Food I recently made brunch for a friend who is gluten-free. I decided upon shakshuka, one of my favorite meals to throw together, but wasn’t sure what carbs to eat it with, since I usually have it with a side of bread. And then inspiration struck me and I thought, why not grits! So I cooked up a pot of stone-ground grits full of butter, spooned a little bed onto each plate, and topped them with a hefty serving of…
Dear friend, March in North Carolina is a profusion of bursting spring and warm days and bare feet, and it’s a lovely month. In New York, not so much. There are signs of life, such as the tiny little crocuses braving the wind, which I walk past every day on my commute, and admire. The still-necessary coats require ever so slightly less down lining, and the occasional bare ankle or cracked window can be braved. But all that aside, March…
It is not uncommon for me to stumble across conversations where I hear people remark sadly, “I wish I were a reader.” Well, as someone who is a reader, although of a lesser variety than some hardy folks, I am happy to offer a few tips to go from non-reader to reader. I realize that if you are not a reader, you are not reading this post, making it completely pointless, but perhaps this is a good thing, as this…
Why is cooking not a generally accepted life skill? Here’s the thing- we all must eat to live, and eating requires, at the most basic level, some form of cooking. We don’t make it a point of conversation to ask people if they know how to brush their teeth or bathe, and then act excited when we find out they are actually very good at such activities. “Oh my goodness, you know how to floss!? Can you please teach me?…
Now that the world has somewhat opened up, I once again find myself with long stretches on the train, casting about for ways to amuse myself. Although I have a trusty little office at home and don’t have daily commutes to work, I do have frequent hours on the train to church and back, as well as to other social events, and since I don’t always manage to have a book at my fingertips (sometimes I run out of mass…
One. The Bullfrog Opera, by The Okee Dokee Brothers. This one is just nonsensical enough to tickle my fancy. I mean, “We’ve got Broadway tickets to see a line of crickets, and the loons are playing Carnegie Hall…” Yes please. Not to mention, the woodwind woven through out is da bomb. Two. Be Kind to Yourself, by Andrew Peterson. For a long time, I didn’t get the Andrew Peterson fans. My friends kept going on about how much they loved…
Why does the world not contain more deviled eggs? You know those Sunday evening meetings that happen sometimes when a random guest speaker or singing group comes through the area? Nobody really quite wants to attend, because half the time the music is bad or the presentation dull, but at least there’s food afterward to buoy one’s spirits. You know the spread too- bowls of popcorn and vegetable trays and cookies and (if you’re from my NC church) lots and…
Hello all, and welcome to the second half of 2020, the year of yellow skittles and socks which slide down and curdled cream in your coffee. Everyone likes to talk about “the new normal”, a term which I deeply dislike, but which does seem to pretty much sum up the human race trying to figure out their lives this year. One of “the new normal” things we’ve all had to learn to deal with, with varying levels of graciousness and…
I don’t spend a lot of time being scared of my surroundings in the city. Perhaps I’m naive, but I carry my pepper spray (when I remember it) and watch my surroundings and usually I feel pretty safe. That said, there are a certain number of things that I deal with here that are just downright scary. Would you like to hear about them? One. I get so nervous in turnstiles. Am I alone in this fear? I don’t too…
…Except I kind of was. I spent the last couple of years poring over articles and pictures of New York City. I read all kinds of guides for making your finances stretch and the best neighborhoods to live in and the hot spots to visit. I read listicles and blogs and books about the city- I mean, I even have a NYC coloring book! I think you could safely say I had done my research. So while these things didn’t surprise…
Much in the same way as I am sensible, I am also thrifty. My Amish heritage serves me well when I’m faced with decisions such as, “Should I buy a Lamborghini or an old Corolla for my next ride?” and thrift usually wins out. So when my friend and I wanted to add a trip to Philly to our fall, but weren’t sure it was sensible, I was ready with my reasons. “Oh, we can do a budget trip,” I…
The guy who can’t imagine doing something as menial as his own housework. His mother packs his lunch and cleans his bathroom and washes his bed and all his dishes, because it has never crossed his mind that he could and should take care of himself. Sometimes this guy moves into his own house, and then he lives in a pit of grime and junk food, because he doesn’t ever think he should have to do something like wiping down a…