My Obsession with Vocation, Gochujang and Elizabeth Gilbert

I thought you might be full to the brim of Christmas, holiday and Advent content in your inbox so I didn’t think you’d mind if I politely ignored this season entirely and move on to more pressing matters, like my obsession with Elizabeth Gilbert.

I have had a deep and abiding love for Elizabeth Gilbert for as long as I can remember. I must have read, “Eat. Pray. Love.” 1000 times. I refused to watch the movie because I did not want to replace her voice in my reading memory with that of Julia Roberts (however magical she may have been).

I have read every work she’s ever written- Big Magic being my favorite.

But more than that, I am constantly in awe of how she lives her unapologetic life. Her rawness, her privacy, her mistakes, her triumphs, her failures her celebrations aren’t SECRET but they are PRIVATE…and I constantly marvel at her ability to be so transparent and vulnerable while maintaining such marvelous boundaries.

She makes no bones about being human, about living in a body, about making decisions. The ugliness and the beauty of it.

So, you must know how difficult it was for me to hold it together when I discovered years ago, that my sister had moved directly next door to her.

No. I will not tell you where.

I want you to know that I kept all of my weird fan-girling ideas in check. Every time I wondered aloud if I should just leave cookies on her doorstep or write a heartfelt note about how much her writing has meant to me, my family gently reminded me how creepy that was.

That did not stop me, however, from holding out my hands in prayer and solidarity for whatever she might’ve been working on whenever I happened to see that her lights were on. I have accepted the divinity and absurdity of being a creative person. I think Lizzy Gills ( as my sister and I have come to affectionately call her) would approve.

If you’ve never heard her speak before, this podcast this week is a great way to dip your toe in:

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Things That Have Nourished Me This Week:

1. I feel odd listing Roxane Gay’s memoir, “Hunger” as nourishing. It’s painful and relatable and beautiful and tragic. And you should read it.

2. I have an undeniable pull toward cult documentaries. HBO’s, “The Vow” has taken over my life this week. Glennon also had Sarah Edmonson on her podcast the last few weeks so I’m getting it on all angles. Also weird I guess to list as nourishing, however, I’ve been so hyper-focused on working anything that I do in leisure is nourishing right now.

4. Gochujang is a Korean chili paste that’s sweet and spicy and delightful in anything. ( Seriously, Eric Kim used to make cookies this month.) But my favorite way to use it at the moment is on Brussel sprouts. Here’s a quick and dirty recipe you’ll love:

Roast brussels at 425 for 25 minutes with a whole, sliced shallot and a drizzle of evoo. ( you can add garlic and ginger if you want, also).

While they’re roasting, mix 2 parts gochujang with one part honey, one part more evoo (OR melted butter. I said what I said).

When you take the Brussels out of the oven, drizzle with the sauce. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and chopped cilantro if you’re feeling fancy.

5. Lastly, I’ve been thinking long and hard about vocation and calling this week. It’s been an interesting year for me stepping into, “writer as a profession”. I’ve had possible leads for book deals that have all fallen through. I have felt on the verge of “something,” only to have it be not what I thought. I think this is life. I’ve had a few musings below that I’d love if you would leave your thoughts in the comments. Eat Your Words, my friends. It can be delicious prospect.

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A post shared by Jenny Vanderberg Shannon (@jennyvanderbergshannon)

jennyvanderbergshannon

A post shared by Jenny Vanderberg Shannon (@jennyvanderbergshannon)