The Weekly Digress 📖📺🎧🔪🛍️

A seemingly bi-partisan daily news source, the nail polish that lasts, and more cookies

*BOOKMARK THIS LETTER IF YOU NEED A PLACE TO SAVE THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE I POST ABOUT ALL THE TIME!*

It’s been a rough week over here at Casa de Miller. Ziggy is in his refusing-to-nap-unless-being-held phase, which essentially renders me out of commission all day long. I love this child more than life itself, but holy fucking shit I am gonna be so glad to be done with the fourth trimester. Soon enough.

For as many DMs and comments I’ve received thanking me for being so candid about this experience and not shying away from all the mixed emotions and hard shit, I still have this overwhelming guilt any time I complain or share my inner most thoughts about the whiplash that is motherhood. I adore Liz Woods on Instagram, and she just had a baby less than a month ago and not only seems to be 110% comfortable and confident in her new role, but she’s just so positive about it every day, and it makes me feel weak. Granted, she’s almost 10 years younger than me and, from the looks of it, is already as thin as she was pre-pregnancy (that pre-30 metabolism. I swear), but still. She has shared nothing but lovely, uplifting reports from the motherhood front, and it’s made me feel really bad for sharing what I do (there’s no way in hell Liz reads my letter, but just in case — hey, girl. I’m kind of obsessed with you).

Alas, I am who I am, and that’s an overwhelmed first time mom in her late 30s with easily activated anxiety who is doing her best but has to admit this is not easy. Taking care of a baby is a full time job, don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. So trying to balance work and this is… fucking hard as fuck.

My week in a snapshot

But anyway. Enough about all that. Let’s chit chat about more fun stuff like books and shows and things.

READING

I’m extremely proud to report that I FINALLY started and finished my first book of 2025 in a matter of 11 days. It was Tom Lake by Ann Patchett, and I absolutely loved it. Simply put, it’s a story about a mom telling her daughters how her and their father met, but the way it’s written is just so engrossing. It’s not a big story; it’s just a good story. Period. A friend and I were reading it at the same time and messaging back and forth, and she put it really well. She said the setting and story felt like a familiar place she had never been to but wish she had, and that’s exactly it. I love Patchett’s writing style and am excited to read more of her work.

Next up is Liane Moriarty’s Here One Moment. Ellen just finished this one and said it was essentially a perfect book, which is HIGH praise coming from Ellen. She’s quite the bookworm and not many novels pass her test. In fact, almost every book Ellen has ever suggested I read, I’ve loved so I think I’ll just stick to her recommendations going forward. Can’t wait to dive into this one.

WATCHING

We started and are plowing through Landman. If you haven’t heard of this show, it’s about the oil and gas field and it’s set in Midland, Texas (i.e. middle of nowhere Texas). It stars Billy Bob Thorton, Ali Larter, Demi Moore (though she’s hardly shown up thus far), and Jon Hamm, and it’s a wild ride. It’s very Texas, very male-driven, very stereotypical, and very good. The scripts are fantastic, and the character development locks you in immediately. It’s like the mob, only southern. I’m enjoying the seediness of it all, but the 27-year-old playing the 17-year-old daughter does irk me quite a bit. It’s just like… why. But I’m moving past it.

LISTENING TO

I’m really enjoying the Mo News Podcast serving as my daily news. As far as I can tell, it’s legitimately unbiased reporting that sticks to the facts and reads between the headlines so we don’t have to. It’s the only source of news I seek out anymore.

I’ve also really been enjoying The Rest is History. I’m not a loyal listener; it completely depends on the topic, and to kick off the new year, they’re breaking down the build-up to WWII via really interesting evidence like letters Neville Chamberlain wrote to his sisters after meetings with H****r.

I have “Sticky” on repeat, and every time I listen to it, I try to envision myself back at the gym. I haven’t stepped foot into a gym in essentially a year and, once my baby stops being so chaotic and a little more predictable, I hope to work that into my schedule again.

MAKING

I saved this reel and made this tuna salad and all I can say is OKAAAAAAAY. It’s so good, y’all. And truly that easy. But you must must must use Kewpie Mayo with it. I implore you. I mix it all up and eat it with rice (I don’t have time for seaweed snacks).

THE Butternut Bakery CCC have become a weekly staple in our household. My only alteration is that I use equal parts dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and semi sweet chocolate chips. They’re just insanely perfect.

In general, though, I find myself consistently going to Brocc Your Body for easy as fuck really good recipes. She just has a way, and I know she won’t let me down when I’m drawing a blank. Definitely follow her, utilize her website that’s full of great recipes, and buy her cookbook.

SHOPPING

I realized all my Dazzle Dry polishes are old as balls and I needed to reup, so I ordered a whole new kit (comes with top and base coats, a nail prep solution, and reviving solution for polishes) in the color Rapid Red. Why is the best nail polish ever? Because it really truly dries in five minutes, and it stays on for at least five days, if not longer. It doesn’t chip the same day like your run-of-the-mill manicures. I’ve been using it forever.

I broke out my trusty ol’ green-lipstick-that-turns-pink this week and got lots of DMs inquiring WTF was on my lips. I’m telling y’all — this stuff is magic. It’s a great shade year-round and STAYS ON. And it’s cheaper than dirt. A 6-pack nfor $7.75?! Come on.

I’m not clothes shopping 2.5 months postpartum, but I did happen to run into this perfect grey pullover hoodie at Nordstrom and it came home with me. It has Sisterhood of the Traveling Hoodie kind of magic.

I am beyond obsessed with everything Cloud Island makes, but especially these onesies. I just keep buying more because they are the easiest thing to put Ziggy in and zip him in and out of. Plus, they live up to their cloud name and are sooooooo soft. And so affordable! I’m specifically eyeing this 6-pack to add to his collection.

Until next week…

EGM