You know how to build a sauna? That’s incredible! If I had access to a sauna, I feel like I could really hit Peak Hygge this winter (there’s bound to be one in the DMV, just not necessarily one that’s metro-accessible). God Jul!

For me, the portrayal of Scandinavian Christmas felt very off—more like American Christmas with a few Scandi trimmings than anything else, especially since St. Lucia Day is a WAY bigger deal than a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment. I was hoping it would be more of a portrayal like Kirsten’s story from the American Girl …

It’s already hygge season for me! I’ve got my sweaters, blankets, mulled wine, and a fuckton of candles. Your æbelskiver look delicious, by the way!

Skål!

Oh, jeez—that’s pretty fucking bad. Of course, these are also the people that gave us Song of the South, so it’s disappointing without necessarily being surprising. Fuck.

I just got back from seeing “Coco” (SO GOOD!), and oh my fucking God, that Olaf shit made me want to tear my own teeth out. I love Scandinavian Christmas—my dad’s family are Danish, our Christmas dinner is various shades of lumpy beigeness—but this was too long, made no sense, and was insufferable.

OH MY GOD! My parents have a blue heeler! She is a year old, her name is Bella, and she has absolutely zero chill. She will flop belly up onto your feet any time she wants pets (and it doesn’t matter if you’re walking or not—she’ll still flop) and is convinced the ice maker in the freezer is out to murder us all.…

Thirst Aid Kit (new podcast about hot people we crush on, from Buzzfeed) has an entire episode about John Cho and how fucking charming he is. https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/panoply/thirst-aid-kit/e/52171564

Oh my God, you have a puppy?! That’s amazing! And I feel you on the news popping up everywhere; it’s hard to avoid.

I recently purchased Cheryl Mendelson’s “Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House”. It’s 800+ pages of dishes, cleaning schedules, fabric care, etc. It’s deeply soothing.

My success story: I made it to the gym twice this week an exercised for two hours! I’m explicitly trying to lose weight and it has surprised even me that I’ve been making progress (I always thought I couldn’t—turns out I just need a fuckton of external accountability). So I’m down to my newest low since I’ve started,…

That’s so exciting! I’m so glad you get your tree. I hope it is festive as fuck. And in my entirely Unprofessional and Unscientific Opinion (TM), it’s probably not labor—but even if it is, sleep is king!

I am so sorry that happened to you. It sounds devastating and so, so scary. The things I would pass on are these: intimacy with people we love after a heartbreak or trauma can feel so fucking hard, because the feelings we’re holding inside are huge and scary, and it’s easy to feel like if we give them any room, we’ll…

I write Christmas cards—most of my other friends are also in grad school or in far-flung places, and it feels good to know they’ll get a physical piece of mail. I’m hosting an open house next weekend, which will be a nice chance to show off my new apartment and get excited. Finally, I plan to go see the lights at the…

I understand. It might be time to redirect some of your attention to things that make you feel more fulfilled—for me, this means murder mysteries and housekeeping manuals. Sometimes, I also schedule time to worry: I set a timer, and for 5/15/30 minutes, I let that thing be all I think/act about (calling my reps, or…

Hey friend! I’m based in DC, finishing up a degree in IR. I like knitting, crosswords, murder mysteries, and John Cho. I’d love to chat more!

I think choosing a food that is comforting is entirely reasonable as part of taking care of yourself after an anxiety attack. What happened sounds scary and distressing, and it’s not like you were eating a bunch of food because you had a long train ride or something. I hope it helped you to feel safe and cared for,…

What a good girl!

My youngest nephew (he’s 4) had my sister take a video of him dressed as Elsa and singing “Let It Go” and it is THE CUTEST. I love that my nephews have female heroes they admire, and that my sister and her husband absolutely encourage that.

I’m a big believer in pot pie to use up roast poultry, but you could also make turkey enchiladas!