Another week in the books. It was another not-so-good week. I’m sensing a running theme with my reflections. Which is unfortunate, as this exercise is supposed to help me find beauty in the every day, or some shit. Perhaps in a non-pandemic year it would work better.
Sunday
The pandemic makes you constantly stuck between a rock and a fucking cement wall. Take a calculated risk to support your friend or stay home tucked safely away from the world, but isolated? I’m inclined to choose the later these days, but there are certain unspoken friendship rules to consider, too. Amanda is having a baby soon. So I donned a mask and went to the shower. Other than this pic (and one with just Amanda), I stay to the side, by the open door. Alone. It was awkward AF. But for two minutes there was this photoshoot with Amanda, Sam, and D’mila. We shared a laugh and that was nice. Was it worth it? I guess I’ll know in fourteen days.
Monday
I decided this would be a good week. I woke up Monday morning ready to face it and manifest my hopes into reality by sure determination. It didn’t really work. But look at the lovely colors of the plant life in front of my porch.
Tuesday
This blurry picture of my darling cat was another “Oh shit, I haven’t taken a picture today” photos. But I’m happy I have it because it gives me a chance to talk about how Sammy put me to bed. I fell asleep on the couch at 10:24, I woke up to his wailing. I looked up to see him sitting pristinely about ten feet away STARING at me and crying. “What??” I asked. Then I looked at the time and said, “Oh. You’re right. It is time for bed.” I wobbled my way off the couch and toward the stairs with Sammy leading the way, pausing to look back at me every few feet to make sure I was following. Once upstairs, he walked me straight to the bed, jumped up, and gave me a look that clearly said, “This is where we sleep.”
Wednesday
Here’s another pictures of Sammy being the best cat in the world. He’s curled up against my legs comforting me after another long day (a day in which I was breathing fire, ready to slap a bitch). I collapsed on the bed and wished food would magically appear, as I had no energy to make anything. Or to even get off the bed. It was touch and go for awhile whether or not I was going to be a human or dissolve into the blankets. In the end, I got delivery and gorged myself on ice cream while watching M*A*S*H. And Sammy kept me company the whole time.
Thursday
THREE pictures in a row of Sammy?? Yes. Because I love him and I’m worried about him. But he still acts like my precious, sweet, boy (which is what I tell him he is all the time).
Friday
Superintendent’s Conference Days usually mean no students and way too many trivial trainings and menial meetings that eat up the time you need to spend getting shit done for your lessons and for the students. This time, though, most meetings were canceled and I only had to sit through one hour’s worth of “training.” Most of the day was spent actually getting grading completed, working with my co-teacher, and having fruitful discussions with colleagues about how to best approach the Enriched Virtual Model.
There was also, however, this five minutes spent talking about how to properly conduct oneself in a fantasy football league — something I care very little about. Myatt and Lynch polled teachers to see who was “right.” I sided with Lynch, who believed that we should act honorable, even if it means giving an opponent a better chance. This guilted Myatt into apologizing to Lynch. “I can’t stand the way Azzarito’s looking at me! She’s so disappointed in me!” Damn straight, folks. Do the right thing.
Saturday
Sometimes I deserve a delicious breakfast. Although — now that I think about it — this does kind of look like puke. It’s what I call a “Naner Cake” with some homemade raspberry sauce on top. I don’t know what it’s technically called, but it’s essentially a banana pancake… or… not really.
I don’t know why people who create gluten and dairy-free recipes are so obsessed with making alternatives or substitutes. Like veggie burgers. Or cashew-based Alfredo sauce. Listen. No veggie burger I’ve ever had has tasted like a real burger. And cashew-based Alfredo sauce is not a substitute for the real thing. HOWEVER, both can be super enjoyable. Maybe if we stopped saying they were the GF or DF version of some other recipe, we can enjoy them for what they are. I truly like the taste and texture of certain plant-based patties. If I go in looking forward to eating a plant-based patty, I’m much less likely to be disappointed by the fact that it’s not at all a burger. And if I go in looking forward to eating a cashew sauce on my GF pasta, I’m more likely to enjoy the cashew taste than be disappointed at the lack of Alfredo taste.
So I call these Naner Cakes. It’s banana and egg and cinnamon cooked with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The raspberry sauce is raspberries (obvi), pure maple syrup, almond flour, and lemon juice. It wasn’t half bad!