Microcosm #5: Medieval astrology, touching grass, and resisting tyranny.

Plus: Octavia Butler might have been a witch.

It’s hard to believe I’ve already written and sent out five editions of Microcosm. When I returned to writing on Substack, I made a promise to myself: no matter how embarrassed I felt, how many subscribers I lost, how few likes or comments my posts received, or how discouraged I became, I would keep going. I knew that was the only way to create something meaningful and work toward writing the kind of pieces I’ve always wanted to write.

And here I am—my little ADHD brain has followed through, and I’m proud of myself. This platform has given me the space to dive into all my fascinations while flexing my creative muscles and sharpening my skills as a writer. It’s also taught me a tough but necessary lesson in self-acceptance: I’m not for everyone, and that’s okay. I have learned how to tune that out and continue. The experience, thus far, has been invaluable.

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This WSJ article about Ina Garten’s memoir.

This article came out in September, but I live under a rock, so I just read it this week. I made dinner from Ina’s book, Cooking for Jeffrey, the night of the election. It is a battered and love-worn copy, with sharpie’d notes from its previous owner like “made this Valentine’s day, 10/10” on a recipe for paella. I got it secondhand from a friend of a friend. Little did I know it would become one of my most-reached-for cookbooks. Everything from the cauliflower pasta bake, the winter squash bruschetta, and the limoncello cheesecake that my husband requests each birthday—Ina has become a mainstay within our household, and I’m sure this is true for many others.

“Her philosophy of life, it could be argued, is like green velvet. When she was searching for a green velvet couch, she learned the difference between cotton velvet and silk velvet. ‘And once you’ve seen the silk,’ she says, ‘you can’t possibly choose the cotton.’”

I didn’t know much about her upbringing prior to reading this article, but the relationship with her parents, trauma, and heartache she hints at breaks my heart. Obviously, we don’t know her, but a palpable warmth exudes from her TV presence that feels genuine. Despite her less-than-ideal upbringing, I find her ability to hold onto that warmth, kindness, and a good sense of humor, beautiful.

A gorgeous gilded book from the medieval astrology exhibition at the Getty. Make books medieval again.