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I've written before about my love of eyebrow maintenance — generally I like getting my eyebrows threaded, but I've tried a lot of things. I haven't been in, uh, a while (thanks, 2020!), and it felt like maybe I could use something a bit more than my irregular plucking. So I ordered these eyebrow stencils from Amazon.
A few notes: I had bought stencils years ago from one of the major eyebrow beauty brands (similar to these), but you were supposed to hold them up. I bought these newer ones from Amazon because I liked that you had both brows in a single stencil that's held flush to your head with a super-sexy elastic band — think Mask of Zorro but for your eyebrows. (The product page weirdly looks like they're single-eyebrow cards you hold up; the customer pictures are true to what I received.) Still, I was a bit surprised when it arrived — there are 24 stencils in here, so give yourself a good 20 minutes at least to figure out which one you like for your face.
{related: how to dye your eyebrows with Just for Men}
I probably could have Googled or YouTubed how to do this, but I kind of winged it — I decided to wear the stencil I thought would be best, then brushed eyeshadow onto my brows using the stencil. Then, I removed the stencil and got to work. (I intentionally grabbed a blue eyeshadow because that would be different than my brown/blonde eyebrow hairs, so I could tell what was stencil and what was me. I also grabbed eyeshadow because I figured it would easily come off when I washed my face. (Blue eyebrows! All the cool kids are doing it.))
{related: is microblading worth it? (from guest poster, Adina J. of Blue Collar Red Lipstick)}
It definitely helped me do a bit more shaping, but it also helped me to see what was a “good” eyebrow shape and how my own eyebrows were lacking. I've adjusted my routine when I use eyebrow pencil or eyebrow creme in two ways as a result — I extend the pencil on the outside, past where my actual eyebrows stop. I also pay more attention to the inside, closer to my nose, where my own eyebrow hairs are present but sparse. (These two reasons are probably why I don't feel like it's worth my time to dye my eyebrows with Just for Men, and why I might be interested in microblading in the future.)
{related: here's Kate's Browvo! review and April's RapidBrow review}
Readers, what is your favorite way to maintain your eyebrows, either at home or out and about?
The eyebrow stencils are $11.99 at Amazon. (WHOA: apparently stencils are common enough that both Cosmopolitan and Byrdie have done roundups of them! I still like mine, at least based on the descriptions, because of the 24 stencils plus the elastic band to help you strap 'em on.)
Psst: Here are all of my latest favorite makeup picks:
As of 2024, my short makeup routine is pretty boring — curled eyelashes + concealer + blush (Nars Orgasm) + powder, with a different lipstick and eyeliner depending on my mood. If I'm feeling extra fancy I'll add mascara, highlighter, and/or do my brows with this cream and a brush similar to this one (here's my review). (I also add eye shadows in the “extra” days but it's a huge variety, maybe 25 or so different ones.)
Some favorite lipsticks include Clinique (Graped Up), NARS lipstick (Damage), Fenty (Goji Gang), NARS gloss (Orgasm, Fast Lane), and Clinique (Black Honey). I use this NYX lipliner (Natural) for almost all of them.
My favorite eyeliners as of 2024: Chanel (Espresso), Urban Decay (Sabbath, Smoke), and Clinique (Intense Chocolate & Plum). I also really like NYX and Sephora's eyeliners.
Sales of note for 10.24.24
- Nordstrom – Fall sale, up to 50% off!
- Ann Taylor – Friends of Ann Event, 30% off! Suits are included in the 30% off!
- Banana Republic Factory – 40-60% off everything, and redeem Stylecash!
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – Friends & Family event, 30% off sitewide.
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Up to 30% off on new arrivals
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off entire purchase, plus free shipping no minimum
- White House Black Market – Buy more, save more; buy 3+ get an extra 50% off
Sales of note for 10.24.24
- Nordstrom – Fall sale, up to 50% off!
- Ann Taylor – Friends of Ann Event, 30% off! Suits are included in the 30% off!
- Banana Republic Factory – 40-60% off everything, and redeem Stylecash!
- Boden – 10% off new styles with code; free shipping over $75
- Eloquii – Extra 50% off a lot of sale items, with code
- J.Crew – Friends & Family event, 30% off sitewide.
