Yum & Yuk

Dorothy Day is an inspiring figure, but her autobiography is wearing me down. The woman never met a disagreeable task she didn't love; from staying up all night to care for her baby brother to shivering in the cold over books during college without a bite to eat - it's all greeted with a "philosophy of work" that, while admirable, isn't particularly interesting (or maybe simply not relatable to the less-saintly.) She admits she's not the best writer ever, which is certainly true. It's made me reflect on the art of the autobiography - it's probably rare that someone is both interesting enough to warrant a book and also somehow skilled enough to tell their own tale. I'm hoping the book picks up a bit once she reaches adulthood.

Image: source.

I went to the Somerville UCC for the first time yesterday. Those of you who have been Y&Y readers for the last 3+ years may remember that when I moved home to Ashland a couple of years ago, I began looking for a church community for the first time. I ended up joining the Ashland UCC, which became my faith community, my home, my family. It has been incredibly hard to leave them, and I've been hesitant about going to any new churches. Mainly, I think, because I knew they could never live up to my "real church home," and because it felt like such a fluke that I found the Ashland UCC. Anyways, I broke the seal and went to a new church. It wasn't earth shattering and, yes, it only made me miss the Ashland UCC more, but it also gave me something that I was missing. I'll be back.

We did some grocery shopping for the Christmas menu this weekend. We're going to be trying a bunch of new recipes including Winter Greens Gratin and Stuffed Delicata Squash. ps: In case anyone was wondering, Ben & Jerry's S'mores ice cream is as amazing as it sounds.

Currently reading Reborn: Journals and Notebooks, 1947-1963 by Susan Sontag (the first in the three volume series). NYMag review here.

"I caution you as I was never cautioned: / you will never let go, you will never be satiated. / You will be damaged and scarred, you will continue to hunger. / Your body will age, you will continue to need. / You will want the earth, then more of the earth – / Sublime, indifferent, it is present, it will not respond. / It is encompassing, it will not minister. / Meaning, it will feed you, it will ravish you, / it will not keep you alive." from "The Sensual World" by Louise Glück