"Yachty or Nice"

21 December 2020: "Be careful! Rich people's toes are worth two of our toes!" --Linda, to the kids, on this season's Christmas episode of Bob's Burgers

Every year, I re-watch the Bob's Burgers Christmas episodes. They just make me happy. Somehow this episode slipped by me when it aired last week. I even thought, "I guess they didn't do one?" So I was delighted to find "Yachty or Nice" on my DVR. Like a little gift under the tree!

Bring on Bob's Burgers!

1 October 2023: Pushed and pushed myself through a boring task that I should never have had to do this evening, but it is done. Better be done for good, but we'll see.

What a nice surprise to see that a new Bob's Burgers episode tonight. Feels like a reward for getting my weekly "Book/Year's Work" list done, trimming the front bushes, and knocking off just about everything else on my daily list. 

The Bob's Burgers Movie

12 June 2022: Woke up feeling anxious and stressed, so that was fun. But something that really helped--at least for a few hours--was seeing The Bob's Burgers Movie with Amy and getting lunch afterward. It really was a delight, giving me everything I love about the show with the size and visuals of the big screen. (I realize that all sounds cliched, but it just works!)  

Annie's Burgers

30 August 2026: Another sign that Annie is settling in as an official member of this family (despite the fightin' with Jo and Veronica): she has been the subject of a "cat and Bob's Burgers" picture.

Bing's Burgers...

30 June 2014: Monday morning and early afternoon were, for a variety of reasons, stressful and kind of emotional. By Monday afternoon, though, things had calmed down enough for me to relax and kick back with Bing and Wes. So here's Bing on the bed, watching Bob's Burgers on the Kindle.

"Sit Me Baby One More Time"

5 November 2017: "We're stronger if we stick our crotches together." --Zeke, on tonight's episode of Bob's Burgers. Believe it or not, this line was kind of sweet. This show remains as charming as ever and such a welcome bit of levity every Sunday night.

Lil ball of paper...

30 March 2026: When I walked down the driveway to bring the recycling bin back to the garage, I saw a scrap of a piece of paper was left behind. I crumpled it up to throw it out, but the very gesture of crumpling up paper makes me think of Jo, whose favorite kind of toy remains balls of paper. 

I rolled it around in my hand, thinking, "She might really like this one..." Something about the littler size...

I put it in my pocket and headed to work, deciding to think about it. Not every piece of scrap paper makes the cut, after all. 

All day long when I reached into my pocket, I would feel it and think about Jo waiting at home.

Got home around 6:00, called her over, showed it to her, and watched her focus on it. (Shades of the way Wesley used to lock in on a toy when I held it up.)

I tossed it. She chirped and jumped off to chase it.

All evening long, she's been batting it around and bringing it to me. 

Just a minute ago, I picked it up and she ran to her favorite spot for me to throw them. (LOL at the Bob's Burgers' caption.)

She's just so silly, weird, pure, and fun. 

Springing forward...

8 March 2026: Grading ENGL 102 essays (not too bad!) with the windows open while Bob's Burgers reruns play on the TV. Jo, who has been moving between the window and my chair/lap, is settled on the ottoman. Though most of the day was kind of cloudy, the sun is shining now--noteworthy because it's after 6:00 p.m.

So yeah: loving this time change and the spring vibes (though I know we aren't done with chilly weather--and I know tomorrow morning will be rough). 

Sunday things...

17 December 2023: I know I just did this kind of post on Friday, but today had a lot of good things worth remembering:

1) On our way to Winchester (more about that in a bit), Amy and I stopped at the new Tudor's Biscuit World in Inwood. It was packed but the line moved quick enough considering and the food was delicious, of course.

2) We saw Waitress (the filmed stage version with Sara Bareilles), which was so lovely. I had seen a stage version at the National Theater with Jane and it was great, but hearing Sara sing the song--and getting a close up view of the actors--was terrific. 

3) After, we did some Christmas shopping and I crossed a few more things off my list.

4) At one store, a young woman sort of did a double-take and said, "You were my teacher, I think?" She looked familiar and when she said her name, I absolutely remembered her. I won't put in writing here the really kind thing she told me about my class, but after we talked and I walked away, I felt myself get teared up over how amazingly lucky I am to get to do what I do and get to hear things like that. She's a Spanish teacher now, which also makes me happy. 

Came home, wrapped some gifts, and am chilling for a bit with Jo and Veronica. New Christmas Bob's Burgers tonight and then probably and then probably an early bedtime. For a very dark, foggy, and rainy day, there was a lot of metaphorical sunlight shining through. 

Monday night ruminations...

22 September 2025: Lots on my mind tonight (not all bad!) but doing an okay job working through things and staying steady. Thinking about the good parts: my students, my colleagues, my friends. Grateful for pleasant distractions, like Bob's Burgers and Dawson's Creek. Grateful that the big pot of soup that I made last night meant a low effort and delicous dinner tonight. Hoping to turn in by 10:30 or so. 

And determined to cross some things off the big lists tomorrow and make it a good day.

"The Bleakening"

23 December 2023:

[Catch-up post]

Made to NY in pretty good time on Saturday. That evening, I was thrilled to introduce Krista and Isla to Bob's Burgers, specifically to "The Bleakening." 

