Friday thoughts: 11/2/2018

Just a quick post today, I'm stopping by in the middle of other things! I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween; we had a great time trick or treating, even though everyone thought my daughter was Robin Hood, instead of Nature Cat! :D


*Simone Biles Gets A Vault Named After Her Just 24 Hours After Going to the ER With a Kidney Stone*

Well then.

First off, Simone Biles is downright amazing. She's so strong and powerful and hardworking and she's an absolute joy to watch. I can't even imagine moving my body the way she does, and she makes it all look so effortless (when you know it's not!). I grew up watching gymnastics on TV and I still get a thrill when I see a competition televised.

Part of me is really bothered by articles like these. Is it amazing that Biles did this? Obviously. But I worry that articles like these end up setting an unachievable standard for the rest of us. It reminds me of an article I read once about a woman who ran an entire marathon while in labor, and of course there was some moron in the comments (and of course it was a guy) asking why more women weren't like this marathon-running lady, why we all complained so much while in labor if SHE was doing just fine (I REALLY wish I'd had the presence of mind to post back a picture of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and ask why more men don't have bodies like him, since obviously The Rock could do it). It's great that she felt well enough to run 26.2 miles while a child was actively trying to make its way out of her body, but just because SHE did that doesn't mean that it's something everyone can do. I worry that it sets the standards like "This person did this amazing thing while suffering, so YOU can come into your terribly-paid retail job while you're suffering the same ailment." And this mindset affects me; I can't always do all the things I want, but if the idea is out there that someone else with a similar problem did (fill in the blank with something wild, like composing a symphony while skydiving, or bench-pressing three schoolbuses using only her feet), then there's no way I could actually be suffering so much pain from standing up to get off the toilet (entirely threw my back out that way once. Not embarrassing at all...). Does that make sense?

I'm not trying to distract from Biles's accomplishment at all here, merely looking at the precedence this sets for the rest of us.


*Hot Cocoa M&Ms with Marshmallow Centers Exist Because Diets Are Stupid*

And now for something lighter.

I have to say I don't care for all these new, weird-flavored M&Ms.

The peanut butter-filled ones are the exception. THOSE THINGS...are not allowed into my house. Because they're one of the few things I can't control myself around. A bag of those comes through my door, it's going to be empty quick. I swear the centers are actually filled with crack. I make a conscious choice to not buy them, simply because I love them so very, very much.

I've tried most of the other ones- my husband gets curious and will purchase a small bag- but absolutely none of the new flavors have tasted good to me (and the peppermint ones were downright nasty). I was super, super disappointed with the coffee ones, and a few other flavors I haven't even bothered to try because they sounded so disgusting. Strawberry? Birthday cake? Nah. Not my style. I'll stick to the traditional kind. Just keep those peanut butter-filled ones far away...because otherwise, I might bite your hand off trying to get to the bag. ;)

What are your thoughts on this? Do you like any of the new M&M flavors?


And that's all for tonight. I'm about to run out the door to pick up my son, then home to fix dinner, and tonight, I'm attending an interfaith memorial service for the victims of last week's synagogue shooting. I've already got tissues in my purse and I'm pretty sure I'm going to use most of them.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend. Stay well, friends. <3