January felt a hundred days long and February went by in a blink. Looks like we’re going into March with our country at war. It’s exhausting to be informed right now. Let’s hope for peace soon…
Here’s the roundup.
Quote of the month:
“Your greatest responsibility is to use your voice, for there are so many people, too many people in our world who are never heard—even when they scream.” —Cleo Wade
Books I’ve read:
All the information coming out in the Epstein files sent me reading a bunch of books about patriarchy and masculinity, so I actually read more nonfiction than fiction this month. I really enjoyed ALL these titles, but if I have to pick favorites, they are: Yesteryear (comes out in April, so good), Vladimir, Lost Lambs, The Will to Change, Of Boys and Men, and All in Her Head.
What I’ve been watching:
Shrinking. I’m not that into the new season, to be honest, but I’m still watching because I need something light and uplifting.
Long Bright River. This series is based on Liz Moore’s book (love her) and it was really good.
If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You. This movie was intense and I loved it. Rose Byrne deserves the Oscar.
The Substance. I’ve been meaning to watch this movie since it came out. Such a creepy take on our culture’s obsession with preserving youth. Very good.
Neighbors. This is a new docuseries on HBO about strange neighbor conflicts around the country. Kind of a trainwreck/can’t-look-away situation.
The Girlfriend. I’m two episodes into this series and loving it.
Taylor Tomlinson’s new comedy special, Prodigal Daughter. I adore her.
The Descent. Kind of an older movie about a group of women friends who go on a cave adventure that turns scary and deadly.
Writing news:
MOTHER IS A VERB came out on February 17 and I’ve been hearing good things from readers, which makes my writer heart happy. I had an event at our local bookstore and my daughter was my PR assistant. She organized her friends to do a little intro for me and that was the highlight of the evening for me.
I just finished a draft of a new novel and sent it to a couple of my reader-friends before it will go to my agent. Woohoo! Photo below: Final line edits at the dining/crafts table while my daughter had a friend over to play. I am always multitasking.
Interesting things I learned this month:
- Tomatoes were historically referred to as “love apples” (or pomme d’amour in French) in the 16th century because they were thought to be aphrodisiacs
- Leaving your cat alone all day is now against the law in Sweden
- For the first time in history, five Black surgeons are leading the trauma team at Johns Hopkins Hospital
- Team USA won its most gold medals ever in a single Winter Olympics with 12—and women won 8 of those 12
- A new report from the Cato Institute found that immigrants have saved U.S. taxpayers over $14 trillion in 30 years, preventing financial crisis
- A selenophile is a person who loves the moon
- Women are about 30% more likely than men to live in chronic fight-or-flight mode, according to a report from healthcare provider Altais
- A Yale psychologist tracked professional women’s brains for 18 months and found that they process 127 decisions before 9am while men average 31. Brain scans showed that women’s prefrontal cortext never disengaged during “rest”
- Nearly 30% of ICE agents about about 50% of Border Patrol agents in the U.S. are Latino
- In 24 years of voting, there have been ten confirmed undocumented immigrant voters. TEN! Out of more than a BILLION votes cast
- 22% of American men said they believe that gender inequality doesn’t really exist, and a third of American men believe feminism is making things worse
- There were 11 million fewer foreign visitors to the U.S. last year compared with the year before. The U.S. was the world’s only major travel destination with a decline in international tourists
- New findings suggest that Tyrannosaurus rex chased prey by running on its tiptoes “like an eight-ton chicken,” one paleontologist said
- More than half of teens now use A.I. to help with schoolwork, a new study found
- According to a recent AARP study, 75% of women in their 50s enjoy being single
- Life expectancy in the U.S. rose to 74 in 2024, the highest it’s ever been
- Social isolation increases mortality risk by 32%, according to a study of 2.2 million people
What I’m grateful for:
- A successful book launch for Mother Is a Verb!
- Finishing a draft of a new book. This one is lighter than my usual stuff, though there’s still some drama
- Lots of fun school events. Sam Darnold, the quarterback for the Seahawks, went to my daughter’s elementary school so they had a Sam Darnold Day to celebrate. We also had a fun afterschool event for Valentine’s Day. I love our little neighborhood school
- Sleepovers and playdates galore, always keeping things interesting (and keeping my extroverted daughter entertained)
- Mom & Me Book Club, which continues to be such a good time. We are growing! If you’re interested and local, let me know
Some favorite snapshots:
From top to bottom: Kitty overseeing as I print out the draft of my novel (he’s very intrigued by the printer); beautiful run views this time of year; lots of refreshing rain this month; pink for Valentine’s Day; captivating clouds; took myself on a little date to see “Hedda Gabler” in San Diego; this play fits into my favorite “unhinged woman” genre; we’re in our softball evenings era; dog walk in the hills