"Boogie Days"

24 November 2024: "Jamiroquai and Mark Twain also said, 'um, don't not do fun stuff 'cause your dad got scared one time.'" --Bob to Louise in tonight's episode of Bob's Burgers. 

Laughed out loud at that line (a call-back). Perfect accompaniment to finishing grading the last few ENGL 301 Annotated Bibliographies. Shew! 

Pawprints...

26 September 2021: Finally moved the little pawprint impression the emergency vet made for me when Bing died. It has been sitting on the dining room table (next to the box with his ashes--a whole other story) for a couple of weeks now. I have no idea where to put it. Something about those little feet just still gets to me. Every time I hold it, I put my fingers in the impressions, remembering his paws stretched out to me. I never felt alone in those moments. And that specific set of memories is too sad right now, a little over a month later. Right now, it's on my dresser upstairs, but I am not sure where it will be long-term. It feels so personal and private. A box of ashes just doesn't have the same resonance.

Maybe it's the Sunday blues sliding in, but I didn't expect to be teary-eyed over missing him tonight. 

Also feeling a bit overwhelmed by all I have to do and yet don't have the motivation to do any more of it tonight. (It will get done...) I am grateful for some fun and silly TV coming back tonight: The Great North, Bob's Burgers, and Supermarket Sweep. Grateful for the little things. 

One more week...

17 August 2025: Classes start a week from tomorrow. I am mostly ready. I miss the students. But there is always a melancholy lurking for me this time of year--particularly this week or so before it all starts. Sunday evenings, of course, multiply the melancholy. 

Grateful for the good parts I am looking forward to, the fact that the heat broke a couple of hours ago, spaghetti for dinner, Bob's Burgers reruns on the TV, and a decent book waiting for me to get back to it.

And, as always, for Veronica and Jo. 

Pretty sweet Sunday...

20 July 2025: I know I sometimes document days like today--posts that are basically lists of things I did. They aren't the most interesting posts, I know, but for me, they can serve as little snapshots of ordinary but sweet days. So here's one:

I got an early start with a trip to campus (my first in over a week!) to do a little work and (almost more important to me, at least emotionally) water my plants. 

It's pretty cool to be close to the end of my reading for the "Year's Work" essay. My syllabi are coming along well, too. On Friday, I accepted a new role--Coordinator of First-Year Writing--that means a course release for me, which cut that syllabizing work down quite a bit.

Once I got home, I took my walk through the neighborhood. Laughed really hard at an Extra Hot Great episode. 

From there, I was basically inside the rest of the afternoon. (Still pretty hot out there; it's been an intense summer.) I watched some TV (finished You, which was okay) and read a horror novel by a local writer. I'm enjoying it and have about 120 pages to go.

Then Amy and I saw Magdalene, a CATF play. I really enjoyed it; terrific acting, as always, and some cool ideas. From there, we had dinner at King's.

Home now and just finished a phone call with Tim. Bob's Burgers time (it continues to be my comfort show) until some more reading, bath, and bed!

"Hot Pants Rain Dance"

29 June 2026: Sitting here now watching the Bob's Burgers episode "Paraders of the Lost Float" This one never jumped out at me before, but tonight I am loving how it's ultimately about embracing joy and fun when it comes to us. "Hot Pants Rain Dance" epitomizes this vibe, of course--a vibe that I welcome this evening. 

Strange, silly, but ultimately true that this show has gotten me through so much hard stuff. 

Back home...

17 November 2025: I don't think I've ever gotten back from New York and felt as strange as I did when I got home today. 

How strange to be back here and plan for getting back to "normal" when my dad is still so sick up there. 

How strange to move through every task and ordinary motion when nothing is resolved up there.

About an hour after I got home, I just sat down and took in the silence and sadness. 

Then I took a (less windy) walk and it helped.

Sitting here now with Jo and watching Bob's Burgers, which also helps. A lot.

But strange, strange, strange and so sad. 

Low-key lovely...

12 December 2021: Took a walk and did a couple of hours of work this morning. Then spent the rest of the day doing fun stuff with Amy: Christmas shopping in Shepherdstown, lunch at an Indian place in Hagerstown, more Christmas shopping, and seeing Encanto. Made it home by just before 6:00, watched some Bob's Burgers Christmas episodes, filled out my Christmas cards, got some packages ready for the mail, and watched the last episode of Succession. Kind of a low-key lovely day.

I am feeling an itch, though, to get some serious work done tomorrow. No meetings or need to be on campus tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes.

"Christmas in the Car"

21 December 2017: "Oh, look, it came out in 22 minutes! Oh, it's a preemie just like Jesus." --Linda, about her Dutch Baby, in the "Christmas in the Car" episode of Bob's Burgers.

Trying to get into the spirit and this episode--one of my favorites--is helping a bit.

Pushing through...

7 December 2019: Working through some big stuff, but pushing on through. Today provided some good distracting outlets: stacks of papers to grade, the annual Shepherdstown Christmas parade, a basketball game to watch, and Christmas cards to write (with Bob's Burgers holiday episodes) playing in the background. Little blessings that help...