What’s Making Me Happy This Week (2nd Edition)

Since the last couple of posts were on the heavier side, I thought it was time for some fun around these parts! (To see where I got the idea for this post, check out the first “What’s Making Me Happy This Week.”)

Let the fun begin!

1.) Do you love country music? Did you want to be Tammy Taylor from “Friday Night Lights?” Then you should be watching “Nashville.” Since I often enjoy the same things as Jessica from How Sweet It Is, I figured I should give it a shot. Um, SO GLAD I DID. I watched 13 episodes in an embarrassing amount of time and am now eagerly awaiting a new episode. (Speaking of which, WHEN WILL THERE BE A NEW ONE?!) (If the amount of caps used has any correlation with how much I love this show, then I obviously LOVE IT.) Bottom line: Drop what you’re doing (yes, even reading this blog post, it’ll be here when you get back) and WATCH IT. Hulu has all of the episodes available. (This is not an endorsement, although I do love me some Hulu.)

2.) In an attempt to save money and fulfill my current role as stay-at-home wife, I’ve been making dinner a few nights a week. This vegan sweet potato + quinoa chili was perfect for this gross end-of-winter weather we’re having. And it was super easy. I had almost all the ingredients on hand and it took about 30 minutes from start to finish. Plus there were plenty of leftovers. (Sidenote: Mike ate it. For those of you who don’t know him, this is a big deal. My husband can be somewhat picky when it comes to food – some things he dislikes: strawberries, broccoli, ice cream flavors other than vanilla, anything with a “strange” texture, shrimp, any fruit other than bananas + apples, yogurt. The fact that he ate a whole bowl of sweet potatoes, quinoa, and black beans speaks highly of this dish.)

3.) The 20/20 Experience. I think that’s all I need to say. (I didn’t think my Justin Timberlake crush could get any bigger. But it did. It really, really did.)

4.) Rachel Bertsche wrote MWF Seeking BFF with me in mind. Okay, that’s not true, but it seemed like she did. Confession: Making friends has never come easily for me, especially in adulthood. I tend to be shy when I first meet people, and it can take some time for me to warm up. Going to a small university and pledging a sorority helped me form friendships that I will be forever grateful for. And joining a book club post college was one of the best decisions I’ve made since moving to Baltimore. But your 20s bring a lot of changes, and sometimes that means friends come and go. This book made me feel like I’m not the only one who struggles to make those same friendships that came so naturally in college. Not only did Rachel share her experiences with “dating” 52 different women, but she also included research about female friendships that I found very helpful. Definitely pick this up if you’re looking to meet new people but aren’t sure how to go about it.

5.) The last thing that put a smile on my face this week is for my Baltimore readers. I attended my first Stoop Stories at Centerstage on Monday and am now begging Mike to take me to all of them. For those who haven’t been, Stoop Storytellers is hosted by Jessica Henkin + Laura Wexler – two hilariously smart Baltimoreans. At every show, seven people tell a seven-minute story related to a particular theme. (This last one was about the legal system and featured the former Baltimore Police commissioner, an investigative producer at Fox45, and a public defender, to name a few.) The show also includes live music from different local artists. It’s a great way to learn more about Charm City (and it’s super fun, too!).

So tell me, what’s making YOU happy this week?

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What’s Making Me Happy This Week

Each Thursday, NPR has a podcast called Pop Culture Happy Hour – a roundtable discussion from various NPR contributors on their theme of choice, all focused on pop culture. At the end of each taping, they have a segment called “What’s Making Me Happy This Week,” and the only rule is that it has to be something that others might be able to enjoy, too.

I thought I’d borrow from them and do my own version. Just a few things that have put a smile on my face the past week and hopefully it might do the same for you!

1.) One of the perks of being home every day is taking advantage of some shows I used to miss. My current favorite is The Ellen Show. I cry about every episode. Ellen is always doing random acts of kindness for viewers and their stories never fail to tug at my heartstrings. But it also makes me laugh. Ellen is funny, and her sense of humor seems to draw out the same in each of her guests. Here’s one of my favorites from this week.

2.) I’ve been listening nonstop to “Bones” by MS MR. It’s been featured in Pretty Little Liars, Grey’s Anatomy, and the trailer for Game of Thrones Season 3. If you need a new tune, I definitely recommend checking it out.

3.) Okay, I’m breaking my own rule with this one. I don’t think the fact that I got tickets to the Legends of the Summer Tour will benefit you in any way, but I can’t not mention it. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE. IN CONCERT. It’s making my teeny bopper dreams (and let’s be honest, my adult ones, too) come true. I love that man. Have for 13 years. And it’s been number one on my bucket list to see him in concert. (Nope, not ashamed.) Oh, and Jay-Z isn’t bad, either.

4.) When I first heard about House of Cards I thought, how good could a Netflix-produced series be, right? I was wrong, so very wrong. Mike and I have been watching a couple episodes a week since it came out and are very impressed. If you like David Fincher’s style (The Social Network, Fight Club, Seven), or compelling, well-made dramas, give it a shot.

In the words of the fabulous Linda Holmes, and that’s what’s making me happy this week.

Readers, what’s making YOU happy this week?