You're Worth the Whole Sandwich, Baby
A classic Caprese sammy recipe for you, because you're beautiful!
Hello loves! What an… interesting time it is. How are you feeling, with everything that’s going on? Have you implemented some rituals in your life to feel like you have some tiny amount of control over the raging shitstorm that is our world in the year 2024? Are you giving yourself plenty of time away from social media, getting outside and breathing fresh air, hugging friends? I’m doing my absolute best to do these things, and I still feel like a lunatic. The other night I said to myself, out loud, “I’m NOT GOING CRAZY.” I’m simply rearranging my personal life into an unexpected new shape. Of course I feel nuts.
Breathe, scream
To cope with the discomfort of this reshaping, I’m doing some ritualistic things. Every morning when I get up, I brew a delicious cup of pour-over coffee, light the absurdly expensive Aesop candle I bought myself (it’s worth every damn penny), sit down at my meditation table, and pull some Tarot cards to reflect on the… interesting time I’m having.
After I journal about my feeeeeeeeelingggs, I take my little dog Archie on a stroll around the neighborhood. Occasionally, an involuntary yelp of “FUCK!” will slip out of me while we walk. Sometimes I catching myself groaning out loud. I’ll glance around to see if someone’s quietly crossed the street to avoid me, but you know, I don’t think anyone has, because it’s that kind of time in the world. It’s okay to shout “FUCK!” when something horrid pops into your head. I think we should all be shouting “FUCK!” a lot more, in fact, especially when it comes to abortion rights in this country. I’d be down to join a protest that’s just all of us screaming “FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!” in front of every state legislature trying to pass an abortion ban.
Fuck Bill Eigel and the Missouri GOP
In one of the most staggeringly idiotic comments we’ve heard yet from a forced birther, Missouri Republican Bill Eigel claimed that a one-year-old could get an abortion. No, you’re not having a stroke; you read that right.
On February 7th, the Missouri GOP voted against an amendment to the state’s abortion ban to legalize abortion in cases of rape and incest. During the session, GOP Senator Sandy Crawford said she opposed exceptions for rape and incest because life is precious. “God is perfect. God does not make mistakes. And for some reason he allows that to happen — bad things happen,” she said.
And Democratic Senator Doug Beck introduced an amendment that would allow victims 12 years old and younger to have abortions. Beck’s proposal led to a heated exchange with Republican Senator Bill Eigel, who said: “You want to bring back the institution of abortion so that kids can get abortions in the state of Missouri. A 1-year-old could get an abortion under this.” To which Beck replied, “I don’t know that a 1-year-old could get pregnant, senator.”
“You want to bring back the institution of abortion so that kids can get abortions in the state of Missouri. A 1-year-old could get an abortion under this.”
These are the people legislating the bodies of women and girls. Republicans don’t give two fucks about what’s real and true. It’s beyond critical that we keep our eye on these shitweasels — so, if you’re not following Jessica Valenti’s essential Abortion, Every Day newsletter, I implore you to do so now. And say it with me: “FUCK!”
Oh nothing, just a little suppression from Meta
Instagram and Threads will no longer promote ‘political’ content — but no one knows what they define as ‘political.’ Meta exec Adam Mosseri announced that the company does not want to “proactively amplify political content from accounts you don’t follow.” He said that the platforms will still show users content from the accounts they have chosen to follow, but they will “avoid recommending political content” to the broader masses.
V from @underthedesknews reported on the situation, pointing out that the decision in and of itself is political:
Looks like I’m going to have to up my TikTok game. It’s infuriating that the human wet wipe known as Mark Zuckerberg exerts control over so much of what we get to see and say, and that billionaires in general get to dictate the terms of our existence. All together, now: “FUCK!”
A Classic Caprese Sandwich
This Is Actually Happening is a terrific podcast featuring stories from people who have lived through hair-raising terror and trauma. I find it incredibly soothing. Sometimes I fall asleep to it. No matter how bananas I’m feeling, the stories these folks share always make me feel better, because they’ve survived the absolute worst.
I recently listened to an episode in which a woman named Donna Hayes tells the story of her impoverished childhood and familial abandonment, and how it led her to feel unworthy of love. She ended up in several horrible relationships as a result. But after her third husband screwed her over in a spectacularly terrible way, she had a huge realization.
She says, “How did this person, who knew what I had been through — how could this person choose to add to the hurt and the pain that I’d already suffered in my life? But I can now connect the trauma to my choices. It’s like I was under the table, and crumbs were falling, and I would settle for the crumbs because I didn’t believe I deserved the loaf.
“The hard truth is, I needed love in my life. I craved it. I needed someone to hug me, I needed someone to tell me that I mattered. And my whole life, the opposite was coming through: that I didn’t matter. If someone showed me love for a second, I was drawn to that person.”
Donna’s story reverberated with me. The number of women I know who have been hurt and diminished by men who claim to love them is astounding. I count myself as one of ‘em. Anyway, it was Valentine’s Day, so I made a sammy on the subject as a little love poem to anyone who’s ever had their tender heart taken advantage of.
And the recipe is so simple!
Yield: 1 serving
baguette or ciabatta, or any kind of crusty bread
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced (I used heirloom tomatoes for a pop of color)
fresh basil
a fresh mozzarella ball
extra-virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar
flaky sea salt
Make Yourself a Sandwich
Slice the bread. Drizzle with a little oil. Slice the mozzarella into 1/4 thick rounds, and arrange on the bread. Top with sliced tomatoes and basil, and give the whole thing another drizz of olive oil and a splash of balsamic. Sprinkle with sea salt, close it up with the other half of the bread, and tuck a napkin in your collar or lap.
Put a hand over your heart, and say out loud, “I am worth the whole sandwich.” Then, eat it with your eyes wide open to how awesome you are while feeling the deep gratification of your delicious sandwich, which you entirely deserve.
I ❤️ my subscribers
I changed the subscription pricing for My Sandwich, My Choice! It’s now a tasty $5/ month, or $55/ year. If you paid for a subscription at the previous automatic price of $8/ month (set by Substack, whoops) THANK YOU, and I’ve extended your paid subscription at no cost to you through Feb. 17 of next year.
I’m learning more about how Substack works, and I’m very excited to roll out new features in the coming weeks with more posts, interviews, sandwich recipes, and exciting collabs. If you dig what I’m doing, please share far and wide!
Last Licks
I was introduced to the music of Molly Lewis this week by my friend Charlotte. I had absolutely no idea what I was in for when Charlotte asked if I wanted to join her at the Troubador. Holy smokes, you guys. I fell head over heels in love. Molly Lewis is a whistler. And if I’d known that before going, I don’t know that I would have said yes to the invitation, because, what?!
IT WAS THE BEST MOST BEAUTIFUL SHOW EVER.
Molly Lewis whistles and your heart listens. It’s so incredibly dreamy and spell binding. And her stage persona is elegant and goofy all at once — I’m telling you, she’s magic. Her latest album just came out, I’m playing it on repeat, and I’m looking up dates to see her anytime I can go. Her music felt like what the world needs. It was definitely just what I needed. Check her out. You’ll fall in love, too.
Thank you again for reading. More soon! Love, MJ ❤️