Before I get to the books and food, I need some help. I’m looking for a new answer when someone casually says “How are you?”
Well, let’s see. I’m worried about our country. I also don’t really feel like I belong here anymore, where my values are clearly so out of alignment with the majority of our population, and that makes me very sad. But I am enjoying the Starbucks holiday cups!
We need some new terminology here. During the pandemic, when someone asked “How are you?” I would say “I’m 2020-fine!” Meaning- if you don’t count the fact that there’s a global pandemic, I’m doing well, thank you. I need a term like that for this post-election period, but I can’t come up with a good one.
On to reading! I’m glad to report that unlike other years during NaBloPoMo, I HAVE been reading. Not as much as I would like, though. I’m still reading this book:
I’m enjoying it, although I think I would like it even better if I had more time to read. Every time I pick it up it takes me a few moments to remember what’s going on (sigh!) I’m nearing the end, and I’m hoping to find a chunk of time to finish it, uninterrupted.
Let’s talk about soup. Last week I said Tobia started a Cool Bloggers Autumn Soup Challenge, and she corrected me- it was actually Julie’s idea. Either way, I have another cozy soup to share:
My husband made this one! It’s the Butternut Squash Soup from Love and Lemons. This soup is delicious, and the recipe is really simple. If you have a butternut squash, you probably have the ingredients to make it. It does call for some fresh herbs, but my husband used a mix of fresh and dried.
This photo is of our election night dinner, which I didn’t feel up to sharing last week:
Our pizza had Miyoko’s liquid mozzarella, Field Roast sausage, and vegetables (except for my daughter’s portion, which just had the cheese.) Delicious pizza, delicious beer.
What are your reading now?
Have you been making any autumn soups lately?
36 Responses
I need to come up with any other response to “how are you?” besides “great! How are you?” because let me tell you it does not lead to fascinating conversations.
I just read two really good books – Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra and Shred Sisters by Betsy Lerner. Wowza they were both sooooo good. Now I need something new to read.
One of the other dads in the Boy Scout troop works for a beer distributor and sometimes gives my husband “leftovers” from the job – in the latest haul he gave us Florida Man beer by Cigar City Brewing! It’s yummy! We had some tonight with a frozen pizza – the dinner of champions!
I’ve seen Florida Man beer in the store- I’ll definitely have to try it. We like another one by Cigar City- I think it’s called Fancy Papers.
If you come up with a new response to the question, let me know!
I can usually manage, “I’m hanging in there, you?” and that’s about it. Did you see the thing a few months ago when Elmo asked on Twitter or whatever how people were doing, and they told him? That Elmo should be a therapist. <3
I love butternut squash soup and that one looks delicious. I make a version that has both butternut squash and canned pumpkin, and I think it's a little less sweet than most butternut squash soups, which I like.
I think Tobia's post looked more like a real challenge because she called it that, whereas my post was called 'Soup Weather', and then when you got into it I said we should do a challenge.
Well, I’ll give you both credit. “Hanging in there” sounds like a good response- I might use it today.
You could always use the very Irish “not too bad”! when people ask “how are you”. It means anything from “I feel shit but it doesn’t sound good to say” to “well, I’m still alive” to “I’m doing well despite x and x” or something like it.
I love a good soup! When you go out for lunch in Ireland there’s always the typical BLT sandwich, or vegetable soup, and that soup is always delicious! Nowadays I always need something else alongside the soup for protein though.
Yes, this soup was protein-light. We did eat something beside it. You could also put beans or chickpeas in soup for added protein.
“Not too bad…” sounds good, especially if it can mean “I’m doing well despite x and x.” That’s what I’m looking for!
When asked how you are, say: it’s going ya know? – throw the question back with a hesitant question mark. 😜 Who the heck knows, right?
Soup & the pizza looks delicious.
Let’s carry on.
Okay, I’m getting a lot of great ideas here! I might rotate them throughout the day.
That is the age-old conundrum – how to respond to a blanket question like How are you doing which is almost never intended by the “asker” to be answered by the recipient. I’ve started answering a bit more honestly…sometimes. Like when I recognize the person asking might ACTUALLY want to know how I’m doing vs. when a cashier asks me and clearly the grocery line is not the place I’m going to start baring my soul.
