What did you do in 2021 that you’d never done before? Lost a sibling; started a flossing habit; biked a metric century; biked to Indiana; caught a mouse with my own hands; eliminated dairy from my diet for an extended time; solo parented for a weekend; actively sought out professional mentorship; took both kids ice skating; dropped a kid off for day camp; met with a flying consul.
Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? My word for 2021 was NOTICE. I did a lot of noticing!
Did anyone close to you give birth? No
Did anyone close to you die? My brother Eric died a week before his 25th birthday.
What countries (or new places) did you visit? I biked to Indiana a number of times.
What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021? Childcare.
What date from 2021 will remain etched up on your memory, and why? February 22. While making dinner (red curry with butternut squash) the evening of the 21st, I got a call from my sister. Our brother was dead. They found him at home. I somehow got through the rest of the evening, including calling my parents, largely in a state of shock.
What was your biggest achievement of the year? This was probably the best year I’ve had at my job but also the hardest.
Did you suffer illness or injury? We thankfully avoided COVID for all of 2021 despite close family exposures. I was diagnosed with (more) osteoarthritis in my foot in September which a couple of months of PT helped address.
What was the best thing you bought? I intentionally didn’t buy clothes for 6 months which was pretty terrific and helped shift my awareness of consumption a bit. I bought panniers for my bike that were instrumental in supporting bike adventures and facilitating grocery runs. Right now I’m appreciating my adjustable kettlebells for home workouts.
Whose behavior merited celebration? Everyone who got vaccinated even if they were afraid to do so. Everyone who put their community ahead of their individual desires.
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Everyone who had the option to get vaccinated but didn’t. Everyone who participated in the Capitol invasion. Everyone who tried to interfere with other people making responsible choices for their health and the health of our communities. A whole lot of white people.
Where did most of your money go? Food and rent.
What did you get really, really, really excited about? Beans. Biking.
What song will always remind you of 2021?
Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? Sadder ii. richer or poorer? Richer
What do you wish you’d done more of? Running, traveling, spending time with other people.
What do you wish you’d done less of? Making complex choices about COVID risks. Worrying about COVID. Reading about COVID.
How did you spend Christmas? In Rockford with my family. We got a hotel room for the night and it made a world of difference in terms of stress. I made Roberto The Soup for Christmas Eve dinner, and Mark and I made breakfast tacos for Christmas Day. My sister’s kids were under the weather earlier in the week, so we didn’t get to spend much time with them, but it was wonderful to all be together. We got to have a bit of outside time in the afternoon, including uncovering a nest of mice in the treehouse, but left in time to be home for dinner. It was wonderful to have the time together, particularly during the first holiday season after Eric’s death.
Did you fall in love in 2021? I fell in love with my bike all over again. Also beans.
What was the best thing you ate? I went all in on beans.
What was your favorite TV program? The Expanse.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No, pretty much the same jerks year after year.
What was your greatest musical discovery? The Hackers Soundtrack is as good as I remembered.
What did you want and get? Hundreds of miles on my bike. Really great tan lines. Trips to the beach with the kids. HUGS. Several glorious restaurant meals. More than one professional haircut. A new friend or two.
What did you want and not get? Mostly travel, but also peace of mind.
What was your favorite film of the year? Dune, which I’m so glad I was able to see in the theater.
What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 41. The small kid and I went out in the snow to pick up an early morning birthday coffee. I felt depressed about having a midwinter, mid-pandemic birthday when I couldn’t go anywhere or do anything or see anyone. I think we ordered pizza and I made cocktails. I don’t think we had cake. The next morning we drove up north to pick up pastries from Sauce and Bread. We took a snowy walk in Roseland Cemetery and saw a bunch of deer. I made ramen for dinner.
Since plans on my actual birthday weren’t possible, we had lunch at Reggie’s On The Beach for my half birthday. No friends or cocktails, but I’ll take it.
What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? More travel. More hugs.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2021? Jean shorts and my David Rose-esque star sweater for the 2nd year in a row.
What kept you sane? Nicolas, my sister, Eva, Kim and Angie, KZ, Jenny and Iona, my 5 year journal.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Who has time for that?
