Monthly Review: April

I had hoped things would be on their way back to normal by now. Originally, they were supposed to be, yet here we are, quarantined until the end of May. As someone who thrives on planning and organizing, I have found it difficult to adapt my normal systems (e.g. meal planning, sleeping, accomplishing schoolwork) to this weird time when even the most well-thought plans can go out the window in a moment.

Even still, I think I'm in a better spot now than I was last month––less sad and more resigned to the waiting. As frustrating as it is right now, I know there will come a time in the future when life will be crazy and I'll look back on these weeks with nothing but longing. So I am trying to enjoy what I can: my daily walks around our beautifully blooming neighborhood, time to bake more involved recipes than I normally would, and extra relaxation. Such human activities are simply good for the soul, and at a time when I'm not able to connect with other people in person or work (both of which are also good for the soul), I'm doing what I can to enjoy these nourishing times of rest and creativity.

What I Read

• The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell (★★★★★)

• Just Jane, Nancy Moser (★★★)

• Alex and Eliza, Melissa De La Cruz (★★★★)

• Notes from an Accidental Band Geek, Erin Dionne (★★★)

• Cultural Engagement: A Crash Course in Contemporary Issues, edited by Karen Swallow Prior and Joshua D. Chatraw (★★★★★)

If you want to hear the rationale behind my rating, head to my Goodreads for full reviews.

This was a slow reading month for me. I had a tough time getting into Just Jane, and Cultural Engagement, though excellent, was not exactly what I would categorize as light reading. I can't wait to get back to the library!

What I Cooked

• Cauliflower and Leek Soup

In my opinion, leeks are one of the most underrated vegetables. This soup seemed like a great way to incorporate more of them into our rotation. And while I wouldn't necessarily say it was bad, it was kind of like eating green baby food. Not impressed.

• Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups

Are they dessert? Are they a snack? Are they breakfast? I can't answer that question, but I can tell you they were delicious.

• French Onion Dip

After soups, dips are my second favorite food group. I had a mad craving for French onion dip for about a week, and I thought this would be a great way to satisfy it. It was all right (my mom really liked it), but I didn't find it particularly flavorful, and it was quite oily. I don't think I would make it again.

• Homemade Tortilla Chips

Having purchased thirty corn tortillas last month and used maybe ten, I needed to get them out of my fridge. These chips were incredibly easy to make in the oven, and they tasted great. Although I don't usually have corn tortillas on hand, if you always end up with extras, this is a great way to use them up.

• Dalgona Coffee

I am proud to say that I don't drink coffee. But the more I saw this whipped coffee on Instagram, the more intrigued I was. Fortunately, my coffee-loving mom was also interested, so we tried it together. With a couple pumps of vanilla Torani, it was quite palatable. And this whipped Nutella variation? Even better!

What I Created

• Original sonnet: "The Last Sermon"

• Article "We All Need Saving"––the first article I've ever submitted to an external publication!

• Blackout poem "Not Without Me"

• Blackout poem "Deep in Infinity"

• Unpublished and untitled original sonnet on Ecclesiastes 3

• 3 additional articles for my Writing as Cultural Engagement class

I'm sure May will be much like April––intervals of waiting followed by times of disappointment. But the green grass and the budding trees I see on my daily walks remind me to hope for the good that is to come. It may not arrive on my timetable, but nothing can stop it from getting here in the end.

The Last Sermon [Original Sonnet and Reflections on Maundy Thursday]

Let not your hearts be troubled; do not fear.

At last the time has come––the Son of Man

must leave you soon. That which I say, please hear,

though mystery now. Soon you shall understand.

You may not follow me, for now I go

unto the earth, in death a seed alone.

But fall I must––by perishing, I grow

much fruit, a yield which makes my Father known.

I leave, but I will come again to you,

no longer flesh, but spirit. I will be

a help, a comfort, witness to the truth,

with you until you dwell again with me.

To you I speak these words that you, my friends,

might in me know love, joy, peace without end.

Holy Week this year looks different, no question. Normally I would be attending a Good Friday service tomorrow to remember the death of Christ and an Easter one on Sunday to celebrate His resurrection. Though these events will still be held virtually, I already miss the embodied experience of sharing these remembrances with my church family. Without these external structures in place to lead me into a posture of reflection, I am having to create structures for myself so I honor this time as it deserves.

This evening, I read John's account of the events preceding Jesus' death, from John 12-17. On this night, Jesus celebrated Passover with his disciples (the Last Supper), giving His final sermon before His death the next day. In it, He issued a new commandment to His disciples: to love one another as He has loved us. Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday on the church calendar, takes its name from this mandate. The sonnet here follows Jesus' words in these chapters, which I encourage you as well to read sometime between now and Sunday.

