Birthday Hot 103

HBD me, if you're reading this i'm omw to see beavers

me, 30, in #3

Good news for me this year—I finally realized that Wisconsin is the best state. I know very few of you will agree with me on this, which is probably good, because it usually works best when you think your own state is the best state.

But if you’re looking to offer critique of this state in any way, do not 🚫 come to me with that shit. That’s for me and my family and Wisconsin friends to do, when and as we see fit.

Speaking of Wisconsin being the best state: I am currently driving north to do a “beaver paddle” and learn more about the ecosystem management done by and for this wonderful species, another personally designated best. Driving Wisconsin is one of my favorite ways to experience it, second only to swimming in the two great lakes we border. In early May, I drove two and a half hours after work to get dinner with two of my cousins on a Thursday, and my route took me on highway 26, a route I’d never taken, the evening light all golden and shadowy as it passed through heavy clouds, green flooding over everything. We had a cold spring this year. I listened to The Great Divide all the way through and saw a roadkill fawn, how sad.¹ And I loved Wisconsin. And I love Wisconsin today.

Happy first day of summer! Here’s my Birthday Hot.

1. Wisconsin

2. Beavers

3. Maine

4. Milwaukee Film

5. Knitting patterns

6. Bestie weddings!!!!

7. Routines

8. Rituals

9. Noah Kahan

10. DVDs from the library

11. Playlists as gifts

12. Mom’s earrings

13. Dad’s glasses

14. NYT Crossplay

15. Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.

16. Virgin

17. LUX

18. West End Girl

19. The Life of a Showgirl

20. sombr

21. Deadbeat

22. Fontaines D.C.

23. you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love

24. Downton Abbey

25. Heated Rivalry

26. Bad Bunny halftime show

27. Ripping up carpet

28. Knowing about cars

29. E-Type shape

30. Standing desk

31. To do lists

32. Calendars

33. Rancho Gordo bean club

34. Naomi after-cooking hand scrub

35. Brown eyeliner

36. Glittery eyeshadow

37. Work outfits

38. Writing in my email drafts

39. Forgetting about spending money

40. Smoothies, and specifically, purchased smoothies bc #39

41. Yeti mugs

42. London Fogs

43. Avocado

44. Tortilla chips

45. Cucumbers + balsamic

46. Ocean’s 11 franchise

47. Matt Damon

48. Documentaries

49. Ricola lemon mint drops

50. Nettle tea

51. Iced barley tea (mogicha)

52. Girl scout cookies

53. Anna’s Swedish ginger thins

54. Combing my cat’s fur

55. Phone calls while driving

56. Silence while driving

57. Music at vol 45 while driving

58. Actually reading small business newsletters

59. Grammar rules

60. Oxford commas <333

61. Doing what I can

62. But not doing more than I can

63. White noise

64. Pencil case

65. Photo books

66. Puzzles

67. Having a puzzle table

68. Owning a physical Merriam Webster dictionary

69. Permanent tab open to online Merriam Webster dictionary

70. Sudafed

71. Deleting political texts

72. Going to local protests

73. Baked potatoes

74. Specifically Yukon golds, the best potato

75. also? TWICE baked potatoes

76. Seamstresses

77. Emily Bronte

78. Buying shit at the airport bc #39

79. Collaboration

80. Jane Austen adaptations

81. Pesto pasta

82. Hot dogs

83. Saying only the things you mean

84. Being present

85. Good Hang w Amy Poehler

86. Lily King

87. Lena Dunham

88. Do not disturb mode

89. Millennial bosses

90. Millennial mayors

91. ZOHRAN MAMDANI

92. Fleece lined pants

93. Sophie scarf (our first #5)

94. Learning best practices for growing/harvesting

95. Being part of the solution

96. Offering ideas

97. Milk frother

98. Butter croissant

99. Michelle Branch

100. Orthopedic sandals

101. Electrolytes

102. Half braid

103. One thing at a time

this has been—

xxx your twin flame

my funfetti birthday cake in 2020. i made claire saffitz’s three-layer one yesterday, during which I had one of the biggest baking disasters of my freaking life.

Also see my Birthday Hot 102, 101, and 100. Last year’s Hot 102 also got a Hot List Deep Dive with Regan, which I listened to while cleaning up from my cake-baking disaster yesterday to lighten my mood. If you’ve gotten into Tate McRae in the last year, you’ll enjoy our prescient conversation about her, during which Regan says, “I just don’t like the song she did with her little boyfriend.² You’re going to break up, so why are you making me listen to this?” By the time my mess was cleaned up, I was chill as f*ck, like, I AM in Dingle! ✌️

1. I actually saw a whole family, sorry to traumatize you.

2. Kid Laroi.