weekend open thread – February 1-2, 2025

by Alison Green on January 31, 2025

This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand.

Here are the rules for the weekend posts.

Book recommendation of the week: Case Histories, by Kate Atkinson. After loving Liz Moore’s Long Bright River, I wanted more literary fiction mysteries where the character development gets as much attention as the plot. (Amazon, Bookshop)

* I earn a commission if you use those links.

You may also like:
{ 64 comments }

{ 64 comments… read them below or add one }

  1. Ask a Manager* Post author

    The weekend posts are for relatively light discussion — think office break room — and comments should ask questions and/or seek to discuss ideas. “Here’s what happened to me today” personal-blog-style posts will be removed (because they got out of control in the past). We also can’t do medical advice here.

    These threads are no politics.

    Please give the full rules a re-read.

    Reply ↓
    3. Valancy Stirling*

      I got the keys to my new apartment! I’m going from a studio to a three bedroom, and I’m so excited.

      Reply ↓
    1. Ask a Manager* Post author

      That is Sophie, mother of Wallace! On a blanket I crocheted last month, threw my back out while making, and still have not recovered from. But at least the blanket is finished!

      Reply ↓
      2. Honey Badger*

        I once crocheted a beautiful baby blanket for a baby shower and used such beautiful yarn and trim. I left it on my bed while I was getting ready, came in, and my cat had chewed it partially up :( It took me weeks to make lol.

        Reply ↓
      3. old curmudgeon*

        So sorry to hear about your back, Alison! If you’re still hurting a month later and haven’t yet seen a medical provider, I’d encourage you to make an appointment. They’ll probably send you for PT, which I fully agree is no fun, but it will more than likely resolve whatever is making your muscles are unhappy.

        And Sophie is magnificent as always, of course! Is it strange that I’ve gotten to the point where I can identify your cats by name without “cheating” (hovering the cursor over the photo to see whose name comes up)? I recognized Her Majesty the minute I saw the photo, though she looks like she’s a tiny bit more svelte than the last photo I saw. Give her a chin-scritch for me, please!

        Reply ↓
        1. Ask a Manager* Post author

          It’s been over a month! I’ve been working with a fantastic physical therapist (who comes to my house, which makes her even more fantastic) and I am slowly getting better but I’m so over it and can’t believe it’s still going on. From making a blanket! Ridiculous. (I did buy a gaming pillow to use while crocheting in the future though, so hopefully this won’t happen again.)

          Sophie accepts your admiration as her due.

          Reply ↓
          1. old curmudgeon*

            Funny, my physical therapist recommended that I use a gaming pillow for reading and knitting because both were killing my shoulders and back! It does make a big difference, though I have to fight with my cats over whether I get to use it myself or if it’s just going to be a giant cat-bed wrapped around my middle. I’ll give you one guess who usually wins…

            Reply ↓
    2. Jill Swinburne*

      I’ve never really got on with her work – almost every one I’ve started has been a DNF – but I did quite like her Jackson Brody series, mostly because I know Leeds, where it’s set, well. She’s good at writing a strong sense of place (see also the one set in Dundee, which I also know well).

      Reply ↓
  5. Jackalope*

    Reading thread! Share what you’ve been reading and give or request recs. My personal request is for cozy and/or escapist books. It’s been an awful couple of weeks and I’m looking for something to take my mind off of things.

    This week I read Killers of a Certain Age, which was surprisingly fun and playful. For those who don’t know the plot, there are 4 women who have been assassins for forty years. They have just retired, but when they go on their post-retirement cruise they discover that their (now former) employer has put a hit out on them. I would recommend.

    Reply ↓
    1. Jackalope*

      I forgot to mention that my preference for cozy/escapist reads is fantasy or romance. I’m the other hand, I’m guessing a lot of people are having similar needs, so prob any genre of recs is welcome.

      Reply ↓
    2. goddessoftransitory*

      Just re-starting Ruth Ozeki’s The Book of Form and Emptiness (got sidetracked over the holidays) and loving it. Still working my way through the bedside stack and valiantly resisting any new purchases.

