I’m grateful for.. (🏳️⚧️The gender fluidity edition)
Some thoughts & recommendations to start your weekend
I'm grateful that when I wheezed and coughed before bed last night my girlfriend put a loving hand on my back. I'm grateful that while I was struggling to breathe for a moment and my body forgot her, she gently reminded me.
I'm grateful that when I took a walk this morning to get some orange juice, I met many children going to school in their halloween costumes.
I'm grateful that I saw many variations of creepy, scary costumes (demons, zombies, monsters) and several cute, funny options (fluffy rabbits, cartoon characters, maximalist colour bombs reminiscent of Harley Quinn). I'm grateful that Halloween allows gender fluid kids to experiment with their self expression. I'm grateful to the kids in boxy, suit jackets, 90s ties and sculptural eye make-up.
I'm grateful that I took 5 minutes to stretch when I got home, and for sweet Budino who peeped his head under my armpit during extended child's pose to see what was happening. I'm grateful for his expressive, marble eyes and the fact that he doesn't know today is chemo day and he’s going to feel pretty rotten later.
I'm grateful that, in the last few weeks, he has embraced me more. I’m grateful that, though he is a consummate Mamma's boy who has always resented my arrival into the family, his resolve seems to be softening. I’m grateful that he pops into my office during the day to say hello. I'm grateful for his brother who brings sweetness and humour to our home. (Also, drool and occasional pee stains!)
I'm grateful that, while stretching, I had some ideas about what to do with these Friday posts. I'm grateful for the inspiration of Justin Woolf (originator of this prompt) and Ann Friedman, the original newsletter innovator who's been in my inbox since 2013. I'm grateful for my readers, who I think of as I write these words and who give me something to write towards.
I'm grateful for a long weekend and how it will re-invigorate me. I'm grateful for friendship and community which exists in the real world and for how, even when I am alone, I feel it less now.
Recommendations
📺 I’ve been watching The Morning Show, which is soapy but good. (Also this video from AOC which helped me clarify what I think)
🎧 I’ve listened to a lot this week but this pod about how survivors were treated during the Ghislaine Maxwell trial has stayed with me the most.
📚I read
‘Essential Labor’ while recuperating and it blew my mind.📰 My pal
has always been honest about the realities of business. But in her Substack era, she’s even more so.🥧 Made my fave almondy fruit crumble and it's just as good as I remembered. I can’t find the recipe online but it’s basically:
Melt ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup honey together with a pinch of salt. Add teaspoon almond extract once it’s done.
Combine ½ cup ground almonds, ½ cup flaked almonds and 2 cups porridge.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and layer on top of frozen fruit. (Blueberries are my fave but whatever you want is fine).
Bake for 20ish mins @ 200C.