And yes, it involves food.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’ve been waking up every morning pre-exhausted, full of despair, and out of fucks about the world and everything in it.

Something shifted for me yesterday, though. It was a moment of personal loss and grief, and it distracted me from the unending shit show that is our current national status. And at the end of a long nap in the afternoon, when I woke, my internal storm had settled a bit; and the world hadn’t ended because I stopped paying attention.

I am starting to see organization and using the mechanisms that already exist. I am starting to see friends coming together to say to each other, “not me. Not you too? Ok, both of us say no to this together.” And honestly, that’s a beautiful thing and it’s what’s needed to help keep us sane during this time.

You are not alone. No matter what your beliefs or actions: you are not alone.

Into The Woods’ messages seem very appropriate at the moment. Remember: you are not alone. They are not alone. People make mistakes, everyone makes mistakes. You decide what’s good, you decide what’s right.

So let’s talk about what’s filling my heart with joy and comfort this morning: my breakfast dosas.

OMG. BREAKFAST DOSAS.

I found some pre-made dosa batter at the Indian market. It’s gluten-free (only has three or four ingredients, which I also like) and wasn’t too expensive, so I decided to try it. It is DELICIOUS. And it’s easy to make, now that I’ve got a cast-iron pan to cook them in.

I made potato filling for in them and this is also divine. Cook the potatoes and crumble them by hand – the original recipe calls for peeling the potatoes, but that was too much trouble today (and most of the vitamins are in the skins, I think? I dunno if that was my mom, trying to convince me to eat the skins), so I just crumbled them up. I heated some oil and cumin seeds in a pan until the seeds crackled, then added chopped onion (yesterday I also added cabbage, as I had some to use up and I’m always about adding fiber to meals). I softened the veggies, adding a little salted butter and chopped garlic for flavor as I went. Before I added the potatoes, I put on salt, garlic, and freshly roasted and ground cumin (much easier to do than I expected when I bought the giant sale bag of cumin seeds at the market), and fresh garam masala to taste. Mixed it all well, then put in the potatoes and checked the flavor. Stir and heat through, then pull off the stove and put in a container to use through the week. I don’t measure, because I don’t mind that it’s different every time. It keeps me from getting bored.

It took me a while to figure out how to make good dosas, but now – it’s so delicious. A crispy, thin, hot dosa with a spoonful or two of filling inside – I like the cool filling in contrast to the warm dosa, but ymmv – and I ate them while watching the snow fall. The dog also loves indian food, so I gave him a wee bit of the filling mixture in his bowl, and now we’re watching the snowfall together, in agreement that the day looks pretty fine and there is literally nothing that needs our attention more right now than this moment, this cuddle, together. ❤

Whatever makes you feel content and pinned to the current moment in time? Find those things. Do those things. Don’t negotiate or allow someone to steal your joy. This belongs to you and it is your birthright. Be comfortable in your skin, in your life, and fuck anybody who wants to tell you you’re forbidden or wrong or whatever. Reject the fuckery!! Center yourself in your own life!!

Sending you hugs and love today as all days.