What political issue stirred you the most? I had the opportunity to participate in the Racial Equity Institute’s Groundwater workshop which was absolutely transformational for me. Every day offers an ongoing recommitment to undoing white supremacy, past and present.
1. What did you do in 2019 that you’d never done before?
Hired a babysitter; served on a conference planning committee; traveled internationally with two children; saw a world record being broken; wore a stick-on heart rate monitor for multiple weeks; successfully made falafel and a trifle and fish and a bunch of other semi-ambitious dishes; lost a kid in a crowded public place; got mastitis (twice!).
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I made a 40×40 list, but finished less than half of it, so I’m extending the deadline until my 41st birthday.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Several friends, but no one in my inner circle.
5. What countries (or new places) did you visit?
No new places this year. We spent 3 weeks in Belgium, including a day trip to Holland to visit family. I went to Champaign 3 times for work, and Iowa 3 times for sad reasons.
6. What would you like to have in 2020 that you lacked in 2019?
Financial independence (or at least a path there)
7. What date from 2019 will remain etched up on your memory, and why?
A lot of stuff happened this year, and as a result, many of the dates are fuzzy. I remember very clearly where I was when I learned that my grandma died, but I couldn’t tell you the date – it was the first week of August, and the funeral was a few days before the baby’s birthday, but that’s all I’ve got.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Mostly keeping my shit together from August through mid-November. Graduating from therapy. These things are related.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Patience. With myself, my partner, my big kid.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I’m very grateful that 2019 was medically very boring.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Weleda Skin Food. My Get to Workbook. The no frills men’s jeans I bought at C&A after yet another pair of pants failed me.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My kids are amazing, even if they drive me bananas at times. The big kid, age 5, is an avid letter writer and is doing 4th grade math and can play chess and poker and piano (if he pays attention to what he’s doing) and ran 5K on his birthday and has been drawing all of these involved pictures depicting all of the important things from our trip to Belgium. He plans to move to Belgium when he is 18, but he also plans to open a coffee shop near Boston called CoffeeFish. The small kid, age 16 months, is clever and naughty and irrepressibly joyful. He has a head of curls and adores his big brother and runs to the door and yells MA! when I come home.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Most elected officials’, same as in previous years.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Food and rent and debt and travel.
16. What song will always remind you of 2019?
I really didn’t listen to much music this year beyond random Spotify playlists. This track came up often:
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Happier
ii. richer or poorer?
Poorer.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleep, running, time with friends, lying on the couch doing nothing – same as it ever was.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying about money, dealing with moving and apartment disasters.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
We were in Belgium for Sinterklaas, so the big kid enjoyed all manner of chocolate and surprises, while the small kid was delighted to get to eat little cookies off the floor.
We shifted our family’s celebration to December 23, when we celebrate our dating anniversary. We opened stockings and exchanged books: The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates for me The Landmark Thucydides for N P is for Pterodactyl by Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter for the big kid Never Touch a Dragon for the small kid
I worked Christmas Eve before watching the big kid perform in his choir at the Christmas Eve Tableau at Rockefeller Chapel. He was a donkey in the pageant.
We spent Christmas day in Rockford with my family – snacks and presents at my sister’s, more gifts and brunch at my parents’, then a mostly leisurely afternoon with the family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2019?
With the view from our Belgian apartment and the convenience of having actual appliances in our new Chicago apartment.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I can’t think of anything ground-shattering. I mostly listened to a bajillion podcasts.
27. What did you want and get?
3 weeks completely checked out from work
28. What did you want and not get?
Entry into the 2020 Chicago Marathon
29. What was your favorite film of the year?
I watched two movies in 2019: The Post (on the flight home from Belgium) and The Secret of Kells (on the big kid’s birthday). I would like to watch more movies, with and without my kids.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Brunch at The Gundis, coffee at Intelligentsia (where we took surveys in exchange for future free coffees), cupcakes at Molly’s, emergency water shut off at home, baby in a bear suit napping on my chest.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Sleep
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2018?
Whatever fits.