- J.Crew Factory – 40% off everything
- Lo & Sons – Fall Sale, up to 35% off
- M.M.LaFleur – Save 25% sitewide
- Neiman Marcus – Up to 30% off on new arrivals
- Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
- Talbots – 40% off entire purchase, plus free shipping no minimum
- White House Black Market – Buy more, save more; buy 3+ get an extra 50% off
And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!
Some of our latest threadjacks include:
- What to say to friends and family who threaten to not vote?
- What boots do you expect to wear this fall and winter?
- What beauty treatments do you do on a regular basis to look polished?
- Can I skip the annual family event my workplace holds, even if I'm a manager?
- What small steps can I take today to get myself a little more “together” and not feel so frazzled all of the time?
- The oldest daughter is America's social safety net — change my mind…
- What have you lost your taste for as you've aged?
- Tell me about your favorite adventure travels…
Anon
Has anyone used the Tarte vegan teeth-whitening pen? I need to deal with years of coffee staining and I have sensitive teeth so I’m looking for a recommendation for this (or any other products) before shelling out the cash. The reviews look decent online but I’m not sure how many were submitted by paid influencers. Top priority is getting some efficacy but without pain/tons of sensitivity – I’ll take less efficacy for less pain. TIA!
Anon
I haven’t used it but my two cents is to not use dental products that could potentially harm your dental health from a makeup brand with no history of dental care products.
Anon
+1 I would just ask your dentist for recommendations.
Clementine
My dentist sells some really effective ‘through a dentist only’ like super-white strips. They’re $40 and you keep them in the fridge and they’re great – would highly recommend.
Anonymous
I found Crest whitestrips to be as effective if not more than the trays from my dentist. Do NOT do Zoom whitening. I don’t normally have sensitivity, but while I felt fine during the laser process itself, the hours following were so, so, so painful. I thought I was going to have to go to an emergency room. Like bring you to your knees zings of pain.
Anon
Interesting, I had Zoom at-home night set and while I had some sensitivity pain, it was manageable if I skipped one night. I cannot imagine the pain you went through after in-office treatment. OP, I would recommend to discuss with your dentist, they will recommend safe, effective whitening within your budget. Enamel cannot be fully repaired once it is damaged.
Anon
I’ve also found Crest Whitestrips to be very effective – and pain free.
Anon
It wasn’t very effective for me
anon
How is everyone holding up today? I have accomplished a few things, but I am filled with dread and anxiety of what might be ahead this week and during Inauguration Day. I tried relaxing this weekend with a fluffy book and couldn’t manage it. Maybe I needed something heavier to match the mood! So I worked on a few reorganizing projects, played outside with my kiddo even though it was freezing and basically tried to stay in motion so I wouldn’t have as much time to let my mind wander. I was in bed before my kids on Friday night.
Anonymous
I’m going to copy part of my response from the food/snack thread that sums up where I’m at. It’s been really, really hard to deal with a Trump-supporting family member who wants to downplay the seriousness of the insurrection on Wednesday.
“I am already seeing a lot of “I think we should just move on” and “let’s not be more divisive,” but I do not believe that healing can take place without the rule of law being applied. We don’t say to murder victims “well, let’s not prosecute the case since it would be better to just move on.” We shouldn’t do it here either. There is no legitimate reason why the laws of our nation and the principles of justice and equal treatment under the law should become suddenly void just because of politics.”
I also think it’s possible that some well-meaning people saw the pictures of the horn-wearing buffoons and concluded that the insurrection was a spur-of-the-moment riot comprised of red-state wack jobs. I do not believe this is true. It was highly organized, planned for months, and the pictures of people wearing military gear and carrying zip ties to take hostages are beyond chilling. We must resist our natural urge to downplay the event and there must be a full investigation.
Anon
No, I’m tired of “moving on”! When my candidate lost I did not swarm the Capitol while heavily armed to prevent the other guy from taking office!
