The Weekly Wrap: April 3, 2022

I am not a handy person. I can wield a paintbrush, hang things on walls, and build furniture; anything beyond that is generally out of my skill set.

When it comes to electrical and plumbing, count me out. I don't want to be anywhere near this kind of work. In fact, my presence is far more a hindrance than a help.

I tried to help my husband install a new light fixture in our bathroom about a month ago. I had a panic attack five minutes in to the process. My father in-law was here last weekend which meant he and my husband could install the water line to our new fridge while I was blissfully unaware at work.

When it comes to advanced DIY work and home maintenance, I would rather pay an expert. More honestly, I leave everything in that arena to my husband's judgement. 

I am well aware that this is a part of "adulting" in which I am weaker. I know that I could take classes, read, and watch videos to get better... but I don't want to. Instead, I happily slot myself into the support role. Does the floor under the dishwasher need to be cleaned before the new one arrives? Done. Help moving heavy items, supplies, or handing up tools to a person on a ladder? Sure. Need a smaller hand to reach something in a tight space? That I can do. Getting things running and organized after they are installed? Count me in.

I am comfortable with my choices because I know that we can't be good at everything. Instead of beating myself up, I happily take a backseat. I can still make contributions without turning into a bundle of stress, frustration, and tears.

What do you know you're not good at?

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• How to take better food pictures. [Real Simple]
• It might be time to check the temperature of your fridge. [Real Simple]
• A runner recalls his marathons and their emotional and physical toll. [WaPo - gift link]
• Why you might be getting spam text messages from your own number. [The Verge]
• The history of a slang phrase from the 90s you probably forgot about. [TASTE]
• How we describe a house having character. [Shangrilogs]

• The cost and value of nurses. [The Daily]
• Better air quality improves educational outcomes. [Short Wave]
• What you need to know about your taxes this year. [Life Kit]
• The scientific case for stopping our time changes. [Short Wave]
• Partisan gerrymandering may (oddly) lead to the fairest election in decades. [The Daily]
• Octopuses in space! [Short Wave]

• When was the last time you thought about wingdings? [Vox]
• Is it too early to anticipate season four of Succession? We polished off season 3 this week and, man, did that end in an interesting way. There is exactly a zero percent chance I could live with a family that dramatic or work in such a stressful industry. [HBO]
• I've been eager to watch season two of Bridgerton since a release date was announced. It's here now and it's taking every ounce of my energy not to binge the entire season in one sitting. This series is such a delightful, overacted romp. Pure fluff and I want more. [Netflix]

• The in-laws were in town last weekend which meant we got to make a favorite family recipe. This Chinese chicken salad is easy and tasty. The only thing you have to remember to do is marinate the chicken breast in teriyaki sauce a few days ahead of time. You can make this on a stove, but being able to grill the chicken adds a great flavor. [My Evernote]
• Sometimes I look for an excuse to eat garlic bread. This week, that meant trying a new recipe - tomato basil chicken. I marinated the chicken the night before and the husband dropped it in to the sous vide for me. From there, I followed the recipe. In addition to the side of garlic bread, we also had Caesar salad. [Budget Bytes]