Emchap's Shit from the Internet 08/18/21 🍠
The heat has broken in Portland (possibly temporarily but shhh) and I have put on jeans for the first time in six months. Thanks to the elastic content of the typical Old Navy pant, they fit, but it is nonetheless a reminder that my body is absolutely a different size than it was going into this. (My typical wardrobe of todder clothes but adult sized tends to be extremely size-flexible.)
I don’t have any particularly deep thoughts on that part of it—I was thin when I was younger though I did not think I was, and am now fat, and will likely stay somewhere in that realm, and being 18 and thin and convinced I was fundamentally unattractive doesn’t seem to have been any more fun than being 30 and fat and heavily invested in Polish lingerie brands—and was mostly just happy to not have to pay for new pants, as my budget this month has been blown on outfitting my new apartment and also buying a respirator should the air quality here get notably worse like it did last year.
I was slightly startled to discover that the air quality that freaked everyone out over the weekend, at least in my neighborhood, was similar to what I think of as normal LA air quality. This is less a comment on it being Fine, Actually and more a comment on how living in LA has almost certainly shortened my lifespan. LA is of course refusing to keep to this narrative by having better air quality today than Portland does, though it looks like the weekend will get up into the 100s, which is no good for anyone.
Portland so far continues to be pleasant, and I continue to miss my friends in other cities. Last night I went to meet some friends for dinner (tremendous Thai food) and was pleased to realize as a big group of cyclists went by where we were seated that a friend of mine was in the group; that kind of recognizing people is something I associate with Atlanta, and though at home it could sometimes feel claustrophobic it was also comforting, in the way that living near neighborfriends in LA was comforting. It’s good to have folks around.
Shit to read
Deprived as I am of an oven until I pay someone to resolve the issue, I was completely charmed by this no-cook dinner party column. I own a dining table again, so hopefully hosting is in my eventual future.
Though Amanda Mull unquestionably has different risk tolerance than I do I appreciated this piece from her on the frustrating ways in which Delta has changed risk calculus.
I will read anything AHP writes about Peloton forever and ever.
This Choire Sicha piece on new Gawker just killed me, it’s so great.
Stop aping Facebook’s fucking illustrations I swear to god.
Second AHP appearance in the newsletter this week but I loved loved loved this piece about a childless friend of her parents. My parents had friends who did not raise children (most notably my mom’s two best friends from the Peace Corps, and my aunt, who rules) and I’m so glad to have had them around in my life.
Though I am frustrated by folks who are unvaccinated I am also keenly aware that part of the issue is that we won’t give people paid time off.
Fuck I love diet coke even if it makes my mouth taste like pennies.
My friend Kylie once revealed to me that she made the absolutely sensible decision to buy a case of mid-tier wine to keep in her apartment so that she could bring it to events where she was expected to bring something, and it felt so clever and so glamorous to me, and I have just realized that I could become that person.
Shit to eat
Realize during a morning meeting that you look like a dead person.
On a second morning meeting where you are going camera off, place your laptop precariously on the trashcan while you grind a scoop of coffee.
Fill the bottom of your moka pot with water and plop the grinds in the top; place it on the back right burner over medium.
Marvel once again at how your apartment which does not have an oven has a stove in which every burner is nicer than the nicest burners you’ve ever had, and on which your coffee will be brewed in half the normal time.
Once the coffee pot starts making chewbacca noises, take it off the heat. Put a few ounces of whole milk in a coffee shaker, and shake it until it is foamy.
Fill a glass with ice, pour the coffee over the ice, stir.
Top with milk.
Add more ice as needed to make it actually cool.
Drink while riding out the last 40 remaining meeting minutes.
Shit to watch
Dropout just released the first episode of its new Dimension 20 season and man I’m excited.
Shit to buy
I just bought goofy startup paint and am very excited to have a different-colored bedroom soon.