Charcuterie of Written Words

Mostly words this month, with some food for eating, and some for thought. Plus, little ducks as bullet points :)

Words I Read:

𓅭 An interview on Emily Wilson’s new Iliad Translation. Madeline Miller (of Circe and Song of Achilles fame) is the interviewer, so there’s some interesting discussion of the particular characters from the myth. What I found most interesting was Wilson’s description of her translation process, and the ways that her approach differed from past translators—her choice to translate in meter (iambic pentameter to be specific) is particularly interesting in the context that Homeric epics would have been sung out loud in the original Greek.

𓅭 I spent an inordinate amount of time during the first half of the month thinking about what bookshelves to buy, where I would put them, what it would look like, would I have enough space for my books, and would it bankrupt me. I read this article from New York Magazine, and not a single recommended shelf worked for my purposes, which was so helpful in confirming the choice I had basically already made—custom Elfa shelves from the container store, which is the poor man’s version of the Vistoe 606 Universal Shelving System. Anyway, I realize this is boring to normal people who don’t know detailed information about every bookshelf on the market like I do, but it was fun to look at other people’s bookshelves!

𓅭 I picked up the latest issue of Architectural Digest in the airport at some point during my travels this month (three out of four weekends out of town, like an absolute lunatic). I was never much of a magazine gal—I remember watching Kathryn flip diligently through magazines when we were younger and being confused because I thought they were kind of boring. Well, except for Cosmopolitan, which was wildly inappropriate and entertaining. But now! I’m becoming a magazine gal now, and AD scratches my looking-into-other-people’s-windows itch.

𓅭 I read this "Craft Lecture" by

Stephanie Danler

in The Sewanee Review, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the way that Stephanie writes. I always struggle with craft focused pieces. I rarely relate, which makes me feel like a strange writer. I am a writer, right?? I read another article about Joan Didion this month that I can’t find now, but it talked about how writers are obsessive about other writers processes, and given the sheer quantity of craft related writing out there, it would seem to be true. I think I enjoyed this particular essay because Danler is very self-focused, where other writers sometimes veer into advice giving, she does not. It’s behind a paywall—sorry—but subscribe to The Sewanee Review! It’s only $35 a year. Become a magazine gal (literary magazines obviously count!) with me.

𓅭 This article on the “el” in Manhattan is peak New York City history nerdiness. It’s long but worth the read if you’re into that kind of thing. Makes you think about the far reaching implications of urban design, and how often these things simply don’t work out the way you think they might.

𓅭 This article on the evolution of the English language is peak English language nerdiness (obviously). It reminded me of The History of English Podcast, which also could not be nerdier, but is so fascinating.

𓅭 Finally, to end this avalanche of words—please subscribe to Nick Cave’s The Red Hand Files. Reading his responses to people’s questions ~every week makes me feel good and human, and it makes me a better person too, I think.

Poem I loved:

𓅭 This month, it was “Poem in October” by Dylan Thomas, which was posted by

Poetic Outlaws

on Monday. It’s SO good, and perfect for wrapping up October, even though, or perhaps especially, because it’s supposed to be 80° tomorrow in NYC.

Poem In October

Books I want:

𓅭 Emily Wilson’s Iliad (see above)

𓅭 North Woods by Daniel Mason (I’ve heard amazing things from so many people—I saw a girl reading it at the bar at a restaurant and asked her how it was, and it quickly became clear she was actually reading a totally different book, but that’s how subliminally on my mind this book is, and that’s something)

𓅭 Down the Drain by Julia Fox (I find her fascinating and entertaining in a non-annoying way, and though I usually have no interest in reading celebrity memoirs, this one…this one I think I must)

Sights I saw:

𓅭 Light! October Light!

Tastes I Tasted:

𓅭 Pesto Scramble. No picture of this because it didn’t look as delicious as it tasted, but here’s what you do. You whisk a few eggs together, toss in some grated parm, a dollop of softened butter, salt, pep, and a spoonful of pesto (!!!). Slow scramble on LOW heat, throw in some crumbled bacon (sausage would be good too) and top with more parmesan. It’s so good and so easy!

𓅭 If you find yourself in Charlottesville, Virginia, go to Quality Pie for lunch. It’s next level. When I was there earlier this month, they had a delectable ricotta and tomato tart. They probably won’t have it when you go because they change the menu all the time, but they will have the tortilla Española (featured in the background of this pic) because they always do.

𓅭 One Friday morning at the office this week, I decided to go get myself a mid-morning egg and cheese sandwich at the bodega I like near my office. A treat! When I arrived, a visibly hungover gentleman was walking up to the counter to order. It’s always a good idea to pay attention to what the hungover people are eating. He got a chicken cutlet, egg, cheese, mayo hot sauce on a roll. Ummm….HELLO! I told him that was an elite order and he nodded sagely. I said, I’ll have what he’s having! And it was delicious. Next time I will get extra hot sauce and no mayo.

𓅭 This tasty and cozy roasted fennel recipe (with white beans and tomatoes). It was part of the first real meal I cooked in my new apartment, and it was perfect <3

Tips & Tricks:

𓅭 Take vlog style videos of yourself, and send them to your friends. My friend Maddie does this a lot and it’s just fun and funny. I did it the morning I bought my cutlet, egg and cheese sandwich to tell them the story, and the reception was rave! They loved it, they love me, and I love them. And I love bodega breakfast sandwiches.

𓅭 Do more stuff with your friends generally. Call them, text them random things, go for walks with them, go to dinner with them, cook for them, buy them a book or a candle, mail them a card (a favorite of mine), anything else you can think of!!! In person obviously preferred, but that’s not always possible, like when they live across an ocean or whatever. Cross the ocean though! But while you plan your trip, try a phone call to tide you over. It’s SO nourishing.

my friends after dinner <3

𓅭 Keep a Joy Journal™. I’ve written about this before, but this month, I really felt like the fruits of my labor were blooming. The more you open your eyes, mind, heart, soul to the tiniest joys of life—the ones that happen on a daily basis, all around, all the time—the better you get at noticing them, and the more pronounced your joy becomes when you do notice them. It’s like an exponential growth thing. I’m getting more and more tuned in to this channel of life’s beauty, and it’s filling my life with wonder.

From the Joy Journal™:

𓅭 10/5 - The sweet, plain looking brown and black dog on the way to work who looked at me and asked me to say hello, so I stopped and said hello.

𓅭 10/11 - All the peanut m&ms in my little bag were green with one red like Christmas!

𓅭 10/18 - My lover’s empty back courtyard is full of beautiful weeds with little white flowers.

𓅭 10/24 - Had a dirty plate at Anton’s and asked for a new one. They brought me the most gorgeous plate ever with little yellow flowers on a branch with sage green leaves. A gift!

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That’s all for now! Tell me about something that brought you joy this month in the comments. Love you, bye <3