Just Good Shit: 05.24.20
Today’s New York Times lists the names of 1,000 people who have died from COVID-19 in the United States — a small fraction of the 100,000 known deaths in the U.S. as of now. I don’t know how anyone can look at these people’s names and the tiny snippets of their lives — “founded a food pantry” “known as ‘the fashionista’ in her nursing home” “thought it was important to know a person’s life story” “Broadway costume designer” “worked mostly factory jobs to support his family” “an exuberant laugh” — and think that the threats of coronavirus are exaggerated, or believe that the country is ready to “reopen,” or say that these 100,000+ lives didn’t matter. Of course they mattered. They were people. They they had families and friends and nicknames and talents and inside jokes and memories and now they are gone.
It’s all so sad, so shameful, and I feel so angry reading this less than hour after watching a group of four semi-masked people get out of a car and walk, giggling, up to a neighbor’s door while carrying three bulging Whole Foods bags, a large bowl covered in plastic wrap, and a big box labeled “Angus beef patties” that took two hands to carry. It’s utterly astonishing to me that so many people have died — and are still dying!!! — and so many of other people simply….decided the rules must be different now, because they are just…tired of living like this??? Like, we’re all tired of living like this. The answer is still no.
Here’s what else I had going on this week…
Writing
My shit, elsewhere
I had a really nice conversation with Shereen Marisol Meraji for NPR’s Life Kit, which aired in two parts this week: An Illustrated Guide To Showing Up For Yourself and What To Say When A Friend Is Struggling. I also participated in a Reddit AMA with some other recent Life Kit guests.
And I’m really excited that Girls’ Night In selected The Art of Showing Up as their June book club read! I’ll be doing a virtual event with GNI and Politics & Prose on June 19; you can RSVP here.
Reading
How to Have a Safer Pandemic Memorial Day, The New York Times.
I’m sharing this not because I think you should gather for Memorial Day (or…for any other reason right now), but because I think it’s helpful to see how high the burden of lowering the risk when gathering is.
‘I Really Need to Go Home’: The Cruise Ship Employees Still Stuck at Sea, VICE.
11 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Therapy Right Now, SELF.
Stewed Awakening, Eater.
Cooking Your Way Through the Pandemic, The Atlantic.
The best $19.98 I ever spent: A seatbelt extender, The Goods / Vox.
Lana Del Rey Could Have Left This One in the Drafts, Jezebel.
I'm running out of patience when we need patience the most, Ask a Manager.
How to Have a Fun Conversation Again, The New York Times.
Loved this.
Cooking
My windowsill scallions grew very tall very quickly! Thrilling. I used them to make a half portion of this scallion butter, which we put on top of the cornbread we had with taco soup. Now I’m currently midway through the process of making this homemade pizza, which is coming along nicely. And I can’t remember if I shared the NYT Cooking Cheesy White Bean-Tomato Bake when I first made it, but it’s great — low-fuss and delicious, a great lunch recipe for lovers of chickpea pasta.
Have a good Sunday night. 💛
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