In no particular order

et. al

Throughout the week, I jot down notes of what eventually becomes the Friday writing. I typically pick a topic by Wednesday, write a draft, and finalize it the day/night before sending.

Today (Thursday), I have neither picked a topic nor written a draft. And with 3hrs of sleep in the last 36hrs thanks to some international travel, I have nothing in front of me except what I’ve scribbled down.

So, as bedtime rages on around me (and as I prepare for an early one myself), here are the notes. In no particular order.

If you open the calculator app on the iPhone and select the icon in the top right corner, there is a currency converter that allows you to type in any one currency and see its value in any other currency. That feature is brand new to me and something I don’t think Apple has publicized enough. My appreciation to all who worked on that as well as to the person who showed it to me. Really great stuff.

13 Going on 30. Two thumbs way up. Excellent third act. Great plane movie.

Honey Don’t. Nudity in the first scene as I’m sitting in an aisle seat! My nightmare! As someone who feels an obligation to protect the innocence of those seated around me, I turned it off immediately and it will not get a rating from me.

Valentine’s Day. Went back to Jennifer Gardner for safety. This move is very meh.

If you’re seated on an airplane across the aisle from a child who is crying, you have to play peek-a-boo with that child. Those are the rules.

Walking out of a hotel to go for a run fills me with immense joy. I don’t know why. It’s the closest I can get to exploring, and that sensation is a ton of fun.

The boy has recently started saying, “Hey, you two” to me and the better half, and it is the funniest thing in the world right now. He has also started shaking my hand and saying, “Deal” anytime we negotiate anything. Both very fun.

When I FaceTime the boys and change my face to different animal emojis, I get to experience what Steve Martin must have felt in his prime. Constant laughs every time I open my mouth (literally).

It is very in vogue to not like America—and for plenty of valid reasons—but anyone who finds this country frustrating should visit another country. We have it pretty good here. (For the record, I drew a big X through this note because this is wayyyyyy too serious of a take and not something I want to expound upon in any way)

We’re moving to a new home next week. For some reason, moving a family of four with a dog feels like something that should happen in the distant future when I’m much much older. Not this fountain of youth I am now (*takes a break from sitting down to stretch back*).

If I could change places with someone for a day, it’d be Harry Styles. To be an artist who can run a sub 3hr marathon. What a life.

This is a fresh take, but one I think I’ll stand by. The worst people in the world to travel with are large groups flying home from a cruise. They have been in close quarters for too long, meaning they simultaneously have lots of friends to talk to and (typically) a spouse to bicker with. And constant chatter isn’t what you’re looking for on an overnight flight.

Normalize adult naps. That’s all.

Thanks for reading this far.

- jd

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And also…

There is no and also. It’s all up there. But I’m glad you made it all the way down here. If you liked this format, let me know. Might do it again. If you hated it, don’t tell me. I’m fragile.

Tourist Run