      Reply ↓
    3. Dark Macadamia*

      My coziest favorites:

      I Capture the Castle – coming of age in the 1930s written as a girl’s journal. Super cute and funny.

      The Sun is Also a Star – YA romance between a boy who believes in fate and a girl who doesn’t.

      What If It’s Us – YA romance where two boys keep meeting, losing each other, and attempting to redo their failed first date.

      Nothing to See Here – found family about a nanny to spontaneously combusting children.

      Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches – romance about another nanny but this time with magic!

      Reply ↓
    4. Atheist Nun*

      Yes, I liked Killers of A Certain Age much more than I expected. The sequel, Kills Well with Others, will be published in March, I believe. I have the eARC on my Kindle somewhere…

      Reply ↓
    5. GoryDetails*

      On the escapist side, My Funny Demon Valentine by Aurora Ascher, which I admit I got largely because of the cute illustrations on the endpages (tiny demonic-cupid figures aiming arrows, musical notes, hearts…). Looks to be a mashup of “Scrubs” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” possibly with touches of “Bridget Jones’ Diary”.

      Then there’s Seanan McGuire’s Adrift in Currents Clean and Clear, the latest in her “Wayward Children” series. It’s more of a standalone book, dealing with the backstory of Nadya, a character from Beneath the Sugar Sky: she was in a Russian orphanage when an American couple adopted her and took her back to America. Nadya has an affinity for water – and for turtles – and has been coping very well with only one and a half arms (born that way), and isn’t comfortable with the new prosthetic her adoptive parents got for her. When she falls through one of the magical doors into an intricate and unusual water-world, she finds the perfect life, but it is in the nature of those pesky doors to sometimes send someone back even when they don’t want to go.

      On audiobook, a re-listen of Glitterland by Alexis Hall: protagonist Ash is a brooding author who suffers from panic attacks and bipolar disorder (and is also a bit of a snob). When he falls for flashy, and in his view trashy, glitter-pirate Darian, it’s clear that somebody’s going to get hurt – though Hall does usually manage to give his troubled characters a happy, or at least hopeful, ending, as long as they’re willing to do the work. It does get dark in places (Ash is the main viewpoint character) but is also sweet and often very funny.

      Reply ↓
    6. PollyQ*

      I recently finished 3 of Elly Griffiths’s Ruth Galloway mysteries: A Dying Fall, The Stone Circle, and The Lantern Men. I’d read most of the rest of the series in 2024 (thanks, I think, to a tip here), but these were only just added to my local Libby. They’re not the best mysteries from the standpoint of plot construction, but the writing and characters are so great that I don’t mind. A Room Full of Bones is still on my hold list, so once I get to that, I’ll have finished the series, and it’ll be time to start over from the beginning!

      Reply ↓
    7. Falling Diphthong*

      By Alice Bell, Grave Expectations* and Displeasure Island. A collision of Midsomer Murders and Scooby Doo. Common to both books are the team of Claire (a medium, who really does see ghosts even if she’s not great at the theatrical parts of mediuming), Sophie (her best childhood friend, now a ghost), Basher (no longer a policeman), and Basher’s teenaged niebling Alex (extremely cool). The first is set at a family gathering in a decrepit manor house with an abandoned monastery on the grounds, and the second involves a gathering of friends on a small island with an abandoned fort, so you can just imagine the number of ghosts and surety of someone getting murdered before page 100.

      I quite like these, balancing breezy with a fun, fair play mystery and some deeper thoughts on how maybe being haunted by your best teenaged friend for the rest of your life would have some drawbacks.

      * My library has a bunch of different books by this title, so double check the author.

      Reply ↓
    8. Valancy Stirling*

      I love the Evenfall Witches series by Auralee Wallace. It’s about a young widow who can communicate with the dead, and in the two books so far, needs to help them solve their murders.

