Here we are in May. I hope everyone has a nice Mother’s Day weekend. I’m well-aware that Mother’s Day can be complicated for myriad reasons. Thinking of all of you who struggle with the day. And to all the moms, I hope you feel loved.
Quote of the week:
“Many of us seek community solely to escape the fear of being alone. Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.” –bell hooks
What I’m reading:
I’m reading Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey by Florence Williams.
What I’m listening to:
This past week I listened to by The River by Peter Heller. Did not enjoy it. I’m clearly in the minority judging by all the 5-star ratings on Goodreads. I found it very dull. Next up on Audible: In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom. I’ve heard this one is very powerful.
What I’m watching:
I watched Coda while I was at the airport. Loved it. Definitely worth the hype.
Writing news:
Ways the World Could End comes out on TUESDAY! I’m very excited for this one! The audiobook just won an Earphones Award!
What I’m talking about:
- The overturning of Roe v Wade. I am not afraid of losing readers by speaking out on this topic. I am enraged at the thought of this being overturned. I cannot comprehend how the same group of people who were in a tizzy about having to wear masks think it’s okay to force women to carry pregnancies for ten months. I also do not understand how the same group of people who are so dedicated to the rights of the unborn are against any assistance programs for children once they are here. It makes no sense. This topic is also personal to me as someone who went through multiple pregnancy losses before having my daughter. I wrote an essay here about how abortion bans affect women who want their pregnancies
- The revolution of relaxed women. I went to Denver this week to hear Elizabeth Gilbert talk. She said that the revolution she wants to see for women is not about them being fierce or bold or brave; she wants them to be RELAXED. Women carry a lot of anxiety and mental load in our world. A relaxed woman is someone who is comfortable with herself and her needs, trusting in her path, and not overly concerned with pleasing others to her own detriment. I am completely in alignment with her thoughts
Interesting things I learned this week:
- When mothers out-earn their husbands, they gain more housework, according to a study published in the journal Work, Employment and Society. The study included more than 6,000 dual-income, heterosexual married couples between 1999 and 2017. Joanna Syrda, who published the study, posits that women out-earning men bucks traditional gender stereotypes, so women do more housework to compensate and men do less (read here)
- 3D scans have revealed the largest cave art in North America (deep in the recesses of a limestone cave in Alabama) (read here)
- For the second time in two years, the population of California has decreased. California lost about 117,000 residents in 2021 and 182,000 in 2020, which was the first time in more than a century that the population in CA got smaller
- The US economy shrank last quarter. Two quarters in a row is a recession. Yikes
- This year marks the 30th anniversary of the LA riots. I was in public school in LA during the riots and it was quite an unnerving time
- Running actually protects the knees against the development of osteoarthritis. According to a 2017 study, a nonelite runner had just a 3.5% prevalence of hip or knee osteoarthritis compared to 10.2% of those in the nonrunning control group
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“What is the plural of uterus?” My friend and I were having a laugh at the word “uteri,” but apparently that’s an appropriate word. You can also say “uteruses,” but that’s not nearly as much fun.
What I’m grateful for:
- My mom’s 71st birthday. We celebrated yesterday
- A fun trip to Denver to visit one of my best girlfriends. We ate some great meals, had great talks, and got to see Elizabeth Gilbert at the Paramount Theater!
- Heading up to LA today for some fun and culture and good food
A few snapshots from this week:
Another great newsletter thanks. I loved your article on abortion and pregnancy loss and wish people would think more about the ramifications for all women. It’s hard to imagine a world where men’s lives are put at risk by backward thinking legislation. Sometimes it seems that little has changed and women are still regarded as goods and chattels.
I also wanted to say that I didn’t enjoy The River and could understand what the fuss was about. The book you recommended about heartbreak looks interesting. I noticed that the ebook is relatively expensive. Can you explain why some books are more expensive than others? Is it about expected sales? Just curious.
My site 48U covers a lot of topics about Cosmetic Treatment and I thought we could greatly benefit from each other. Awesome posts by the way!