Anon
My husband asked me the age-old question – how do we ever come to common ground with these people? How do we understand their point of view? – and my response is F them. I’m done. They killed people. They were trying to kill more. I’m done. Lock them up. Let them rot in jail. I hope they all gave each other covid last week.
pugsnbourbon
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get some satisfaction from videos of the rioters and terrorists getting pulled off planes and arrested at airports. Since Parler got hacked, the FBI has been able to match data with flight manifests. The “no fly” list is real long.
Lilau
“I also think it’s possible that some well-meaning people saw the pictures of the horn-wearing buffoons and concluded that the insurrection was a spur-of-the-moment riot comprised of red-state wack jobs.”
I agree that’s not true. The son of a Brooklyn judge I have appeared before was amoung the terrorists. He was photographed taking his take out and dry cleaning home after the insurrection. Educated enough to know better. Not a red stater or a southerner or a blue collar victim of globalization. Just an evil person who thinks life is a video game, and alternative facts are good enough.
The trump supporters we all know are not the exception. They are all these people.
I also agree with your position that it’s not time to move on. We can’t heal until we stop the bleeding. Half of congress is still spreading this lies about the election.
Shine
You’re referencing Aaron Mostofsky. His father is indeed a Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice. Capitol rioters should be named and shamed on all corners of the internet. Sunshine is the best disinfectant.
Lilau
Thank you. I don’t disagree, I just couldn’t stomach reading the article again to get the name right.
Shine
Lilau, I definitely didn’t take your comment as trying to shield him at all, and only meant to make a general comment, not one particularized to you! My tone is clipped upon re-reading my comment, but I didn’t mean to be snippy with you at all. I’m sorry that I was!
Lilau
Didn’t take it that way at all! Appreciate you backing me up and putting it out there!
LaurenB
Has his father come out and repudiated his son’s actions?
Trixie
When my candidate lost in 2016, I made a pink hat, joined with my friends, and went to a march on the Boston Common. Speeches, crowds, good cheer, pep talks. No one stormed the state house, and there were no weapons or injuries.
These people are out of touch with reality, and very scary.
Ellen
I read in the NY Times how the Mayor of DC told Federal law enforcement not to be to heavy handed the way they were when Trump walked across the street of the White House after their MP’s had gassed the BLM people so that Trump could do a photo op at the church over there. So in a way, the Federal Police were a bit hamstrung (neutered) by their own past over-reacting with the BLM folks and were sensistive and did not want to do the necessary show of force that was quite evident in the news when the crazy rioters were a coming.
Even Rosen, the acting AG, was working in his office (right off the Mall on Pennsylvania Avenue) when the poopie hit the fan! Talk about government inaction and bureacucy! How could he be so ignorant of the poopie going on right behind his office!
So the Capitol Police were ill prepared to handle the angry crazies who came storming up the Steps, broke in and rampaged our hallowed Capitol halls! Those halls are where I went to college and law school, and the thought of all those crazies running around breaking things makes me sick for America.
It is sad that people had to die over such stupidity, and I really hope that the next time we are better prepared for any potential insurrections, b/c even if Trump goes away, there are alot of people who will still be out there — sore losers unwilling to accept that they lost the election. FOOEY on them!
Monday
If you’re serious about reading to “match the mood,” I have found it helpful/validating to read nonfiction about authoritarianism while worrying about authoritarianism. On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder is very concise. The Twilight of Democracy by Ann Applebaum is also excellent. I am considering Masha Gessen’s book next. None of these writers is wild-eyed or alarmist. They write patiently and seriously in a way that puts current events in context with the appropriate urgency.
I also find it helpful to read about the AIDS crisis (or tuberculosis in developing countries) for perspective on Covid. I was a mostly unaware kid in the 80s.
Anonymous
Masha Gessen’s essay “Autocracy: Rules for Survival” stuck in my head immediately when it was published after Trump was elected. I think of it often, especially the “Believe the autocrat” part. It drives me crazy when people act like Trump “won’t be that bad” or say “it’s just rhetoric, which both side engage in” and things like that. Now, in 2021, the words are even more prescient than they were in 2016.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/one-year-after-trumps-election-revisiting-autocracy-rules-for-survival
Anonymous
FYI, this is a link that contains an update on the original essay – the original seems to be behind a paywall now, which is frustrating.
Anon
Yes, god forbid we actually pay for work we get value from.
