Hi. I meant to sit down on Tuesday because I have pictures and things to share. I didn’t. I meant to sit down yesterday and type up a big long list of links to share for today. I didn’t. (I was also supposed to have a much needed social distanced patio date with a friend who I miss SO SO SO much that didn’t happen either because #life.)
- This instagram post says everything I want to say when someone brags about being “not political”.
- Best way to wash and dry salad greens.
- The Bookcase Flex. (Very important background for zoom meetings.)
- The Confederacy was an antidemocratic centralized state.
- A statue I can get behind.
- The Athenian Plague serves as a warning.
- What risks do you feel comfortable taking?
- I did this today. I think I’ll do it again tomorrow.
- Best ever pandemic bra.
- The bread is over.
- Netflix this week. (Umm, Unsolved Mysteries is definitely happening. LOVED that show when I was younger.)
- This. is. my. favorite. thing. written. ever.
- Introverts are valuable employees.
- This.
- I’m still learning.
- I learn a lot from Rachel Cargle too.
- This bread is so, so, so good. I make it with my discard every week.
- But next week I want to try these.
Which makes me think I need to tell you a secret about my unhealthy relationship with my starter. It’s very happy. I leave it in the fridge for a week (sometimes two) and it always behaves reliably. I trust it implicitly. The problem is me. I just don’t LOVE baking. It’s fiddly. It’s hot. I keep wanting to break up, but I can’t bring myself to do so because all it has done is exactly what it is supposed to have done – help me bake tasty breads. Ridiculous.
On that note, I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hugs.
So many great articles in this post, Kate, especially #10 and #12.
Two hours ago, my daughter and her BF arrived for the weekend. They brought me a sourdough starter. I did ask for it, but I’m not entirely sure I’m up to taking on the responsibility…
Have a good weekend, Kate 🙂
Oh, you’ve got this, Marian!! Have a wonderful time with your daughter and her BF!! (You picked my favorite two!!)
I want to hear all about what you are making!!
What risks do you feel comfortable taking? This article in slate was so very good!!! I made a goal to send you a note before bed, Kate. I went through several of similar thoughts in the article this week as I was terrified on Sunday and had to push myself into taking a risk for a Wednesday appointment that caused great anxiety for me. Afterwards I went over and over in my mind as to if that appointment was worth the risk. I think not, but I would not know until I went through it. I seem to obsessively think and I’m feeling obsessive compulsive insane for all the washing, the touching, the distancing. Obsessive Compulsive, I tell you!
Your favorite thing written ever… had me curious, so I read it first on the list. And I can see why. I was good.
I love hearing your secret!!! Mother-in-law’s secret was to place the yeast rising dough in the bowl covered with a cotton clothe towel on top of the refrigerator (not inside) over night! Hmmm life thoughts change. Inside seems much more sanitary. Had a good laugh with thoughts. I tried making dough, but several times failed with yeast rising!! My thought circle… Ridiculous. (too) Happy you learn to make delicious bread!!
I, too, had an appointment this week that caused me great anxiety. I’m glad I did it and I’m trying to force myself to do *some* things (with proper masking and distancing and precautions in place). We still haven’t had a very large surge in our area though but I’m seeing more and more people out so I think it’s coming.
Bread making is something else. I’m jealous of people who can do it consistently well (and enjoy it).
Oh dear Kate, sometimes we have similar challenges. Anxiety! Over what I suspect most people would think that going to an appointment is a simple task of the day or an annoyance or even a pleasure for some people. For me it is a great challenge emotionally and physically as I suspect for you as well, so I truly understand you.
My appointment did provide one good result with a blood test result Friday night that my overactive thyroid is improving and I need to reduce med (sometimes I go into remission). So that part was good to learn!!! This was with a new endocrinologist who was accepting new patients. And my new primary care physician although ran the blood test wasn’t comfortable prescribing the treatment plan that I choose. So I had to go to get the prescription or live without the prescription.
I wonder if the move is actually working to help me with anxiety and depression… or perhaps that now that I’m in my new place I am self staying at home… or the new med for the anxiety and depression that I started taking with the new primary doctor is actually working. I imagine that it is most probably a combination of all. (Perhaps that’s optimistic.)
BUT but but at the risk of catching the high surge of COVID19 that is here in the county that I reside and the Doctor’s office is located at the hospital which is where those who are with this so contagious disease are struggling to survive. If the doctor’s office was is a small independent office, I would have had less anxiety, but still some anxiety.
Perhaps you receive good results with your appointment as you were glad you took the risk. And I wondered you?
I’m so glad to hear that for all the anxiety you had to face going to your appointment, the results were good.
I, too, would bet it’s a combination of all. How wonderful!!
?
SO MANY THINGS TO SAY.
First, I love Unsolved Mysteries as well. Robert Stack…..SO CREEPY. His voice, that is. 🙂
Also, I love Yoga with Adrienne. I can’t really do yoga anymore because I get vertigo but I used to do yoga with her videos for years.
The article about the ER doctor is one I have read before and used it to help guide me when we returned to some sense of normalcy. If you haven’t watched it already, I strongly recommend watching Lenox Hill on Netflix. Especially the recently added Pandemic episode. It is heartbreaking but it needs to be watched.
I love these Friday posts so much. 🙂
I’m going to add Lenox Hill to my Netflix list. (Though I’m not in a good place for heartbreaking.)
Robert Stack was PERFECT at his job. I had such a love/hate relationship with that show. (And I my mom HATED when I watched it because I would freak myself right out!!)
I started this post yesterday, but there are so many good things in it I couldn’t finish in one sitting.
There’s a lot of bread here. 🙂 I read the Paris Review essay a while back, and it pairs so nicely with #12. I’m going to need to read that one a few times. I really love the writing. I’d like to write like that. I think sometimes I am afraid too. That if I really let out how I’m really feeling, the keyboard might erupt into flames. I am probably also afraid that I don’t have the skill to make it sound like anything more than whining. Or wailing.
As for risks, well. I appreciate the recommendations for how to be safe. I truly do and have been using them to get out in the world. Because it’s becoming more and more clear to me that: 1) infection is spreading and likely to get worse; 2) I’m going to be exposed at work in the fall; I am not feeling like staying sequestered this summer. I think it’s going to be a long, hard winter because we won’t be able to socialize outside the way we can now. Outside is the only way I am, other than with the close circle of those I live with. If I’m going to have to take risks in the fall anyway and go for long periods of time without seeing friends and extended family, I’m going to take some reasonable ones now–like socializing outside and expanding shopping a bit more (always with a mask). I appreciate that we know more now that we did earlier about how it spreads, so that I can feel like I don’t have to be quite so closed off from everyone.
Take care, Kate. I really appreciate your posts so much.
There really is a lot of bread this weekend. I’ve needed something to focus my nervous energy on and I’ve realized bread is kind of like knitting – you can learn how to do it better, you can tweak things, you can find better techniques – but you can’t really PERFECT it. Leaves lots of room for try, try again.
I think I liked that article because it allows for everyone’s calculus to be different. We’re all going to take risks differently. My only stipulation is that it’d be really nice if we didn’t have to debate about masks. (But I know you’re with me on that, so I won’t get on my soapbox.) And yes, winter is going to be hard. I’m not ready to think about that yet though.
You take care too, Rita. Hope you’re getting to relax into summer.