I am taking a long break from writing about the incoherent, incredibly dangerous, and ridiculously incompetent GOP administration now in control.

I’d like this space in my life to be about something else. It’s not like I have a giant platform, and I’ve found more impactful ways to try to thread the needle in opposition to the authoritarian threat our own government currently poses to us.

Constantly trying to make sense out of this spiritually corrosive, intellectually baseless planned chaos isn’t particularly salutary, and most especially not now, as I appear to have a spate of six day weeks in the offing.

So, in the spirit of thinking and writing about other things, I read this paragraph a week or so ago, and boy did it resonate:

“I just think that in August, much like in February, people gradually² lose their marbles. Waiting for autumn, much like waiting for spring, at some point starts feeling like a sort of personal challenge. A countdown, even. Like, okay, I just have to make it to March/September, and everything will be fine; just a few more weeks and then a new season will begin. In the new season I can make myself anew. Better yet: I will no longer freeze/scorch to death every time I leave the house.

what if outrage were a finite resource? - by Clara

on sydney sweeney, august, etc

I thought it was just me who starts to feel this way in August! It doesn’t help that between the wildfire smoke and swampy heat, we haven’t enjoyed a lot of very pleasant weather this Summer anyway.

Nonetheless, this has still certainly been a joyful Summer of saying “Yes!” to new experiences and reliving past enjoyable ones.

2.

If the last few years have taught me anything, it’s that being ready to pivot at any moment is often necessary, and circumstances can alter blindingly fast.

I was quite happy two years ago working as a hotel bartender, but pivoting back to working as a Sommelier has turned out to be a very good thing, and slightly easier on my body, and I definitely missed being plugged into the world of wine.

A month or so ago, I tasted a Napa Valley Koshu (made from a cotton candy pink Japanese wine grape) and it was a completely new and magical experience.

3

I detest the phrase “life hack,” as it seems squarely situated in the corner of the internet where all of the advertising is click bait or revolting images of infected ankles, but I offer these suggestions more in the spirit of Diana Vreeland’s “Why don’t you” essays.

First thought: you can buy dried lemon rind online, and never zest again:

Proper lemon zesting is well beyond my capacities, and our available lemons do not lend themselves to the practice anyway, so this is a great easy way to hit dishes with some zesty acidity with significantly less frustration.

Second thought: slice peeled garlic cloves and preserve them in white vinegar in the fridge in a small deli container or jar. Like Todd English and most sane culinarians, I find the utility of minced garlic limited, as it is mushy and prone to burn, whereas slivered garlic works beautifully across the board, and unlike onions, it does not drink up all the vinegar it is sitting in like an allium tosspot.

Third and final thought: teach yourself to be kind to annoying people. I think even truly terrible people think they’re doing their best, but socially awkward, self-obsessed or otherwise just plain insufferable people who are generally operating in good faith deserve kindness, and it’s good practice for maintaining one’s equilibrium when things become actually difficult.