ArenKay
These are good suggestions, Monday. I would add Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s book about autocrats (puts our current leader in context with autocrats across the globe and the century), as well as Talia Lavin’s book on white supremacy.
Rainbow Hair
For fiction: I didn’t really think about it, but I read Margaret Atwood’s Testaments last week. It was a little too horrifyingly spot on… but it did “match the mood.”
Anon
I will also post to the mom’s thread, but looking to crowd source some info about when you told your employer you were pregnant, particularly if working from home during the pandemic. I work at a mid-sized law firm that will be professional and is “family friendly” and flexible, so it is not going to be a difficult conversation, so I am more trying to figure out the norm here. That being said, since barely anyone sees me except from the chest up with everything remote, I will have some flexibility on when to tell since I can endure morning sickness privately at home and won’t be sporting the tell-tale bump in front of anyone at the office any time soon. Any thoughts?
Anonymous
No comments on your specific situation, but man, it sounds like such an improvement to deal with morning sickness and bump-hiding at home. I hope that sticks around post-pandemic for all women who would benefit from it.
Anon
Oh, this is my first and the nausea is real. I can certainly tell you that being able to work from the couch when feeling queasy and run to the bathroom as needed has definitely made things less stressful. Also all the appreciation for being able to wear comfy clothes. To all you ladies who endured these feelings in the office like a boss, you already had my awe and respect, but you have it x100 now that I know on a personal level how exhausted and crappy a person can feel during this time.
Anon
My nausea was worst during and right after my commute (both ways), so I’m pretty sure if I was WFH I would have had minimal symptoms! I threw up in a ziplock baggie on the subway multiple times. It was just as gross and embarrassing as you imagine.
Curious
+1. I was messaging with a coworker while kneeling by the toilet today. I don’t know how I would manage in normal times.
Anon
So sorry to hear you are feeling so crappy. Hopefully, it will pass soon.
Curious
Right back at you, Anon :)
Anon
To your point, by the time I was 14ish weeks along and told people, they pretty much already knew. Getting sick at work and not being able to wear any structured clothing (I couldn’t stand anything fitted the second I had a positive pregnancy test) kind of gave me away. Most people were kind enough to pretend to ignore it.
Anon
I worked from home full time before the pandemic, so nobody ever saw me in the office. I think I shared it maybe somewhere in the 15 week range? Not super early but there were months left before I would be out.
Anonymous
I told work at 21 weeks after my anatomy scan came back OK
Anonymous
Follow up from above— I’m 25 weeks now, for context.
NYCer
Not pregnant currently, but this is what I would do too in current situation.
Anon
If you are on maternity leave and planning to not come back (not decided beforehand), when do you let work know? I have 2.5 months left of leave. We have such a disaster of a year, with our older kiddo’s daycare open / shut / etc. and no backup care and now no realistic possibility of an infant slot opening up (and from friends: on-the-books FT nanny maybe running us 60K/year), that I’m willing to take the hit and move closer to family for help on the kid front (my mom works only PT now with a lot of flexibility, my MIL would also be nearby). I need to list and sell my house and think that that will out me fast if I don’t go ahead and tell work. Otherwise, I am not sure I’ll have a career or sanity to keep this up until the pandemic is over.
Anonymous
Would you consider asking for extended leave? If you took another 3 months off, that would put you in summertime before you had to make any care arrangements.
Sure, they could say no. But these are weird, crazy times and they might need you for the long term more than they need you for the next few months.
I haven’t given notice while on leave, but I have had an employee give notice while on leave. This was years ago, but we talked it through and she ended up taking 6 unpaid months. She came back and worked for me for several more years.
Anon
I am day-to-day with my job. I have barely made it since kids were sent home in March and can not imagine caring for two kids younger than school aged with no / iffy / randomly closing daycare. I don’t know how doctors and nurses do it unless they all have nannies who live with them and don’t socialize. When you have to be at work, you have to be at work. When you can WFH, I think people pretend it’s fine but it is Not Fine. I am probably a distraction away from messing something up that I’d be able to manage if I was in an office (or even at home but alone). I feel like I’m going to miss a deadline or do something non-fixable and I am filled with dread for legitimate reasons.