      Reply ↓
    9. allx*

      Continuing with Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer. As noted by someone last week, it is definitely dated in many respects, but also, weirdly, some of the language sort of skates on the edges of modern day new age mysticism. Certain phrases like “slipping out of space and time” and “teetering on the brink of eternity” and “the spirit-presence of a strange place” and “he is my triangulation point” have tinges of a recent podcast interview I heard by Nicholas Ashbaugh of Argentinian Matias de Stefano (the Rememberer), who apparently can remember past lives back to the beginning of civilizations that no longer exist.

      This is clearly more about what language is hitting me and not about the story at all. The story strikes me as more about despair and damaged souls and broken relationships. I’m finding it quite sad, and also simultaneously deep and shallow. Kind of like reading early Dave Eggers, who is either a genius I’m just not quite smart enough to get or completely vapid, haha.

      Reply ↓
    10. Evvy*

      Rereading The Farthest Shore (Ursula LeGuin) chapter by chapter before bed at night! I’m also slowly making my way through Entangled Life (Merlin Sheldrake) — what feels about three years after everybody else already read it (I’m in a very environmentally-focused graduate program, everyone loves mushrooms)! Also picked back up a couple chapters of Le Morte d’Arthur (Keith Baines edition).

      Cozy/escapist recs: I love Noel Streatfeild’s “Shoes Books” for this (shout out to that one scene in You’ve Got Mail…) They feel so much from a different time period and also just from a completely alternate reality somehow, even though the situations depicted in them aren’t necessarily unrealistic (?) For me it’s just something about the way she writes them haha. There is some dated stuff in them. Super cozy, I just read a few of them last year and enjoyed them just as much as I did as a kid/teen!

      Reply ↓
  6. anon today*

    Any ideas here to support our valued federal workers in the US? I’m not a fed, so it’s not work-related for me. I’d like this to be a positive thread of cool ideas. Clearly we can start with contacting our government representatives, but I’d also like fun, loving, happy ideas that make clear how much we value a strong and competent civil service!

    Baking brownies sounds good with the caveat that I only have so much oven space, hahah. If you’re a Fed, what’s making you feel better in terms of community support right now?

    I’m thinking of trying to find a nice printed version of the oath for my fav federal employee.

    Reply ↓
    1. Inside the Beltway*

      Actual support. Calling your member of Congress is probably the only thing that will actually help. Tell them to support the civil service and not permit government by executive order. Talk about government programs that are beneficial to you – highways? Air traffic control? Food inspection? Complain about the amount of power Musk, who was neither elected nor confirmed by the Senate, has seized.

      I mean, if you’re local to DC, buy one of your friends in the trenches a drink. But otherwise we need support.

      Reply ↓
      1. Goody One Shoe*

        Your elected representatives (senators and congresspeople, and to a lesser extent state governors) DO pay some attention to phone calls and letters from their constituents. I don’t think emails get as much attention, they don’t hurt. Reach out to them!

        Certainly tell your representatives about government programs that contribute to your well-being and to that of your community. Depending on where you live, you might consider mentioning how having federal employees in your community supports your local economy.

        Reply ↓
    2. Anonyfed*

      Two thoughts: one is that I’ve found it so helpful over the last two weeks to hear from people who are supportive and who appreciate what we do. The second is that everyone is thinking about us right now, but in a couple of weeks that will have faded, but we’ll still be at it. If you have anyone you know who’s in this boat then keep checking in with them and following up to see how they’re doing. Maybe once a week or every other week or something like that, for awhile. (Even if it’s just a quick text or something like that.)

      Reply ↓
  7. Exercise?*

    I don’t like exercising but it looks like I’m going finally have time to do so and I need to lose some weight. What types of exercise do you enjoy? Especially looking for things I also can occupy my mind while doing…like reading or listening to podcasts.