The other one that always makes me chuckle is when you meet someone you’re almost certainly never going to see again – on vacation, on a plane, at a random event and part by saying: See you later. It cracks me up! We’re just so used to ending a conversation that way, even though in some contexts it is HIGHLY unlikely we will be seeing each other later.
I am always so, so impressed that you decorate things so festively for every occasion. You have football decor, holiday decor, and even patriotic stuff (I don’t own a single Canadian flag or any other Canada-centric decor which seems…a bit sad?).
Actually, those were from a bin of July 4th decorations that somehow hadn’t yet made it back into the closet (oops.) So it was easy to pull out a few things.
I agree- most of the time, people don’t want to hear how you’re REALLY doing! But saying “fine’ nowadays seems wrong. I like some of the ideas here, and I’m going to use them today.
I never really know what to say when someone asks “How are you?” because I know they don’t want to know the real answer and they’re just asking to be polite.
The pizza and soup both look really good! I made vegan tortellini soup a few weeks ago but I think I need to make another soup this weekend because we are getting some chilly weather — it’s gonna be in the 50s for a few days starting Sunday which is definitely soup weather. But today it’s 82 degrees so we are on a weather rollercoaster here!
Oooh. I’m envious. Not only is it still hot here, but there’s ANOTHER HURRICANE out there that could potentially hit us. At this point, I just have to laugh.
I have a ton of butternut squash and have yet to use them, I was thinking about making soup soon.
Do it! But I also love roasted butternut squash. Actually I just saw a recipe for roasted butternut squash soup- I’ll bet that’s amazing.
You could use Phil’s standard response of ‘oh, fine’ said in a very ho hum way? He never says great! Or anything with much enthusiasm. Ha.
I’m talking about the election results so much during client meetings. It can be a real drag. Yesterday I was just summarizing the markets broad thoughts about the impact on inflation and growth and some guy spoke up about how of course democrats are saying his policies will be inflationary and blah blah blah. But markets are political. We are trying to figure out where things are going next. My head about exploded but I had to keep smiling and nodding.
I’m reading a book club book her is very literary called ‘Burnim Woods’. It’s set in New Zealand and is about a group of young people who kind of covertly plant fruits and vegetable on land that doesn’t belong to them? It’s mind of a weird book but it’s very accessible so that is helping. When I saw the title was inspired by a passage from Shakespeare I thought, ‘oh boy…’ because I don’t care for Shakespeare (sorry to those who do… don’t hate me).
Hhmm, that book sounds good. And- it must be so hard to talk about politics at your job. Also in a way I’m wondering if it helps- like, I try to imagine myself as a referee at a football game. When they’re calling a play or a penalty, it’s not “good” or “bad” for them, they’re just saying what’s happening. It would be nice if people could say, okay, x happened which means y for us…” without getting political about it (like the guy you mentioned.)
Your how are you comment made me think of a friend of mine. Her husband had recently died and people would ask her, “how are you?” and she said she was sick of hearing people say that and wished they would start conversations with, “what did you have for dinner last night?” or “what was the last book you read?” Inevitably she would say, “fine thanks” but she did not really mean it. Maybe you just have to say, “fine thanks” and move on to talking about books.
I know. You can never go wrong with “fine, thanks.”
That pizza looks SO good. We rarely eat pizza, because I can’t have it (I do eat a frozen one from Costco with a cauliflower crust and it’s good) and I really get unintentionally grouchy when I smell real pizza and I can’t enjoy it. I don’t get that way with other foods.
I’m behind the general population and am just now reading, My Name is Lucy Barton. It’s the first Strout book that I’ve read, and so far it’s good. Not at all what I expected though.
I haven’t read any Strout, so I’m farther behind than you. Everyone seems to love her, so I’ll get on board eventually.
First off, that pizza looks delicious… and it’s Vegan? OMG.
Second: Great question on how to respond to “How are you?” Recently, I’ve been saying, “We’re going to get through this”–because I want to be a hopeful person. (The “we” might refer to just my family if I’m not close to the asker OR me + the asker if we’re comrades in some way.)
