Emchap's Shit from the Internet 12/23/20 🍠
I quit my job!
Technically that happened a couple of weeks ago, but today was my last day at Help Scout, where I’ve been for the last two years. It has given me some amazing friendships, strong feelings about backend architecture, and some wonderful career opportunities; I’m so glad to have spent time there. I don’t talk about work a ton in the newsletter because anyone who is interested in my feelings about it already works with me and subscribes to the newsletter to instead see my thirst-musings about Alabamans, but it is of course the major consuming emotional event of the week.
I’ll be resting for the next week and a half, and then I’ll be on off to the next thing. But for now, I’ll be enjoying eggnog, fruits made out of marzipan, and deep dives into the muppet back catalogue. There are worse ways to wind down as we bid farewell to this horrible year.
Happy Christmas Adam! Leave treats out for the Crimcram Crime Ram; break a rule or he’ll steal your presents. (Please click through, the thread includes crowdsourced rewrites of Christmas carols that make me cry laughing.)
Shit to read
Amazon seems like a horrible place to work and this interview with one of its engineers was fascinating.
I enjoy long arguments about things that don’t matter and also puppets, so obviously this was my shit.
Please read this review of Love Actually.
I loved this series of male nudes.
When Ask Polly is right she’s very right!
I mean obviously I am obsessed with this woman who blew up her life to date a Victorian ghost doll and/or got out of her marriage in a way that will allow her to sell a book but obviously I want to know everyone’s feelings on it.
This piece from Jami Attenberg about what it is to put down roots was really good, I thought. I have a bedframe but I haven’t lived in the same apartment for more than 2 years since I left home, so it resonated.
My coworker sent me this ABSOLUTELY BANANAS piece about mommy bloggers and I’m obsessed.
This piece about getting high and making croissants was completely charming.
I would not describe this as a body positive piece, but I think the core of it (being trapped in human terrariums for a year has made us all physically awful feeling) is very true for me, at least. I previously kept in whatever shape I was in by walking to public transit and generally living my life, and that’s all gone now and I feel like a lab rat.
Part of why I want to move is to get a guest room, so I felt this.
Shit to eat
Look to see if the least unethical feeling grocery delivery app has eggnog.
It does not.
Look to see what goes in eggnog.
See if the app has cream, milk, and eggs.
It does.
When the goods arrive, separate out six of the whites and the yolks.
Toss the yolks and a cup of sugar into a mixer, and beat them together until it’s lightened.
Add a cup of cream, two cups of milk, and a cup and a half of bourbon (#yolo).
Mix those in.
You’re done! Let it sit for a day or several in the fridge, and when ready to serve, whip the egg whites to firm peaks and fold them in. (If you add them before serving, which I did, they will separate a bit and need to be re-stirred, which, whatever.)
(Adapted from the Kitchn recipe, fingers crossed I don’t get salmonella.)
Shit to watch
I’ll be watching this video of Jim Henson’s memorial service and sobbing tomorrow, so, join me!
Shit to buy
It’s Christmas, don’t buy anything.