WordPress, the host of my blog, is starting to pull out all sorts of tricks to get us more involved, or so I imagine, since people tend not to like long-form blogging anymore, seeming to prefer the photos, quick clips, and brief comments posted on most social networking sites. Some of what WordPress is doing is fun — for example, I won a “streak freeze” badge, which if I’m reading it right, if I miss a day of blogging activity, it still counts as an active day. It won’t matter to me and my personal stats, though. If I miss a day, I’m honest enough to admit it, if only to myself, but so far this year, I’ve posted each day. (149 days in a row so far.)
Oddly, though WordPress does keep tabs of my posting “streak,” they’ve only been counting the past ten days for their new activity badge, so according to that I’m on a 10-day streak.
Another thing they are doing, besides the badges and different challenges, is listing the blogs I posted on a particular day. Supposedly, I’ve only posted five times on a May 29th, but they don’t seem to include the ten years prior to 2016 when I was blogging every day. If I really cared, of course, I could go back and find those posts for myself, but I don’t. Don’t care, I mean. The past is the past.
Still, I did check out a few of the previous May 29 posts that they listed, and I came across an interesting one that seems to fit today’s blog prompt. In the post, When You Have to Go, I mentioned all the different places I went when I had to “go” during my cross-country trip, and I found a bit of advice that I’d forgotten. I don’t even remember who told me, but it was profound to me, anyway. She suggested that when I was camping, I should take a quart yogurt container into the tent for late night emergencies. The container easily contours to fit, and the cover made it spill proof. I followed her advice, and it truly was miraculous! I keep a container in my house in case of plumbing problems, which has also been a boon.
Okay, so the advice wasn’t profound in the sense of emotional or philosophical depth, or of something with far-reaching significance, and I’m sure it wasn’t the most profound advice I’d ever been given (though I can’t think of any such advice offhand), and yet, when you have to go, there’s nothing more profound than a place (or a yogurt container) to find relief.
Incidentally, the photo attached to this post is one I took at the Kohler Design Center located in Kohler, Wisconsin. If you look closely, you will see that the sculpture, which took up an entire wall, was created from dozens of stacked toilets.
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Pat Bertram is the author of Grief: The Inside Story – A Guide to Surviving the Loss of a Loved One
Bertram's Blog 
May 29, 2026 at 2:13 pm
I was amazed at your photo. I am not sure if I have seen that many toilets ever. Maybe in my whole life. However, I don’t really look at them. I just kind of do what needs done and go on with life.
May 29, 2026 at 5:51 pm
That whole museum was just hilarious. And fascinating.
May 29, 2026 at 2:37 pm
I shall now make a point of carrying an empty yoghurt container. Thank you!
May 29, 2026 at 5:52 pm
I think I cleared the one out of my car. Maybe I should rethink that.
May 30, 2026 at 12:07 am
I share your appreciation for blogging as a space for deeper thoughts and stories that don’t fit into a quick social media post.
May 30, 2026 at 5:35 am
Nice!
May 30, 2026 at 5:46 am
I literally lost my bladder at night near the library one time and walked the rest of the way home pretty much commando under my dress. But wow 🤩 🚽
May 30, 2026 at 5:13 pm
The toilet sculpture is amazing!! This is the best picture I’ve seen on a blog in a long time!
May 30, 2026 at 6:33 pm
It really is amazing. An entire wall filled with nothing but stacked toilets. Who would have thought?
June 4, 2026 at 8:09 pm
I’ve been getting those prompts and “awards” from WordPress lately — I kind of like the links to posts I’ve written on particular days, and I often am surprised by something I posted many years ago. Even before these prompts, many bits of information I have found by searching my own blog! Thank you for sharing this very practical tip that you were reminded of!!
June 5, 2026 at 6:20 am
I was going to turn off the link to old posts, but it’s been interesting taking a look at old posts. I’d forgotten so many.