Sunday Smatterings (The Kerr Edition)

Hey, peeps! It's me, The Kerr. How's it going? Anybody play a good April Fool's joke on you yesterday? I have quite a few pranksters in my life, so I'm always on high alert on April 1. Nothing's happened . . . yet. There could be some aftershocks that I just don't know about. We'll see. 🤔

Anywho, let's get onto the links!
 

What I'm Eating

You guys. I got ridiculously good strawberries from Costco this week. Once again, all hail Costco. 🎉

I like mixing savory with sweet. Scratch that—I love it. I'm from West Tennessee, where we know our barbecue, and we make our sauce pretty sweet. I've carried this into adulthood, and on Monday, I accidentally threw together the best savory/sweet salad: spinach, sliced strawberries, goat cheese, avocado, pecans, and chicken breast—and it's topped off with balsamic vinegar and basil olive oil.

I have eaten this salad every day since. I'm not sorry about it.

PS: I've also been chugging Earl Grey like mad. Because if I drank coffee all day, I would never sleep.

What I'm Playing

While I've been working this week, I've tuned into Spotify's Your Favorite Coffeehouse station. Mellow and unobtrusive—that's what I like when I'm doing non-writing work. (confession: I can't listen to music with words and write at the same time. Cannot do it.)

If you like singer/songwriter or acoustic-y things, check that station out.
 

What I'm Reading

I'm a sucker for narrative nonfiction. I found STRANGERS TEND TO TELL ME THINGS by Amy Dickinson on a whim after I read fell down the bowels of the Internet and found an Ask Amy column that make me giggle something fierce. The book's on my Kindle, ready for me to dive into. I'll let you know how I feel about it soon.

Bonus read: this brought me to tears. 

What I'm Watching

You know those authors who, when they tease a new book cover, you drop everything you're doing, hop to your favorite retailer, and click Pre-order?

That's how I feel about Liane Moriarty. 

I. Love. Her.

So it's no surprise that I've watched her novel-turned-HBO-mini-series, BIG LITTLE LIES, faithfully on Sunday nights right when it comes on. (When's the last time you watched a scripted show on broadcast television right when it aired? Yeah, me too.) It's 90% faithful to the book, which I and the rest of America loved. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, and Laura Dern are remarkable in this, as is Alexander Skarsgård, who does not have the easiest role to pull off (just watch it—you'll see what I mean). And truly, between the luscious scenery of coastal Monterey, CA, the beautiful homes on the ocean, and the gorgeous clothes, it's a lifestyle junkie's dream. 

The plot also happens to be top-notch, full of twists and turns and psychological thrills. I bet you'll probably like it, too. If you haven't read the book, go get it.
 

Dog of the Week

This story is absolutely 100% true. I went to take the dogs for a drive today. Usually I open the trunk and they just jump in. Today Nellie BOLTED out of the door and ran to the car. She went to jump in, but realized too late that the trunk was shut. This is where she ended up. 6 feet into the air on my roof. My neighbor happened to be outside and we got her down safe. I'm pretty sure I've never laughed so hard in my life. Can't make this stuff up! Nellies racing name is "Wild High Jumper".. she is, in fact, the wildest and highest jumper Ive ever come across. #OnlyNellie

A post shared by Dibs and Nellie (@mrdibsandnelliebellie) on Feb 28, 2017 at 1:25pm PST

The story in the caption speaks for itself. Nellie the Jumping Greyhound, for the win! 😂

That's all I've got this week! You guys have a good one, enjoy the rest of your Sunday, and I'll be back again soon.

Warmly,
The Kerr

Sunday Smatterings (The Kerr Edition)

Hi, friends! It's me, The Kerr. Did you have a good week? It was a bit crazy in our neck of the woods. Between the RITA® nomination for FIELD OF GRAVES and THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE hitting #2 on both the New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller lists, there was much hoopla here in Nashville! Top that off with warmer spring weather, and I'd have to give this week a 10.

Without further ado, here are your links for the week:

What I'm Eating

This week, I'm all about quick, flavorful proteins. Lately, I've been on a roasted chicken thighs kick (because you can get a big pack of boneless/skinless thighs at Costco for very little dough). I preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, sprinkle them with a spice rub, and roast for 40 minutes. Pair it with a salad or green vegetable and boom: instant healthy meal!

Variety is the spice of life, and I like use different spice rubs on my chicken. This week I used Primal Palate BBQ Rub. And whoa!!! Talk about a flavor explosion!

I wouldn't say this chicken tastes like BBQ. In fact, I noticed this rub has 11 herbs and spices . . . if you catch my drift. 

