When people tell me how much they enjoy / anticipate going back to normal, I make this little joke, saying, “So. When do you think China is planning to release the next virus in its lineup?”

Strangely, nobody is finding the joke funny. It cracks me up every time but all I get from the audience are dirty looks.

Hey, did you hear? The student debt will be cancelled by the gigantic number of zero dollars zero cents.

I’m still quite stunned by people who discussed the merits of the proposal to cancel student debt like it was a serious plan.

Any one of us here is more likely to be cancelled than student debt.

For those who speak Spanish, here’s a video of Ana Iris Simón, a young Spanish writer who says exactly what I always do. She speaks against globalization (“the global village ruined the actual village”), the EU that has proven terrible for Spain, the neoliberal capitalism that creates enormous suffering, the immorality of bringing in immigrants under the slogan of “we need young workers to pay our old people’s pensions” because who’s going to pay the pensions in the countries you strip bare of workforce? She says that young Spaniards need stability, permanence, jobs, and families.

Of course, the Left lost its marbles in response to the speech and is now calling her a fascist. She says that her parents had a better life than she does, so it must mean she’s advocating for a return to the Franco dictatorship. Even though her parents had her in 1990s when Franco was long in his grave.

I’m watching this new Mexican telenovela, and the best thing about it is that there’s this character who speaks in the most delightful DF slang ever. I’m learning tons of new expressions. But now there’s this plotline where he’s learning to speak “correctly.” It’s so annoying. Half of the show’s enjoyment and learning potential is gone.

I invented this recipe today:

I marinated some boneless skinless chicken in sour cream. While it was marinating, I mixed up some fresh garlic with a bag of fresh spinach, sumac, pomegranate molasses, and shredded mozzarella. Then I stuffed the chicken with this mix and baked it. I didn’t add salt because I usually don’t when I use cheese.

I was hoping that the chicken would last us a few days because I baked a whole tray. But it’s almost gone! Poor N had dinner three times because it’s so good.

I’m cursed with the gift of cooking. It’s impossible not to overeat. Klara is refusing to stay for lunch at church. “You cook so much better, mommy. Let’s go home for lunch instead.” I have to beg her not to comment on the food the cook makes at daycare.

My grocery bill is ridiculous because everything I cook has a million ingredients. The chemistry of food is fascinating, by the way. I play out possible recipes in my head like chess players strategize games.