I always knew we lived in a wonderful community, but that was never made clearer to me than on Monday evening.

I arrived in Indianapolis for a work conference earlier that day. After FaceTiming with my family, I saw some concerning news come across our building's email list-serv. I alerted my husband since I knew he was doing bedtime routine with the kiddo. It turned out that there was a fire in our condo building. Because of the attention and quick actions of our neighbors, the fire department arrived quickly and was able to extinguish the fire without it spreading too far. (No one was hurt but the building is dealing with the aftermath and mitigation of the impacted area.) 

I called my husband as soon as they evacuated. While I knew my family was physically safe, my mind raced trying to figure out options of where they could stay and what they would need if they were not allowed back in the building. It was agony not to be there in person. I deal with tough situations by focusing on what I can do to resolve the situation. There was literally nothing I could do in this case. I couldn't even get a flight back home that night. My family had to remain outside for two hours while DC Fire ensured the fire was out and the building was safe to reoccupy.

Our kiddo was nonplussed by the entire event. She got extra time on her tablet, was able to see lots of pets, and even enjoyed a snack. A woman who lives on the street behind us walked around offering pouches and other kid treats to those who wanted them. One of the firefighters talked to our kiddo about Daniel Tiger. Once my family was allowed back in the building, kiddo went to bed as if nothing happened.

I am grateful to live among neighbors who watch out for each other. While I am, admittedly, still dealing with anxiety around this, I know that our community is there to help.

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When I was a freshman in college, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale was one of our "common read" options. We were supposed to read the book before new student orientation and then attend a discussion group. I ended up speed reading the book on the long car ride from upstate NY to DC. So.... yeah... not a lot of it stuck. I've been meaning to re-read it for years. 

I know that this is going to be the kind of book I enjoy reading. But, I also know I'm going to get angry at the context in which I'm reading it. This is going to be an emotionally volatile 300ish pages.

*Books shared here are affiliate links for Bookshop.org

• Describing interior design style. [apartment therapy]

• The searches where Google makes money. [The Verge]

• When travel brings you charming experiences. [The Deleted Scenes]

• "You have the power to transform something mundane into something special." [Hedger Humor]

• We need to expand how we design and test things. [AP News]

• Star forts are shockingly beautiful. [The Atlantic - may be paywalled]

• The business of prestige television. [The New Yorker - may be paywalled, reader submission]

• Ways to make less waste. [Life Kit]

• How to protect yourself from scammers wanting your money. [Life Kit]

• The connection between the economy and your health. [The Indicator]

• When Reno was the capital of "migratory divorce." [99% Invisible]

• The racial bias encoded in our AI. [Code Switch]

• Some charming economics. [The Indicator]

• Wow! [@flySFO]

• I know there are mixed opinions of Kenneth Branagh's Hercule Poirot, but I enjoy his rendition immensely. This week, we watched the latest movie in the series, A Haunting in Venice. Branagh stars and directs again. In this film, the shooting style is quiet different from the first two in the series. There is no symmetry which adds to the eerie feeling of the story. The movie also plays with a few elements borrowed from horror, including jump scares. That amps up the drama. I think I need to rewatch this as I feel like there would be easter eggs to uncover. Also, I love how Venice the city feels like one of the main characters. [Hulu]

• Due to my conference, I mostly ate out this week. Luckily, there were plenty of options near my hotel. One evening, I opted to order dinner from P.F. Chang's. The chicken and broccoli were a disappointment. But, the mundanity of that dish was balanced out by the shrimp dumplings. They were tender and fresh with a tangy dipping sauce. I would get them again. [P.F. Chang's]

• Before I left town, we made Tuscan sausage and white bean ragu in the slow cooker. This was a fairly easy chop and dump dinner. I was a little annoyed that I had to roll the sausage into tiny meatballs but the result was tender mouthfuls of flavor. So, admittedly, that tedious step was worth it. Also, we opted to bake the accompanying gnocchi instead of boiling. We like the texture better. [Half-Baked Harvest]

This was the beautiful sight to greet me after my flight back to DC. [Instagram]

After what happened this week, it feels like a good idea to send out a general reminder for fire prevention and safety. The Red Cross offers a good checklist.

A live look at me preparing to fly with our preschooler for the first time.