33. What kept you sane?
Nicolas, my sister, Eva, Karen, Kim and Angie, Anne and KZ, long walks
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Who has time for that?
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
Another terrible, terrible year.
1. What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before? Ran a marathon; spent 3 weeks in Belgium; took a vacation with the entire family; launched an intranet; took a bootcamp class; found Divvy Red (twice in one day!); used a hospital-grade pump; facilitated a strategic planning discussion; ran 1,000 miles.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
For the most part, and yes.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Several friends had babies, particularly in the first half of the year, and several more are expecting in the new year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
I lost friends, but my year was nothing compared to the losses experienced by many people close to me.
5. What countries (or new places) did you visit?
No new places, but plenty of travel: 3 weeks in Belgium, 2 trips to DC/Virginia (conference + friend visit + wedding), and trips to Ann Arbor (wedding), Orlando (conference), Michigan City (family beach rental), Long Beach (friend support), Iowa City (family weekend), and Carlsbad (vacation).
6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
Let’s just carry my 2016 list forward for another year: more dates with my partner, more time with friends, and more sleep. And more dancing.
7. What date from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
My marathon, and the day after the election.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My marathon, obvs.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Same as last year: I’m sure there are aspects of early parenting that we’ll regret. I wish I were more patient, and that I did a better job of communicating at times.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A couple of random bugs, but nothing serious.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I’m slavishly devoted to my Get To Work Book. I also bought a new bike, but I haven’t had a chance to ride it yet.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
A lot of people complained about their social media and friend circles becoming toxic during the election. I feel incredibly fortunate that this wasn’t the case for me – and that many of my friends have continued to engage, to push buttons, to keep those of us inclined to armchair activism moving forward in this post-election season.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The President-Elect and all around him.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Food and drink and rent.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I wouldn’t say that I loved marathon training, but I did love many hours of podcast listening, especially Criminal, More Perfect, and Revisionist History.
16. What song will always remind you of 2016?
We sing a silly song from one of the Winnie the Pooh movies a lot. Otherwise, I didn’t actually listen to all that much music.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Sadder
ii. thinner or fatter?
Fitter
iii. richer or poorer?
More debt, but also more money.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
The same things every year: spending time with the toddler and his papa. Sleeping. Watching movies. Reading books. Dancing. Drinking. Spending time with friends and family.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Driving. Trying to convince someone that he really, actually does need to sleep.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
We drove out to Rockford Christmas Eve, made a quick trip to the Nicholas Conservatory, and had Indian food for Christmas Eve dinner. The toddler got to have a snowy Christmas morning adventure with Pop, and I got in a quick run before Jenn and her family came over for packages and snacks. The toddler absolutely refused to nap and was in complete meltdown by dinner, so he had to miss the delicious food. We headed home on the 26th after a quick trip to the Discovery Center.
21. Did you fall in love in 2016?
With podcasts and early morning long runs
22. How many one-night stands?
Zero
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Game of Thrones, Man in the High Castle, Westworld
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year
Some elected officials
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I really didn’t listen to much music this year.
27. What did you want and get?
Different responsibilities; a good training cycle; new friends
28. What did you want and not get?
More responsibility; a PR
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I watched maybe 4 movies this year. It wouldn’t be fair to try to pick a favorite.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 36. I took the toddler to our parent/child class at the Waldorf School down the street, then N treated us to brunch at the Cherry Circle Room. We took a walk and had cupcakes at Molly’s. We had literally just come back from vacation, so a low-key day was just fine.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Different election results. More sleep.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?
Workout clothes + comfortable layers
33. What kept you sane?
My sister
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
So many people lost their heroes this year – I’m afraid to name mine.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The entire election was a shitshow.
36. Who did you miss?
My people.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
This was the year that some of my work/professional friendships got real, and I’m so, so grateful for that.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2016:
Listen more than you talk.
