What's IN/OUT this week

On Tuesday, I wrote about how one of my first jobs out of college — freelancing for The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — now only publishes a physical paper three days a week. In a wild twist of fate, the PG’s owners announced on Wednesday they’re shutting down the paper for good in May. Not just the printing of it, but the whole publication —which can trace its roots to 1786 — is being killed. 

This is my fault, isn’t it??

IN: BIDETS. I apologize to the bidet community for sleeping on butt spritzes. Dave installed our Tushy this morning and I became an immediate convert. The fine folks at Tushy included a little zine with our purchase that is very reminiscent of those old doctor’s office pamphlets, but includes things like an ASStrology reading. Sorry to the two people who unsubscribed from Hater’s Guide this week: You’re missing out on some incredible toilet content. OUT: Wasting toilet paper, baby.

IN: Having the same interests as 5-year-olds. I learned that a church is being torn down nearby, so the dog and I wandered over to check it out earlier this week. We arrived to find a group of children also gawking at the wreckage. It’s nice to know that — at any age — we all just want to kick rocks down the street and stare at big trucks knocking down walls. OUT: The property will probably become a bunch of boxy, characterless single-family homes that only your least-favorite high school classmate can afford, which his wife will fill with the blandest, live-laugh-lovingest homegoods from Pier 1! 

IN: The nice lady at the Serbian market. For the second year in a row, friends and I surprised our pal Marko with a smattering of traditional food for Serbian Christmas, which is celebrated on January 7. I popped over to Cafe Beograd to snag ćevapčići and burek for our little feast. And because it was obvious that I did not know what I was doing — based solely on my pronunciation of the goods (I actually didn’t say “burek” at all, but panic-stared at the woman and made a circle with my hands) — the kind employee steered me around the market to upsell me on traditional condiments. I am also thrilled to report that Marko already had a big jar of the ajvar I picked up, so I got to keep mine. Ajvar is a top-tier red pepper and eggplant spread — and it provides a lovely pop of red to your plate! OUT: Being turned off by gray and beige food. Lauren’s dessert that evening (lenja pita — an apple pie-like dish) was incredible, despite looking like ground meat sighing. But I grew up around many Eastern European folk, so I understand that brutalist-appearing food is not to be pooh-poohed. These folks know how to use onions, garlic, and pork (or butter, apples, and walnuts) in a way that’s awe-inspiring.

IN: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. I’m reading Stiff for the Death & Dying course I’m taking, and it is so much better than I could have imagined. How Roach was able to write 300 pages on dead bodies in a way that’s highly informative and funny is a feat. She does a magnificent job of recounting how a researcher described the sound of insects eating a corpse — which clearly bothered the third individual present. “Ron frowns,” she writes. “Ron used to like Rice Crispies.” OUT: Post-holiday work. I felt a surge of inspiration and excitement around my creativity while my various colleagues took time off the last couple of weeks. But all of that was sapped by the first 6:15 a.m. (!!!) Slack message I received on Tuesday.

Tell me what you hated this week!