Quote of the week:
“Many people who want to write are unconsciously seeking peace, a coming together, an acknowledging of our happiness or an examination of what is broken, hoping to embrace and bring our suffering to wholeness.” –Natalie Goldberg
What I’m reading:
Regretting Motherhood: A Study by Orna Donath — I do not regret motherhood, but this is a very fascinating book with insights into what we expect from mothers and what feelings are “allowed”
You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen
What I’m listening to:
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner — just finished; great
A Rip in Heaven by Jeanine Cummins — just started
What I’m watching:
The new season of “Workin’ Moms” is on Netflix. Love love LOVE.
Writing news:
I continue to get such wonderful feedback from readers about No Hiding in Boise. Some of you bookstagrammers are blowing me away.
What I’m talking about:
On Father’s Day, I shared a post on Instagram about how my dad is in his last days. In April, he was diagnosed with a very rare (1 in a million) brain disease called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, which is always fatal. He was completely healthy and active before this, so it’s been a shock for our family. It’s horrible to watch him decline, and I’m so sad for my mom, who has been his companion for more than four decades. I really appreciate the love so many of you have sent our way.
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Roald Dahl controversy.” I loved Roald Dahl’s books growing up and seemed to remember there was some negative press a while back. I couldn’t remember what it was, hence the google search. I was sad to read this.
Interesting things I learned this week:
- Trader Joe’s originally sought to be a seller of discounted hosiery (?!) and phonograph records
- Lab analysis of Subway tuna sandwiches showed that they do not contain any tuna DNA (which begs the question: What IS in them?)
- NASA has sent squid to space for research
- Speaking of space: More than 100,000 people have signed petitions to have Jeff Bezos go to space and not come back
What I’m grateful for:
I’m so grateful to be close to my family and able to visit my dad on a regular basis. As I said in my Instagram post, I am so grateful to have a dad worthy of such grief.