1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
Went to the Bahamas, Traverse City, and an electronic music festival; attempted to integrate cats; biked over 1,000 miles; knit cables; tried miracle berries.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I’m most proud that I’ve kept up with the year of no pants. I think next year’s list is less aspirational, though it has some big ones.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yep, but many fewer friends than in previous years.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
I lost one friend.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Certainty.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
My divorce was finalized on June 5.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Trusting my gut; quitting smoking (again); back-to-back PRs.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Judgment.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was sick in January, February/March, August, and December. I had all manner of menstrual weirdness that seemed to resolve itself after tests in May. I’d like to think my insides were scared straight. A nagging hip thing started to flare badly in July, and was diagnosed in December as a hypermobile SI joint. I have done a terrible job at keeping up with my PT.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Drove to work very early, stopping to pick up an absurdly foofy free coffee in my vintage dress and with my hair in rollers. Gave a presentation to the entire library at 9am. Got new passport photos taken. Quick post-work run before dressing up for dinner with my best girls at Karyn’s on Green. One solo drink at Neo. More celebrations over the weekend, which was spent with my (new) guy. Not a bad way to turn 33.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More time – on the beach, in the water, on my bike, in the forest, with my loved ones, unplugged.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
No pants in public.
33. What kept you sane?
Running. My girls. Love.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I might have mentioned Nicolas Jaar.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I spent a lot of time thinking about urban planning than any specific political issue.
36. Who did you miss?
There are a number of people that I expected to see all the time since moving to Chicago that I just haven’t.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
This year was more about solidifying friendships with people I met previously. I met online friends Heidi and Patrick for the first time IRL, and I made friends at work.
Best non-person: the sand cat, which we visited often, and my sponge:
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
I’ve lived by this quote from my friend Susie: “Lead with your fractured heart. It can be broken more, yes, but it has practice — like bones and other things, we mend and move on. Use it or, well, what’s the point of having it in the first place?”
Kissing 2012 goodbye in style at Karen and Annette’s, 31 December 2012
1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Ran 750+ miles (just barely), moved to Chicago, ate at several Michelin starred restaurants, almost walked to Mexico.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
9 out of 12 ain’t bad. More on this later.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I have a new niece! She is a chublet and I adore her.
5. What countries (or new places) did you visit?
No new countries or cities as far as I recall. I spent far too much time on the 405.
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
A better budget, and the dedication to stick to it.
7. What date from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Shane and I decided to separate on February 25.
I left Ann Arbor on March 27.
I broke my arm on July 4.
Those are the defining features of this year.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Keeping my head above water and in doing so, finding a life for myself that is impossibly richer than I ever imagined possible.
9. What was your biggest failure?
Sobriety, weight loss, protecting my skin, protecting my heart, being financially responsible. My body also said FUCK NO to an IUD twice.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I bought a lot of fantastic vintage clothes this year.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I am constantly amazed by the people on the lakefront path. Every time I run or bike there, I spend part of my workout composing a post about how motivating and inspirational they all are.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
A close friend is going though something appalling and inexcusable.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Food and drink and dresses.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Nicolas Jaar
16. What song will always remind you of 2012?
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
Happier
ii. thinner or fatter?
About the same, unfortunately.
iii. richer or poorer?
Financially poorer, but richer in nearly every way.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
More running. More time at the beach. More naps. More coffee dates. More reading. More sex. More live music. More miles on Orange. More travel.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Crying.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my family in Rockford
21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I fell balls deep in love with Chicago, and was pretty dang smitten as well.
22. How many one-night stands?
A lady never tells.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
I didn’t watch much TV this year, honestly. I’m rewatching Fringe.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Yes.
26. What was your greatest musical (re)discovery? Nicolas Jaar
27. What did you want and get?
A whole new life.
28. What did you want and not get?
Love.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw Skyfall in the theaters three times, but The Fall was the best new-to-me film of 2012.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Drank way too much in Carlsbad the night before, slept it off in the car, waited an inordinate amount of time at Port Pizza with Pop, tried to walk to Mexico with Michael, fell in the Tijuana Estuary, watched The Fall, went to bed early.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Nothing. I can think of lots of things that would have made this year easier, but nothing that would make it more satisfying.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
Vintage-inspired.
33. What kept you sane?
My girls.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
The entire cast of Skyfall, please and thank you.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I’ll be honest and remorseful when I say that I didn’t have the energy for politics this year.
