Despite only hitting the solstice last week, Flat 493 has been in the dog days of summer this month. Nothing *bad*, just v. little to write home about. I volunteered for Triad Pride Performing Arts’ spring concert and tent at Pride and hit my workout goals for the month early, yay, but also read a bunch of meh mysteries and cooked a lot of less than inspired food.

However, since Sunday night’s massive success, I do believe our kitchen getting its mojo back. I didn’t take a picture, but can highly recommend these scallops and mushrooms in a white wine sauce with crème fraîche polenta.

Details on the rest of the week’s food will be in Sunday’s roundup (theoretically), but while my brain is less than inspired I wanted to share a few things that tickled it recently.

• As a wannabe librarian (thank goodness that degree is finally paid off. RIP, PSLF) who also acts, I have many thoughts on the white woman suing a library for not letting her perform as Harriet Tubman. This OnStage blog says them better.

• Do more things you’re bad at. It doesn’t even have to be in a group, like this essay on improv classes at therapy. I laughed at myself trying to keep balance doing one-legged Romanian deadlifts in the fitness center yesterday just as much as I do in adult ballet.

• Speaking of laughing, this essay is older, but new to me from one of the many, many e-newsletters I now subscribe to now that I’m off Instagram. Please don’t ask me which one. But please do lulz as protest in honor and remembrance of Medusa, the victim they painted as a monster. Laugh and point at and keep calling and emailing these weird jerks making life constantly worse for everyone who isn’t a straight, white, cis man. Even if you’re “represented” by them in Congress and the only thing you get in reply is condescending form responses. Tax the billionaires, melt ICE, fund Planned Parenthood, and always remember that what pronouns someone uses can’t hurt you.

Puppy tax paid in the header (“What do you mean, you have to put the duvet cover on and straighten it out, all this poof is for meeeeee!”), and shoutout to Merry, the florist I used for the day job this week, who had a question and couldn’t get ahold of me at my desk when an appointment ran over, but who found this blog when trying to find my mobile number. More recipes soon, I promise!