Monthly Review: October 2024

Purchasing a standing desk has put me on an if-you-give-a-pig-a-pancake sort of office improvement journey. $50 on Facebook marketplace turned into another $100 for new monitors that my husband insisted I needed (so they’d match, unlike my old ones), and then $30 for a memory foam mat. But though the lingering knee pain from sitting all day diminished almost instantly, it was soon transferred directly to my arches, even despite the aforementioned memory foam mat. No longer would I be able to gleefully work from home in my sock feet; I needed something more substantial.

For a fleeting moment of desperation, I considered buying a pair of Crocs, but then I remembered that I still have a shred of personal dignity. I would seek support elsewhere.

My solution came in the form of a targeted ad on Instagram from a company whose socks I had also seen featured in many a targeted ad on Instagram. Turns out they sold slippers too. I tapped open the link and weighed my options. They sold only straight sizes, not the half-size I typically take, so I decided to round down and go with the basic black.

When they arrived a week later, I knew after 10 minutes of wearing them I had chosen wrong. They were not only too small but also destined to attract and display every single piece of loose dog hair in my home. They would have to be returned.

The convenience of online shopping is directly proportional to the inconvenience of returning items purchased online. First, you must initiate the return, selecting from half a dozen semi-accurate options the reason for your return. Having done so, you will receive a PDF of a shipping label you cannot print because you have not changed the ink in your printer since 2021. You will then be forced to locate a box of an appropriate size to ship since the plastic mailer in which the items arrived was shredded beyond reuse as you joyfully tore into your package upon its arrival, confident you would never need to return it because, of course, it would work. It may take any number of weeks to get to this step, but eventually you will bundle the items up, mummify the box in packing tape, and shuffle off to your local Staples since you don’t have a UPS store within 20 miles so that a college student who barely registers your existence can print the shipping label and drop the package in the mail for you, all for the low price of $7.48, which will of course be deducted from your refund. The whole process is so demoralizing that I was tempted to just grit my teeth and keep the slippers, but my husband really did want his $7 Walmart slide sandals back, so I had no choice.

So I went back to the website and initiated my return and added the larger size of slippers to my cart (in dusty purple this time rather than black, a color resistant to both dinginess and dog hair). I went to finalize the transaction, mentally bracing myself for that stupid shipping label and the trip to Staples I would inevitably procrastinate until the return window was on the verge of closing, but it never came. Instead, I received a message: “You're all set! And by the way, there's no need to send the items you have back to us. You can simply keep them or gift them to family members or friends. Your purchases mean that those in need receive thoughtfully-designed clothing items. Thank you for helping us fulfill our mission!”

I stared at the screen, and beneath my relief I felt strangely touched. Rather than the hassle I had expected (and, frankly, brought upon myself), I had been given a gift of unearned kindness. This, I supposed, was grace, embodied in a pair of slippers and a corporate email.

The new slippers have arrived, and I wear them every day as I work. They keep my feet cozy and supported, and whenever I slip into them, I am reminded that I have received so many gifts I have not earned but must now learn for myself to give to others.

I suppose I should probably start with that extra pair of slippers.

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Here's what I read, cooked, and created in the month of October.

What I Read

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling (★★★★★)—reread

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling (★★★★★)—reread

• These Precious Days, Ann Patchett (★★★★★)

• Break to You, Neal Shusterman (★★★★)

• The Stationery Shop, Marjan Kamali (★★★)

• The Glassmaker, Tracy Chevalier (★★)

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

What I Cooked

• French Onion Chicken Thighs

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: ★★★★★

Keeper: Yes

Comments: Chicken bouillon might be the onion caramelization hack I've been waiting for my whole life. I already can't wait to make this again.

• Zucchini, Cheese, and Chive Bread

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: ★★★★

Keeper: Yes

Comments: I made these twice this month–first as directed, and then as I thought they should taste. I swapped 1/2 a cup of cornmeal in for some of the flour, added some garlic powder, and omitted the sugar, and I liked my version much better.

• Apple and Cheddar Crisp Salad

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: ★★★★★

Keeper: Yes

Comments: I don't think the cheese browned as prettily as I would have liked, but this salad is as delicious as it looks. It would be a delicious addition to your Thanksgiving table.

• Grilled Halloumi and Vegetable Wraps

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: ★★

Keeper: Not in its published form

Comments: Much like radicchio, I am very bitter about how this recipe turned out. I did not realize that radicchio is almost inedible when I eagerly decided to make this recipe, and I regretted it tremendously. I can see how swapping the radicchio for cabbage would be good, though, and I would be willing to try that in the future before I completely give up on this recipe.

• Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: ★★★★

Keeper: Yes

Comments: I didn't bother with the crispy shell situation, but the taco and ranch both turned out great.

• Maple Brown Sugar Cookies

Difficulty: ★★

Flavor: ★★★★

Keeper: Yes

Comments: I didn't have maple extract and didn't feel like making these in cookie form, but they were a lovely autumnal bar. I would probably skip the nuts in the future.

What I Created

• The other half of that poem for the Poets' Society club I'm advising this year

• A little more progress on my long-neglected project

May your days be filled with beauty, and may your heart be filled with the willingness to see and give thanks for it.