Quote of the week:
“Living things tend to change unrecognizably as they grow. Who would deduce the dragonfly from the larva, the iris from the bud, the lawyer from the infant? Flora or fauna, we are all shapeshifters and magical reinventors.” — Diane Ackerman
What I’m reading:
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
(Since I loved her debut, Migrations, so much)
What I’m listening to:
The Husbands by Chandler Baker — just finished
Mother May I by Joshilyn Jackson — just started
What I’m watching:
- “Penguin Bloom” on Netflix — sweet movie
- “Diagnosis” on Netflix — interesting if you’re fascinated by medical stuff
- I also watched this clip of Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg commenting on the Olympics about 300 times
Writing news:
I’m flirting with starting to write a new novel. The seed has been planted and it is germinating. I love this phase! I’m hoping to share the cover for my 2022 novel soon. I’m excited about this one.
What I’m talking about:
- COVID. A few weeks ago, there were 10,000 new cases per day in the US; now there are over 100,000. It’s all very unsettling. My daughter was home from preschool this week with a cough. I was an anxious mess until we got the test result–negative. I’m bracing myself for an anxiety-filled Fall
- The latest report on the climate crisis, which used the words “code red for humanity” (this is a good summary)
- The passing of the $1 trillion infrastructure bill–so good to see Democrats and (some) Republicans joining forces on this one
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Caramel vs carmel.” This google search occurred in the midst of an argument about the correct spelling and pronunciation. I won this argument. To confirm: “Generally, ‘caramel’ is defined as a chewy, light-brown candy made from butter, sugar, and milk or cream… Caramel is the correct spelling if you’re talking about food or colors. Carmel is a misspelling when used in those contexts, but it is a word that can be used as a name for people or places.”
Interesting things I learned this week:
- There is a World Lion Day and it was this past Tuesday (August 10)
- Softball was invented in 1887
- There is only one Friday the 13th in 2021–and it is TODAY! (I actually learned this a couple weeks ago, but it deserved a mention today)
- According to a study (!), kittens view their owners as their parents
- Florida accounts for 1 in 5 Covid cases in the US
What I’m grateful for:
Lots of things–a negative Covid test for my daughter, flexibility in my work life so I could take care of her this week, Charlotte McConaghy’s writing, my therapist, early morning runs, deep talks with my sister, life-sustaining texts with friends.