Because of Jesus' death on our behalf, these tender words of encouragement and affection extend to those who believe in Him today. We too are His beloved friends, indwelled by His Spirit and kept by the Father until the day when He receives us into the place He is preparing for us. Nothing could be more deserving of our meditation––or our celebration.

Monthly Review: March

March was supposed to be a great month. We started off with a calendar full of plans––I would be finishing one term of classes and starting another, Mitchell's first season as an assistant basketball coach would be wrapping up with a trip to the state tournament in Green Bay, and we would be spending a relaxing spring break in San Francisco with my in-laws, capping off the week with a performance of Hamilton.

With the exception of the first item on my itinerary, however, none of those plans came to pass. My eager anticipation turned to disappointment and anxiety as the COVID-19 pandemic that had seemed so far away at the end of February struck the US. Instead of working, traveling, and carrying on with our daily lives, we find ourselves isolated (though, thankfully, healthy and still technically employed) in our apartment until at least the end of next month, though the constantly updated restrictions don't give us much hope that the end is in sight.

While I'm incredibly frustrated to be trapped in quarantine for another thirty days, I have to admit that the present situation is giving me more than enough time to cook, read, and write. If you find yourself needing ways to fill your own quarantine routine, I hope you get some good ideas from this March monthly review (or January's! Or February's! Read everything in the archives! You've got time!).

What I Read

• What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures, Malcolm Gladwell (★★★★)

• The Accidental Feminist: Restoring Our Delight in God's Good Design, Courtney Reissig (★★★★)

• Between Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys (★★★★★) –– reread

• I'll Give You the Sun, Jandy Nelson (★★★★) –– reread

• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer (★★)

• Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys (★★)

• Coral, Sara Ella (★★)

• Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus, Nabeel Qureshi (★★★★★)

• Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don't Know, Malcolm Gladwell (★★★★★)

If you want to hear the rationale behind my rating, head to my Goodreads for full reviews.

I picked up five books on my last trip to the library before it closed, and unfortunately, all three two-star reviews ended up being from that library run. If I hadn't been limited in my reading options to those books, the ones in my house, and any I can scavenge from my parents, I probably would not have finished Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, but I figured I had nothing better to do anyway. Normally, however, I recommend setting aside books you dread reading––life is too short to waste on a bad book.

What I Cooked

• Crispy Chipotle Tacos with Cilantro Lime Ranch

Like everyone else on the Internet, I love a good taco recipe. And let me tell you, this is a good taco recipe. I've tried a few different taco seasonings over the years (this has been my go-to for the last several years), but this is easily the best homemade taco seasoning I've tried––provided you're okay with taco meat that has a little bit of a kick. I made the mistake of describing the ranch sauce as "zesty" to Mitchell, who thought "spicy" was a more accurate adjective, but it was excellent as well. The crispy corn tortillas did not turn out for me (they all split down the crease), and I'm not crazy about corn tortillas anyway, so I don't think I would do them again, but the other elements were certainly worthy of repetition.

• Cheddar Pierogis with Caramelized Onion and Bacon

In the early days of Pinterest, all you had to do to create a popular recipe was throw cheese and bacon into the title. And even now, years later, I still find it difficult to resist either ingredient––or caramelized onions, for that matter. And these pierogis (i.e. cheesy mashed potatoes inside a homemade dumpling) did not disappoint. They are definitely a special occasion recipe, preferably a special occasion that involves culinarily inclined guests who are willing to help with the many tedious steps, but wow. The pierogis were delicious, filling, and quite impressive.

• Chocolate Chunk Coconut Banana Bread

I don't have a Holy Grail banana bread recipe yet (probably because I'm still figuring out how to make bread that is cooked all the way through but not borderline burnt on the bottom), but this is definitely one of the best recipes I've tried: only one bowl, no weird ingredients, and great flavor.

• Twice Baked Potatoes

I ended up with a disproportionate amount of pierogi filling, and while I was initially planning to just make potato soup, twice baked potatoes seemed like a more enjoyable challenge. I didn't follow the recipe exactly (I omitted the melted butter and added the seasonings to the filling instead of sprinkling them on top), but it was helpful nonetheless, and I'm sure I'll pull it out in the future when I find myself in need of a good twice-baked potato.

What I Created

• Article "5 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Dating My Husband"

• Article "Life on Hold"

• Blackout poem "Social Despairing"

• Unpublished original poem "When All of This Is Over"

• Unpublished original poem "Love Your Neighbor"

March 2020 has been quite the month, and I anticipate April will be too. Though we find ourselves in unusual times, I hope you are staying well––physically, of course, but well in your soul above all. When you find yourself feeling restless or hopeless, take some time to recenter on Truth, get some Vitamin D, and reach out to your loved ones. And bake some banana bread too, for good measure. That always helps.