The Optimistic Musings of a Pessimist

Happy Things Friday: 8 August

Wowzers. One full week of August is in the rearview mirror. It was another busy one with, as I alluded to yesterday, the typical ups and downs of life. A huge thanks to everyone…

This is Not a Happy Things Post

Lest you think my life is one big Happy Things Friday montage, rest assured — there’s always stuff happening behind the scenes. Some of it’s bloggable, some of it’s…not. (When SHU and I had…

Hard Things, Life
Aug, 07, 2025
55 Comments

On My Shelf: Books I Read in July 2025

In recent years, summer months have marked a precipitous drop in my reading activity. Now that the kids are a bit older (and I’m in a reading groove, mostly because of all the wonderful…

Reading
Aug, 06, 2025
42 Comments

Oops! I Did It Again (Spelled It Wrong)

I’m a decent speller. (The kids’ spelling, for the record, borders on horrid, and I mostly blame the school-issued Chromebooks and their ever-present autocorrect. But that’s a rant for another day…)

Here are a few…