasn’t – stress, sleep, hormonal changes, muscle tension, and barometric pressure aka atmospheric pressure.
And folks, that is what we are here to talk about today – the weight of the air.
When I was tracking headaches, I would go to our handy dandy weather app and click on the pressure icon. Sure enough, on headache days, I often saw a huge change in pressure from previous days.
“A ha!” I’d think, “I definitely have a pressure headache.” And I actually added that to something I tried to get more into my control – basically by pregaming for big pressure changes with lots of water and maybe some Tylenol the night before or morning of predicted pressure change.
But all that time, I did NOT really understand what atmospheric pressure was. I knew the ups and downs could be triggers, but didn’t understand what the ups and downs meant, or why it was going up and down at all. I surmised I got the headaches from the variation of pressure on my body but, again, WhAt Is ThIs?
Should I already know this? Did everyone learn this in school? Seriously. Is this common knowledge?
For all my unknowing, I was never curious enough to look it up and understand it and save it to memory.
Until recently.
Because guess what has a huge effect on flying? Atmospheric pressure. (Duh, right?)
I won’t bore you with the details! Promise!
It’s just that it’s all coming together, and I wanted to share that.
I understood it was important to have the altimeter (altitude of an aircraft above sea level) set to the most current reading (shared by the tower or a weather report) so we don’t hit other pilots or terrain. I understood density altitude (the pressure altitude based on the current air temperature) greatly affects the performance of the plane.
But I didn’t have a grasp on the basics. Cold air heavier. Warm air lighter. Because science. Changes all the time due to uneven heating of earth. Just like the super freaking basics people probably learn in what, GRADE SCHOOL?
Steven and I sometimes talk about the subjects we’d retake if we were going through school again. Like the K-12 stuff. History would be much more interesting. Ooo, geography too! Physics would be more applicable. Things don’t stick for me until I have a personal reference point, and apparently headaches weren’t enough.
Next up to tackle: gyroscopic forces.
Hi! I’m Kim, a 40-something-year-old living in northeastern Illinois with my husband Steven, and our cats, Khaleesi, Apollo, Starbuck, and Eddard aka Ned. My current main hobbies are running, painting rocks, flying, reading, and eating. I follow a vegan lifestyle and work in an account management role. I write about a variety of topics and consider this a “life” blog – a place I can share anything that’s on my mind. Please visit the “About” page to get a better idea of who I am! 🙂
