It’s been a weird month. It’s hard to remember a four week period marked by higher highs and lower lows. Fewer people thought the Cubs would win than called the election, but here we are. It’s left you shaken. Confused. Unsure that you still understand (or ever understood) the place that you call home. The only thing you’re still pretty sure of is that Rudy Giuliani and the sketchy dude from 300 are actually the same guy.
You’re at a little bit of a loss.
By now you’ve donated to the ACLU. You’ve contributed to Planned Parenthood, and the SPLC, and the Anti Defamation League. You’ve subscribed to the actual journalism produced by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the LA Times. Lord knows these groups all need help over the next four years.
If you’re anything like me you’ve moved through Denial, Anger, and Bargaining; you’re hovering somewhere between Fear and Acceptance. It feels like the only thing left to do is buy a plane ticket to Portugal or something while we can still get into the EU.
Fortunately, running away to Europe is not the only thing left to do.
You can still buy a tart pan.
Look, over the next several years we’ve got a lot of work to do. But for two months we’re in an uncomfortable, sort of powerless holding pattern. In the meantime, you should probably make a tart or two.
I mean, a tart pan is like fifteen bucks. Tarts are delicious. You need something to settle your nerves, and folding egg yolk into molten chocolate is downright meditative. Chocolate not your thing? How about a frangipane and cranberry tart. Or a lemon meringue tart. Or a fresh fruit and custard tart. Even a quiche is kind of a tart, if you’re more of a savory person.
It’s not time to lose focus. You still need to keep pressure on your elected representatives to cautiously vet cabinet appointments. You still need to pay attention to actual news stories, and not the 30 second rotations of fluff that CNN prefers. You still need to get ready to register as a Muslim (because seriously, WTF). But you don’t need to go crazy.
Whether you’re a Hilary supporter or a Cardinals fan, the last month has probably opened up some fissures between friends and neighbors. You don’t need that shit. You’ve got plenty on your mind over the next few years without worrying about hating your republican uncle. Make him a tart. You’ll never regret taking the high road.
And hell, if the world does end in the next year or two, swing on by our place. We’ll be having tart.
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