I know I said last week that I was alarmed that it was December, but now I feel like it should be the end of December. My daughter has seen Santa four times already. I guess this is why they call it the holiday “season.” Okay, let’s get into this week’s roundup!
Quote of the week:
“You do not have to choose
one or the other: a dream or a dreamer, the
bird or the birder. You may be a woman of
commotion and quiet. Magic and brain.
You can be a mother and a poet. A wife and
a lover. You can dance on the graves you dug
on Tuesday, pulling out the bones of yourself
you began to miss.”
― Kate Baer, What Kind of Woman
What I’m reading:
I’m in the middle of Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng and loving it. Her books are always winners with me. I also read a delightful book of poetry this week―What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer.
What I’m listening to:
This week, I listened to Rob Delaney’s memoir about his young son’s death, A Heart That Works. I cried. It’s such a wonderful, heartbreaking book. Read it to remind yourself of what being human is all about. Now, I’m listening to Ronit Plank’s memoir, When She Comes Back. It’s been on my list for an embarrassingly long time and I’m so glad to be getting into it!
What I’m watching:
I watched Stutz, Jonah Hill’s documentary about his therapist. If you’re new to therapy, this is a good intro to what it can offer you. I needed something light too, so I watched The People We Hate at the Wedding. Can’t go wrong with Kristen Bell and Allison Janney.
Writing news:
I got some feedback on my latest manuscript this week, so I’m working on edits to incorporate that feedback. It’s been nice to get back into it after several weeks of taking a break. I think it’s almost “done” (which is always, always in quotes).
What I’m talking about:
- The release of Brittney Griner. FINALLY!
- Joe Manchin single-handedly shutting down federal paid leave. Thanks, Joe. The fact that this country does not offer paid leave continues to be appalling
- Putin signing a law banning any expression of LGBTQ+ identity and criminalizing “propaganda” for non-traditional sexual relationships. This sounds very old world, but I worry this type of extremism is coming to the US. Currently, there are 15 states that have bills proposed to prohibit or limit discussion of gender and sexuality in schools…
- The Trump Organization being convicted of tax fraud and other financial crimes. Again: FINALLY!
- The Georgia runoff election. WOOHOO! I’m disturbed by how many Georgians thought that Herschel Walker should represent their state, but so happy that Raphael Warnock pulled out the victory
- The House’s final approval of legislation to mandate federal recognition for same-sex marriages. Again: FINALLY!
Interesting things I learned this week:
- Human experiential memory begins around 4.7 years of age
- We unconsciously swallow a liter or so of saliva per day
- Every minute or so, we take more pictures than all of humanity in the 19th century
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Goblin mode.” Apparently, this is the Oxford word of the year for 2022. First of all, it’s a term, not a word, but okay. I had no idea what it meant, which made me feel very old. Upon googling, I see this is the meaning, per Oxford: “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” Still not sure how I would use it in a sentence and am quite certain I never will use it in a sentence.
What I’m grateful for:
- Continued health. Knock on wood. I know COVID cases are increasing in lots of places… Yikes
- Great-feeling runs lately. I’m not officially training for anything at the moment and enjoying running according to what feels good
- Almost finished with holiday shopping…and I successfully assembled a Barbie Dreamhouse last night (#momsgonewild)
Snapshots:
