Favorite Things, Grief, Life, Nonsense, Tater Tots

screw it, i’m eating tater tots – episode 69

Kari

if you’re new to my blog, welcome! here is an explanation of the tater tot post.

sitting around the fire

last week, i spent some time browsing uncommon goods. if you’ve never checked it out, i highly recommend giving it a look. it’s a little on the pricey side, but true to its name, it’s full of unique and special items.

while exploring, i stumbled across this print

source

a customizable piece of fire pit art. it’s such a cute idea, especially if gathering around a fire is something your family loves.

the other night, i found myself unable to sleep, and for some reason, that fire pit picture came to mind. i’ve always loved the idea of bonfires/fire pits (tomato/tomahto), but over the years, the smoke has started giving me headaches, so i’ve had to keep my distance. still, there’s something timeless about the image of people gathered in a circle around a fire. it’s a tradition older than camping trips or suburban get-togethers—a ritual of connection.

as i lay there, i started thinking about who i’d include in my own personalized fire pit picture—my family and dear friends. and then, i thought of all of you—how much you’ve been a part of my year, guiding me through some of its hardest moments with your presence and support.

in my mind, i pictured a special fire pit just for this community—a space where we’d gather, hand in hand, sharing our stories, lifting each other up, and finding comfort in the connection we share and the warmth of knowing we’re never alone.

thank you for making me feel like i’ve never been alone this year. thank you for embracing the weight i carry without ever making it feel like a burden when i share it. your kindness and support have been a true gift to me and my family, and i’m deeply grateful for each of you.

since it’s the final month of the year, i decided to do something a little different for the last tater tot post of 2024. i’m going to share my top five things from the year—what i read, listened to, watched, quoted, and linked to in previous tater tot posts.

Photo by Thought Catalog on Pexels.com

five favorite things i read this year

narrative healing: awaken the power of your story by lisa weinert

the five invitations: discovering what death can teach us about living fully by frank ostaseski

as long as you need: permission to grieve by j.s. park

bearing the unbearable: love, loss, and the heartbreaking path of grief by joanne cacciatore

while you were out: an intimate family portrait of mental illness in an era of silence by meg kissinger

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

five favorite things i listened to this year

be here now – ray lamontagne

light forms – mettaverse

find a little light – will samson

woman is a word – empress of

everybody hurts – sandra mccracken

Photo by Eva Bronzini on Pexels.com

five favorite things i watched this year

anne with an e

reservation dogs

the holdovers

top chef- milwaukee

will and harper

Photo by Vojtech Okenka on Pexels.com

five favorite links i clicked on

The “Japanese Goodbye” Ritual That Brings Me So Much Joy | Apartment Therapy

Wait, what are peas again? – by Brooke Barker

Write for someone | Seth’s Blog

The Guilt of Feeling Joy – by Nikita Gill

Joy – The Red Hand Files : The Red Hand Files

one more request: if you could spare a moment to help our dear friend liz. she was diagnosed with als last month, and it’s progressing incredibly quickly. liz used to blog years ago and has always been such a kind and beautiful soul. just seven months ago, she was joyfully dancing at her daughter’s wedding. today, she can no longer feed herself.

Fundraiser by Lauren Thompson : Support Liz’s Fight Against ALS

source

five favorite quotes that had me thinking this year

“steal a little and they put you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king.” – bob dylan

“anything human can happen to me, and i will do my best to handle it.” –david richo

“wherever you have dreamed of going, i have camped there and left firewood for when you arrive.” – hafiz

“if you see beauty in something, don’t wait for others to agree.” – sherihan gamal

“women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, i believe that you must become its soul” – coretta scott king

you can find previous tater tot posts here.

here’s to 2025…💕

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59 thoughts on “screw it, i’m eating tater tots – episode 69”

  1. I call dibs on the s’mores stick!

    I love that “Top Chef” made your top five, especially considering this was the first season you ever watched. DanDan is still on our list.

    I also love that we gave you strength in your time of need. Here’s hoping you have a smoother and happier 2025.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You got it! Save me a perfectly burnt marshmallow.

      Thank you for that recommendation-it brought us so much joy this year. DanDan is on our list, too!

      You’ve given me so much strength. Here’s hoping for all of that and more! 🌈❤️

      Like

  2. I loved the peas piece, so much. And the advice to write for someone, not everyone. Will be holding you close in my thoughts as we head into the height of the holidays. So glad you are here, writing your way through. It’s a nice fire you’ve built and tended.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I love that perspective, too. I want to focus more on writing for someone or a few people, not everyone, moving forward.

      Thank you, friend. This year has been so much better than last year, though it’s still triggering, especially since everything began in December. Writing through this has truly been saving me, so I deeply appreciate you acknowledging that. Sometimes I’ve worried that I might be sharing too much, but it means so much to be seen by you.

      It’s such a lovely fire—warm, comforting, and perfect. I’m so glad you’re here. ❤️

      Like

      1. Truly, Kari–I know that you are writing your way through for you, but you do it in a way that it’s not just about you. You share ideas, thoughts, feelings, links, songs, books, and more that anyone going through a hard time can connect with. At our age, no one is unscathed. And if we aren’t weathering personal losses, the world is on fire in ways we haven’t experienced before. I always feel you are writing to all of us here, not to some general audience. Can’t wait to see what comes out if you are even more intentional than you’ve always been. It’s been so cool to see the evolution of your blog over years. Has to be more than a decade now that we’ve been talking here.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Oh, Rita, this is such a heartfelt compliment. Thank you—it truly means everything to me. And yes, this space has evolved so much over the past 14 years. I love that we’ve been connecting for a decade now. Watching the evolution of your writing journey has been such a joy. It’s so special to be part of each other’s story, even without being physically present in each other’s everyday lives. 😘❤️

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  3. Kari, I enjoyed the Uncommon Goods link you shared. Reminded me of store I used to love browsing in Winter Park, Florida, Restoration Hardware. Which is also on the pricey side, but their stuff is faaaaaaaabulous!

    “….how much you’ve been a part of my year, guiding me through some of its hardest moments with your presence and support.”

    That’s why blogging to me feels more like a community where people share quality communication. I enjoy a few other social media platforms, but not nearly as much as blogging. I remember going through the death of my mother in 2012, and how much the blogging community helped me with their kind and supportive words.

    Wasn’t The Holdovers fantastic? I plan on watching it again this month. Great story! Great cast! I saw Will and Harper as well. Excellent doc!

    Can you believe it’s almost 2025?!? I feel like it was just 2024.

    So glad we met, my friend. Looking forward to blogging in the new year!

    X to you and your family!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’ve always loved Restoration Hardware!

      I love that the blogging community was there to lift you up after your mom passed. It’s such a gift, isn’t it?

      You recommended The Holdovers to me, and it was fantastic! It’s now a holiday favorite for sure. We loved Will and Harper so much, we watched it twice!

      I can’t believe it’s almost 2025. It feels like we were just in 2020…

      I’m so glad we met. I came across a journal entry from last year where I wrote how thankful I was that I met you. ❤️

      Love to you too, my friend.

      Like

  4. A Beautiful post with many wonderful resources. I like the fire idea. A friend and local Winnipeg musician, Scott Nolan, once said at a show, “We’re all just trying to warm our hands around the fire.” That has always stuck with me as a symbol of sharing and community in its most basic form.

    You’ve attracted a lot of love in the last year, through your thoughtful and open sharing of your experiences as well as the books, articles, music, sayings, TV, and tater tots that have helped you through it. Peace to you and yours!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I love that saying! We really are. Ever since reading The Wild Edge of Sorrow, I’ve had this image of a healing circle in my mind, and it always has a fire pit in the center—even though I don’t actually love a fire pit! It’s so funny to me, but it makes sense. And hearing that quote just makes it feel even truer! I might need to add that to my quote notebook. Love it.

      I’ve attracted so much love here, and it makes me realize just how lucky I am. I’m rich in comfort and fellowship, and it all reminds me of my gratitude journal…so many healing balms.

      Peace to you and yours as well, Steve. ❤️

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you, Kari.

        Yeah it’s a great saying and I envision the same thing… always circles, right?! Several guides I know refer to gathering in circles sitting around fire pits. Something primordial about that, a link to the long line of ancestors standing behind us (per another guide).

        Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could extend the kind of supportive community we speak of to elsewhere on the internet? (I’m looking at you, Twitter and all the argument platforms.)

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I love the idea of our ancestors standing behind us. I’ve heard this analogy before, and it feels so deeply connecting.

        It would be incredible if there were a form of social media that could replicate the magic of this space without the toxicity.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. PS: I was remembering you had included *Anne with an E* among your fave TV programs. We LOVED that show. Did you know the opening theme music is by a Canadian band, the Tragically Hip, an edit of their song “Ahead by a Century”? If you go to my search page and type in the title with quote marks you’ll find the post on it.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. It’s one of my all-time favorite shows. I told Ella I hope they reconsider making more episodes—Anne: The Later Years or something like that.

