This week in squirrels…

From Sun May 17th to Sat May 23rd

Summary

  • The New Thai Try Two
    • This time, I got a large portion of the tom yum with chicken and no spice all to myself.
    • Their no-spice tom yum is not without heat. The soup was still plenty red, and the lid was coated with that oil. However, it was much less heat than a one out of five.
    • I was hoping it was close to a truly heat-less tom yum I had before because it was basically the best lemongrass soup EVER, and I demolished it every time I had a chance to go to that place.
    • I actually felt the “no spice” version was kinda disappointing, and I wouldn’t order it again like that; however, with a spice one, it was in its best form.
  • A Steak!?
    • It was recommended that I eat some cow to help. Generally, cow is at the bottom of the list of things I want to eat. But having cancer means I need to listen to my doctors and nurses.
    • Turns out I don’t really remember how to cook a steak, but I managed to only slightly overcook it. Better than undercooked.
    • I still only ate half of it, will have to slice up the rest of it and put it on a salad or something.
  • All the manga
    • I let so many manga pile up from series I am already into, so it’s time for a catch-up run.
    • Expect the read section to be colossal.
  • The Escalation of the Roaches
    • I had been self-treating the house, but Sunday morning, I got live roach jump scared, so I had to call in the professionals.
  • The social struggle of having cancer
    • People ask me how I am doing: My answer is never going to be as pleasant as you want. I promise.
    • People cry when they find out, and sometimes every time they see me, which I get, but like, we are in a grocery store, y’all.
    • Finding out triggers a pretty huge trauma in some: This is probably linked to above. Telling somebody who has lost somebody or somebody to cancer visibly re-opens massive emotional wounds. And in the beginning, I hadn’t processed it enough to help other people through their trauma. It’s easier now, but still a lot all of a sudden.
    • People try to downplay their own struggles by mentioning what I am going through: I may scream because this happens way too much. What if I told you that sharing what you are struggling with does not diminish someone else’s struggles? I get it. I got gold in the Misery Olympics; we can move on from that now.
    • I don’t want to downplay how hard it is on people to learn somebody you care for has cancer. A lot of people end up dead in a year. It is also hard to be mourned while I am still here in front of people.
  • The headaches come eventually
    • For several nights of the week, I have been STRUGGLING to sleep, peeing a lot, and just struggling to be comfortable and not be consumed by nightmares that keep happening up and down
    • The real pain is after two really good days of being upright and getting a lot done, the headaches and the struggles for being upright have some bad days

Books

  • There’s No Freaking Way I’ll be Your Lover! Unless (Manga) Vol 8 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
    • This is one of the better arcs in the series and really gets into how every girl in the group has two sides. Plus Kaho being the one person with some common sense and reading Renako for filth for whining about how her steak is too juicy, and her lobster is too buttery is PEAK. The whole thing is really well done in the manga.
    • Still 3/5ths of this group are disturbingly maladjusted to the point where it kicks me out of the story when it is trying to draw me into these people?s emotions and plights.
  • How Do We Relationship, Vol 14 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    • This is the final volume, and I am not crying, you are!
    • This was a pretty great series overall, but this final volume had that little slow-burning payoff and the confessions and everything. Wow.
  • I Have a Secret The Complete Manga Collection 1 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    • This three-volume omnibus is not the complete collection, but the art is fantastic, and the way the dynamics and focus of the whole group is focused on just having a series of couples is really nice.
  • I Love Amy, Vol 2 ⭐️⭐️
    • This volume has more filler than a season of Naruto. There are a few chapters of real, good content.
    • And then constant flashbacks trying to hint at how deeply in the closet Camilla is, but I felt that was pretty apparent from volume 1
  • A Yuri Love Story That Begins with Getting Dumped in a Dream Vol 2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    • This story feels like it’s not going to take its time. It is now perfectly clear that both girls are totally into each other, and both are just trying to get over their nerves and make the perfect moment.
    • There is also a pretty fun reveal, not from left field, but still nice

Music

  • Keecap’s “FENIAN”
    • Irish rap may be one of my favorite raps now
  • Fatboy Slim
    • It’s a great cleaning music, it’s great napping music, it’s great music.
    • That early big beat super repetitive sample music is my jam
  • The Prodigy Experience
    • The narcotics suite part of this album is my jam.

Reads and Videos

Quote of the Week

At my funeral, I want a big “live, laugh, love” sign with the “live” part crossed out.

- @mel_pollen