I Want to be a Capybara

The art of being chill and finding comfort in the small things

Welcome to another week of the happiness with a side of quirkiness. For those who are dealing with chilly temperature like I am in New Jersey, where it’s barely reached 20 degrees this week, I hope this picture below will give some worth. Too bad we can’t be transported to an island paradise right now.

Here are some things that made me happy this week. Perhaps they will give you the injection of happy you need.

I have an addiction to eating at cafes that not only has good coffee, but a good breakfast or brunch. The Bluestone Coffee Co. in Upper Montclair, NJ is one of my favorite cafes/ restaurants for breakfast. Look at this breakfast omelette. Isn’t it fabulous? Having a great breakfast at one of my favorite places, makes my happiness meter rise. Everyone should have a favorite breakfast or brunch place, where they can enjoy a great meal to help start their day or week ahead.

Speaking of more food recommendations, have you heard of the Strong Roots brand? I found Strong Roots products a year ago at my local supermarket, and I’m cray addicted to their cauliflower hash browns, which is strange because I’m not a fan of traditional hash browns. But Strong Roots cauliflower hash browns are my comfort food. You can find them at Whole Foods (Strong Roots used to be at Shop Rite, but my local Shop Rite stopped selling them *sad panda*), with other Strong Roots products for under $7. These hash browns can go with everything and work best for me when I cook them in my air fryer. Strong Goods is all about getting the goodness. Get that goodness!

Speaking of favorite comfort things, I’m so glad my two comfort shows are back this season. I’ve been watching Law & Order: SVU since the show began, 25 years ago. I also watch Law & Order: Organized Crime. Like most people who watch the L&O shows franchise, I am a huge fan of Mariska Hargitay and Chris Meloni (Chris and I go way back to his HBO OZ days before he was on SVU). Mariska and Chris make my Thursday nights must see TV, even if some of their case are WTFOMG disturbing. Everyone should have a comfort show or shows. Hopefully you have your own comfort show.

Another show I just started watching that’s not a comfort show yet is Peacock’s Ted. Ted is not for everyone because it’s raunchy, crude and some of the jokes and one-liners will make your jaw drop because you won’t believe what’s being said is allowed to be said. But if you are a fan of Seth MacFarlane, and love Family Guy and American Dad, as well as both Ted movies, you will love Ted (Prequel series set in 1992). For myself who was a teen in high school in the early 90’s. Ted really hits the mark for that time period). Let’s hope this isn’t just a one season series. I need some major LOL funny, and Ted gives me that and more. Seth is a comic genius and has done it again with Ted.

Did you know Americans are actually happy with their finances, as report by Axios? Some highlights from the article:

“63% of Americans rate their current financial situation as being "good," including 19% of us who say it's "very good." More than half of Americans say that if they lost their job tomorrow they'd be OK; that they could find an equivalent or better job quickly; and that "my employers need me more than I need them."

If reincarnation is real, I want to come back as a capybara, who are the chilliest and calmest animals (huge rodents) on the planets. The way they enjoy water is a work of art. If only we embrace and channel the capybara lifestyle, as show in this video:

For your weekly book recommendation, let’s go back to 2004 and The Real Deal by Lucy Monroe.

The most important thing in Amanda's life is negotiating a successful merger between her company and Brant Computers, a family-held competitor. Company president Eric Brant is on board with the idea, but when Amada arrives in Eric's office, it is his cousin Simon Brant who greets her—and Simon is anything but agreeable. Squaring off against the sexy, brilliant, sexy, obstinate, sexy, eccentric, not to mention sexy Simon is completely frustrating—and a total turn-on. Simon has never met a woman as driven as Amanda, or as devastatingly attractive. He can't decide if he wants to put her on the next plane home—in the cargo hold—or kidnap her and spend a long weekend showing her the kind of negotiating he likes best. But when intimacy leads to explosive passion, it might be time to think of a different, more permanent kind of merger...one that's less about business and all about pleasure.

Why I recommend this book- Another great chick-lit type book, but heavy on the steamy romance about a woman who feels she has a lot of faults because of her horrible ex-husband. She finds her self-worth because of the socially awkward hero who shows her how amazing she is. These two completely different people click so well together that you will end up hugging this book and want to re-read it because it gives you all the feels.

Until next week, keep embracing your glorious uniqueness…

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