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Coffee Break: Logo Jacquard Top Handle Tote

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Logo bags: yea or nay? For my $.02, I am thoroughly against the omnipresent Coach, MK, and Vuitton logo bags, but I must say, for some of the newer logo prints, I am surprised to find myself not hating them — and in fact actually kind of fascinated. For example, I think this Miu Miu logo jacquard is far more artistic and interesting than the LV ones. MCM and Goyard bags still feel a bit fresh to me just because they were “new to me” brands when I first saw them. What are your thoughts, readers — are you for or against logo print bags? Would you draw a difference between a tote bag for work and, say, a crossbody or nontraditional style like a beltbag? The pictured tote is $1550, at Nordstrom. Logo Jacquard Top Handle Tote This post contains affiliate links and Corporette® may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more details see here. Thank you so much for your support!

Sales of note for 1/22/25:

  • Nordstrom – Cashmere on sale; AllSaints, Free People, Nike, Tory Burch, and Vince up to 60%; beauty deals up to 25% off
  • AllSaints – Clearance event, now up to 70% off (some of the best leather jackets!)
  • Ann Taylor – All sale dresses $40 (ends 1/23)
  • Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything
  • Boden – Clearance, up to 60% off!
  • DeMellier – Final reductions now on, free shipping and returns — includes select options like Montreal, Vancouver, and Venice
  • Eloquii – $29 and up select styles; extra 50% off all clearance, plus ELOQUII X kate spade new york collab just dropped
  • Everlane – Sale of the year, up to 70% off; new markdowns just added
  • J.Crew – Up to 40% off select styles; up to 50% off cashmere
  • J.Crew Factory – End of season sale, extra 60-70% off clearance, online only
  • Rothy's – Final Few: Up to 40% off last-chance styles
  • Spanx – Lots of workwear on sale, some up to 70% off
  • Talbots – Semi-Annual Red Door Sale – 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:

140 Comments

  1. Nope. Can’t wait for the current logos to be relegated to the back of the closets with their circa 2002 brethren.
    Give me a classic non-branded bag any day!

    2. +1 Not a fan of logos. It just seems like a way to say “Look how much money I have.”

        1. Sort of along these lines, is there anyone here who has had an extra large Dagne Dover and did NOT like it?

  2. Seeking suggestions for dinner to take to a friend who just had a baby? They do not eat any meat (or seafood) and have a 2-year-old as well. I’d love to take something with more protein than a pasta dish but am having trouble coming up with ideas.

    2. Indian food if you’re buying takeout. Otherwise, I love this black eye pea salad. It’s hearty enough that we often have it for dinner. Other things that we eat that are veg are white bean soup; white rice with cucumber salad and sliced tofu in ponzu sauce; and the TJ’s vegetable lasagna.

    3. My go-to for all new parents is a super low key enchilada casserole. Corn tortillas, black beans, rice, veggies, good salsa, and some shredded cheese layered in one of those foil pans heats easily, freezes easily, and is comforting and delicious.

      1. Along the enchilada lines, I highly recommend Budget Byte’s Black Bean and Avocado Enchiladas. Thanks to whoever posted this recipe a while ago!

      3. To be clear…you layer everything? Or do you roll the enchiladas and then layer salsa/cheese on top? I’m interested to try just layering everything, so if that’s what you are recommending as good, that would be awesome.

        1. I put down a layer of tortillas, then the beans and rice, then the veg. For a a 9×12 pan, I spread a whole jar of salsa on top of the veg. Then I layer more tortillas and pour on another jar of salsa. The cheese goes on top of that. I like to sprinkle some smoked paprika over the top too. The type of veggies don’t matter substantially. Corn and peppers are good, as are roasted cauliflower and broccoli or roasted tomatoes and onions. Whether the vegetables go in raw or cooked doesn’t matter hugely, unless you pick something like zucchini or tomatoes with a high water content. Good salsa is really the secret. I like a regional brand, but Frontera’s tomatillo is great on the inside with roasted tomato over the top.