BTW, Primal Palate spices are the bomb. I use the Adobo Seasoning on everything—it's especially good on sautéed veggies (and bonus: these make great gifts for the cook in your life). 
 

What I'm Playing

I love Lady Gaga, and I don't care who knows it. When I need to motivate myself to get up and get moving, I play "Just Dance." Because who can't dance when listening to Lady Gaga!?
 

What I'm Reading

Confession: I'm not into "diet books," but I am trying to be more conscious about what I'm put in my body. This week I'm reading Wired to Eat by Robb Wolf, and I'm finding it pretty fascinating.

Robb talks about why we humans eat and crave food the way we do, and how we can become more conscious eaters who consume foods that our bodies can not only handle, but benefit from.

I've just started it, but I like it so far!
 

What I'm Watching

If, like blood types, we could be categorized with Humor Types, mine would be Tina Fey. On any given lunch break, I am probably watching 30 Rock. Because I am a sucker for smart and goofy physical comedy.

Please go watch it. The end.
 

Dog of the Week

This week's award goes to my greyhound, Crockett, who loves the bed so much that he refuses to leave it . . . even after the bed is made. He is a goofball. 

That's it from me! Go forth and cook some chicken, pat a dog, stop to smell the roses, and we'll chat again soon.

Warmly,
The Kerr

Sunday Smatterings (The Kerr Edition)

Happy Sunday, one and all! It's me, your friendly, neighborhood Kerr.

Did you have a good week? Have you gulped down THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE yet?

How was your week, Amy? Oh my week was fine, thanks for asking. When J.T. is in the zone, working hard on a new book, I get into a groove of my own. It helps to have a boss who believes in Deep Work, and allows me to turn off anything with notifications so I can concentrate for large chunks of time. It's a wonderful way to work, people. Silence is golden, in more ways than one.

I hope all of our Northeastern friends survived Snowpocalypse 2017! I have a friend in Pennsylvania who showed me a photo of his Jeep buried under a snow bank, and I almost cried for him—out of jealousy, because he couldn't go anywhere for days, and wouldn't that be glorious?! (if you're giving me the Stink Eye right now, I don't take it back—I'm an introvert for life).

ANYWAY.
 

What I'm Eating

Remember how I'm ridiculously lazy when it comes to food? Yeah, that didn't magically change this week.

The past few years, I've made an effort to replace refined sugars and starches with vegetables. Don't get me wrong, I love refined sugars and starches . . . vegetables just make me feel better. 

One of my easiest veggie swaps is spaghetti squash for traditional spaghetti noodles, because (a) it's nice to pretend I'm eating noodles and (b) I actually like the way spaghetti squash tastes (it's a bit sweet, which I don't mind in savory dishes).

For a quick meal, I'll preheat my oven to 375, grab a spaghetti squash, poke a bunch of holes in it, then stick it on a sheet pan to bake for 75 minutes. Then I let it cool, take the seeds out, and take the "spaghetti" strands out of the squash. While the squash is cooking, I brown some ground beef or Italian sausage, add a jar of pasta sauce (I like this Tuscan Pepper sauce for a bit of a kick). Combine spaghetti squash and meat sauce, and boom: lazy, healthy dinner.

Lazy healthy eater pro tip: I put down a bed of spinach, then scoop my "pasta" onto it to it because I, like Popeye, feel better when I eat spinach.
 

What I'm Playing

This week, what I'm "playing" is on my iPhone: the Alabama Shakes' album, Sound & Color. The title track especially is . . . wow. Talk about a song with texture. I played on loop for hours as I worked this week, and I didn't get tired of it. Not even once.
 

What I'm Reading

I went on a tear and added a bunch of stuff to my Kindle this week, but I've been too busy to start any of them (thanks, taxes 🙄). 

1. BEFORE THE FALL by Noah Hawley (J.T. freaked out about this book—this is usually a good sign)
2. YOU'LL GROW OUT OF IT by Jessi Klein (supposed to be funny—we'll see)
3. TEXTBOOK AMY KROUSE ROSENTHAL by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (RIP, wonderful lady)

I'll keep you apprised on my progress.
 

What I'm Watching

You guys. I tore through Season 3 of HALT AND CATCH FIRE. Tore. Through. It. As in, the last time we talked, I didn't even know Season 3 was on Netflix yet. 

AMC hardly goes wrong in their original scripted television (except for TURN, which is kind of a snoozefest). Armed with fresh, innovative story ideas, this beautiful network has given us MAD MEN, BREAKING BAD, and television's most-watched show when GAME OF THRONES isn't on (and for good reason), THE WALKING DEAD. All this from a network that, ten years ago, showed old movies and had just started airing a show about an ugly (hahahaha NOT) man named Don Draper.

