All Good Things Reprise: Episode 8

Weeks like this make All Good Things a little tougher to write. But weeks like this are also why we need to look for good things in the first place. This world is not always pretty, not always easy. It is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes devastating. It is very often difficult. All we can do is experience everything. But in the end, it's up to us to find and enjoy the beautiful parts of this collective story. And it's also up to All Good Things to find the beautiful parts of the story! So turn on the tunes, sit back, and make the most of this week's list. :)

Due to some technical difficulties and the collected chaos of this particular week, you can find the playlist here this week instead of in its usual format: http://m.youtube.com/#/playlist?list=PLXyIa8VIOAKcmoI_Wq1J9TjFwKKPbfsdx

1. The way people rise to the occasion of showing goodness amidst life's tragedies. I don't want to minimize the pain that has come as a result of Monday's bombings, and in the wake of it, but the general attitude of looking for a silver lining, or a positive takeaway, struck and heartened me. I'm sure you've seen that Mr. Rogers quote about the helpers rushing to the scene to take care of the victims; I wanted to post it here but I couldn't find the image in time to post.

2. NPR's latest blog, Codeswitch: News on the Frontiers of Race, Culture and Ethnicity. This was a total #nerdgasm on Monday morning, since codeswitching was my favorite unit in sociolinguistics. But it's still relevant to the non-sociologists out there, because it is ever-present in our day-to-day interactions.

3. The 80s: The Decade That Made Us. Also heard on NPR on Monday morning, a NatGeo TV documentary that is right up the AGT alley, if you happened to have noticed our musical taste...

4. Thursday was National High Five Day. This is great in itself, but it's cool that this year it's supporting the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings. The cherry on top was an electronic sign in front of WSFS, Delaware's "community bank," reading: FREE HIGH FIVES. Brought a smile to my face.

5. NPR Weekend Edition. I mostly like it all the time, but the weekend shows always make me happy: Car Talk, Radio Lab, On Being, This American Life, American Roots, and of course Prairie Home Companion!

6. Baby showers! I went to one this afternoon and the cuteness was uncontainable. Also, there is something uplifting in celebrating new life, something which is particularly striking given the events of this week.

7. More generally-- lately some friends/family of mine have been making some big plans for the future including having babies, getting engaged, and getting into grad school. It's so nice to share these experiences with them!

8. I bought a new pair of tennis shoes this week because my old ones are legitimately falling apart (pieces of my shoes would fall out when I took my feet out). It made me think about how important it is to spend some time/money on yourself sometimes.

9. Cribbage. Luke and I are playing together a lot lately and having a great time!

10. Coming home to loved ones after a long day. After hearing about the bombs in Boston and the explosion in Texas I feel so fortunate to come home to Luke everyday. (Same goes for Jason and my family. I appreciate the people I love so, SO much.)