          1. If you eat white flour, you skip the layering altogether and stir together torn flour tortillas with the beans, veggies, and salsa plus a small can of crushed tomatoes and chills. Then top the whole business with more torn tortillas and shredded cheese. The result is somewhere between chilaquiles and that dreaded potluck dish King Ranch Chicken.

            Both these can be cooked for around 45 minutes at 350, covered in foil for 30 and uncovered for 15.

  3. Does anyone have a go-to tea when they feel under the weather? Specifically headachey/migrainey and/or when you have a cold. I usually buy from Davids Tea but DH and I are tea enthusiasts and will purchase from anywhere

    1. Echinacea Elder from Traditional Medicals is my alltime favorite. But anything from that brand is nice and strong. Their Gypsy Cold Care has a very slight licorice tinge which I hate, but wpuld otherwise be nice.

      1. I hate licorice but I am OBSESSED with Gypsy Cold Care – to me it just takes like lemon and peppermint. (I think I’m the outlier here, my sister agrees with anon above that it tastes like licorice, but I wanted to share.)

      2. Yes to Echinacea Elder from Traditional Medicinals.

        Also, “Voice Tea,” which is really popular in Nashville and we keep at my house for SO singing purposes and me being ill purposes. You can buy it online, just search for Voice Tea Nashville.

    2. Usually green tea w/mint for headache — a little caffeine and mint for nausea.

      Not tea bags or loose tea, but crystals — Prince of Peace ginger crystal tea for colds.

      1. Prince of Peace ginger crystals are awesome! Great for stomach upsets and other issues, and also wonderful mixed with regular teas (half packet to one teabag of regular tea) to give a bit of heat.

      2. Trader Joe’s has a green tea with lemon, mint, and ginger. It’s not the most amazing tea in the world, but it’s a very solid (and inexpensive) tea.

  4. Planned a Canada Day party (July 1st) – many friends RSVPed and even confirmed two days before they were coming. No one came. I spent money on food and decorations and invites etc. I’m so hurt and still hurt even ten days later. I am currently trying to plan my wedding and can’t help but feel “will any of these people even show up, and if they can’t be bothered to stop by my backyard for a beer on a holiday when they said they would, why am I even inviting them?” Just needed to vent. I feel like a real loser. Of note – many of the friends who bailed on me said some iteration of “so sorry that I can’t make it after all, but what if we do something soon instead?” I responded “great, I will let you propose something.” None of them have. I’ve known these people for 10+ years each.

      1. These so called “friends” all bite the big one. Dump them and find others to be freindly. These are a-holes.

    2. I’m sorry, this sucks and I don’t blame you a bit for feeling hurt. You’re not a loser, but your friends kind of are.

      2. +1 your friends are total losers, and anyone reading this who did the same thing to their friends: news flash – you’re a loser

        stop doing this, millennials!

        1. It’s not just younger folks. This happened to me last year and most of those invited were well over 40. I took it as a case of people telling me who they really are and dialed back those relationships quite a bit. It hurt a lot.

        2. I’m pushing 40. Trust me, this is not a millennial. I’ve cut so many people out of my life (not in a dramatic way, but the invites start getting lost in the mail) for doing this, and none of them were young.

          1. Pushing 40 means you probably are a millennial. The oldest millennials are ~38. Millennial has just become a catch all for people who want to b!tch about the behavior of anybody younger than they are, whether it is truly a generational thing or not. (Spoiler alert: it’s almost always not.)

          1. No. I am pro millennial usually and defend against the workplace stereotypes all the time, but specifically the bailing thing is a millennial trend disguised as “self care” and FOMO.

          2. Like we have any idea why OP’s loser friends bailed on her? Just knock it off. Millennials did not originate bailing nor are they the only ones who do this, whether or not they cite to #selfcare.

          3. Anon @ 4:40 except it clearly isn’t, as demonstrated by the commenters here who say they also see this problem. Put the pitchfork away and loosen your grip on your pearls.

