Monthly Roundup: December 2025

And here we are at the end of 2025. It’s been A YEAR. I’ve felt very drained on a personal level, and then there’s the collective angst as we’re all living through strange times. ALSO, there has been so much joy (if you look for it). I’m hoping 2026 is a calmer year, but even if it’s not, humans are resilient. I’m sure of that. I hope you (yes, YOU) have a wonderful start to the new year. Thank you for reading 🙂

Quotes I’ve loved this month:
“My greatest discovery so far: The world is a tragedy to those who feel, a comedy to those who think. Most people neither think nor feel.” –Patricia Highsmith

“I take pleasure in my transformations. I look quiet and consistent, but few know how many women there are in me.” –Anais Nin

“Your life is your life. Don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission. Be on the watch. There are ways out. There is light somewhere. It may not be much light but it beats the darkness. Be on the watch. The gods will offer you chances. Know them. Take them. You can’t beat death but you can beat death in life, sometimes. And the more often you learn to do it, the more light there will be. Your life is your life. Know it while you have it. You are marvelous. The gods wait to delight in you.” –Charles Bukowski

Books I’ve read:
December was especially hectic, but I read more than usual, which supports my theory that I read for stress relief (or escape from reality–same difference?).

Favorites:
* Solito. Very powerful story of one boy’s journey to America
* The Missing Half. I listened to this on audio and it really kept me engaged.
* Some Bright Nowhere. A sweet story of a long marriage and grief.
* All We Want is Everything. Her books are such great rally cries for women.
* Holding It Together. Women are America’s safety net. This book explains how this happened.
* Loved One. If you liked Heart the Lover (and who didn’t?), read this. Similar coming-of-age, love/friendship vibes.
* Nobody’s Girl. Virginia had so much courage to share her story with the world. If you don’t know, she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Very sad but moving memoir.
* Catalina. I loved her nonfiction book, Undocumented Americans. This book showcases her voice even more. Loved it.

What I’ve been watching:
The Carman Family Deaths — True-crime documentary about intrafamily murder. Very fascinating and sad.
The Beast in Me — Omg, I wanted to binge this show in one night, but that’s never a reality of my life. Still, I finished it very quickly (for me). I’ve always loved Claire Danes and she’s brilliant in this.
Predators — Documentary about the popularity and end of the show “To Catch a Predator.” Interesting.
All the Empty Rooms — Documentary showcasing the empty rooms of children killed in school shootings. So moving. All the gun-lovers in Congress should watch this.
Love & Death — Great series based on the real-life story of a 1980s love affair that went extremely wrong.
All Her Fault — Series about a missing boy and the blame that’s placed on the mother. Great social commentary embedded in the thriller storyline.
Tom Segura: Teacher — His latest comedy special on Netflix. He’s always hilarious.

Writing news:
Final copies of MOTHER IS A VERB are here! It’s getting real. Release date is February 17!

Interesting things I’ve learned this month:

• Clean energy powered over 40% of global electricity in 2024
• The entire city of Los Angeles is now completely coal-free; the city is aiming for 100% clean energy by 2035
• The first female crash test dummy is now part of U.S. vehicle safety testing—it’s about time
• Runners live approximately 3 years longer than non-runners
• Also: Running 15 miles a week can reduce Alzheimer’s risk by 40%
• According to a study from researchers at Brown, U-Colorado, and Portland State, people who disagreed with scientific consensus on topics like vaccines and climate change weren’t just misinformed; they were convinced they were the MOST informed. TERRIFYING
• Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that when people speak to their bodies (literally saying things like “you’re safe,” “you’re healing,” “you did well today”), scans showed a measurable drop in inflammation markers after just two weeks
• Japan set a record with 100,000 people over the age of 100; 88% of them are women
• A mother’s brain makes over 1,000 micro-decisions daily, nearly 3x more than before children
• American families have spent, on average, an extra $1200 because of Trump’s tariffs
• A new study found that swearing allowed people to maintain a chair pushup for 11% longer than people who held back. Other studies show that swearing can increase pain tolerance by one-third, and that fake swear words don’t provide the same benefit as the real deal
• Girls are dominating boys in academics: By 8th grade, girls are almost a full grade ahead of boys; In high school girls beat boys in every subject; Among the top 10% of students ranked by GPA, two-thirds of them are girls.
• Sobremesa translates to “over the table” and refers to the art of staying a little longer, aka lingering at the table after a meal to converse and enjoy each other’s company
• Natsukashii is a Japanese adjective expressing a warm, bittersweet nostalgia for the past, a happy remembrance of fond memories, often triggered by a sensory cue like a smell or song, carrying a feeling of gratitude for the experience rather than a sad longing to return
• Parasocial is the Cambridge Dictionary’s word of the year. It’s defined as a relationship felt by someone between themselves and a famous person they do not know. So representative of modern times
• North America’s largest wildlife overpass is now open in Colorado. It’s expected to reduce wildlife-vehicle crashes by 90%
• Australia just recorded zero cervical cancer cases in women under 25 for the first time since records began in 1982. The amazing result of HPV vaccinations!
• Eighty-five percent of farmers rely on off-farm jobs and income to stay afloat
• Women aged 35 to 44 have 23% less free time than men their age
• The February 2026 calendar is a rare occurrence known as a “Perfect Month.” This happens when the month’s 28 days start on the first day of the week, making the entire month fit perfectly into four rows on a standard calendar. This won’t happen again until February 2037

What I’m grateful for:

• Seeing my daughter as the bread vendor in her school’s production of “Aladdin”
• Getting my running groove back. I think I’m ready to commit to another marathon training cycle
• A great end to my daughter’s soccer season and lots of excitement for our first seasons of flag football and softball
• All the Christmas things—our neighborhood tree lighting, visits with Santa, so many cookies, failed gingerbread houses, Mom & Me book club gathering, class party, Lightscape at the San Diego botanical gardens, the Grinch play at the Old Globe in San Diego
• Winter break with no school and no work for me! Going slower, hanging with friends, reading
• End-of-year house cleaning and organizing. FEELS SO GOOD

Some favorite snapshots this month:
From top to bottom: California winter; a few miles on Christmas; sunbathing pups; officemates; holiday attire; Lightscape at the San Diego botanical gardens (highly recommend!).