Power Nap #20
Funny and thought-provoking media from Kate and her team for a quick, refreshing pick-me-up.
Things We Found Interesting
(Animal Edition)
Killer whales in a group near Spain and Portugal may be teaching one another to mess with small boats. Scientist think it may be a “fad” started by “juvenile” orcas. The human teenager equivalent of toilet-papering houses and prank phone calls?
In January 2018, a female crocodile in a Costa Rican zoo laid a clutch of eggs. That was peculiar: She’d been living alone for 16 years. And you thought the virgin birth was limited to Mary… (this is NYT, so it may be paywalled if you've exceeded your free article limit this month. If that's you, try here)
“Living well is the best revenge.” - George Herbert
(Here is Nate's favorite George Herbert poem)
Things We Devoured
Kate and Nate finished the final season of Succession. If you haven't seen it, the premises is that the dad (above on the right) built a massively valuable company, and the show is his four kids and other members of the family jockeying to lead the company when he retires. The music and scenery are awesome, and the writing is top notch. It does move slowly (and there's a ton of vulgar language). But on the whole, we thought it was excellent.
PRIME DAY IS TODAY AND TOMORROW!
In honor of Prime Day happening today, here's Kate's Prime Day Pep Talk. As you browse all the sales today and tomorrow, remember that if you buy something you do not want or need (even if it's on good sale), you are not saving money!
PRIME DAY DEALS
I created a list with Prime Day Deals on my Amazon Shop - some items were on early sale yesterday and some items are rumored to go on sale soon if they are not currently. Browse them all here. I am including some items below I think are worth separately linking because the deals are so good! Note: these deals will ebb and flow so if you click the link and you don't think it's a good deal, the deal might be over.
Vitamix- This is the model Kate had and used for almost a decade! Here's a tutorial on how to use the Vitamix Kate previously shared. It's easy to clean with this quick wash method. Here's Kate's mid-morning smoothie she makes with the Vitamix.
Kindle Paperwhite- checkout this video where Kate explains how to get free Library books sent directly to your Kindle.
The Kid's Paperwhite Kindle is also on sale and rumor has it that it has the exact same functionality as the adult version but it's automatically ad-free! This is what John Robert uses and he is flying through books.
Bissell Carpet Cleaner. If you have pets or children, this is a game changer.
The Nespresso Machine that Kate uses everyday and loves.
The Shark Hand Vacuum that is so easy for the kids to use! Great for car cleanout!
The Hanging Entryway Shelf the Strickler's use at the entrance of their home for all the bags and jackets.
The Easy Walk Dog Harness. You've heard me talk about this 100 times because it changed my life. Annie has never been easy to walk and this, quite literally, made her easy to walk.
**Please note: the above links are affiliate links. That means if you purchase through them I make a very small commission at no cost to you. Thank you in advance should you wish to use them!
Beach Reads
The Maid: A Novel by Nita Prose. Kate absolutely loved this book. It came at the suggestion of many friends and it did not disappoint. It reminded Kate of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (highly suggest if you haven’t read it!) The main character is quirky and lovable and the whole story is so good. It starts with a hotel murder, but Kate promises you it is not scary at all.
The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister. Jess read this in a few short days. It's very “Where the Crawdads Sing” in all the best ways. It's a coming-of-age novel following a young girl who grows up on a remote island whose life is shaped by fragrances and their associated memories. A lyrical and immersive novel filled with love, adventure, and beautiful truth.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Nate flew through this one. Andy Weir's other books (The Martian – you may know the movie with Matt Damon) and Artemis (about a heist on the moon) were good, but Nate liked this one the best. Project Hail Mary is about a lone astronaut who must save the Earth from disaster. Looks like they are making a movie of this book too – this time starring Ryan Gosling.
The Wager by David Grann. Non-fiction story of a British vessel (called the Wager) that had left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain. It wrecked on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. The men, after being marooned for months and facing starvation, built a flimsy craft and sailed for more than a hundred days, traversing nearly 3,000 miles of storm-wracked seas. They were greeted as heroes. But then, six months later, another, even more decrepit craft landed on the coast of Chile. This boat contained just three castaways, and they told a very different story. Nate thought the first half was sort of slow, but it got better as the story progressed.
The Kid's Zone is a special Summer installment for The Power Nap. We hope this helps parents survive the dog days of summer with a full house! These were all submitted to Kate on Instagram by her followers. If you have suggestions, email them to us.
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