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Budget cooking: tasty thigh topping

 You wanna get real? Let's get real. Life is a mix of good and bad, up and down, sweet, spicy, savory, and everything in between. There's pleasure and pain, sunshine and rain. Fuck, I sound like a country song.

Mushrooms, radishes, red bell pepper, green onion, and cherry tomatoes

Money's tight, not just for me, but for just about all of us. Interest rates are up, inflation is bending us all over the barrel. Gas, necessities, luxuries, fucking groceries all cost more than they seem like they should. It's not fun, it's not fair. It's just bullshit.

Chicken thighs, bones removed, with salt, pepper, and paprika

Beyond the financial concerns, building and maintaining relationships is some bullshit. I mean, it's always been a shitty situation if you're a middle-aged introvert, but tack on the realities of living in a post-Covid world and things get worse. Add in a few shots of anxiety and depression and you've got a cocktail of loneliness. Granted, my girlfriend and I have been getting to know each other better and have braved a few storms so far; if only I could see more of her, you know? At least then I'm able to be lonely with someone else. 

Dumped in the mushroom, radish, and some green onion while the chicken finished

You know, I do miss sleep. I've had a hell of a time getting to sleep for a while anyway, but the waking up every 30-45 minutes all night fucking sucks. I spend all day fucking exhausted, then get to lie in bed most of the night wishing that exhaustion would lead to something beneficial. One day I'll sleep, though, right?

Confit garlic and red pepper flakes in the drippings/butter/oil

So what's the point of all this bitching? 

Tomatoes and green onion; added some spinach, balsamic, honey, and capers later

Life's hard for most of us. Every single day we're given the choice of whether we're going to keep fighting or give it up. I'm proud of you for still being here, same as I'm proud of myself. We've seen some shit, haven't we? We've been through it, fought through it all. No matter how hard those demons are who are pushing us constantly to give up, we've persevered so far. 

Chicken topped with tomato/spinach/onion, veggies on the side with parsley

So we find a way to stretch those dollars, we make the sparse moments we have together count as much as they can, we work when we have to and rest when we can. I'm keeping my chin up and face forward, and I know you are, too. We'll keep working, we'll keep loving, and we'll keep eating. In the words of Anthony Bourdain, "Fuck it. Let's do this." We got this shit.

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