The Weekly Wrap: December 5, 2021

Yesterday, I was out running an errand when I came across an e-cycling event at our local library branch.

We always seem to have a bag of stuff to e-cycle hanging about. It just gets fuller and fuller (seriously, where do all those random cords come from?) until I can't take it hanging in our closet anymore. Then, we have to figure how to squeeze in some errands that include dropping this annoying bag off. Sadly, there is no e-cycle location close to us. 

That is why I was so happy to see this event pop-up. I finished my errand, ran home, and grabbed the e-cycle bag. Then all I had to do was walk a block to the truck, thank the people running the event, and I was done. No errand planning. No squeezing something in to an already busy day. No getting more and more annoyed that the cords are somehow multiplying behind my back. Just a quick trip down the street and I was done. This made my day.

What random thing made your week a little bit better?

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• I love a good end-of-year book recommendations list. And NPR's is one of the best. [NPR]
• The lure of local in Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. [The Atlantic]
• The pecking order at the bird feeder. [WaPo - gift link]
• Be curious. [Ivaylo Durmonski]
• What to put on your charcuterie board. [Real Simple]
• Mmmm... capers. [The Takeout]
• Why can't we just enjoy leisure time? [The Atlantic]
• Good to know I'm not the only one who can't understand movie dialogue anymore. [Slashfilm]

• The power of and rebellion in alphabetical order. [99% Invisible]
• The unexpected work from home experiment. [Hidden Brain]
• A look at the work of the great Stephen Sondheim. [The Daily]

• What it takes to feed a cruise ship. [Business Insider]
• I enjoy Hallmark movies because they are cozy and formulaic. I also enjoy that, sometimes, the plot is a real stretch since they make so many of these flicks. The Nine Lives of Christmas was definitely the plot-stretch film of week, but how can you say no to cute kittens? [Hallmark Channel]

• We fell back on an easy, old meal this week: grilled cheese and tomato soup. It's quick and tasty, which is what a busy week calls for. The husband introduced me to using milk instead of water to make the soup. It's definitely an improvement. [Campbell's]
• We had some pickled red onions leftover in our fridge. I thought a good way to use them up would be to make these chorizo and corn tacos. I served them with black beans that were simmered with cumin, salt, and pepper on the side. Next time, I might try canned fire roasted corn instead of frozen. (The pickled onions made an excellent topping.) [WaPo Voraciously - gift link]