Anon
Are you 100% sure you want to move? If not, I would ask for extended leave, or consider taking the financial hit and hiring a nanny, being upfront that it’s temporary until post-pandemic kid can go to daycare/preschool. If things are still back to mostly normal by October in terms of childcare and work, will you regret having moved?
If you are sure, then I think that makes perfect sense to tell your job — I don’t think anyone will not understand the situation and that it was clearly not planned.
Betsy
If you have struggled with focus issues and anxiety difficulty during work from home, how are you addressing that in your annual review? Mine is coming up and I need to fill out the self assessment. My honest self assessment is that I am doing my best but my best really stinks right now. My perception is that I am struggling more than average in my office at the moment, although I suspect there are others who are having at least as much difficulty as me. I am usually a reasonably high performer, so this is a new place to be in for me. I don’t want to sell myself short, but I also don’t want to pretend like everything is fine because I certainly recognize that I’m not doing very well. Any advice on how to walk that line?
Anonymous
How is your actual performance (in terms of metrics, output, deliverables)? I’ve found that I FEEL like I’m much more distracted, but that my list of accomplishments is still very respectable. I plan to focus on those accomplishments and not emphasize what’s going on behind the scenes.
Anon
This. I’m reviewing my team’s reports right now, and I agree that while deliverables might have taken more work behind the scenes, the list of accomplishments is still appropriate for the role. Some projects were deprioritized, but then other work popped up and the team handled those without skipping a beat.
As a high performer it’s easy to lose sight of what is truly “successful” in a role vs what is “exceeding.” Most likely, your distracted and struggling work was still within the bounds of successful and you should rate yourself as such. Focus on what you were able to do, focus on what roadblocks you overcame or pivoted around, focus on why you did a better job than someone else would have in the role. Yes, 2019 you would have knocked it out of the park in 2019. But this was 2020, and you likely added much more value than someone who was newly hired in March. Focus on why that is.
Anonymous
As a manager with dozens of reports to review I can tell you that no matter how good a front they put up, everyone has had a challenging year and that everyone’s performance has been impacted. I would not say anything unless you want to remind your manager if you were on medical leave, family leave or bereavement leave and so were as a result unable to meet certain objectives in the noted time frames, or if pandemic conditions made last year’s objectives impossible (like preventing you from traveling to a client site).
Anonymous
This.
Would a mediocre white man think he was underperforming and try to explain it?
Anonymous
+1. Don’t plan the idea that you’re underperforming in your manager’s head. Address challenges you dealt with IF you get negative feedback and not before.
Curious
I disagree with this, which suggests to me it’s workplace and manager dependent. If the person objectively underperformed, I want them to have awareness of that fact — it makes me more optimistic about coaching/receptiveness (as per the comment below about the wildly out of touch guy who rated himself exceeds). Just don’t ding yourself for your *feelings* of inadequacy. Look at your performance against the level bar and all the challenges you faced, and be honest with where you think you fall.
Friday
This. I managed to keep my job, somewhat effectively share a living-turned-work space with my messy partner, started therapy, and my kid is close to developmentally on track despite watching tv for what feels like months on end. I basically killed it.
Anon
Definitely don’t try explain what’s going on behind the scenes. They should know that everyone’s had a horrible year and hopefully they are taking that into account.
NYNY
As a manager, I’ve completed all my staff reviews and found I struggled only with the one where a usual high performer has been visibly disengaged, and yet he rated himself as exceeding expectations. We had many touchpoints throughout 2020, and he got the feedback from me and several project managers that he seemed to be struggling and wasn’t his usual self. He would be non-committal about the feedback, and nothing changed. I have to meet with him tomorrow, but he’s already seen his review in workday (OMG I hate workday!), so he’s already upset.
If he had noted his struggles and the conversations about them, and also noted his real accomplishments, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time with it. But if he had done that, he probably would have had the self-awareness to know that he only met expectations this year. Only you know what the expectations are and how you did in a measurable way – did you meet or miss deadlines? did you communicate if the challenges of 2020 were creating an obstacle to getting work done timely or well? – so think about whether you’re viewing your performance from an internal, overachiever, critical place. You may still have kicked ass, but it wasn’t as easy as it is other years.
