Happy Friday! I’m in the midst of a packed day so jumping right into the roundup…
Quote of the week:
“If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it.” –Mary Oliver
What I’m reading:
I finished The Garden by Clare Beams this week. It’s kind of an eerie book about miscarriage-prone women who go to a special care facility run by doctors who inject them with a hormone they think keeps their pregnancies safe. It was interesting. I’m just starting an advance copy of Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreight.
What I’m listening to:
I’m still listening to Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne. It is truly fascinating.
What I’m watching:
I’ve been keeping up with The Jinx: Part 2 on HBO, following the fate of murderer Robert Durst (who seems to be the definition of a sociopath based on the book I’m reading).
Writing news:
I’m working away on my new novel, sticking to my 1,000 words/day each weekday (I take weekends off). My fingers are crossed for a couple film/TV developments. I’ll provide updates as I have them.
Interesting things I learned this week:
- Madonna made history in Rio on Saturday with the largest standalone concert in history, attended by 1.6 million people
- 33% of Americans believe in reincarnation, according to the Pew Research Center
- There’s a trend in South Korea of people combatting loneliness by buying pet rocks online and treating them like domesticated pets by dressing them up, painting faces on them, and giving them names and beds (read here)
- 46% of Americans are waiting for an apology from someone in their life, according to the May 2024 Harper’s Index
- Kaitlin Donner, a 34-year-old mother of two, just set the world record for running the mile while pushing a stroller (with her 20-month-old son, Mikey, inside). She did it in 5 minutes, 11 seconds!
- In a new study, researchers observed a 35-year-old male orangutan, Rakus, chew up the leaves of the yellow root plant (which has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties) and apply it to a wound under his eye. The wound closed within days and was barely visible after a couple months. Rakus’s self-medicating “provides new insights into the origins of human wound care”
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Can animals be allergic to humans?” The answer: YES. From google: “Human dander can actually cause allergic rashes or respiratory reactions in animals, the same way theirs can trigger a reaction in people with allergies.” Who knew?!
What I’m grateful for:
- Goat yoga with my daughter last weekend—always a hit
- Mom friends and impromptu playdates. Moms are happy, kids are happy, win-win
- Seeing my daughter ride her bike. She’s got it!
- My mom’s 73rd birthday. We had a great celebration dinner last weekend
- My film/TV manager, Carey. We’ve been through a lot together and I think this is our year
- Book club! I hosted at my house last night and we discussed Jonathan Evison’s Again and Again. Such a fun night with a great group of women
Snapshots:
From top to bottom: Goat yoga; little buddy; we’ve got ourselves a bike rider; celebrating my mom’s birthday
