The Weekly Wrap: March 5, 2023

I was solo parenting for most of the week. All things considered, even with a 1:30AM wake up one night, it was a pretty good week. Kiddo was happy and cooperative. We had a lot of fun riding the metro too and from school, she helped me make dinner, and we both watched a little more Daniel Tiger than normal.

Kids' shows like Daniel Tiger seep into your brain. DT, as it's referred to in our household, is more ear wormy than most. It's designed to be. Daniel and his community sing short songs to help them remember (and teach) lessons. Our kiddo has taken to repeating some of these. While her dad was gone this week, she sang several renditions of "Grown ups come back." When she visits the potty, she sings the song about flushing and washing your hands. At meals, we encourage her to eat by repeating the "try new foods" song.

These ditties are useful for her and us. They are a friendly way to communicate skills we want her to adapt. Plus, they engage her in various processes making them more fun.

But there is peril here as well. This week, a neighbor held the door open for me, I looked her dead in the eye and sang, "Thank you, for everything you do." Kiddo wasn't even with me.  I turned beet red but she just chortled.

I can only hope she's a parent too. Otherwise, we need to move.

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• There should just be a gender neutral "previous" or "other" name option. [The Audacity]
• The connection between medical debt and credit scores. [WaPo - gift link]
• Communication tips for parents. Probably good for other frustrating situations.  [Lifehacker]
• Finding words in grief. [The Atlantic - may be paywalled]
• Recommendations for cooking with white wine. [Wine Folly]

• When cats inherit. [Planet Money]
• I know visits are important, but I still don't like going to the dentist. [Life Kit]
• The science of awe. [Hidden Brain]
• Breaking down what’s behind the world's biggest brand. [Gastropod]
• The story about RoboUmp is interesting, but I really enjoyed the look at minor league team names. [99% Invisible]
• The true origins of house music. [Throughline]

• While the Husband was out of town, I watched Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo. This is a short series that applies Kondo's techniques to businesses. There's something immensely soothing in watching people tidy their belongings. This series had the extra oomph at looking at the broader impact on peoples' lives. [Netflix]
• I used to adore Jennifer Lopez's early rom-coms. Marry Me is her latest entry and it's... fine. Nothing special here. I feel like this was more of a vehicle for her to sing. That said, I will totally watch this again if I run across it on TV. [Amazon Prime]
• I gave Downton Abbey: A New Era a spin this week. I very much enjoyed the series, but the movies have fallen flat for me. The world just doesn't translate to the big screen. The episodic format kept things more interesting. [Amazon Prime]

• Since I was solo parenting, the meals this week were quick and simple. I whipped up a veggie and egg fried rice that also fed me lunch the next day. I love how endlessly adaptable fried rice is. I tossed in corn, peas, and carrots with a topping of green onions. I flavored things with soy sauce and packet of seasoning because I am too lazy to make my own. [Sunbird]
• You know what never lets you down because you always get exactly what you'd expect? Frozen French bread pizza. It's never "good" but it's always comforting. I ate this on Friday with a salad after kiddo went to bed while I enjoyed a glass of wine. [Stouffer's]