Back to HACF: if you're nostalgic for the 80s, if you had a Commodore 64, if you remember what it was like to dream a world of technological possibility before such mind-blowing things like the website you're reading right now could have ever existed, if you want to see strong women in the tech world, if you want to see the different kinds of people and personalities that make up a microcosm of the corporate world, if you're a human with a pulse—you want to watch this show. 

Simply put, the story follows four people—a Steve Jobs-like visionary, a brilliant young coder, and two slightly beaten-and-broken-but-still-talented product engineers—as they navigate the burgeoning tech scene in the Silicon Prairie (yes, prairie) of Texas. The set designer and costumers did a brilliant job capturing the 80s details (oh the kitchens—they could be the backdrop of my own childhood memories). The show is fun and poignant and riveting, and begs viewers to ask themselves what the world could look like thirty years from today. Because the world we live in right now is so different than the world of HACF—but also much the same.

Well, folks, that's all I've got for you. I hope your week is warmer, the flowers brighter, and your spirits higher. I'll talk to you soon.

xoxo,
The Kerr

Sunday Smatterings (The Kerr Edition)

Hi, guys! It's me, The Kerr. Did you have a good week? Mine was pretty good since I found good Tex-Mex in Nashville!!! Finding good Tex-Mex this far north is like spotting a unicorn in the wild 🦄, so needless to say, this native Texan is super pumped she can get homemade flour tortillas and delicious beef fajitas (cooked medium-rare, because hello, flavor) anytime she wants. I cannot stress enough what a miracle find this is!

ANYWAY. I could talk about food all day. Let's get on with the program, shall we?
 

What I'm Eating

Oh, look, more conversations about food!

As you know, St. Patrick's Day is coming up on Friday. If you want to celebrate, but don't feel like making the same Corned Beef & Cabbage like you do every year, you should try this apple cider-braised cabbage.

Confession: I didn't make this recipe the way it's written here. I didn't have any cider, but I did have cider vinegar and some fuji apples (and some celery) that needed to be used up, so I added those in there. And I used red cabbage. And I cut it into one-inch pieces, not wedges. And I sautéed everything in bacon fat first, because bacon. If you want some protein in here, I think kielbasa or polish sausage would be phenomenal.

So... basically what I'm telling you is that I didn't follow this recipe at all. But I used it as inspiration! That should count for something, right? 😂
 

What I'm Playing

Think fast: can you match these three-letter words to their definitions? I did it in 2:35. I know you can beat me. 

What I'm Reading

I needed a laugh this week, something a bit more lighthearted than THE GODFATHER (don't get me wrong, I love it—just ready for fewer backroom deals and gunfights, ya know?). My friend Lisa and I text each other our books for the week, and I saw Nora's book of essays, I FEEL BAD ABOUT MY NECK (and other thoughts on being a woman), in her stack and I shamelessly copycatted her. I'm not sorry about it, either, just like I'm also not sorry for snort-laughing alone in my house. Nobody makes me giggle quite like the dry wit of Nora Ephron.
 

What I'm Watching

You guys. THE AMERICANS came back this week! 🎉👏🇺🇸

I don't know why this show gets so little buzz and critical acclaim. It is wonderfully cast and written, and definitely deserves a few EMMYs by now (especially Matthew Rhys as Phillip—he's just so transformative in the role). Also, who couldn't love Keri Russell? And Margo Martindale, who is up there with Kathy Bates as a wonderful supporting actor in any role.

Here's the premise: it's set in the 1980s and focuses on the Cold War. The show follows Phillip and Elizabeth, two KGB spies living in suburban Washington, DC, trying to gather intel and assets without raising the suspicions of their next-door-neighbor, Stan, who is (of course) an FBI agent. Phillip and Elizabeth have two children, the older of which begins to become suspicious of her parents' erratic hours and behavior, thinking perhaps they aren't the travel agents they claim to be. The show masterfully examines what it means to be a patriot (especially how much of your individual self you can—and should—sacrifice for the greater good), marriage, spirituality, and gender roles, to name a few.

The show is equal parts suspenseful and fascinating. Folks nostalgic for the 80s are going to love the details like music and set design. Seriously, thriller fans, you're going to love it.

***One last thing: THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE is coming out Tuesday! To celebrate, JT is going to host a Facebook Live on her page Tuesday night at 8 pm EDT. If you comment during the live cast, you could win one of three signed copies of THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE. So mark your calendars, and head over to JT's Facebook page Tuesday night!!!
 

That's all I have for you this week, you guys. Have a great week, go get a copy of THE DEVIL'S TRIANGLE and devour it (and tell me what you think), and I'll talk to you again soon!