          4. I am a young Gen Xer (or Xennial, as they call us) and I have noticed it among my friends. I attribute it to the stresses of middle age (young kids, aging parents, pressure at work). I’ve similarly noticed that people are super flaky in responding to texts (like my messages asking how they are just get straight up ignored – this is obviously nothing like bailing to an event you RSVPd for, but it still makes me sad). So idk about the millenial thing but it definitely happens in my circle too.

        4. No idea what this has to do with millennials or age. The biggest offenders in our family are our baby boomer aunt and uncle (and by extension, although to a lesser degree, their gen X kids). Our solution is to STOP texting people, which gives them an easier out, and to CALL them with a Hey, are you coming?/Are you on your way, everyone is here already and grandma is waiting/I didn’t see you RSVP. Also we don’t send out the mass text/email invite as that tends to foster the diffusion of responsibility such that no one responds.

          Not to blame you at all, OP. I’m sorry that happened to you. I wouldn’t worry about your wedding. I do think when people have to RSVP and it’s more formal-feeling than a text invite that they tend to show up (not to make their behavior any less rude), but as someone else said, if you have to make cuts to your list, you can start with these!

          1. Agree with this– though in our friend group, it’s more of a start texting people individually instead of doing a massive evite/facebook event. When people see the events and see that 10 people have RSVP’d, they think that their presence is not as important and that no one will notice if they don’t come. (But then all 10 people decide not to come.)

    4. I’m sorry. You sound like a great friend. Internet hugs and a big plus 1 to everything 3:39 anon said.

    5. I’d be hurt in this situation, as well. It makes me so mad when people RSVP and confirm for these kinds of parties and then don’t show up. People who do that do not get invited to my house again, unless it’s truly a one-time thing where it’s clear they’re sick or have some kind of weird circumstance pop up. I always put the ball back in their court as well, and I have to say it’s rare that they put the effort in to maintain the friendship.

      Also, you’re not a loser at all. People who do this are not nice, and I’m sorry you’re going through it.

      1. Yeah, when someone bails on me and texts “but let’s do something soon!” I just reply “sure” or “great” and then let them follow up.

    6. I don’t blame you one bit for still feeling hurt – that’s a pretty big snub from your “friends.”

      You say you’re in planning stages for the wedding; Not saying I’d drop these friends, but I’d keep their behavior between now and finalizing your invitation list in mind if you need to cut people.

    7. I’m so sorry! I would feel the same way. But know that this is not about you, it is about your crappy friends.

      I don’t know why our culture has turned so much towards a do what you want to do and don’t care about how it makes other feel attitude. It is incredibly rude to agree to tend an event and then just bail, and I wish people would consider how that makes the host feel before doing so.

    8. I actually would text them each individually and say “I am incredibly disappointed and sad that you RSVPd and did not show up. If you feel like you even may possibly not show up next time, please let me know in advance, I promise I won’t take it personally, but it is just insulting and makes me feel like you don’t care about me or the time and money I put into inviting you when you no show”. Depending on the response you’ll know who your real friends are and who to invite to your wedding. If they show remorse and apologize, there is hope. If they get angry and try to turn it around on you for deigning to expect them to keep their word, then they are garbage humans and you don’t need them in your life.

      1. I’d actually state outright that no one came to your party, probably in the first sentence. I think it helps people to realize that their decisions are part of a larger effect. Similarly, Carolyn Hax says that at an event, when someone asks if you’re seeing anyone (or some other touchy question) it’s fine to say, “you know, you’re the 12th person who has asked me that today.”

    9. You have every right to feel that way, and I’m really sorry, those people suck!

    10. No RSVP/No Show is bad enough, but RSVP Yes/No Show is so much worse. Honestly I would strike them from the wedding guest list.

    11. I would post photos of the lovely food and decor on Facebook, with a caption saying “All ready for my Canada Day party. Unfortunatley X people RSVP’d yes and nobody showed up. Super disappointed. PSA: If you say you will show up, please show up.”

      But then I’m kind of in-your-face like that.

      2. That’s not in your face, it’s just weird. If you sent that only to the people who RSVP’d and didn’t show, sure. To post it on Facebook would just be bizarre.

