Quote of the week:
“I think a lot of us are taught to get to the destination of our ‘true self.’ The problem with landing on a true self is that everything you’ve been before then isn’t ‘true.’ I don’t buy that. It sets up a dichotomy: Who you are now is somehow superior and better than who you were in the past. But how do you know who you’re going to be five years down the road? How can you say that the person in the present moment is your authentic self when you haven’t lived your whole life? I think we need to get past the language of authenticity because, for me, it’s more about the ways we’re works in progress.” –Vivek Shraya (Psychology Today Jan/Feb 2022 issue)
What I’m reading:
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
What I’m listening to:
Little Darlings by Melanie Golding
What I’m watching:
Absolutely nothing this week, aside from my daily dose of Stephen Colbert.
Writing news:
There’s a Goodreads giveaway for Ways the World Could End! Sign into your account to enter for a chance to win a copy!
I am loving early reader reviews. Thank you, thank you!
What I’m talking about:
Omicron. Seriously, that’s most of what I talk about. Somehow, my household has been spared so far. The anticipatory anxiety is REAL.
Interesting things I learned this week:
- The National Bureau of Economic Research reports that Americans are working, on average, 48 minutes MORE per day now than they did before the pandemic
- A study found that too much free time is almost as detrimental to our well-being as too little. The “Goldilocks Zone” of discretionary time that is just right was determined to be 3.5 hours per day (I cannot remember the last time I had 3.5 hours of discretionary time in a day)
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Peacock running.” My daughter didn’t believe peacocks could run, so I had to show her. I’ve also googled “Phil Mickelson dodging golf balls” about 20 times because this video makes me so happy (and is definitely how I feel about dodging Covid so far).
What I’m grateful for:
I’m very grateful for puzzles, which have been my latest way to reduce anxiety. I’m grateful to running for always giving me perspective. And I’m grateful to my daughter for the joy she brings each day (I don’t post too many photos of her for her privacy, but she is amazing).
Wishing everyone a peaceful weekend.