Do I have a great outlook on life? That’s such a funny thing to say about me … I whine and complain and worry. I’m bitchy and impatient and hedonistic. But life can also be wonderful. And the older you get, the better it gets. Your coping skills get better, you’re happier in your own skin, and you learn that you can be alone and not be lonely.
I’ve said before, being an adult is about who you’re with, where you live, and what you do. And I think you have to have two out of the three to be happy. Three is the ultimate goal. One means major things are off or missing.
When you feel sad all the time, it’s time to make some changes, whether that’s finding a new job, ending a shitty relationship, investing more in an important friendship, moving to a new city, or getting a hobby. And it’s time to invest in things that are just for you. Travel or read or do yoga or go for a walk or take a cooking class — whatever works. Alone but not lonely.
I was miserable a lot in college, so I started seeing a therapist, which I recommend. It was really nice to have someone to talk to once a week, but the best thing I learned from her was that everyone feels like this. Every young adult feels the same inadequacies and worries about the same things and struggles through the same life choices. I kept thinking, In the next place, I’ll be happy, but I wasn’t, no matter where I went. I remember looking out over the Arno river in Florence, Italy where I was living and studying and traveling all over the UK and Europe and thinking, Wow, what a waste to be so sad in this place. And yes, it WAS. But I was 19 and that’s how 19-year-olds feel very often, lost.
It goes away. You grow up. You’re safer in your own skin. You’re more settled in the world. You surround yourself with better people. It will be OK. It will.
My sentiments exactly.
Perhaps this will be my book club pick when it’s my turn to host. Of course, my selection isn’t based on the quality of literature, but is influenced by what sort of themed food/drink I can pair with the book.
My previous suggestion was this: reading Munich, 1972 and watching the opening ceremony of the summer Olympics in London during the book discussion. Also drinking Shandy and eating Welsh rarebit.
On second thought, that still sounds like a pretty great party. New plan: read all of the books, eat all of the food.
#2 Growing a Farmer - Kurt Timmermeister
Another nice little memoir about a first time farmer. Timmermeister used his chef/restauranteur knowledge to come at farming from a taste perspective, largely now focusing on artisanal cheesemaking. CHEESE. MAKING. Mmmmmm.
Though it has nothing to do with his successful dairy, one passage summed up my enthusiasm for all things farming/gardening recently:
The little paper envelopes that the seeds come in have photos of the eventual squash and five or six packets of varietals fit nicely in my jacket pocket. I love to rip open the top of a new seed packet, see the seeds sitting in the bottom. All is possible at this point; all is good.
Full disclosure: I skipped the slaughter chapter entirely because…no.
Hillary 2016! Would love to be able to get some more use out of my “Bitch is the New Black” t-shirt.
(via apsies)
Somebody explain this to me immediately so I can determine whether or not I should be jealous that she can do a meaningless thing in an amazing way or terrified that the antichrist walks among us.
(via sonnyjohl)
(via onemoretimewithfeeling)
(via amandasthewalrus)
Senator Janet Howell, Baddass Bitch of the Day
To protest a bill that would require women to undergo an ultrasound before having an abortion, Virginia State Sen. Janet Howell (D-Fairfax) on Monday attached an amendment that would require men to have a rectal exam and a cardiac stress test before obtaining a prescription for erectile dysfunction medication.
“We need some gender equity here,” she told HuffPost. “The Virginia senate is about to pass a bill that will require a woman to have totally unnecessary medical procedure at their cost and inconvenience. If we’re going to do that to women, why not do that to men?”
Potato Chip Cookies | Smitten Kitchen
These are just begging to be served at a Super Bowl party. Note the optional chocolate dip.
“You don’t have to apologize for hiding the potato chip, it’s right there, in the title, and sprinkled on the top, like the very best sea salt crunch. This is no time to feign interest in being a grown-up. These are like potato chip sandies or shortbread; the texture is crisp, the flavor is butter, vanilla, pecans and, you know, a little something-something.”
(via imwithkanye)
Oh you know. Just spending my Sunday morning laying in bed, bawling my eyes out over a video of a dying dog.
Dinner at Graze
(L-R)
He’brew Genesis: American barleywine brewed with pomegranate, fig, date an grape juice. 100% aged for 8 months in Sazerac 6 year whiskey barrels
He’brew Origin: imperial amber ale with pomegranate juice
Coney Island Albino Python: white lager brewed with spices
(via twofish)
Video: Youtube/mathewmho
Lego man in space: one (very) small step
Two teenagers from Toronto sent a Lego man carrying a Canadian flag into the stratosphere. Mathew Ho and Asad Muhammad, both 17, attached four cameras to a balloon carrying the toy astronaut 24km above Earth. A week after launch they recovered their Lego man in a field, and discovered they had captured stunning space footage
(via baxterp2)
Jason Derulo Singing His Own Name [Extended Cut]
Thank you, kellyreeves.
(<3 u, Jason Derulo.)
I’ve always thought that the whole “Jason Derulo sings his name at the beginning of every one of his songs” thing was the ultimate post-modern statement on pop music. I mean, “Whatcha Say” and “Don’t Wanna Go Home” are great pop songs written by dudes in rooms, and could have been sung by literally ANYONE. The artist’s need to brand the song for posterity is as financially necessary as it is psychologically fascinating.
(Source: vondell-swain)