        1. So weird, and just further serves to humiliate the OP who is already feeling hurt about the whole thing.

    12. I am so sorry. These types of things just take me back to elementary school when I had a birthday party and no one showed up. Hurts just as much now as it did in second grade.

    13. I am so sorry! This is just dreadful, and you sound like a generous and fun person to plan a party. I would text people individually, and say that you planned the party, a variety of people said yes and did not attend, and that it cost you time, money and angst to plan an event and have it go belly up. And next time, could they please let you know in advance if they are not coming. And, I would be careful of inviting them to a wedding. I had two couples rsvp yes and then not show up. Planning tables and paying for meals and then a no show is so not ok, nor is it ok for a barbeque party.

      1. I would not invite any of them to the wedding, and if they asked why I would tell them.

    14. This is just terrible, I’m so sorry! It’s also sort of baffling to me — as someone who is lazy but loves to hang out with friends, I am so excited when someone else organizes a party! I just get to show up and socialize without any of the work! So, OP, just know that there are people out there who appreciate this sort of thing, and I hope they’re part of your friend circle soon.

    15. BTW – I hate when people flake but then say they want to hang out another time.. It’s worse than just a straightforward “I can’t come”. First, it makes the flaker feel better because it’s an appearance of caring and effort when it’s really not. Second, I’m busy too! Instead of one party that I planned, I now am caught making separate plans at separate times which is super time consuming and inconvenient.

    16. That’s awful, and I’m so sorry! That must’ve felt awful and you have every right to feel hurt.

      I think what tends to happen is, especially with Facebook, people can see who else is supposedly going and they think “oh, there’ll be 20 people there, it won’t make a big difference if I don’t go.” Diffusion of responsibility. No one stops to think “wait, what if everyone does what I’m doing?” So it might be a good idea to let them know that that did happen, that no one came.

      If it helps you feel any better, I think people regard a wedding RSVP as a bit more socially binding, in that you only cancel on a wedding under major extenuating circumstances. But that’s if people RSVP, and sometimes I, like you OP, worry that when I do get engaged and I try to plan a wedding, only like 5 friends, my immediate family, and a few random relatives actually agree to come, and my bachelorette party is just me and my sister getting brunch or something.

    17. This sounds crazy, but this is kind of why I have stopped inviting people to things/hosting events. I just expect no one to show up, or worse, do what happened to you (RSVP and flake). I now focus my efforts on my family and a very small group of close friends who have been there for me through thick and thin (literally fewer than five people). Idk if it’s middle age or something else, but people just don’t show up the way they used to (I am 41, so young Gen Xer, FWIW).

      1. Honestly, I didn’t host a lot of stuff for a long time, and it was always a pleasant surprise when a significant number of people would actually come, because it wasn’t always the case. Then I met my boyfriend, who has a lot of great friends who RSVP yes and actually come for the most part, and now I worry people will notice that our parties are mostly “his” friends and I don’t seem to have a lot of my own friends.

      2. It may be too late for anyone to read this but my hack for this is to check with my 2 favorite people in the group that the day works for them, then send out the invite. Even if no one else comes- I know we will have a good time as a small group, plus they know I specifically planned around them and are less likely to flake out because is this.

    18. I’m so sorry. You are awesome for taking the initiative to plan such a nice event! I would have come to it.
      People are so lame :(. It’s not you, it’s them.

    19. You are not a loser at all. Do not even let that cross your mind.This happened to me too for a Halloween party I had about 15 years ago. The only thing worse that no one showing up to your backyard party is being dressed in a costume in your completely Halloween decorated apartment and having no one show up. I cried and cried over it. It really hurt. My conclusion with hindsight is that many people of all ages are lazy and thoughtless. Solution is to dial back on “friendships” due to this. I would also mention to a few of them if I happened to speak to them that “Hey I expected you what happened? Is everything ok” Kind of more concerned than angry. Just to let them know their behavior was noted. Ultimately I have cut people off and as a result I have fewer but better friendships. I also feel a lot better about myself.

  5. Does anyone have a favorite backpack with easy to grab top handle/s? Thinking like the fjallraven kanken or a convertible backpack/tote situation.