Yep the pizza is vegan! That’s a good answer… except that some people asking are probably well, not on our side, and I don’t want to start a conflict by bringing up the fact that I’m NOT happy with the current situation. But I’ll use that in certain situations.
I remember my sister when asked, “How are you?” Use to answer, “Well, I haven’t murder anyone today.” Which always made everyone laugh (some nervously).
Another one was, “I’ll tell you after I’ve had my third coffee.” Which is a little less in the face than her first choice.
And more soup and recipes? Count me in. I love curried butternut squash soup, have you tried that? But then, I love anything with curry powder in.
Mmmmm. Curry? Yes.
Ha ha, I’ll definitely find a good situation to use the “murder” response!
Maybe you could answer: “In another timeline I am splendid. This one… not so much. ”
I don’t know… maybe that is stupid.
I haven’t cooked a single pumpkin soup his year. Maybe I need to do one now that I see yours here.
Maybe I am whipping up some tortellini soup this weekend. Or a spätzle soup… That would be fun.
I want to read that book. It’s been n my shelf for probably two years and I had plans to read it this summer. No such luck.
Actually, I like that response. I might tweak it a little. “In another timeline, i am splendid.” and leave it at that. They can figure out the rest!
I love butternut pumpkin soup. I used to cook pumpkin soup every couple of weeks. I’d often add red lentils to bulk it up and serve it with toasted cheese sandwiches. The kids loved it, so it was always an easy win. I read The Shadow of the Wind many years ago, but I enjoyed it.
Mmm! I like the idea of red lentils to bulk it up. This soup was more a side than a whole dinner, but with lentils it could stand alone.
It gets worse everyday… I don’t want to turn on the news – his picks – insane, each worse than the next.
Squash soup is my favorite – hasn’t made it yet. made chili tonight.
I’m reading the the Lost Book shop
Darlene, I know. I’ve given up. We’re just going to hit rock bottom, and when that happens we’ll go from there.
Now I’m craving chili.
I never heard of 2020-fine, maybe post-election fine?
I haven’t made any soup for the longest as I’ve delegated most of the cooking to the helper to free me up any mental space.
I’m enjoying meditation for mortals a lot!
I was very irritated by the “How are you?” question when I first moved to the US. My husband suggested I just see it as another way of saying hello. Most of the time I say “fine” or “ok” unless someone is in front of me who really wants to know. I feel mostly better but also still horrified. In California and especially in the Bay Area most people feel just like me so there is this sense of shared burden in the air.
I am reading a historic fiction book about a woman who becomes a medical doctor in the late 1800s in Germany – very unusal at the time. It’s a quick and easy read but really long (it’s a 3 book series and I just finished No.2).
I remember I liked Shadow of the Wind a lot. I am tempted to pick it up and re-read it.
I’ve not read anything in the past few weeks, but I’m starting Burn by Peter Heller. It’s not quite soup weather here but butternut squash soup sounds wickedly good! And I like Tobia’s response about being OK in an alternate timeline. Usually when someone says, “How are you” it’s really just a greeting, but sometimes I say, “So far so good” which could technically be true especially in the morning.
We’ve been making tons of soups…. turkeyball-kale, broccoli chicken, stuffed red pepper… give me all the soups (I need to join the Cool Bloggers Autum Soup Challenge :)). The butternut squash soup sounds amazing and looks perfect in your pumpkin bowl!
Re: the response to the “how are you?” question… I’ve used “I have been better”, “Not good”, and “Disillusioned” in different circumstances. Any of these sound fitting to you right now? LOL
The last time I was asked the “How are you?” question, I responded, “Well, aside from the downfall of our democracy, I’m good.” That might be my new answer. How am I? I guess I’m okay if I don’t think too much about what’s happening in politics. UGHHH.
Ooh, I have that book on my shelf! I need to pick it up – I’ve heard great things.
Right now, I’m reading Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams (historical fiction – enjoying it!), Pretty Face by Lucy Parker (romance – a reread for me), and The Very Nice Box by Laura Blackett (audiobook, very weird book).
I hear you on the misalignment of values…Makes me want to stay here for at least 4 years.
The pizza and soup both are making me hungry!