I said back in December that I was wrapping up the tater tot posts, feeling like they had kind of done what they were meant to do. But after taking some time off, I realized I actually missed writing them.
Then I came across a picture on Pinterest that made me think of this series:
One thing I’ve realized since I stopped writing my tater tot posts is how much I learned from them.
Sure, they gave me a place to share the random books, songs, shows, and thoughts that were crossing my path. But they also opened the door for other people to share theirs. Some of my favorite discoveries found their way to me through those comment sections.
It’s a reminder of why I love blogging in the first place. Not just because it gives me a place to write, but because it creates space for connection. I get to share what I’m enjoying, and then you share what you’re enjoying, too. There’s something special about watching that conversation unfold.
For those who are new, this is a tater tot post, which is just my little hodgepodge of things I’m reading, listening to, and thinking about. If you’re curious how this started, here’s the link for that.
Tragedy
I was making a playlist of Ella’s favorite songs over the last 18 years in honor of her graduating high school, and it made me a little emotional.
As I was putting the playlist together, I kept noticing songs I didn’t realize she loved—songs I’ve had on my own playlists for years. Like I was seeing this little overlap I hadn’t fully noticed before.
When I graduated high school, my dad made me a mix tape of all my favorite songs from when I was growing up. I don’t remember every song on it, but I do remember one: Tragedy by The Bee Gees.
The year he died, that song showed up on my TikTok feed during his birthday month:
You know how I love stuff like this.
Mixed Tape Gratefulness
Speaking of mixed tapes, I was making a playlist of my favorite 80s songs one Saturday afternoon, as one does, and it made me think about myself at 12, 13, 14 years old sitting by my radio with a blank cassette tape, waiting to hit record the second the next song came on during Casey Kasem’s countdown. Or while listening to the DJ on WGCL (I had to look that up) and trying to hit record fast enough before the song started.
Side note: WGCL was my personal favorite. My best friend loved WNCI in Columbus. Back then I leaned toward Cleveland things, and she leaned Columbus. Isn’t that funny?
Anyway, it made me grateful that now all I have to do is look up a song on Apple Music, Spotify, or YouTube. Twelve-year-old Kari would have been absolutely blown away by the playlists I can make with the touch of a button. I love stuff like this also.
Reading:
Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System by Anodea Judith
I read another one of her books a few years ago and really got into it. Enough that I actually bought it and kept it on my shelf. I’m enjoying this one too, just not with the same level of enthusiasm I would’ve had a few years back.
Watching:
Couples Therapy Ella, Mike, and I are binge-watching this show. We really love Dr. Orna💜
Listening to:
ella graduates (Apple music)
ella graduates (Spotify)
Links I’m clicking on:
Reflection Calendars Reveal What Words Can’t in Your Journal
swissmiss | Subscription Cost Visualizer
You Will Lose Everything | Jeff Foster
Quotes I’m interested in:
The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings. – Kakuzo Okakura
I feel an unhappiness which almost dismembers me, and at the same time am convinced of its necessity. – Franz Kafka
Here’s to June…💜
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A Grace Full Life 
Couples Therapy is an interesting show. Though I can’t imagine giving permission for my relationship to be televised…
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I can’t either- they talk about EVERYTHING.
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You may not know this about me, but I’m a huge Bee Gees fan. I’ve always had a soft spot for disco, and “Tragedy” is one of their best.
Continuing with the music thread, I love your ’80s playlist. Mine would look very similar (but with Pat Benatar and The Scorpions, and probably tons more Journey). Great seeing those Simple Minds songs on there!
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I love disco! Used to go to discos in my late teens. ;-)
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I love this! I love The Bee Gees too—I just discovered a Bee Gees cover band on TikTok last week and they sound just like them. I’ll try to find them and send you the name.
Thank you! I realized I was missing some songs I love on there, so I still have a bit of work to do. I wish there was just one giant playlist with every 80s song ever made in one place. That would be such a great database. Instead I keep running into things like “Best 80s Prom Songs” or “80s Slow Songs”… gah. First-world problems, but still problems!
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A dear friend/guide/mentor once blew my mind by telling me, “You can always change your mind.” Not sure when I got the idea I couldn’t (probably back in my teen years when my dad told me he was concerned that I was a quitter), but having someone I love and respect tell me that I can always change my mind because we are always getting new information was life-changing. Sounds like that’s exactly what happened for you and the tots.
I especially appreciate your links. The post about the visual reflective journals has me wanting to try one. And the tool for visualizing your subscriptions! I’m almost afraid to try that. And then, “Loss has already transfigured your life into an altar.” That whole post, really, but that last line. Took my breath away.
Also, wisdom from Louis L’Amour tickled me. I remember my grandpa reading his books, and I remember that I hated shelving them when I worked at the library as a teenager.
