Excited for the new fans to experience the ticket frenzy though! It’s a rite of passage. And a source of ptsd.

Excited for new fans to try and experience the ticket frenzy, though. At least the joy of being around 1000s of fellow fans will make up for it!

Also need to add that I’ve been tracking our food budget since 2020 and was pleased to see 2025 was the same average as 2024 and 2023 — but 2025 was also when we made a super conscious effort to rein in spending: rarely eat out, be creative with the pantry and freezer, minimize splurges. So. Yeah.

And yes I know everyone has been banging the “historical precedent” drum for at least a year but this is the first time it feels like we’re past the point of turning this runaway bus around and basically I hate it here. Plus we won’t even get an excellent art movement because of stupid AI.

Oh and I also have lots of chocolate treats especially that Costco peppermint bark that I tell myself will last months because I am the only one who eats it (I am the only peppermint fan at home) but tbh it will probably be gone by the new year.

I watched it without hesitation because I like the series and was impressed how well it stayed true to the book, but I didn’t look at the cast before diving in so there were SO MANY delightful surprises.

Forget sleep; I’m going to spend all night casting for the Muppets Pride and Prejudice.

Gonzo as Mr. Collins. Fozzie as Colonel Fitzwilliam (Fozzwilliam?). A feminized Uncle Deadly as Lady Catherine.

We’ve been supporting various local restaurants the last few years but being on a tight budget, went the $40 Costco meal kit for the first time. And it was a surprising hit! I think we’ll do it again, because restaurants are too $$$ these days and their food is meh-or-miss.