Dreyer's English

Just what you've asked for...another book about grammar and spelling!  Hear me out, this book is hilarious. Please get an audio version because his dry humor puts some Brits to shame. You might want to get a written version because the end of the book is about commonly misspelled words and it sounds like a demented spelling bee. I imagine this is what went on at a Princeton party before the quarantine. "Spell supercilious on the first try or do a shot." Who am I kidding, those kids were doing lines of crushed Adderall.

It's as snarky as you would expect but it some ways the book is liberating because those old-school rules that you assume are canonical? Well, maybe they aren't? I'm still not a fan of when someone responds in a text with "K" instead of okay or even ok. I mean, am I not worth that one extra keystroke? You've reduced me to a one-keystroke friend.  Dreyer's English is geared more for people that write for a living. But then don't most of us write for living? You shouldn't send your boss an e-mail that says: "You need report and I good lady make report sometime." Now that I write that I kind of think that would be an awesome email.

It's hard to drink and write. And its really hard to drink and read but this cocktail seems sophisticated for Mr. Dreyer.  It's a variation of the Manhattan. Red Hook Cocktail: 2 ounces rye whiskey, 1/2 ounce Punt e mes (that's an Italian vermouth), 1/2 ounce Maraschino liquor. Add to a mixing glass and stir with ice.  Strain and garnish with a maraschino cherry. 

White Fragility

Hopefully you've heard of this book, but if not it is a fantastic introduction to systemic racism and white privilege. I think every human should read this book. Yes, even those of you that are "woke." Especially those of you that are woke. Even woke people sometimes need a cup of coffee. I know I did. Dave and I read this together over Christmas and before the virus we were telling everyone to read it--in person--which was interesting.  Something the author mentions in the beginning is how defensive people can be about resisting reading it or educating yourself. I had no idea how unintentionally comical those defenses would sound. Dave highly recommended this to someone and she said and I quote, "Well, I live in Harlem." Then she said, "Well, you don't have a stepson that is a quarter black." Dave almost did a spit take. It was more cringe inducing that something Larry David could write.

The author is a white woman that does diversity training and in some ways it does read a little like a power-point presentation. But that's okay because it works in this book. This is not theoretical, but it is full of examples of things white people can do, practical things, we can do to make a difference. She also admits that she still makes an occasional mistake even though she has been making a conscious effort to check her privilege long before the term woke existed. I've had to cut out a few friends that did not share my values. I must admit that was for selfish reasons.  Constantly "playing nice" to someone who lacks empathy is freaking exhausting. My next project is to call out family and co-workers (harder to cut them out) when they say something racist and it's hard but we have to do it. Nothing is going change if we don't. Please read this book or something like it. Whatever excuse you have not to is not good enough anymore.

Read this book with a little white wine. Get it? You do. We picked some up in upper Michigan, which, by the way, is super-duper white and it honestly was kind of weird but it's beautiful up there nonetheless. Our favorite winery was Left Foot Charley and we bought a bottle of Kerner which is grown in cool climates.