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I love that idea—“you can always change your mind.” It sounds simple, but it really does undo a lot of old messaging we pick up early in life. I relate to what you said about the teen years and that fear of being a quitter. (Now I’m quitting shit left and right. 🤣)
It actually ties in with the Pema Chödrön video I shared about not second-guessing ourselves once we’ve made a decision. That’s kind of where the tater tot posts came from for me—stepping away for a bit, then coming back without overthinking it.
I’m really glad the links resonated with you. The subscriptions tool is very enlightening.
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Ha, yes! Playlists are so much easier to make now and never include unwanted/unnecessary talking at the beginning or ending of the song either. I hated when I’d be recording and the DJ would chime in at the very end overlapping the song.
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What a time to be alive, right?? 💜
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‘Making a playlist of favorite 80’s songs . . .’ as one does. Bahahaha! I love this so much! I started a list in a notebook by my family room chair in which I write down random things I find on the internet, which includes songs I love that I totally forgot about. When the list gets bigger, I’ll have to do a post on them.
How awesome that your Dad made that mix tape. My parents did not like my music at all, so that wasn’t going to happen. That’s ok, I wasn’t a fan of theirs (exception: Herb Alpert!).
I have no memory of WGCL. I listened to WMMS (The Buzzard) and M105 when they played album-oriented rock. On Sunday nights, they’d play an entire album all the way through (enabling many of us to tape it with our tape recorders). Those were the days. When I went to college, I started listening to my college radio station, which played a lot of New Wave music.
When my kids were young, they would make a lists of things like ’50 Worst Songs That Mom & Dad Play in the Car.’ They particularly disliked my U2, DMB, and The Killers’ CD’s. But Dad got the worst grief from playing songs like ‘How Bizarre.’ Fun memories! Have a great week. XO
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GIRRLLL, you had parents who didn’t listen to music? And you still grew up with such amazing taste in music and such a love for it? That’s incredible. You’re like my dad—he grew up with only country music, like Patsy Cline. That was it. It was very limiting for him. There’s a much longer story there that I hope to share someday. But I love the idea that you and my dad are kind of kindred spirits. I also love that you and your husband are huge music fans.
WMMS! OMG core memory unlocked!! I remember that station—the Buzzard. Wow.
I didn’t go away to college, but when I moved to Illinois I started really appreciating New Wave music. I guess you could say Illinois was my college radio station. 💜
I love that your kids made those lists. Those are the best kinds of memories. Have a great week, my friend. 😘💜
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They listened to music . . . easy listening FM stations that I hated. No popular music whatsoever.
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Ohh okay. Like easy listening?
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Bert Kaempfert was the soundtrack of my childhood! Most people don’t know who he is but might recognize his music. Barenaked Ladies even mentioned him in the song, ‘One Week.’
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I KNOW WHO HE IS!! I actually have one of his songs on my Comfort playlist! 💜
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Funny – I’ve yet to join Spotify or Apple Music because I’m afraid I will get seriously lost down a rabbit hole of making myriad playlists. 😜
This was a fun bunch of stuff. What I liked best? The image from Pinterest up top. That might be a really good thing for us to do for ourselves at the beginning of each month, just to keep tabs on where we’re going. Thanks for sharing, and I’m putting the real Tater Tots on my shopping list!
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I think you might get lost, but in the best way. I could spend entire afternoons looking through playlists and music. So much fun.
That’s such a good idea to do at the beginning of each month! I love that.
Thanks for reading—and enjoy your tater tots! 😘
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Your Dad made you a playlist when you graduated high school?? I can’t even imagine my father doing something so personal for me!
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I’m realizing this as I respond to comments — I knew I had a special dad, but I don’t think I fully understood just how special he was until he was gone, in that kind of way. Also, my dad LOVED music — like, he wanted to be a DJ when he was younger. Music was his love language. 💜
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So sweet of him. 💞
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What a nice surpise to see a Tater Tot post! I’m glad you decided to keep writing them. I also remember waiting for a song to play on the radio, trying to record it, and the DeeJay would be talking at the start or end, or both! It was really an act of love to make someone a mix tape!
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I’m glad you’re glad to see it!
It really was an act of love. Wow, I never thought of it that way, Michelle. It gives me a whole new perspective on my dad making one for me. 💜
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Yay for tater tots.
Another Bee Gees fan here. In my junior year of high school I was enamored with their album One, which kind of paints a picture of who I was then and continue to be.
I LOVE that journal page. Seems like that’s the TikTokers thing, with carousels of ideas. (I didn’t realize TikTok had photos, then again, I don’t have the app installed and that’s best.)
Adding Couples Therapy to the watchlist. (We tore through The Pitt. My partner told me when it was okay to look again after graphic moments.)
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Yay for tater tots! Why did I ever think I could give them up?