Anon
My DH tested positive for COVID over the weekend (not sure how he got it, either grocery store or his outdoor work out class are the only possibilities). He has some muscle pain but is otherwise fine now. I have a slight sore throat but nothing else. Kiddos are fine so far, thank goodness. We are strictly quarantining of course, but is it even worth it for me to get tested? I assume not but wanted to see what the conventional wisdom was on this.
Anonymous
For me it would be, because if I had it I wouldn’t bother isolating from husband and if I didn’t, I’d try and keep that up.
Anon
I got exposed and quarantined in my house away from spouse and kids. I wound up being negative, but it was like a mini-vacation to just have responsibility for me.
Clementine
I would call your primary – as I understand it, some of this depends on how many tests are available in your area.
(Where I am, they would recommend a test if asymptomatic but if you had symptoms they would say you’re presumed positive.)
Betsy
I think personally I would want to know, if anything just for your medical history going forward. Hopefully both of you will recover quickly and fully and it won’t be an issue, but if you have medical issues down the road that could be connected to covid it would be good to know with confidence whether you’ve had it.
Anon
Same. In case you become a long-hauler and if you do go to the doctor, you have some dates to give them. Also, you’d know you’re pretty much done with worrying about getting it if you’ve already had it. When I was exposed I wanted to know. I was relieved not to have had it, but would have been relieved to have had it (by the time I got tested, I wasn’t having any symptoms, so if I was +, it would be with a very mild case).
Anon
+1
Also my friend had Covid and neither her husband nor her two kids caught it.
Cat
I know of two families where only 1 or 2 family members (out of 4 total) caught it. Despite, for example, all going to get tested together and breathing the same car air for hours. This disease is so bizarre.
anon
So bizarre! I also know families where this has happened. I truly do not understand how
Anon
I don’t know if you need a test, but make sure you’re sleeping in separate beds. My MIL got a terrible case, but my FIL didn’t catch it (unbelievably) because he moved to sleep in the guest room.
Anon
Yes, I would definitely get tested.
Anonymous
I would try to get tested so you can contribute to our public health surveillance and knowledge about transmission. If you have a sore throat, that’s symptomatic and should get you in line for a test in most places. Good luck.
Cat
I would get tested – for the immediate future, to know whether or not to self-isolate in my own home, and for the long term, knowing if you have antibodies.
Anonymous
My comment is stuck but this plus I would try to get tested to contribute to data/surveillance.
Anon
OP, thanks all, I will get tested then.
joan wilder
In your shoes, I would get tested for all the reasons others have already noted. If you are concerned about exposing people on your way to/at testing site, you could consider one of the approved at home PCR tests, where you take your own sample and overnight it back. I’ve successfully used Vault Health and had results in less than 24 hours after test arrived at lab. I have also ready positive reports on LabCorp’s Pixel test, which I believe it is reserved for either symptoms or known exposures.
Ellen
Agreed. Get tested, and if you are positive, you can huddle with hubby for 14 days, and get it out of your system. I know that you can have s-x with your husband if you are both positive, and that takes some of the strain out of it all. Of course, if you are not positive, then you must isolate away from him until he tests negative, which means no s-x. At least it does not sound bad. Let’s hope you are doing your best to stop the spread.
Vicky Austin
Weird/frivolous question: I made a delicious loaf of bread with onions and dill in it, but my husband likes to put things on bread and other than butter, I’m at a loss. Any suggestions? Savory, neutral, unexpected sweet?
Anon
Hummus, guacamole, cream cheese. Recipe for the bread please!
Vicky Austin
https://smittenkitchen.com/2007/02/for-beaming-bewitching-breads/
(You have to scroll down a ways, sorry!)
Vicky Austin
Also thank you!
Anonymous
Laughing cow or other soft spreadable cheeses. Any soft cheese like Edam or Gouda in a grilled cheese form.
Anonymous
Fish goes well with dill, so maybe pickled herring, smoked salmon or mackerel or even tuna salad.
