1. At the end of every year (or at least since the mid-1970’s) Lake Superior State University posts a list of words they think should be banished from the Queen’s English for misuse, overuse, and/or general uselessness. You can read more about the decision making process here, but this year’s list includes-

cringe, game changer, era, dropped, IFKYK (If you know you know), sorry not sorry, skibidi, 100%, utilize, and period.

Which of these words/phrases do you use regularly or even just every now and then? How many did you have to look up? Which of these words would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Is there a word/phrase not on the list you’d like to add? If so do share, then tell us why.

I probably say cringe and 100% sometimes and we definitely make fun of skibidi to my middle boy, but even he doesn’t say that! None of these do I totally hate like years past.

2. Your favorite soup? Do you make this one yourself or is it from a can? 

I am fond of the chicken noodle from Carrabba’s and I made a copycat recipe over break! Twice in fact. It wasn’t too hard and it made a lot, so that was nice. I enjoy french onion but never order it. It’s rare I eat canned soup, since it is loaded with sodium and junk but in a pinch I would.

3. How do you feel about winter? What’s one winter activity you look forward to? 

Y’all, I am from Florida so no, winter is a no-go for me. it is 33, feels like of 28 this morning and I am dreading having to leave the house to teach. The one activity I do enjoy is sitting by our firepit, either with a beer or some bourbon, every now and then a cigar. I like that it makes us – or at least has in the past – reconnect with neighbors because we’ll invite them over.

4. The Pantone color of the year for 2025 is mocha mousse (sample pictured here). What say you? The website describes it as ‘a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nourishes us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort’. Is this a color I might find in your home or wardrobe? Is it one you might add in some big or small way in the year ahead? 

I don’t necessarily have it in here now but I could see it being a good accent color in the house. I don’t particularly care for wearing browns but I might some day!

In a similar, but not really vein…if I were to offer you a choice right now of either a cup of mocha or a cup of mousse which would you say yes to? 

I enjoy mousse and haven’t had it in a long time!

5. Which of the following winter related idioms can best be applied to your life in some way right now? Choose one, then tell us why you chose it.  

snowed under, on thin ice, tip of the iceberg, chill out, break the ice, snowball effect, not a snowball’s chance in hell, get cold feet, the cold shoulder 

I’m going with tip of the iceberg because classes begin today and if I were to, in about 2 weeks, find out I got the FSU job, I’ll be snowed under. But for now, I am just at the very tip because it’s about to be four entire months of insanity.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Ugh; not happy with the cold. I know people love it and I want to understand but it’s so uncomfortable! My heat is running but I am still so cold. I don’t think we’re in for any snow from this storm but it could happen later on. The last time it snowed in Tallahassee was January 1st, 2018. We had just gotten back from Stone Mountain and the very next morning it did. We have videos! It wasn’t a lot but it did actually fall and the kids played in it.

I hopped on the stationary bike for a HIIT workout yesterday, which was awesome, actually. Much better than riding outside right now. I felt good; even got in the sauna, then took my oldest to get new wiper blades and then ran to Costco. Got my class websites all set and by 3:30, was having a meal with my husband. We drank some new beers we picked up and watched a couple movies with various children. It was a nice last day before everyone goes back. In fact, my husband was told yesterday that even they have to go back to the office 5 days. He’s been off M/F forever now. We knew it would happen eventually; but I still tried to plan my teaching around that. However, if I go back to an in-office job, I’d be 5 days anyway. Though, fair to say, the lady I interviewed with said they’d been flexible about having one at-home work day per week. I know I’d really enjoy that.

My first class is at 10:10 today as opposed to last term when my first one was 9:30. I’m hoping for a good group of kids. They’re hybrid courses so, two days one campus then one day is online work. No more on-campus days than I am used to, even though it’s technically a MWF course. That said, time to get ready. Happy Wednesday!