    1. Yes! If you have Joules where you are I have been using their Coast backpack since the start of March and love it.

    2. The new Lo & Sons Rowledge has one. And is on sale, so it’s slightly less crazy expensive. I’m kind of lusting after it.

        1. Looking forward to hearing what y’all think about it – I keep almost buying it and then not being able to pull the trigger.

  6. Ladies I am *so burned out* at work. I just took a week off to move, and there is no possibility of taking more time off until late August. I am also horribly behind on everything at work and finding it impossible to concentrate so I am dropping balls right and left. I know I need a new job but it is so hard to appropriately sell myself as a great employee when I feel so terrible. I’m also behind on a lot of “life stuff” and that’s not helping the situation.

    Would love advice or commiseration or both.

    1. It’s normal to feel this way immediately after moving! I would NOT add a job hunt to your work/life stress right now. But try to get some time off arranged for late August – it’s not that far away.

    2. You just moved and have a hectic work life. It’s time to pare down to the basics for a few weeks, just so you can rest and recalibrate.

    3. I know this seems backwards, but what do you think about coming in on a weekend day when it’s quiet and you can really knock out some work and then leave a bit early one day to go to the movies / get a massage / meet a friend for dinner / go to the pool? Sometimes shifting the work to a time that you are more efficient can make a huge difference.

    4. This was me last summer, and the somewhat toxic people I worked with just upped the toxicity. I got a call from a recruiter, realized that, yes, people actually did think I was a fantastic prospect, and got the heck out of there. This year, I am so much happier. I haven’t even seen anyone cry in the office in a year! How about that?

  7. I have lately been fantasizing about spending an extended vacation in a remote cabin or cottage where I have nothing to do all day but hike, read, and make wholesome meals for myself. I don’t want to be murdered in the woods by meth cooks. But, beyond “low likelihood of murder,” I don’t really have any location preferences. Any ideas where to start my search for bucolic quiet?

    2. I recommend state parks in whichever version of “the mountains” is closest to you.

    4. MONTANA! I visited a small town outside Hamilton, MT last summer and LOVED it so much. So, so so much. I went with a few girlfriends and want to go back every year forever.

    7. Long Beach Peninsula on the Washington coast. There are some great AirBnBs. Super quiet. There are also yurts in one of the state parks near there.

    8. Maybe search “writers retreat cabins” on your search engine of choice? Good place to start the search.

    9. Cazadero California. Rent your place at rrgetaways.com. We go for a week every summer.

    10. Jemez Springs, NM is beautiful, and a short (for a westerner) drive from Albuquerque.

  8. Is it permanent? How long does the procedure take? Is it painful (and how painful)? What is a ballpark cost for legs?

    1. Talk to a laser hair specialist in your area. Your answers vary depending on your skin condition, skin color, hair color, skin sensitivity, and the types of lasers available in your area. The generic answers you may get here will not be applicable.

    2. I plan on doing laser hair removal this fall and here’s what I’ve heard: It takes at least 3 treatments because hair comes in 3 waves so they need to laser off each cycle. Also, apparently you can’t tan the skin area, so I’m waiting until fall just to be safe.

    3. It kills all the non -red tinted, non-blonde tinted, non-greying/grey, actual dark hair follicles. My place was upfront that hormonal changes as you age (or if you get pregnant) can cause hair to grow back, and offered a discount on any future sessions should I need them.
      Thus far it’s been three years since treatments finished up and I’m only shaving once a month in the summer to get rid of the blonde hairs (yes, I am a Sasquatch) and I have been able to easily tweeze any dark hair that appears. The tweezing is a recent development as of this year and the hairs are very randomly and scantly dispersed over the area I’m talking about.
      I am a HUGE fan of LHR and had ankles to armpits done. Don’t regret a thing. If i remember correctly legs were around 4-5K and that was with a discount.
      Yes it was painful, especially right before my p*riod started. PMS just seems to make me more sensitive to pain. Think of being hit by a rubber band over and over and over again. That can get old fast. The staff was very careful to ask about my comfort during treatment sessions, and give me breaks and/or rescheduling if i couldn’t make it through a multiple area at one session (only happened once over 9 visits). My skin never had a bad reaction to the treatments beyond what they told me about (redness). The red faded within 12 hours.
      I hope that helps. If you are currently a slave to the razor like I was, LHR is such a wonderful game changer!

