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Kerry Winfrey's avatar

1. I loved every word of this newsletter but the part about the bike shop made me the happiest...that sounds like such a wonderful interaction! And all because you got into a new hobby!

2. My favorite thing about your newsletter is that you schedule it to publish so early, so that when I wake up at 6:30 and I KNOW I'm not supposed to check my email first thing but I do anyway, I can just read your newsletter and remain in bed a little while longer.

3. Have you seen the movie Orange County? It's been a minute since I've seen it, but I CLEARLY remember that it opens with Crazy Town's "Butterfly." Thank you for reminding me of the poetic lyrics.

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Laura Piper Lee's avatar

This is a very good point--I always read it when I wake up in bed, and it's very cozy vibes!!

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Alicia Thompson's avatar

I saw Orange County IN THEATERS lol and you're right! It did feature that song! I actually even had the soundtrack on CD, now that I think of it. And I'm always happy to give one more reason to stay in bed longer!!

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Sarah Zachrich Jeng's avatar

Oh wow the chaotic dirtbag energy of "Butterfly" takes me allll the way back (I seem to remember the video being on The Box all the time back in like, 2000?) Have you been to the Bikery in St. Pete? I stopped in when I was bike shopping after my last one got stolen and it was a nice place!

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Alicia Thompson's avatar

yes, I've been there to write, actually! but it was before my bike era, so I'd love to go back now that I have that helmet hair *glow* about me. And "chaotic dirtbag energy" is the perfect description of that song!

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Laura Piper Lee's avatar

Thank you so much for reading Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair and your kind words here!!! <3 I was over the moon to meet you at Love Y'all fest--thank you for being so awesome and an exceptional moderator, too!

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Alicia Thompson's avatar

thank you for making the job INCREDIBLY easy, much easier than I had built it up in my mind lol

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Kat Bradbury | Mara Dane's avatar

That song always reminds me of a former boss who was OBSESSED with it - sang it off-key in the office all the time. We worked at a temp agency, and apparently she told a client I'd sleep with him if he hired more temp workers, then invited me out dancing (at a club where he was going to be). Fun times! But for real, every time I have had work frustrations, I'm like "Hey, at least they're not trying to literally prostitute you like Kim did that one time!" and I generally feel better about the situation!

I also want to know what the winning and losing tropes were in that battle panel. Lastly, a heads up: I saw you're going to be at the Tucson Festival of Books. As a recent Tucsonan, the introvert bars are Owls Club and Sidecar. :) Thanks again for another solid newsletter!

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Alicia Thompson's avatar

ha what a way to put work gripes in perspective!!! from my admittedly spotty memory: people liked forced proximity, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, and celebrity romance, and voted for those over workplace romance, friends to lovers, holiday romance, and secret royal (but I am already forgetting exactly what was pitted against what!!) And thank you for the introvert bar tips!!!

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Liesl's avatar

I have not thought about Crazy Town's "Butterfly" in AGES. Thanks for the earworm!

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Alicia Thompson's avatar

hahaha we will now be thinking about it for ages to come!

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Jody Lee's avatar

This was such a great issue of your newsletter!

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Alicia Thompson's avatar

Thank you!!!

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Cath's avatar

When people started posting about going to Love Y'all I was like "oh no, that's going to be so fun" and then I saw a million pictures and clearly it WAS and I need to quit my job and just roam the country to the romance conventions.

Anyway, what I really meant to say is, to paraphrase T.Swizzle, this is your newsletter, you make the rules! We're all just along for the good time.

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Alicia Thompson's avatar

haha will always take a T.Swizzle paraphrase! and yeah, I kinda want to go to all of them! while also knowing that I do not have the time, energy, or money

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