Anon
+1 a bakery near my old office used to do a tuna salad sandwich on dill bread and it was out of this world. The tuna salad had finely diced celery in it and now I’m drooling thanks
Anonymous
oooh i want a tuna melt so badly right now
Cat
I still dream of sweetgreen’s dill dressing and turmeric cauliflower limited time offering from like 2 years ago. I’d try any number of Mediterranean spreads.
Panda Bear
oooh perhaps an olive tapenade!
Panda Bear
Mashed white beans mixed with olive oil and lemon juice would be good with this.
Anonymous
Hard boiled egg with butter and cucumber.
Anonymous
Swedish shrimp salad (Skagenröra), crab salad, roast beef and beetroot, sliced boiled eggs, caviar…
Most savoury Scandi open top sandwiches will work with dill and onion.
anon
Native Swede here and in support of all these ideas. And now I’m homesick!
Anon
Gravlax or smoked salmon + cream cheese!
It would make an amazing grilled cheese with smoky gouda.
Jules
Goat cheese? (TJ’s has a very good spreadable variety.) Or a savory marmalade; someone at my local farmer’s market makes onion jam that is very good.
Anon
Mmmm. I’m thinking you could do some savory jams, like carmelized onion jam or maybe a balsamic tomato jam?
Other options would be apple butter (love the combo of apple and onion), a roasted garlic spread (cook garlic cloves in oil and then mash up), or maybe even a fig jam.
I think dill goes well with nutty flavors, so even a peanut butter type of spread (or roasted walnuts, or something crazy like nutella) might be nice.
Mary Ann Singleton
Mix smoked mackerel with cream cheese, black pepper and fresh lemon juice (and more dill if you feel like it!). Or any smoked fish really.
Anon
Toast it and put quark and cucumber on top.
Anonymous
Dip in olive oil.
Mal
Grilled cheese!
Anon
Hey everyone, my birthday is tomorrow. I know most of us will have a birthday during covid. What did you do for yourself? I will need to get in a few hours of work (I’m a contractor) but not all day.
No restaurants as we are under orders (CA) and I’m high risk.
Anon
My birthday is in April and I live in NYC, so it felt too depressing last year to even try to “do” anything. My boyfriend made me a cocktails, dinner and dessert and *cleaned up*. For his birthday I made him a cake and we ordered his favorite takeout. For my second pandemic birthday I plan to research fancy sushi that will deliver! I’m already looking forward to it.
Cat
Fancy takeout and good bubbly, a movie entirely of my choosing (vs mutual agreement), and making plans for a (safe) winter getaway to the (short drive away) mountains in a cabin by ourselves.
AFT
I had a mile stone bday over the summer, but also didn’t want to celebrate a lot cuz it was depressing and covid. My husband surprised me with a yard sign, my parents came over for an outdoor/distanced/masked celebration, kids made presents and surprised me with balloons, and various friends dropped by small tokens on my front step. Also takeout/delivery of my favorite foods ALLLLLL weekend.
Nothing terribly exciting, but honestly the little things people did to let me know they were thinking of me meant a lot.
Jules
On my October birthday, we had fancy carry-out, and my sweet SO had the table set with candles, roses and champagne flutes when I got home from work (still going in to the office here). It made things feel special.
BB
Mine is this month and I ordered myself 3 new puzzles and several pints of fancy ice cream to be delivered. If you’re comfortable getting food delivery, I would totally get that (assuming that’s still open in CA?).
Anon
No advice but same birthday! I’m also pregnant so I can’t even drink like I normally would to celebrate. You didn’t ask for commiseration but I’ll offer it anyway, I deliberately got pregnant in the summer because January birthdays are the worst.
OP
Happy birthday! And congrats on your pregnancy.
YES January birthdays suck. Here are two things anyone reading should never say to their January babies:
“It’s your birthday already? We just had Christmas!”
And
“That was your Christmas AND birthday present” (something my summer birthday siblings never heard)
Anon
Happy birthday to you as well!! Hope you find something fun to do (if you’re at all into period dramas, I binged Bridgerton yesterday and that was a nice distraction).
Aunt Jamesina
Happy birthday! I have a summer birthday, so when I was a kid I was bummed about not being able to celebrate at school (bringing cupcakes, etc), so my mom made my half birthday A Thing for school purposes (my actual birthday party and gifts would still be in the summer). Maybe some of you January babies would enjoy celebrating in the summer? :-)
Anon
Out of curiousity, what’s wrong with a January birthday? (My kiddo is turning 1 next week.)