    Reply ↓
    1. theinone*

      In no particular order, here’s what I like:

      Walking
      Pros: very easy, very cheap…just go outside and pick a direction, great for audiobooks/podcasts
      Cons: can get monotonous if you’re on a treadmill/weather issues if you go outside, not everywhere is safe to walk outside

      Swimming
      Pros: great for fitness in general, easier on joints than walking/running, you don’t feel yourself sweating
      Cons: unless you get special earbuds for music/podcasts it’s hard to occupy your mind, requires access to a pool, chlorine, requires knowing how to swim

      Dance
      Pros: good for fitness, a huge variety of styles/types, focusing on technique/choreo occupies your mind, adult beginner classes are a lot more common now
      Cons: studios/teachers vary A Lot, requires some prior knowledge and training to just do independent practice

      (I do colorguard, which is like a subset of both dance and marching band that involves throwing flags and mock rifles/sabres in the air- unfortunately that’s not easy/is kinda dangerous to pick up without instruction)

      Reply ↓
    2. H.Regalis*

      Hula hooping.

      Pros: it doesn’t require a lot of equipment. You can get a weighted hoop for cheap, and most of them come apart so you can pack them in a suitcase if you wanted to for traveling. If you don’t remember how to hoop, it’s surprisingly easy to learn again. You can do it at home or outside. You can do it while watching tv or listening to books or podcasts. It’s one of the few cardio workouts I’ve found that primarily works your core.

      Cons: You do need a bit of space around you to hoop. If you try to teach yourself hooping tricks, do it outside or else you’ll break a bunch of stuff.

      Reply ↓
    3. Rara Avis*

      Strangely enough for someone who had a hate/hate relationship with dance when I was younger, Zumba (at my local YMCA). The teachers I’ve had are so peppy and encouraging; bodies of all shapes and sizes; a sense of community that encourages me to show up every week; easy to modify when the knees just won’t.

      Reply ↓
    7. ronda*

      yoga and water aerobics

      water works cause I hate being hot and it is good for that. I also am not self motivated, so need a leader, so a class works best for me.

      yoga- I like how the stretching feels. I dont really do the energetic ones, but those kind are available too.

      picked a 3rd floor apartment so I do more stairs. — not that I enjoy it, but it is built in the I need to do it.

      Reply ↓
    8. allx*

      I like rebounding (mini-trampoline). I have a Bellicon rebounder which I love because it is quiet. It has shock cord type springs rather than metal coils so no annoyoing squeaking. It is easy on the joints and actually fun. How hard or easy it is depends on you, and there are lots of videos for different kinds of workouts. I also second the hula-hoop recommendation. I have a knobby weighted hoop which kind of hurts to use at first but is a great mid-section workout. I can do about 20 minutes with it. There are some fascinating videos of very talented hoopers.

      Reply ↓
  8. Jackalope*

    Gaming thread! Share what you’ve been playing and give or request recs. As always, all games are welcome, not just video games.

    I’ve been playing the video game Unicorn Overlord, which is kind of anime style strategy RPG. I have a feeling it will feel a bit longer than I’d like for an idea game, but I’m having fun figuring it out.

    Reply ↓
  9. New computer blues*

    I’m feeling pretty disappointed by the Asus Zenbook 13″ laptop that I just got. For one thing, a 13″ screen is really too small (my old laptop is 14″), and the text resolution is not very good for a low-vision user. I’m about ready to return it. I wonder how long I should give it to see if I can tolerate it, within the 30-day return window. If you’ve been unhappy with a new device, did you decide quickly that it wasn’t working for you or did you try to adapt to it for a week or two?

    Reply ↓
    1. hummingbird*

      Is there a particular reason why you went with this laptop+smaller screen? Otherwise, I’d return it sooner than later.

      Reply ↓
    2. WellRed*

      Return it. I’m unhappy with the laptop I bought a year ago (screen too big ha ha) and have rarely used it since because I just don’t like it. I was in a hurry and had a limited budget.

      Reply ↓
  10. Cat vs. Plants*

    I inherited an elderly relative’s cat – kitty is 2 years old and I love him. But he loves my plants too much! I have several airplane plants and kitty won’t stop biting them. The plants are hiding in my laundry room, under a fluorescent light and behind a closed door.
    Is there anything I can put on them that won’t hurt them or kitty but will discourage him from chewing on them? Are the plants doomed to live out their days in the laundry room?
    Any help would be very much appreciated!