Warmly,
The Kerr

Sunday Smatterings (The Kerr Edition)

Happy Sunday, one and all! Assistant Amy/The Kerr here (J.T. and the rest of the world call me The Kerr, so that's what I'll go by here).

How'd your week go? I don't know what happened, but mind kind of flew by. All of our Bradford pears are blooming now (!), which means spring isn't too far away! I'm excited. But not for humidity. Though I'm not going to focus on that for now.

If you've been under a rock and wondering Where is J.T.?!?!? don't worry, she's okay! She's just taking her annual social media sabbatical for Lent. And she's finishing up a book, which means she's super in the zone, which means you're stuck with me for the next six weeks. But if you've got an important message, let me know and I'll pass it along!

Alright—you're here for links, and I'm here to give you some. My format's a wee bit different than my boss's, so I hope you'll indulge me as I talk about my favorite things.

What I'm Eating

I am a lazy eater. I don't care. If I like something, I like it, and I don't mind eating the same thing over and over again. It's served me well throughout my life (especially as a broke college student—I miss you, college burritos . . . and college metabolism 🌯). 

Since I'm lazy, I usually make a big pot of something at the beginning of the week that becomes my work day lunches. This week, I'm all about this curry from Nom Nom Paleo (but I actually make it with this green curry paste—I like the heat!). I even double the amount of frozen veggies it calls for. It's an easy way to get tons of veggies quickly and easily. And as we know, I do like easy. 

What I'm Playing

I love a good quiz. I also love sitcoms. Ergo, I give you the "Can You Name These 25 Leading Ladies in Comedy since 1975?" quiz.

Sidenote: The Golden Girls is streaming on Hulu now, and I'm going back through the series. It's even funnier than I remembered as a kid . . . probably because I understand all the innuendos that whizzed over my head. 😂

What I'm Reading

Right now, I'm in the middle of Mario Puzo's The Godfather (yes—that Godfather).

Confession: I have a thing for mafia stories. I don't know why. Doesn't matter who they're about or where they're set—if there's some sort of "alternative economy" going on, I am all about it. The Sopranos, The Wire, Narcos: I love them all. I'm trying to savor my time between mafia TV shows, actually, so they last longer—I still have Boardwalk Empire and Ray Donovan on my lists.

I think what fascinates me the most about mafia groups is that the rules of engagement in these stories are super clear—there's a black-and-white world filled with loyalty and lines that you don't cross. Because when you cross them, you (or, at least, the viewer/reader) know exactly what's going to happen, and it's not going to end well. 

ANYWAY. The book is wonderfully written, shock, shock. I'm enjoying myself immensely.

What I'm Watching

You guys. Can we talk about This Is Us? 😭

This show. I haven't seen anything so wonderful on network television since Friday Night Lights. NBC really knows how to make a wonderfully written, emotionally complex drama, and This Is Us doesn't disappoint. There are so many different stories here, so many journeys represented onscreen. Ultimately, they all show us the importance of connection, how beautiful it is to know someone, how we can never really know another person fully, but what a gift it is to see in side their worlds. It shows what happens when we communicate well—and what happens when we don't. 

The details. This show is masterful at evoking emotion from the tiniest details, ones that seem mundane at first, like a split-second shot at cracker-jack-box toys. But in five minutes those toys have a story behind them that'll reduce you to a puddle of tears. Guaranteed.

AND! Perhaps the best thing about the show, perhaps the thing that demonstrates how wonderfully written and moving it is? Everybody is watching this show—and I do mean everybody. College kids. Young moms. PR executives. Hedge fund managers well into their seventies. And these are all people I've met personally. Old, young, male, female—this show resonates with all of them. And right now, I am thankful that there's something that crosses the gulf and unites us. It doesn't matter that it's "just a TV show"—this is the power of art at work, y'all. 

Okay, okay, I'll stop. It's clear I'm head over heels for this show. Give it a chance, just the first episode (the whole thing, mind you), and tell me what you think.
 

Dog of the Week

When it feels too good.. lol 😂

A post shared by Leo Greyhound (@leo.the.greyhound) on Feb 20, 2017 at 10:42am PST

I am a dog person through and though, and I have an especially soft heart for greyhounds. They're the sweetest, goofiest dogs, and I just think they're the bees knees. So this week I bring you one of my favorite InstaGreys, Leo! Someday, I wish I could be as relaxed as he is. 😂

Alright, kids, that's all I've got for you. Enjoy your week, go great The Devil's Triangle (which, as of this writing, is cheaper than the ebook on Amazon at $14.63!!!!), and I'll see you soon!

Warmly,
Amy/The Kerr