Anon
Generally the weather is garbage, people have celebration hangovers from the holidays and don’t really want to do anything, it’s awkward to take time off after just coming back from an extended break (at my consulting firm), etc.
Horse Crazy
Everyone is burnt out of gifts/gatherings (in normal times) from the holidays, and they can feel forgotten. It doesn’t really bother me as an adult, but as a kid, it was a bit of a bummer at times.
Signed, my bday is in the first week of January.
Anonymous
January is slightly better than second half of December, but only just. People are tired, stressed or celebrated out.
I think the three most awkward days (Fir children) are probably Dec 25, Dec 24, and July 5th, followed by New Year’s and Leap Day, then summer hols.
Anon
My birthday is today. I worked for a few hours in the morning, got a huge amount of takeout delivered, and then napped for a few hours while my kids were in childcare. I consider this a great success.
OP
Happy birthday!!
Anonymous
Zoom birthday with all my friends and it was actually really nice.
Aunt Jamesina
My favorite birthday activity (even in normal years) is to go to an upscale grocery store and buy whatever strikes my fancy. Champagne? Fancy cheese? Sugary cereal I wasn’t allowed to eat when I was a kid? Crab legs? Fancy soap? YES.
Anonymous
I had a milestone birthday alone. At first I was really sad but after reading how some people celebrated their birthdays, I got into it. I still had to WFM but I made a really decadent breakfast, ordered nice takeout for lunch and dinner which I enjoyed with Prosecco. My sweet boyfriend sent me flowers and two birthday tiaras. He dared me to wear at least one and take a picture and send to a coworker. I did and she loved it. I even had coworkers surprise me by singing happy birthday at the start of a zoom meeting. In these kind of situations, as another poster mentioned, you learn that little things mean a lot!
Anonymous
Mean to add. Happy birthday! Hope you can find ways to celebrate yourself and make it special!
Rachel
Happy birthday! Mine is on Saturday. I’m doing a prix fixe takeout dinner from a local Michelin-starred restaurant. I’m meeting a friend for a hike in the morning (masked, we’re not loons) and then other than that plan to walk my dog a lot and work on some socks I’m knitting. I bought myself some nicer hair and skin products recently too. I hope you find some pleasant ways to mark the day.
LaurenB
Honestly, I just took a nice hot bath and an afternoon nap and didn’t make my bed. There will be time enough for birthday celebrating in the future.
LaurenB
As I read about the Pelosi staffers hiding underneath desks, I wonder … generally speaking how many staffers does each senator/representative have? Would they all have been in their own offices/cubicles?
Anon
It depends on the member. Leadership has more. This was a decade ago (back when politics seemed divisive but in retrospect…), but I worked for a rank-and-file Congressman and we had I think 9 staff in the DC office: chief of staff, communications director, 2 legislative analysts, 3 legislative correspondents, a scheduler, and receptionist who did various things. The member and chief of staff had their own offices, but the rest of us had cubicles in one (not that big) room, and we had conference space not connected to the rest of the office. Committees have their own separate staff, as well.
Anon
This is still about right. Senators have more than Reps (they have to serve a whole state, so it makes sense). Senators will have a chief, legislative director, often a counsel, 5-6 legislative assistants, press secretary, press assistant, ~3 staff assistants, ~3 legislative correspondents, a scheduler, and ~2-5 interns per semester.
This total is only for the DC office. Members have workers back in the home district too.
Staffers almost never have their own offices. Imagine each office on the Hill as a 1000 sq ft apartment – the MOC takes 1/3 of the space for their private office, the chief gets a tiny private office, there’s a foyer with seats and the reception desk, and the remaining staffers are smushed together in however much space is left – sometimes desks are only as big as the desks you used in school – just big enough for a monitor and keyboard.
But thankfully, only a fraction of the usual number were on the Hill that day – most offices are WFHing like the rest of us.
Anonymous
Your last sentence just gave me chills. Thank God so many were at home.
LaurenB
Thank you for answering this.