    4. My friend started having her pubic area done (she wanted no hair) and bought a series of treatments from a place that went out of business, so she was out the $. Then she bought another package deal from a larger place and they changed ownership and would not honor her remaining treatments. She calls herself Lil’ Scraggly, like a rap name. This was after at least 6 or 7 treatments. It just keeps growing back on her in sort of a patchy way. She showed me – it’s not cute.

    5. I did my legs for ~400 using a Groupon at a med spa. I had maybe 12 sessions spread over 2 years. It’s been great. I haven’t shaved since finishing my treatment 3 years ago. Dark hair on medium-light skin (Mac NC20 or MUFE Y225 as reference). It did hurt but nothing I can’t tolerate.

    6. I did it by buying Groupons too and different places definitely have different effectiveness. That said, I am so happy overall with the results. I went from having a 5oclock shadow on my legs the day of shaving to shaving once a week if that. After 2 kids I could use another round or 2.
      It was less painful than waxing imho.
      I have dark hair and light skin- any place that tells you they can do light hair (or dye it before) run.

    7. Laser does a reasonably good job killing dark hair on light skin.

      I’m a dark blonde/light brunette on light skin. It killed my darker leg hair (and underarm and bikini line). It did nothing for my blonde/colorless leg hair. This was still worth the ~$400 I paid (groupon), as unless you are rubbing my leg, you can’t really see any hair.

      Do lots of research on what type of laser each place has. They aren’t all the same. I went with the Soprano because it was being offered cheaply. It worked well for me.

  9. I am having a lot of trouble getting high-quality sleep, an issue I seem to have every summer. The sun isn’t setting until about 9 p.m. I go to bed at 9:30-9:45. If I use a comforter, I roast; without it, I can’t get fully comfortable or relaxed. My kids also are having a tough time falling asleep because it’s light out, they’re wired, and are completely NOT FOOLED by blackout curtains. Which further pushes back my own bedtime. And I’m waking up more frequently, for reasons I can’t figure out. All of it is little stuff, but it adds up and I am so stupid tired today and have barely accomplished anything.

    Help? Are summer sleep issues a thing?

    1. Perimenopause?

      I mean, what you’re describing is what I’m experiencing in menopause, and it started quite a while ago for me.

    2. What’s the weather where you live? I keep my house at 78 in the summer (I’m in Florida). That’s warm enough that the a/c really doesn’t cycle at night, and it can get stuffy, which has my dogs restless and me waking up / tossing & turning more than usual. Either opening the windows (box fan in the window for airflow) or turning the a/c down so it’s cool enough to cycle solves the problem for me. I usually opt for opening the windows (utility bills are high AF here). I know other people who solve this problem by running a dehumidifier in their room at night.

      1. Oh my lord. You are a saint to our environment to keep it at 78. I grew up with that temp but now keep it at 68. (I’m in (non-Houston) Texas so not quite as humid but still hot.) OP: What temp are you keeping your home (or really, your room) at? It might simply be too warm. Almost all sleep advice I’ve read suggests quite a cool room. As extravagant as I feel about 68, it falls well within the suggested range.

      2. Also in FL, we keep it at 78-82 during the day but do splurge and turn down to 76 at night! I’m surprised you say utilities are expensive, FPL is on average 30% cheaper than other utilities.

    3. I can’t sleep in the summer when it’s too hot. Thankfully I have AC which really helps with that problem. When I lived in places without it, I was mostly just miserable.

    4. No help, but commiseration. At the end of June the Washington Post had an article on this exact topic— how summer is said to be great but can really screw with your sleep cycle.

    5. Summer sleep issues are definitely a thing with kids and I think it’s pretty logical that parents don’t sleep as well when their kids aren’t sleeping well. My toddler is fighting bedtime and not going down until 9-9:30 most nights, which means that I’m not even getting in bed and attempting to unwind until after 10 and it usually takes me a minimum of an hour of unwinding before I have any chance of going to sleep.