36. Who did you miss?
Shane.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Karen, and all the great people I’ve met through her.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012: As I wrote in July after breaking my arm, “love isn’t binary, that family isn’t defined by blood, that community isn’t bounded by physical space, and that what you put out into the world will be repaid tenfold if only you’re brave enough to let it.”
1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Ran two halfmarathons and a ten miler. Wrote a eulogy. Said goodbye to a close family member. Got a tattoo. Participated in a worldwide Secret Santa gift exchange. Ate bone marrow. Did a push-up. Taught a graduate course.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Mostly, and yes.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not as many babies as in 2010 (good lord), but yes.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
We lost my grandpa in September.
5. What countries (or new places) did you visit?
I ran to Canada and back – does that count? Other than that, no new countries or cities.
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
More real mail and more nights on the dance floor.
7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
We lost Grandpa on September 18.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Are you tired of hearing about running yet? Because the two halves were a really big deal for me. My first semester of teaching was also effing hard, but really good.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I basically always wish I could’ve been more prepared for the first (and all subsequent) days of class.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was sick most of May, and took this awful antibiotic that made my mouth taste like metal for weeks. Other than that, no significant illness or injury.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My newest Queen Bee bag is thus far my favorite of all of the QB bags I’ve purchased in the last five years. And that’s saying something. Also my crinolines and vintage dresses.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My sister is great – great person, great sister, great wife, great mom. I’m so proud of the woman she’s become.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Basically everything done by our government was appalling and depressing with the exception of the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Apart from the normal expenses: food, drink, travel, and running.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Moving to Chicago. Getting back together with bourbon and Neo.
27. What did you want and get?
Strength and good health. New friends, and time with old friends. A decent amount of travel. A new, much better job with a really great boss and big boss.
28. What did you want and not get?
A productive garden devoid of mosquitos.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Nothing to report here, actually, and that makes me sad.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My 31st birthday was sandwiched between a tough (but ultimately successful) job interview and the first day of my first semester of teaching. Shane tried to surprise me with dinner at Eve, which turned out to be a huge disappointment. We hopped over to Vinology and had a totally lovely evening.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Air conditioning in the summer.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Vintage day dresses.
33. What kept you sane?
Running.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Daniel Craig.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I’m not all that pleased to admit that I spent most of 2011 checked out as far as politics are concerned.
36. Who did you miss?
Chicago and DC friendos, my sister.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
I met Michael, the Black Pipes, and a lot of fun MPub people – and Kristen, who I’d known online but met in real life for the first time. I got to know the ladies of the A2BC, who I will miss now that we’re somewhat disbanded. Also Max is much more of a person than he was this time last year, and that’s awesome.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
I can’t point to specific factors that resulted in this epiphany, but around October I realized that I’ve spent the last two years – possibly longer – turning inward, avoiding connection, enabling my introversion rather than reaching out into the world. I’m trying to change that.
January 1: Changes to the Swedish Act of Succession make Princess Victoria of Sweden Crown Princess and therefore next in line to the throne, ahead of her younger brother.
January 11: Nigel Short, 14, becomes the youngest chess player to be awarded the degree of International Master.
March 22: The Georgia Guidestones are erected in Elbert County, Georgia.
April 24-25: Operation Eagle Claw, a commando mission in Iran to rescue American embassy hostages, is aborted after mechanical problems ground the rescue helicopters. Eight United States troops are killed in a mid-air collision during the failed operation.
May 18: Ian Curtis, singer/songwriter of acclaimed post punk band Joy Division, is found hanged.
May 18: Mount St. Helens erupts in Washington, killing 57 and causing US$3 billion in damage.
July 16: Former California Governor and actor Ronald Reagan is nominated for U.S. President, at the Republican National Convention in Detroit, Michigan. Influenced by the Religious Right, the convention also drops its long standing support for the Equal Rights Amendment, dismaying moderate Republicans.
August 17: In Australia, baby Azaria Chamberlain disappears from a campsite at Ayers Rock (Uluru), reportedly taken by a dingo.
