First of all, Happy International Women’s Day! Here’s to equal rights and equal pay and equal everything.
This was a big week for me because I was finally able to announce my two-book deal with Lake Union. I am super excited about this and can’t wait for you guys to read the books. The first book will come out around this time next year, with the second book coming out the year after that. I’ve started writing the second one and am having fun with it so far. Yay!
Quote of the week:
This week’s “quote” is actually a mini poem from Emily Dickinson that she wrote on the back of an envelope (and, yes, it looks like a pair of underwear below):
“In this short Life
That only lasts an hour
How much – how little – is
Within our power”
What I’m reading:
Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose. I wanted something relatively light and easy and this fits the bill.
What I’m listening to:
This American Ex-Wife: How I Ended My Marriage and Started My Life by Lyz Lenz. I read some essays and articles written by her and felt drawn to the book. It’s good so far.
What I’m watching:
I started Saltburn on Amazon Prime last night. Hoping to finish it tonight. It’s good!
Interesting things I learned this week:
- Lemons float, but limes sink. Yep. Lemons and limes both have densities that are very close to water, but limes are just slightly denser than lemons so they sink when unpeeled while lemons float
- Biotech company Colossal Biosciences announced this week that it has produced a line of Asian elephant stem cells that can be coaxed to transform into other types of cells needed to resurrect the wooly mammoth. Maybe we can cure cancer first?
- 29-year-old Cole Brauer became the first American woman to sail solo around the world. She completed the trip in 130 days
- Ketchup was sold as medicine in the 1830s to treat things like diarrhea, indigestion, and jaundice
- A San Diego man has become the first person in the nation to be arrested and charged with smuggling banned greenhouse gases (specifically, canisters of banned refrigerant) into the US
- Last June, the number of employed women ages 25–54 hit 75.3% — the highest recorded since the US Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey started reporting the numbers in 1948
- A 62-year-old man in Germany deliberately got 217 Covid-19 vaccine shots in the span of 29 months, according to a new study. That’s an average of one jab every four days. Apparently, he had no ill effects
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“wearing high heels good for you.” I usually watch the previous night’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert at some point during the day and he mentioned a study that said high heels are good for you. So, I had to investigate. There really was a study that found women and men who wore heeled shoes the most became better, more efficient walkers. You can read more here. It’s amazing the things research dollars go toward. Ha. Fun fact: I don’t think I’ve ever worn high heels. Like, ever. I am already very tall and I feel like I would definitely fall and break something if I wore heels.
What I’m grateful for:
- Life’s surprises. The unexpected things are so often the best things
- Getting back into a running routine after a little break. I really love being outside and listening to my audiobooks. It’s the best “me time”
- My best girlfriends (you know who you are). They live far away, but texting does wonders
- A visit from our friends, Rob and Gloria (hi, guys!). My daughter and I met them in Maui on our annual trip and we adore them
- Our monthly park play date. We meet up with a bunch of my daughter’s friends (and their parents) at a park once a month and it’s always so fun. So grateful for my community 🙂
Snapshots:
From top to bottom: My two kitties, who turn 11 this month; sassy cat; work day selfie.