        I didn’t know that! But I have heard of that band. I’ll head over to your blog and check it out. Thanks for that lovely tidbit of music trivia. I love stuff like that!

        Liked by 1 person

  7. I love the fire pit art. Also, the idea of being around the fire pit or fireplace. We have an outdoor one and I will make sure at Christmas our family sits around it together. Might even do s’mores. I’m sorry about your friend Liz.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I love that about your firepit! S’mores are definitely my favorite part!

      Thank you for saying that about Liz. I’ve only had the chance to meet her a few times over the years—she’s best friends with one of my friends. I’ve followed her life through her social media, and she truly is a lovely person. This news came as such a shock to everyone.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. Seth’s post (Write for someone) inspired me to summarize my year of reflection as a note to my sister. It’s such a simple approach to inspire writing. Now to dig into your other picks for the year. Thank you for sharing now and all along.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Aw, I’d happily sit fireside with you! What a sweet post and that graphic is so cute. We have a firepit though we rarely sit around it… the wind always seems to be blowing the wrong way to really enjoy it! Love seeing your memory bowl fill up and your top 5 (‘s?) of the year.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. I loved your first two favorite links when you originally posted them and I think of both from time to time. The firepit picture is lovely and what a nice way to think of the blogging community. I’m with you on an actual firepit though. Loved campfires as a kid at camp, can’t tolerate the smoke/smell as an adult.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. What a lovely tater tot roundup, Kari! I am honored to sit at the virtual fire pit with you and all the lovely bloggers. You have also given me so much comfort this year, not only through your honest writing, sharing your feelings and helpful links, but through the thoughtful, supportive comments you leave on my blog and other’s blogs. ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’m truly honored to share this fire pit with you. Knowing I’ve brought you comfort means so much to me. Blogging has been a deep passion of mine for so long, and I feel fortunate to be part of such a supportive and caring community. 🥰

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  17. I love the idea of the fire pit photo, and I love the idea of a virtual community fire pit too. I’m going to put some thought into who I’d want to have in my fire pit photo – a lovely soothing exercise for a rather frantic time <3

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  18. Uncommon Goods is one of my favorite places to get gifts ideas. I’ve purchased a lot of things from them in the past!

    I love our little blogging community. It is lovely to think about us all gathering around a virtual bonfire.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. All of us around a firepit…now that’s a comforting image!

    I’m familiar with Uncommon Goods, though I’ve never ordered anything from them, mainly due to the price. I was just looking through their website this morning to see if I could order anything “fun” for Brian. Nothing struck me.

    Thank YOU for writing this blog. I look forward to every one of your posts. They’re always such a pleasure to read. And I did read your last post, but when I went to comment, I got an error message. I know it’s on my end. I’m still trying to figure out some things on this new laptop. Can you believe I still haven’t figured out how to log into my blog? I have tried everything Google has suggested. So now I can’t even comment on anyone’s blog who uses Blogger. So frustrating.

    I don’t know if we’ll be able to get together before Christmas…I’d like to at least meet for coffee, but I’ll be without a car all next week! It’s finally going into the shop from me backing into a cement light pole at a friend’s house. ;-)

    xoxo

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be dealing with logging into your blog—I’m so sorry you’re going through that.

      And LOL—ugh, that pole! I’d love to get together too. If we can’t make it happen before Christmas, let’s plan for after. It’s so much easier for me to meet up when Ella is on break, without her school schedule to juggle.

      ❤️

      Like

  21. well shoot. I read blogs while on the bike or giving a baby a bottle . . . And it is easier to comment afterward from my laptop- unless of course I lose my focus. And here we are.

    Uncommon Goods is one of those well-named websites. I should check it out to see if there is anything quirky but fun for a few of my kids who are getting 1 BIG thing that they know about in advance, like a men’s suit.

    I loved the Holdovers and Reservoir Dogs. I have not yet watched Will and Harper, but it looks good.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Wishing you and your family a much better 2025; full of joy and love and good health.

    I love the Japanese Goodbye. We always did this at my G’ma’s house, and I’ve always done this at my home with my family. I thought it was what everyone did, stand on the porch/driveway waving until they’re out of sight. (I have a draft in my file to write about this very thing, prob won’t ever get to it though)

    Merry Christmas my friend.

    Liked by 1 person

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