YES! I love the song too. I have a memory tied to it that overlaps with our move from Ohio to Illinois. Every time I hear it, I think of all those drives back and forth between the two states to visit family and my then-boyfriend, and how, even though I didn’t want it to, Illinois was slowly becoming home.
I love the one you shared from TikTok! I bookmarked it to look at later. You’re smart not to have the app—I’m currently taking a much-needed mental health break from it.
Couples Therapy has become a comfort show for me, oddly enough. It’s very soothing, and Orna is lovely in the way she handles each couple. And The Pitt—Mike and I have had so many BLECH moments watching it. But it’s such a good show!
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We are watching That Thrifting Show on Hulu..the interior designer game show. It combines my wife’s love of thrifting with my love of style (i used to faithfully watch Project Runway) I should’ve studied intetior design. Love this show.
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OMG, this sounds right up Mike’s and my alley! We love going thrifting on Saturday mornings when we get the chance. I love that the show combines both of your interests. Thanks for the recommendation!
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Never heard of this show – thrifting and interior design? Right up my alley! Thanks for the recommendation.
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I always love to read the quotes you collect. And who knew that Louis L’Amour, creator of cowboy stories, would have said something so…deep?
My sister is 7 years older than me, so I grew up on a lot of Beatles, Hollies, The Association, and early BeeGees music. I am very fond of and nostalgic about their music which informed both my Growing Up years and my Disco years. It’s unreal that they started out in 1958 and had massive hits in 1977.
And WGCL! I listened to that station like it was my job, along with CKLW 800 on the AM dial. What memories!
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I had to double-check that Louis L’Amour actually said it for that very reason. 🤣
I love this, Nance. Anna is 7.5 years older than Ella, so a lot of Ella’s music tastes older than her age because of that influence, too.
OMG, I love this! Just hearing the letters WGCL made me want to cry in a good way! What memories, indeed. 💜
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Mixed tapes! I remember waiting with my fingers on the record button trying to time it perfectly. What a thing of the past. Very sweet your dad made you a mixed tape. That’s incredibly touching.
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Right?? I loved making those mixtapes. I wish I still had mine.
It was such a sweet gift, wasn’t it? We played it at my graduation party. I have no idea where that tape is now, but there’s a decent chance it’s still tucked away somewhere in my mom’s basement.
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Yay, I’m (selfishly) glad your tater tot posts are back!
I used to do a condensed version of that “Currently” list on my blog…it was a series I did called “For today”. I need to do this in my art journaling again. Fun to do!
The teen memories of sitting by the radio and recording songs on cassette tapes…did this in the 70’s! So much fun. Even though we have music digitally at our fingertips now, somehow it was more fun listening to music on the radio. Now I’m really dating myself…I can remember getting my first transistor radio and riding my bike around with the radio in the bike basket. That was the early-mid 70’s, listening to WLS.
Love your Ella Graduates playlist. I saved it on Spotify.
We binged The Pitt when it first came out. Can’t wait for season 3! Haven’t watched anything since. As you know, we’re not much of TV watchers. Started watching The Rooster with Steve Carell, but haven’t watched an episode since last week.
Love Pema Chodron. Have read several of her books. She’s a treasure.
xoxo
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I’m so glad you’re glad!
I love that idea, Melanie—I definitely want to keep doing that.
I can picture you riding your bike with a radio in the basket, listening to WLS. That makes me so happy—such a perfect summer memory.
I love that you love it—she really does have great taste in music.
We didn’t really have any shows to watch, and now we have three! I love that. It’s even better having Ella watching with us—she’s so fun to have around. 💜
She really is a treasure.
😘
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Tater Tots: They’re hard to quit.
Mixed tapes. *sigh* What a different life we lived than what Ella is experiencing. I love that your Dad made you a mixed tape, and here you are, doing the same thing. Beautiful.
I loved Modern Family and I should watch it again. So much fun.
Couples Therapy sounds interesting. Can you imagine putting IT ALL out there for public consumption? NOPE. I like to keep my dirty secrets inside my home. 😂
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They really are.
The circle of life, right? 💜
I never really watched it the first time around, so this has been a lot of fun.
I can’t! 😂 But it’s actually been really eye-opening, especially learning more about how to communicate.
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Hi Kari,
it’s been a while. I’ve been overwhelmed… The little things that help me to get through the overwhelm is having a moment in the mornings – outside, with coffee, listening to birds.
The Pitt… was excellent but so, so sad and mind boggling. I could NOT imagine working in an ER…
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Hi friend!
I’m really sorry you’re overwhelmed. I’m sending you so much love and peace. It really is the little things that help carry us through.
I can’t even imagine working in an ER.
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Thank you friend!
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😘💜
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Your Dad made you a playlist for graduation? That is insanely cool! My Dad wouldn’t have had a clue..
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I know, right? He was a music nerd- that is where I got it from. 💜
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