Weekly Roundup: July 22, 2022

It’s been a rough week. There’s so much in the news that is utterly depressing. I’ve been particularly affected by all the latest headlines about climate change—record heat, melting ice, species going extinct. It’s a lot to take in. The below quote from Howard Zinn has been a small salve this week…

Quote of the week:
“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places—and there are so many—where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.” –Howard Zinn, You Can’t be Neutral on a Moving Train

What I’m reading:
The Tragedy of Heterosexuality by Jane Ward. This is a great book that looks at many of the underlying issues in heterosexual relationships. I am heterosexual and I do find it tragic sometimes–haha. Men and women are socialized so differently, which leads to inherent conflict.

What I’m listening to:
Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon. This is a super interesting memoir. They say comedians often have difficult childhoods and her story speaks to this. I really admire her resilience.

What I’m watching:
Aside from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and the first half of the MLB All-Star game, I’m not watching much. I did watch some of the Jan. 6 hearings on prime time last night. Upsetting.

Writing news:
Nothing to report this week!

What I’m talking about:

• Climate change. This has been really weighing heavy on me this week. There is record-breaking heat all around the world right now (The UK saw its highest temp EVER, 104 degrees). Greenland shed 6 BILLION tons of water per day last weekend as ice melted. Scientists say that 90% of the plankton in the Atlantic is gone (one said this means the Atlantic Ocean is effectively “dead”). Monarch butterflies are now endangered, due in large part to disruptions to their migratory patterns caused by climate change. All this at the same time that Biden’s climate plan collapsed (thanks for nothing, Joe Manchin). Some are saying Biden may declare a climate emergency soon. That might be the only way for any positive action to begin
• Covid and the BA.5 variant. Many areas are bringing back mask mandates in the face of the most contagious variant yet. This is all just really exhausting. Fauci said he will leave the government before the end of Biden’s term. He’s clearly exhausted too
• Trump running in 2024. Watching the Jan. 6 hearings, it seems pretty clear that he committed serious crimes so not sure how he’ll be able to actually run. Just his stated intention to run is infuriating though
• Biden’s successes so far—created 9 million jobs, got unemployment to 3.6%, ended the 20-year war in Afghanistan, signed the $1.9T American Rescue Plan, signed a $1.2T infrastructure law, signed the first major gun law in 30 years, confirmed 69 federal judges. Everyone thinks he’s “failing” so it’s good to check the facts
• The ongoing fight for women’s rights. I was happy to see Democrat lawmakers as part of an abortion rights rally (17 of them were arrested). There are already so many stories of women being denied needed care because of the new legislation in many states. It’s truly horrifying
• The Republican crazies. So, 96% of Republicans in the house (96%!!!) voted against keeping birth control legal. Um, what? Thankfully, it still passed the House but will it pass the Senate? Equally, absurd, 157 Republicans voted against marriage equality
• Images from the Webb telescope. So incredible. There is something so calming about seeing that we are just one planet in one solar system in one galaxy. Perspective is so needed right now

Interesting things I learned this week:

• Many classic kids books were written by queer people (Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things Are, Frog and Toad Are Friends)
• Estivation is a term describing summer hibernation, a state of torpor or dormancy during the depths of the hot, dry season. Desert tortoises, crocodiles, and some worms and snails do it. Seems like something humans may need to consider soon
• A healthy male giraffe weighs about 3,000 pounds
• According to a recent report, 66% of working parents meet the criteria for parental burnout
• Western Europe has done more to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions over the past three decades than any other region in the world. It cut emissions by 30% (while the US, Canada, and Australia all increased their emissions)
• Peppermint contains salicylate, which is poisonous to cats. But some cats (like mine!) are attracted to peppermint (eg, my tea) because it contains nepetalactone-mimicking compounds, the active ingredient in catnip
• Albert Einstein’s wife, Mileva Marić, is said to have contributed to all of his scientific accomplishments, though she is credited with nothing officially. Einstein is known to have said, “I need my wife. She solves for me all my mathematical problems.” They divorced after he had an affair with his cousin
• According to a 7-year study, those who regularly drank coffee were up to 30% less likely to die in that time frame from any cause
• “Mojo” used to mean “witchcraft” in the 1920s (Creole origin)

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Is there a word for dying of thirst?” I googled this while working on a poem. There is an archaic/obsolete English verb meaning “to die of thirst”—Forthirst. Alas, this word did not really fit my poem.

What I’m grateful for:

• My daughter’s growing love of words and language. She’s almost 5 and just getting into spelling. The first word she can spell on her own (aside from her name, “mom,” and “dad”) is LOVE
• Books. Reading has given me such comfort lately. I saw this Rebecca Solnit quote the other day: “I disappeared into books when I was very young, disappeared into them like someone running into the woods.” Really resonates
• My pets. They add so much love to every day
• An awesome long run this morning. I’m running a half marathon in a month and feeling good about chasing a PR

A few snapshots: