Emchap's Shit from the Internet 11/4/20 š
I have no clever thoughts about where weāre at, currently; Iām just hopeful for small local victories (Nithya, Measure J), and very sad about Prop 22 and our second-time-around rejection of rent control, and very anxious about the federal election and what comes next.
I was off work today and spent much of it talking to my sister from her parked car, which she has converted to a camper van in order to travel the country to admire the national parks in a socially-distanced fashion. She made a comment in passing about how hard it is not to just be constantly furious at knowing that this has gone from something weāll look back on as āa few weird monthsā to āa weird yearā to āweird years,ā because she saw someone posting about how it will be March in 4 months, and she laughed at the joke, and then realized that In Fact.
And obviously I could have it much worse than I have, I am so incredibly lucky in very many ways, but I turned 29 the week lockdown began (necessitating a hasty exit from Ireland) and it is impossible not to be constantly, totally angry that this stupid fascist fuck took the last year of my 20s away through incompetence on top of every single other horrible fucking thing heās done. Much like the Hulk, I am angry all the time, with the ground-down molars to prove it.
I did not go into the election with any sense of optimism because the country is very racist and I am very tired, and still the not-knowing is horrible. But, as my friends who run a mutual aid group have pointed out, no matter what happens our neighbors without housing will need help, and we can do good things not once but many times.
My chorus, which I miss very much, sent this email, and I am keeping it taped to my mental mirror:
Regardless of the results of this election cycle, we will continue to meet! To sing! To fight!Ā
With love, Onwards!
Shit to read
I donāt agree with all of this piece but I think recognizing when the consequence youāre afraid of is an uncomfortable feeling is a valuable step in adulthood. Discomfort is temporary.
The boomers have brain worms.
Who the fuck is seeing live standup indoors right now.
I disagree with Mullās choice of dutch oven but I very much made the āwell I donāt have a Cuisinart, Iām not marriedā joke multiple times before I just bought myself one last year.
Husk Target has arrived and itās disappointing.
This almost made me want to try watching the stupid Paris show again.
Raccoons are natureās reality TV.
As someone who has avoided the vast majority of Zoom hangouts besides one-on-one drinks (they feel awful to me for reasons I canāt articulate) and who is depressed in general, this felt so, so true.
Shit to eat
Buy a sack of tater tots. Dealerās choice on the brand.
Next time when you are sad because of the collapse of, yāknow, everything, follow the instructions on the bag to make the tater tots. If you eat bacon, put the tater tots on a rack over a sheet pan and add the bacon next to them.
While theyāre in the oven, put a pan or a pot over medium heat. Put some fat (I used bacon grease, you can do what moves you) and an equal-ish amount of flour in.
Whisk until theyāre combined in a paste. Keep cooking for a few minutes until it darkens.
Once it is satisfying, slowly pour milk (or thinned-out cream, or whatever) in and stir. Donāt do it all at once or it gets weird and doesnāt come together. You know how gravy works.
Once thatās all stirred together, put it on medium low and grate a bunch of cheese.
Sprinkle it in a bit at a time, whisking after each, until itās all fully melted.
Taste and salt and pepper it.
Optionally, steam half a sweet potato and mash it up and incorporate it. Re-salt, re-pepper if so.
Let it cook until the tots or done or until itās thickened like you want.
Take out the tots, and put half in a bowl. On top of them, put half the bacon and half the cheese gravy.
Rest of tots, rest of bacon, rest of cheese gravy. If you have herbs, cut them up and put them on top.
Eat with a fork on the couch while high out of your gourd because of election anxiety.
Shit to listen to
I sing this song in the shower a lot. I miss chorus.
Shit to buy
I desperately want this novelty loaf pan.
I just bought 3 pairs of pants for $25 off of Poshmark, so, that? Or another pair of joggers. Iām pretty sure these are the ones I just bought used and Iām a big fan.