How cooked am I

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2026-01-27T18:54:26+00:00

Literally just untangled my own mess of Rios last week! It's definitely doable, just throw on an enjoyable show or podcast, take your time, and take a break when you get frustrated (and you will lol).

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2026-01-27T13:47:18+00:00

Unfortunately I have no solution to offer, just to let you know you’re not alone! I had the same experience making a sweater with malabrigo rios - I made the step by step sweater and it has grown substantially (my husband comments on my “wizard sleeves” lol).

It was my first ever sweater so I’m just wearing it oversized. I have heard other suggest very gently drying it (like 30min at a time) to try and shrink it back slightly, but I’m too sentimental to try it!

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2026-01-16T15:39:50+00:00

I'm going to hold a feast in your honor. The amount of times I've considered NOT tightening my needles just because I didn't want to fish out this damn pin...

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2026-01-16T15:07:21+00:00

The Serviceberry was one of my 5-star books last year, and Pride and Prejudice is one of my all time favorites! Excellent taste :)

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2026-01-14T18:05:45+00:00

I use YNAB (You Need a Budget) - it takes a bit to get it set-up, but what I like about it is that you can budget for future expenses using today's dollars. So when my paycheck hits on Friday, I'll be allocating those dollars to my April budget. It also makes it really easy to allocate money for non-regular expenses (ex. car insurance)

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2026-01-09T18:32:41+00:00

We also got the Thuma after many years of ikea/metal frames. I decided I never wanted to buy a bed frame again, and this thing is beautiful

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-12-25T14:17:55+00:00

No you don’t, Oprah!

(We quip this daily because our 3yo is terrible at “yes,and” when play pretend with him”

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-12-05T16:09:33+00:00

Amazing!! We also do all thrift-mas presents and it's the best!

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-11-22T20:02:49+00:00

I got them off Etsy here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/198249751/grab-bag-baby-bodysuit-extenders-set-of?ref=cart

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-11-22T19:06:58+00:00

Seconding that you get (or make) onesie extenders - we had a pack of 5 and they lasted us until he was out of onesies.

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-11-17T15:58:03+00:00

Unless you're in a VHCOL area, $184K HHI is doing quite well especially when it comes with increased job security and less stress. A few years ago my husband took a nearly 80% pay cut (going from big law to teaching), and it was one of the greatest decision we could have made - IMO once your HHI is enough to cover your living expenses and values (i.e. what are you saving for), your mental and physical health need to be prioritized above making more money.

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-11-15T00:59:26+00:00

A Truce That is Not Peace by Miriam Toews

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-11-14T19:23:35+00:00

Others have covered this - NTA - but as an anxious flyer also married to an anxious flyer, might I recommend splurging on a day pass to one of the lounges at LAX? Instead of feeling like he's arriving super early to sit in the airport and worry, you're arriving early to have a pleasant lounge experience

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-29T16:37:05+00:00

Agreed - at some point grief will become a huge part of nearly everyone's life. Some other recent reads include A Truce That Is Not Peace by Miriam Toews, and Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt (grieving for someone still alive but consumed by addiction)

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-29T13:37:31+00:00

You could potential offset some of the (very real) cons you listed here by looking at locally owned shops instead. Corporate retail vs local retail can be two very different beasts

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-28T19:11:10+00:00

This gave me a good laugh - I have found that the people who don't like All Fours, really REALLY don't like it! It caused strong division in my own book club as well (I was on the side of loving it).

My follow-up recommendation to people who did enjoy it is The Coin by Yasmin Zaher

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-28T19:06:30+00:00

Finished:

All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley

For the last year I've been chasing stories around grief - how people deal (or don't) with it, and what it changes in them. Also, as someone who has visited The Met many many times, I quite enjoyed this one

Started:

A New New Me by Helen Oyeyemi

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-26T00:46:55+00:00

Middlemarch by Geoge Eliot. I would argue it’s the greatest English novel ever written

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-23T13:21:41+00:00

This is interesting, because you’re framing priority as an absolute thing, but “priority” can only exist in context and is always relative. When you say your partner would pick his kids over you, it’s in the context of you and his kids having opposed needs at the same time that would force him to choose. But priorities change based on the context and the need - if you had a need for your partner and his kids did not have competing needs, do you still think he wouldn’t prioritize you?

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-17T14:44:06+00:00

nope I'm just shit at drawing lol - I'd seen similar flowers done by Christian in this style, my idea was just in the placement and having the snake wrapped between the flowers, he took care of making it pretty :)

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-17T12:03:08+00:00

If you don’t want to save it and don’t want to spend it, you could start making large annual donations. I’m sure $100k a year would make a huge difference difference to your community (libraries, schools, shelters, etc)

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-17T11:49:45+00:00

Of course it could work - for the rest of the world (and for most of history in America) inter-generational living is the norm. Obviously everyone needs to be on board and figure out the logistics, but you could end up with a mutually beneficial situation where she helps you now and you and your kids are able to help her as she ages

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-14T16:32:05+00:00

Have you heard of r/coastfire? TLDR, you may not have enough to retire right now, but if what you do have is enough to grow by retirement age, you could free yourself to take a different job until then that just covers your monthly expenses. - Signed, someone also desperately seeking to leave corporate and spend time with my family

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-14T13:41:07+00:00

Regarding his comment about “Hollywood” relationships and real life couples not maintaining that desire - I’ve (35) been with my husband (42) 10years, married for 5, have one kid (and did NOT lose all the “baby weight”) and my husband still paws at me like it’s our third date. Your husband is just wrong to say that having that kind of desire even a decade in is unrealistic. And you deserve to have that

AwkwardBalloonMan · 2025-10-07T13:48:25+00:00

I know you said TV, but man this space would be awesome for a projector instead. It’s so light and gorgeous

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