    Reply ↓
    3. H.Regalis*

      My cat went for my aloe plant, which is not good for cats. My new apartment has ceiling hooks someone put in ages ago for plants. I got some hanging baskets at a resale shop and that has been the perfect solution. I can water the plants without getting on a ladder and they are away from feline chompers.

      Reply ↓
  11. Forested*

    yarn folks! what are you working on?

    I’m crocheting a granny square blanket out of these tiny, weird little acrylic skeins from Amazon a friend got for Christmas and didn’t need because she’s a prolific knitter. it’s been a good distraction the last few weeks.

    Reply ↓
    1. Red Reader the Adulting Fairy*

      I currently have a sock and a sweater on needles, and am debating whether I’m going to take my spinner on my business trip this upcoming week because if I do I need to prep a wad of fluff.

      Reply ↓
    2. Evvy*

      I am working on learning to crochet “interlocking patches” (by Steven – there’s a whole website for them) that produce a sort of granny-square-sized thing with a design on it. The ones I’m working on are all animals. I love them — I’m trying to get into visible mending and I think these would be perfect to patch some of my holey shirts, if I can get good enough at making them!

      Reply ↓
  13. The Dude Abides*

    Need recs for a new smartwatch/fitness tracker!

    After yet another FitBit going kaput, I’m ready to move on to a different brand. I’ve never had one last more than 15 months – FitBit has been good about sending a replacement, but I’m off them at this point.

    I don’t necessarily need a smartwatch, just a durable, affordable device that can help me track what I need for fitness (distance, heart rate, etc).

    Reply ↓
  14. Not Quite Good Enough for the Joys thread!*

    I have friends who lost their home in the Altadena (California) wildfires. One of their neighbors (who also lost his home) set up a go fund me page for them. Of course I made a donation, but I want to say that I am very happy that so many other people have made donations to my friends. They are very close to meeting the goal that was set for them. I just find it so very touching. It kind of makes me feel a bit verklempt.

    Reply ↓
  15. Falling Diphthong*

    What are you watching, and would you recommend it?

    I watched Back in the Game, about spies who retired to have a family and get pulled back in when they are recognized. Good action pieces and fight choreography, linked by the most by-the-books script written by a committee. It’s not trying to be anything better than a generic action spy movie, and succeeds at that.

    Reply ↓
    1. goddessoftransitory*

      I just started My Life is Murder and am enjoying the Lucy Lawless goodness! My favorite parts so far:

      Great chemistry with the characters
      A cat keeps wandering into her apartment to hang out and she cuddles and schmoopie talks him in silly voices
      She speaks German
      All the men on the show are at least momentarily dazzled by her beauty/confidence and that she is not 23 years old is of absolutely no import!

      Reply ↓
  16. Shiny Penny*

    Does anyone have any recommendations about where to buy N-95 masks that are *for sure* authentic?
    I learned about the organization “Project N-95” here, on one of the AAM weekend threads (huge thanks to whoever mentioned them!). It was such a relief to be able to buy through them, and stop worrying about counterfeit masks. Sadly, Project N-95 shut down a couple years ago, feeling their job was done because covid had gotten under control.
    I still need a safe source of good masks, though, and my family is getting too close to the end of our stock.
    Any ideas on good sources?

    Reply ↓
    1. Brave Little Roaster*

      I buy KN-95s from Bona Fide masks. They have different colors and a few different sizes and styles.

      Reply ↓
    2. Hope this helps*

      There seems to be a project N-95 website with links to where you can buy masks that they had vetted during Covid. Otherwise reputable retailers like CVS. And 3M seems to have links to where you can buy there products. So check the manufacturers’ web sites for the masks you have now.

      Reply ↓

Leave a Comment

Before you comment: Please be kind, stay on-topic, and follow the site's commenting rules.
You can report an ad, tech, or typo issue here.

Subscribe to all comments on this post by RSS