1.  Okay, here we go, time to try another 40 things.

2.  I’d say this seems impossible but the adaptive feature of dictating to text is pretty helpful.

3.  I’ll fight the urge to run on at the mouth.

4.  Cue hysterical laughter now.

5.  Okay, Laura, get a grip. Let’s go.

6.  It’s pretty cold here and we still have ice on the ground.

7.  It’s mostly clear roads where I live but there’s still messy driving out in the county.

8.  We just don’t have gear equipped to scrape all those roads and some are covered by tree overhangs so that ice won’t melt for ages.

9.  This makes it tricky to get the public schools back into session which means somebody’s always unhappy.

10.  Cancel school? It’s “The roads are just fine. Why are they wasting our days?”

11.  Open them back up? Now you’ve got “Don’t they even care about safety? What about all those student drivers on the icy roads?”

12.  It’s very much a no win situation almost 100% of the time which is why I’ve had zero interest in taking a position that makes those calls.

13.  There’s also the fact that I think they drive around at five in the morning to see what road conditions look like.

14.  No thank you.

15.  Anyway, we’re hearing talk of another winter weather event moving through this Saturday.

16.  I know, I know, the wintry states are rolling their eyes because it is January/February after all.

17.  What else would one expect except winter weather?

18.  Well, speaking as someone who has seen more than a couple of Christmas days in the 60s we tend to forget that winter time will indeed bring – ahem – the winter.

19.  Early predictions call for snow instead of ice so it could be a pretty one.

20.  Fingers crossed.

21.  I’m suddenly thinking of the Canadian and New England bloggers I follow…they were measuring that last snowstorm with yardsticks, not rulers.

22.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – people up north are built different.

23.  And that’s all my weather-y conversation for today.

24.  It feels a little impossible that I’ve made it to item 24 without talking about how the world around us is imploding.

25.  That sounds dramatic but there really is no other way to describe this country.

26.  Past, present, future…shit.

27.  Is anyone else watching activity reports?

28.  Number of ICE SUVs spotted locally; number of people snatched from traffic stops, immigration hearings, or parking lots; number of children taken or separated from their families.

29.  So much data, none of it good.

30.  There are cities and states with escalating ICE activity but don’t fall into the trap of thinking “but not in my state.”

31.  They’re in your state, too.

32.  Here’s an account that gives daily action steps.

33.  She posts them every day if you’re looking for suggestions on what to do.

34.  Here’s another watch well worth your time:

33.  Which brings us to my “please clap for me” announcement of the day.

34.  I deleted TikTok this week.

35.  I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of sad about it, not just because I’m losing the information source but also because I followed a few really funny comedians.

36.  There are a couple of concerning things that have come up since the sale of U.S. TikTok closed on 1/22/26.

37.  The new owners include Oracle, a tech giant that gives off super sketchy vibes.

38.  Plus the updated terms of service include this little gem:

“Information You Provide may include sensitive personal information, as defined under applicable state privacy laws, such as information from users under the relevant age threshold, information you disclose in survey responses or in your user content about your racial or ethnic origin, national origin, religious beliefs, mental or physical health diagnosis, sexual life or sexual orientation, status as transgender or nonbinary, citizenship or immigration status, or financial information. For example, we may process your financial information in order to provide you the goods or services you request from us or your driver’s license number in order to verify your identity. We may also collect precise location data, depending on your settings and as explained below. We process such sensitive personal information in accordance with applicable law, such as for permitted purposes under the California Consumer Privacy Act.”

39.  There’s a lot going on there and some companies behind the platform don’t exactly inspire confidence so here we are, TikTok-less on a Friday.

40.  So be it. Hope everybody’s January wraps up nicely.