    6. I get the same thing. My body wants to go to sleep 5 hours after the sun goes down. Works great in the winter. In the summer I don’t fall asleep until 2 AM even if I am dead tired when I turn in at 10:30 or so. And I I have not come up with much of a solution beyond sleeping pills or a few beers in the evening. Or I can toss and turn and get up to eat cereal and 1:00 AM.

    7. Summer sleepless nights are definitely a thing.

      My 3 year old was struggling with falling asleep when it was still light out and wasn’t able to settle because he wanted to be outside doing fun things. With my pediatrician’s blessing, he now gets a 1mg melatonin gummy 30 minutes before bedtime. It’s a game changer and a sanity saver for me. I only plan on using them short term; however, man has it helped my patience as a parent.

      (Seriously, negotiating bedtime with a 3 year old at 10PM when you still need to do your chores is the worst.)

      1. Please tell me who makes the melatonin gummy. Trader Joe’s used to have a 1mg peppermint flavored one, but they upped it to 3 mgs I think and that’s too much for our family.

    8. My whole office is blathering on and blaming it on lack of sleep, and it’s not because of stress. Our rain just quit, and the temps went up 15 degrees.

    9. Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I am not opposed to trying melatonin for the kids. They have to get up early for daycare and our morning routine is totally on the struggle bus right now. I could probably stand to crank the AC even more. It’s currently set at 74 at night, plus I run a fan in every room. I think the light in the evenings is a bigger culprit than the AC, though. :/

    1. I would wear a pendant or simple-ish non-sparkly beads that hit right below the pit of your throat.

    3. I would think about going with bolder earrings and skip the necklace so it does not compete with the straps and the ruffle.

    4. Hair up or half up, significant earrings and no necklace. Not every look needs a necklace.

  11. Does anyone know what an appropriate gift is for a Doljanchi (Korean first birthday party)? Was thinking money may be the right note, but not sure how much.

    1. Any gift that you would give at any other first birthday party. If the parents are going all out and having a fancy event, I would probably spend on my higher end since I know how much work that is for the parents.

      Traditionally, the gift was a gold bracelet or ring but that tradition has mostly faded for all but older, close relatives. Honestly, in Korea (or in Seoul, anyway) a lot of families don’t do these any more because it is an imposition on busy friends and family. Mostly families only do a photo session or something small with close family. So that is another reason to not try to worry about fitting into tradition and just giving whatever you otherwise would/feel comfortable with.

      We did a small, very traditional dol for my daughter and I did not have any expectations about what would be a “good” gift. I was just happy to share the tradition with our close (many non-Korean) friends.

  12. You guys, I went and looked up the paper maché mouse named Timothy story on redd1t and…. I think I might know these people. I think I work with the dad. OMG

      1. I searched paper mache mouse named Timothy and it came up. The original post is deleted but Redd1t has this thing where the original post is included in the comments in case OP does that. It’s highlighted in yellow.

    2. Where did you find it? It looks like it was deleted, and I really want to read it!

      2. I went to Captain Awkward’s Twitter and found it. She retweeted someone else on July 10, 2019.

        It is worth the work!

      1. He friended me on social media and all I see from him are posts from his wife where she has tagged him. I’m thinking he does not know others can see those. The posts are pictures of them around town with their stuffed animals and figurines, which all have names, and are not mice. Posts like “Charles really enjoyed the football game today but Chloe was bored !” Charles is a stuffed animal, and Chloe is a figurine.

        The redd1t post OP said she had changed the species.

        1. Someone in the comments of CA suggested the poster get a cat puppet and have it eat the mice and I died laughing.

  13. I just wanted to check in on you and see how you’re doing today. Someone offered it yesterday, but if you want to post a burner email, I’m happy to be a shoulder to lean on/ear to listen. I posted yesterday about my experience, and I understand the need to vent, cry, process with someone who is unfailingly on your side. My heat breaks for you and I am still sending you all the love across the internet.

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