The Two-Hour Window
The rice is done, twelve people ate from it, and now I have two hours to get it into the refrigerator before the bacteria start producing toxins. Two hours. Standard food safety protocol. Except I wasn't watching when it finished cooking, so when exactly did the clock start? I'm doing thermal calculus on Christmas Eve, which is a completely normal holiday tradition, just like my grandmother did, except she was worried about having enough food and I'm worried about bacterial toxin production timelines.
The Two-Hour Window
The rice is done, twelve people ate from it, and now I have two hours to get it into the refrigerator before the bacteria start producing toxins. Two hours. Standard food safety protocol. Except I wasn't watching when it finished cooking, so when exactly did the clock start? I'm doing thermal calculus on Christmas Eve, which is a completely normal holiday tradition, just like my grandmother did, except she was worried about having enough food and I'm worried about bacterial toxin production timelines.
An Interview With the Woman Who Maps Diseases That Arrive Before Her Projections Do
CONTINUE READINGWrong Format, Right Horror
Dear Friends and Family,
What a year! We're writing from the evacuation center (just temporary!) as California gets what forecasters call "one of the wettest Christmas Eves on record." The kids are having a blast watching the atmospheric river—Emma says it's better than Disneyland!
We did lose our neighbor Mr. Peterson to flash flooding in Redding over the weekend, but the silver lining is those January wildfire burn scars are finally getting moisture. The National Weather Service gave 5 million of us a rare "high risk" warning, which feels exclusive. Those 108 mph winds knocked out power, so we're doing Christmas by candlelight—so romantic!
Wishing you a wonderful New Year!
Love, The Johnsons
