Ice Cream, a Good Burger, and Some Complaints
its checkered, both are true | ed 18
Happy Father’s Day! So grateful for the love and work of all the dads out there - especially these guys. You may not know this, but we think so highly of our dads that we named Drew (Andrew Marshall) after them both!
Without social media, its funny how I pick up on what’s going on in the world. I don’t read as much news as I should. I get a lot of breaking news alerts that make me feel like I don’t need to (should turn these off). There are alerts that I can tell really are a big deal (Iranian conflict, plane crashes, etc.), but there are others that I get and think to myself “oh, people are going to use this to virtue signal all over Instagram without much actual meaning”. It fills me with a weird dread and frustration.
I’m not going to iterate the full extent of my thoughts here because I think that’s meant for real-life conversation, and also no one asked. Largely, I feel like the “I hate America, our country is horrible” sentiment (among the right and the left) is too cheap and too stale for most related messaging to fall on anything but deaf ears in the current climate. I get the point of the no kings protesting, but even referring to DT as king in opposition feels like lending him way too much power. I felt similarly in January when a public figure whose work I consume often said that the most recent inauguration was a huge hit for women. Like WHAT. How on earth could you lend one man that much power over our place in America after 250 years? Our 20th century suffragist sisters are rolling in their graves. So are the people who protested when protesting meant more.
The beautiful thing about America, however, is that you can hold whichever sign you want and protest or affirm yourself in the void via political Instagram story or not and no one is trying to stop you! I mean no offense, the whole thing is just fatigued. Now, on to what’s really important..
What’s on the Menu?
Pineapple Chicken Adobo - I’ve said it before. I am not a huge HBH fan, and I actually had to improv an ingredient in this that made it weird. But the recipe was not too bad and I think it would have tasted great if you use the right things.
A Sourdough Loaf - I keep trying to score my bread with a knife because I ran out of razor blades. I always think I got it deep enough but then it busts like this! Nonetheless this was a great loaf!
Things on toast - you already know this breakfast was hitting all week.
Morning Glory Bars - these were just okay but a nice easy breakfast recipe if you need one!
Whatever This Is - Inspiration for this hit me when I least expected it. After a timely read of this Justine Doiron recipe, I was looking through the pantry and had a vision that came to life pretty well. Lentils cooked in tomatoes, lemon, and bone broth with onion, broccoli, basil, and thyme with chickpeas and tuna stirred in at the end.
Clumpies Ice Cream - our Friday night plans were thwarted by a storm that diverted us to Clumpies. I always try a fun flavor before diverting to one of my usuals (currently cookies and cream). This may have been the first time I was brought to include the sample flavor in my order - Coffee Toffee! A small and great joy! I hope to give into Clumpies many times this summer.
Main St. Meats - Date night!! This is the best burger Chattanooga has to offer (in my experience). The beef tallow fries are notable (Malcolm Gladwell once did a podcast episode explaining that fries should be made this way), but the broccoli is phenomenal.
Father’s Day Dinner - prepping this as we speak, so you’ll have to hear about it next week!
Reading, Watching, Listening
Hannah Coulter - embarrassed to say that this is my first step into Wendell Berry’s work. Not embarrassed to say I’m loving it.
Severance - Banner and I started this together. I have so many questions and very few answers. I am really bought into the storyline, but I am still confused about just WHY you would want to separate during work hours.
Shrinking - this was such a great show; I hope they’re working on another season! How does every Apple TV show have such an incredible cast??
This American Life - This isn’t for listeners who frequently order calamari at restaurants, particularly in landlocked states. It is fascinating. Also great Fred Armisen feature.
Miley Cyrus Interview - I used to live and breathe for Miley, so her interviews lately have been a fun deep dive.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
I created a long run route to loop across two bridges in town, but didn’t observe that it was full of intense hills, so that was a lot. Around mile 8, I started having those troubling stomach gurgles…iykyk. A McDonalds with a single-use restroom magically appeared before me. It was a true miracle and not a moment too soon.
Banner brought home a lime-a-rita from the grocery store on taco night this week. When I think of college, the beautiful tang of gas station lime-a-rita is one of the first things that comes to mind. Nostalgia at its finest.
I am participating in the Away Club Challenge at Between Two Things - the first Substack I ever subscribed to and one of the inspirations for my technology crusade. The ACC is a way to intentionally reflect and write about your relationship to technology, your phone, automation, etc. I think today is actually the last day to sign up because it starts tomorrow! If you are interested, I have a few free referrals that would allow you to participate - let me know! I’m a long admirer of
’s work and highly recommend reading even if you don’t join the challenge.
Drew telling me to put away my phone and read a book. I don’t know if it’s breastfeeding or aging or what, but I am coming to terms with my own limitations lately. All of a sudden, I can’t eat chocolate too close to bedtime or have coffee in the afternoon or exercise without stretching or have two cocktails in one night! What happened to me?
A lot of my readers are having babies in the next few months!! I just find myself giddy about those little ones every day is all.
why does sitting up make him look so old? LISTEN UP. If you have a baby beach gear recommendation or baby gate/enclosure that you recommend, I beg you to send it to me. Please.
I trudged through this week going through the motions, feeling off and unbalanced (sleep deprived). I was just waiting for a flow state to hit me and push me through any of the one thousand things I need to do. It never comes until I stop looking for it!
Thank you again to the dads - couldn’t do it without them!
Tiny Drew, again. Now I’m just torturing myself.
So much in here! Feel like you need a different column to reflect on the meatier topics. I'd subscribe
Impressed & amazed by your sourdough!