It’s okay to hate squash, and other things I like about adulthood

I tried. Really I did.

With an established dislike for squash–especially the winter types–I bought some anyway. I purchased red kuri and spaghetti squash thinking I might turn over a new leaf. Perhaps my previous aversions to squash related to preparation?

So I hunted up two great recipes and made a riff on Alice Water’s red kuri squash soup and a cheesy, mushroomy spaghetti squash mess. Oh, both attempts were just terrible.

Mr. T reports that the soup was fine and the spaghetti squash? Well let’s just say no one saved the leftovers. Mushy and overdone, thank you Martha Stewart and your 425 temperature setting.

All this is to say, last week I decided it was okay if I never ate squash again. (Exception: zucchini. Zucs are yum.)

And I realized how much I enjoy certain facets of adulthood. Bills suck. Buying tires sucks. Dealing with death, and drama, and endless taxes sucks. But, there are a lot of good things, too.

A few:

1. Deciding it’s okay to hate squash. Or salmon. Or eggs. Or Brussels sprouts. And you can, because you’re a grown up with full control over what goes in your mouth.

2. Realizing, and really internalizing, that not everyone’s going to like you and that’s fine.  My mom’s been telling me a variation on this since I was small, but this Dita Von Teese quote has really stuck home lately: “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world and there’s still going to be someone who hates peaches.”

3. Brownies for breakfast. Or cake. Or crumble. Or whatever. One of the great joys of my adult life is eating sweet things for breakfast. Because I can.

4. Grocery shopping. Can I just say, I love grocery shopping? Choosing. Everything! I remember being in college and going grocery shopping alone for the first time… such an exhilarating experience

The opening words of our wedding ceremony. Seriously.

(until I got the register, but whatever).

5. Easier female friendship. Oh, I when I think back to the high school (and to a lesser extent college) drama related to my friendships with other women, I shudder. I am so incredibly grateful for my loving, supportive, only minorly dramatic friendships now.

6. Having my own pet. It wasn’t until I wrote my “Loving an old man dog” post that I really cogitated on the fact that I haven’t had a pet of my own before. (I heart you, Goliath! Remember you have to live forever, okay?.)

7. Mawwiage. Probably my favorite thing about adulthood.

xoxo,
shawna

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