Buckle up, people. This week I’m on a rambling stream of consciousness while being raw, real and un-apologetically obsessed with these four finds:

1. FinalStraw: The brainchild of a former colleague’s son is the world’s first collapsible and reusable straw. The campaign was trending on Earth Day and featured on BuzzFeed’s Facebook, so it’s no surprise they’ve exceeded their fundraising goal by more than 680%. But, they could still use any support — and couldn’t you use a nifty, Earth-friendly gadget?
2. “I Want to Be Rich and I’m Not Sorry”: I loved this NYT opinion piece and felt the need to pay it forward to you. Jessica Knoll shares her definition of success. As a fellow writer, of course it resonated with me. But I think any woman can understand the confusion of “…conflicting messages of millennial womanhood: to be ambitious but never bossy, strong but skinny, honest but polite, supportive of my fellow sisters’ success while the culture gets off on girl fights.” Enjoy.
3. A Sweet Treat: A mid-week and mid-afternoon slump is just about as good a reason as ever for a treat yo’self timeout. Luckily, my work husband is a certified genius and McDonald’s master: He bought a bunch of us the iconic Mickey D’s vanilla soft-serve and poured a bit of office coffee over them for makeshift affogatos. Delizioso! (Note: This photo is a stock image, not of the actual creation.)
4. “Whatever Makes You Happy” – Jennifer Hudson f. Juicy J: Although I abandoned “Empire” after season 2, I still regularly listen to the soundtracks of seasons’ past. This earworm has probably the most simple chorus of all time, but it hooks me nonetheless. It could be J. Hud’s powerhouse vocals or Juicy J’s swag, but I think you’ll find it equally as entrancing.