November 21: A then-record number of viewers (for an entertainment program) tune into the U.S. TV soap opera Dallas to learn who shot lead character J.R. Ewing. The “Who shot J.R.?” event is an international obsession.
December 8: John Lennon, an English musician and peace activist, is murdered in New York City.
Please note that there were no Wikipedia-worthy news items from my actual date of birth, which I share with Albert Pujols.
I’m a Midwest girl, born and raised, so my idea of a ‘big storm’ involves snow. A lot of snow. We don’t get big storms like Irene here, you see. We get bad storms, tornadoes, and flooding, but we don’t generally get all of those things at the same time and for extended durations. When we do, they come up quickly, without much warning, and it takes a while to recover simply because we’re not used to things like this. It happened in July 2003, when a freak storm took out trees all over northern Illinois, leaving many without power for the better part of a week. We lost all the food in our fridge, but were thankful to not sustain damage on the house we would close on at the end of the week.
I’m more intimately familiar with big winter storms, the sort that blanket everything in a foot of snow in a few hours, making it difficult to do anything other than hunker down with soup and blankets and a good movie. In case of winter storms:
Hope and pray that your employer at least occasionally closes for inclement weather. Mine doesn’t.
If your employer doesn’t close for inclement weather, try to make work-from-home arrangements.
Obsessively listen to the news in hopes that for once, your employer has changed their mind about closing for inclement weather.
Decide to be a bigger person than your employer and cancel class – even though it’s online – because who wants to be the jerk that makes everyone go to school when the campus is closed?
Arm yourself with a snow shovel, bag of salt, yak trax, many layers, and ibuprofen for the inevitable shoveling aches and pains.
Start praying that the plowing company actually shows up this time AND doesn’t plow your car IN rather than out.
Seal the windows with plastic, though you’ve probably already done that at the first sign of temps below 20.
Start a pot of soup when you get home from work.
Complain about how no one can drive in the snow EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR.
Update the Netflix queue and hope that the internet stays up.
So I may have mentioned that we’re not good at relaxing – particularly relaxing on the beach. We’re just not. So you’ll forgive me when I admit to speculation on this list, as the only snacks we’ve actually taken to the beach are sodas and ice cream.
Ice cream, though I’d suggest buying it at a concession stand rather than bringing it from home.
On a related note, pick up some delicious fried foods: cheese curds, green beans, etc.
Answers vary depending on what you’ve got, but I like to do the following:
Slow roast tomatoes in a 200 degree oven overnight. Wash and halve the tomatoes (or leave them whole if they’re really small). Line a baking tray with parchment paper or tinfoil. Place the tomatoes on the tray skin-side down, then top with salt and pepper, herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake overnight, or until your house smells like tomato candy and the tomatoes are tiny and dry. Eat by the handful, or freeze in a tightly sealed container.
Make a frittata! Seriously, you can put anything in a frittata, especially excess greens.
Or, for that matter, a quiche. I like apples, onions, and cheddar.
There no rule that says that pesto has to contain basil, pine nuts, and parmesan. I like to make cilantro pesto with cashews. Bzzz up your greens, nuts, oil, seasoning, and cheese (if you’d like), then freeze what you don’t anticipate eating in the next few days.
I have friends who swear by green smoothies, but I’ve never partaken. I’d advise against including apricot kernels, however, as they contain trace amounts of cyanide. Yes, that cyanide.
Root vegetables that have gone soft can be used to make stock, which can then be used in soup, risotto, or a variety of other things – or frozen. Just don’t freeze it in a glass jar. Trust me.
Most firm vegetables can be pickled, especially cucumbers, zucchini, and beans.
Wash and quickly blanch vegetables in boiling water, then freeze on a baking tray in a single layer. Once frozen, transfer to freezer containers. The texture won’t be as good as fresh, but you can conceal that in a risotto or vegetable puree.
There are few things that aren’t delicious when baked with oil and seasoning or fried. Think kale chips, sweet potato fries, fried green beans, homefries, fried green tomatoes.
Similarly, there are few things that aren’t delicious when grilled. You can grill far more things than you’d imagine – including peaches and romaine lettuce. I might grill both of those things tonight, in fact.
latterdaybohemian 