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Beany Brain #86: Peevish + A Sassy Sheepless Sleep Hack

Author

Abigail Munday
March 24, 2026

Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!

Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope today’s newsletter will bounce us up as we contemplate the upsides and challenges of being neurodivergent, a little beauty, some creativity, and just general yeehawesomeness.

Table of Contents

Photo by Abigail Munday

Pet Peeves

I try to stay positive. And patient.

But I am human.

So for your delectation this week, here are a few of my favorite pet peeves, in no geological order whatsoever:

  1. Those plastic tie things that come on packages like bread and rice cakes in the US and sometimes in Japan, and evidently in Australia also because the above rice cakes were imported from Straya for our Japan Costco. I always throw them away and put a twisty or clip on instead. I’m sure an inventor had fun coming up with it, but I say nope.

  2. When you’re at the dentist getting your teeth cleaned—I love the cleaning part. But after they brush, they floss and then the majority of hygienists will pull the floss through rather than popping it back up between teeth. NO THANK YOU, ma’am. I had my teeth cleaned yesterday and the hygienist did it RIGHT. She did no floss pulling. I want her every visit from now on.

  3. Missing the beginning of movies. Don’t ever make me miss the beginning of a movie.

  4. Angry impatient drivers who put others in danger. Back off, Jack. Driving angry seems like it’s up there with driving drunk. It’s not safe, people. I saw a dramatic instance of this on Saturday and it put a number of people in harm’s way, including yours truly and a policeman who was walking in the street behind a parade.

  5. Too much plastic on food, even bananas! They have their own built-in wrappers.

  6. Speaking of produce, the fact that the veggies have to look perfect here. I recently found a bag of some happy misshapen yellow carrots on sale at the JA (Japan Agriculture) produce market and the fact that some of them look like little people is funny-creepy. I’d buy more of that if it was available. I’d be ecstatic to do a whole portrait shoot of them all. Glamour Carrots?

Photo by Abigail Munday

  1. The sounds of other people chewing (many neurodivergent folks feel the same—it’s called misophonia).

What peeves you, friends?

Ha Ha Haiku

A funny haiku for you every week in every newsletter, whether it’s one of my own or one I curate for you. HA. Ha. Haiku.

There’s no pulling teeth

To get me to a dentist’s—

In the chair, I dream.

Abigail Munday

Photo by Abigail Munday

Dr. Amir Khan’s Sleep Hack

Cognitive shuffling, folks.

Something we didn’t know we needed.

Dr. Amir Khan is a GP in Bradford, UK, that I follow and really appreciate. He’s funny, develops great recipes, and offers sound medical advice. He’s also written a novel that I’d like to read called How (Not) to Have an Arranged Marriage.

Here’s his take on that 3 AM wake-up time when you can’t go back to sleep:

Instagram Post

  1. Get into bed.

  2. Lie down.

  3. Think of a word that has no emotional connection for you.

  4. Make sure the word has no repeating letters.

  5. Use “bed” as an example word.

  6. Think of every word you can think of that starts with the letter B, and picture each one in your mind.

  7. Then do the same for E and for D.

Are you back to sleep now?

If so, stop reading this!

Photo by Abigail Munday

Yeehawesome!

Yeehawesome! is a happy-brain roundup in each issue of Beany Brain. What’s happening that’s good in brain land? What’s bringing me joy?

  1. These colorful bumpy bowls made my day. They’re hanging out at a local cafe/gallery here in Kanazawa. I’ll take them all. Thanks. (Then I’ll take some extra kitchen cabinet space. Thanks.)

  2. Madeleine L’Engle’s own hand-drawn Christmas cards from early in her marriage. Absolutely delightful!

  1. A real possum was found on a shelf with stuffed animals at a toy store inside an Australian airport!

Watch: Real possum spotted on toy animal shelf at Australian airport

Passengers discovered a real possum nestled among other native Australian toy animals at Hobart Airport, Tasmania.

www.bbc.com/news/videos/c39w9mg3k8ro

Quote of the Week

This episode of Mirror Falls contains references to poutine with more than three ingredients. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

(Mirror Falls podcast, season 1, episode 8: Project 573, March 8, 2026, written, narrated, and produced by Tod Maffin, aka Your Emotional Support Canadian)

Beany Brownie Points and Extra Bonus Funniness

Wonderful Wednesday

Wonderful Wednesday was a day once a year in college when they would suddenly and surprisingly call off all classes and we’d play all day. The cafeteria provided special fun food and we’d do stuff outside like slip ‘n slides and jello wrestling in sumo suits. This segment of Beany Brain is dedicated to that memory of silliness and fun—no words, just a photo from the week that I’ve taken or found that reminds me to let the joy in. Since Beany Brain is published on Wednesday every week (at least, Wednesday in Japan), I hope you enjoy this Wonderful Wednesday.

Photo by Abigail Munday

Today’s Beany-full Summary:

  • A short list of my favorite pet peeves because I am human.

  • Cognitive shuffling can help you fall back to sleep without counting sheep.

  • Go forth in Beany joy. What will help you feel yeehawesome this week?

Thank you for reading this installment of Beany Brain! You’re very welcome to hop on by any old time.

If you’re enjoying Beany Brain, please share with a friend or seventeen at www.beanybrain.com. Cheers big time!