Just between us is when we get together once a month or so and say the things that you think but don’t really say. Or you do say, but only to certain people. I’ll go first, then you share in the comments and everyone will feel a whole lot better.
Just between us…
1. You know what drives me insane? Automatically numbered lists. Every time I type the number one followed by a bracket or a period, my computer or phone assumes I want to make a numbered list and starts auto-formatting it for me.
You know what, computer? I DO want to make a number list but I also want to be master of my own formatting. Don't presume to know what I want, ok?
I also cannot figure out how to stop automatic numbered lists in the notes app on my phone, and it drives me nuts to the point that I now have to make all of my numbered lists without periods or brackets behind the number, which I do not enjoy but it's the lesser of two evils. Seriously, why can I not just make a list the way I want to make a list, technology?!
2. One bit of technology that I am kind of in love with is listening to Siri's voice in my earballs. I've discovered that when I have my AirPods in, I can just say "hey Siri" and then she'll say, "Mmmhmm?" or "What can I do for you?" in the sweetest, most caring voice.
I say, "turn up the volume, please" or "start playing this podcast, please" (I am always very polite to Siri) and then I ask her to do a few more things because it's just SO NICE that someone cares about me that much.
So if you see a crazy lady riding her bike around saying, "Siri, could you turn the volume up? Actually, could you turn it up a bit more. Ok thanks. Could you turn it down?" It's not because it's hard to find the perfect volume, it's because she's just so damn nice to me. And asking her to do it is easier than stopping, taking my phone out of my pocket, and changing the volume myself.
3. Whenever I wake up in the morning and look at my phone and it's after 6am, I wonder if my kid is dead.
I do not get up to check, because I figure if he is dead I may as well be well-rested, and I know that if he is not dead, which is the more likely scenario, that going in to check on him will only wake him up and we may as well both enjoy this sleep in.
4. When my older son was littler, and an only child, I used to love spoiling the hell out of him. Whenever we went out I'd buy him a treat or a small toy or something.
Now he is four, and much more verbal, and there are two of them, and my treat-buying days are OVER because those ungrateful little demons are never satisfied, no matter what. The incessant whining, asking for, and demanding stuff has chipped away at my drive to spoil, and now I understand why treats and presents are supposed to be rare.
5. I have a denim jacket that I almost never wear because I have this thing about Canadian tuxedos. But why is it ok to wear a leather jacket with leather pants, but not a denim jacket with a pair of jeans? Who decides these things?
I guess I need to get more non-denim pants? Is black denim ok with a blue denim jacket? Clothes confuse me at the best of times (don't even get me started with the waistlines of pants right now... WHERE IS IT SUPPOSED TO GO?!) and this just makes it worse.
keith H.
Hi Katie. About switching off theose auto-generated numbered or bulleted lists.—do you mean in MS Word? By default, if you type an asterisk or a 1. or an m-dash, etc., Word presumes you're trying to start a bulleted or numbered list. To stop that happening automatically, go into Word and:
— Go to File => Options => Proofing. (NB! Options is in the left hand column)
— Select 'AutoCorrect Options'
— Select the 'AutoFormat As You Type' tab.
— Untick 'Automatic bulleted lists' or 'Automatic numbered' lists.
— Select OK
OK?
This is the same area of options where you can use Autocorrect for substituting text. You can force Word to substitute where you type 'btw' with 'by the way', for example ... or 'yf' with 'Yours faithfully'. Or 'kiag' with 'Katie is a genius'! A handy feature, eh?
Keith H.
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Katie Trant
No, I mean in the notes app on my phone. I've disabled it in word, but can't figure out how on my iPhone!
Patst
1. I love numbered lists. I am bothered more when a tool doesn't auto number for me. I have set up my document editors to number just the way I like.
2. I love that my car - a Kia speaks french or, at least it has a decent french accent. Android Auto, aka google, does not have a french accent. My spouse has a french last name so I get to experience it on a regular basis.
3. Same, same, same. I have always felt like a very very bad mom.
4. Mean mom of kid with allergies never had to deal with treats. But I do remember an incident when she was about 5 and had an almost=burst-an-eardrum-infection, I told her I would by her any type of drink she wanted. She picked Kook-Aid. I measured the ingredients carefully because the goal was get fluids into her. She took one drink and burst into big heart breaking alligator tears and said "they make it look like it tastes good on tv".
5. I don't even own a pair of jeans.
Katie Trant
Ohhhhh the Kool Aid ????
Claire
Regarding the black with blue denim: I declare myself queen and say this is ok. I feel very sexy in heeled boots, black skinny jeans, and my blue denim jacket over a cute blouse. With some dangly earring I am ready to rumble!
Katie Trant
Yasss queen!
Suzanne
As a child of the 80s/90s, the jeans jacket is part of my childhood. I wish I had one! I would wear it with a babydoll dress and doc martens and be 16 again.
Katie Trant
I bought some very Doc Martin-ish Chelsea boots not long ago! Can't say I'll be going back to baby dolls though.
Roos
Rock the jeans on jeans if it makes you happy (or you cannot get yourself to spend another second deciding over clothes)! To break things up, you can wear a long-ish shirt in a non-blue color that sticks out underneath the denim jacket.
And staying in bed after 6 sounds totally legit. Statistics says your kid will be alive and you'll have an extra moment to yourself.
Siri sounds like a simple joy you shouldn't reject yourself. When I was writing a long and boring thesis, I used to read the word 'participants' as 'partypants' just to break the boredom.
Katie Trant
Oooh, I like the idea of a long shirt. That's a good call.
Cammy
I love my jean jacket, but NEVER go jean on jean. I don’t find it looks that bad when I see someone else in it, but I simply refuse. But friend, a jean jacket with a cute pair of leggings is everything.
Katie Trant
Leggings for sure. I just tend to wear jeans more often when going out. But I have super nice leather-like leggings that would work perfectly.
Maclean Nash
Rock that Canadian Tux and do not pay any attention to fashion "rules" they are 100% bogus.
Katie Trant
I just can't get my head around it. Need more contrast!