This week’s Links to Love, friends. I hope you are ignoring the idiot-in-chief’s stupid plans to re-open the country without any plans for widespread testing and no real hope of a vaccination. Please stay safe – stay home.
That said, as always, take what you need from this week’s links and ignore the rest.
“The best way to treat the common cold is with contempt“: only one thing actually works to treat the common cold, and it’s probably not what you think.
I am thinking that these sculptures look how time feels right now.
“Quarantine cooking”: since we are not actually under quarantine, this is a misnomer, but ti’s not going to stop me from making this roasted beet dip with Aleppo pepper crackers. Beets are especially delicious this time of year, and I am here for it.
And I may have missed making these buffalo and bleu deviled eggs for Easter, but since I don’t celebrate Easter it doesn’t really matter. Anything deviled surrounding an organized religion makes me laugh, and although I am not generally a fan of deviled eggs, these are delicious. 10/10 would recommend.
Everybody keeps talking about how much our dogs are going to miss us, but what about cats? I think they are eyeing us with contempt, coming so late as we are to operating on cat time.
Finally, maybe we can take this time to experience some post-traumatic growth. The linked article from The New York Times posits that it’s not the Pollyannas who make it through adversity with no lingering effects – it’s those who take a tragically optimistic outlook. The recommendation by an overwhelming majority of researchers who study this topic of resilience suggests that looking for meaning – not happiness, and especially not happiness via consumer goods – is the way through this pandemic.
How’s your outlook this week?
Suzannah, it’s a strange time, is it not? We can never count on anyone to make the right, or best, decision about anything, so I expect the country to be re-opened at a time and in a way that does not suit me. But I shall remain cocooned as long as I see fit, possibly being the last butterfly to emerge, regardless of what those around me are doing or advising. I’ve not read the linked NYT article yet, but I’m wondering if I fit the “tragically optimistic outlook” type, as I’m not a Pollyanna but I am determined to stay cheerful, be kind and encouraging to others and keep doing useful things, rather than getting glum and resorting to stress eating and endless television.
I am with you on staying put. I feel like we are in this for a couple years, and the more cutious we are now, the better off we will be.
I think tragic optimism is a good strategy!!