Christmas Eve Eve — we’re almost there! I’m wrapping up some work, along with doing some literal wrapping (of gifts), and then going into holiday-break mode (which is more relaxing in my head than it will be in reality). I hope you and yours enjoy the next week, spending it in ways that give you warm fuzzies inside. Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Annnnd…here’s this week’s roundup!
Quote of the week:
“To fall in love with the world is to look up at the night sky and feel your mind swim before the beauty and the distance of the stars. It is to hold your children while they cry, to watch as the sycamore trees leaf out in June. When my breastbone starts to hurt, and my throat tightens, and tears well in my eyes, I want to look away from feeling. I want to deflect with irony, or anything else that will keep me from feeling directly. We all know how loving ends. But I want to fall in love with the world anyway, to let it crack me open. I want to feel what there is to feel while I am here.” –John Green (from this book, which I enjoyed)
What I’m reading:
I tore through Beware the Woman by Megan Abbott (it releases in May) earlier this week. I became a fan of hers after reading You Will Know Me. She is a master at creating MOOD. I’m now reading The Three of Us by Ore Agbaje-Williams—liking it so far. I’m also reading The Price of Motherhood: Why the Most Important Job in the World Is Still the Least Valued by Ann Crittenden.
What I’m listening to:
I just finished We Do What We Do in the Dark by Michelle Hart. I saw it on a NYT “Best Audiobooks” list and thought it sounded interesting. It didn’t disappoint. I’m now listening to Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett, which has been on my list ever since I read Unlikely Animals (if you haven’t read this one, do it).
What I’m watching:
I just finished the first season of The White Lotus on HBO. Loved it. On to Season 2! No spoilers please!
Writing news:
I put the finishing touches on an updated draft of my latest manuscript on Wednesday and sent it off to a V.I.R. (Very Important Reader). Hoping to share some good news with this one in 2023!
What I’m talking about:
- Winter solstice. It was this past Wednesday. It’s when the sun travels the shortest path through the sky, meaning the day has the least sunlight and the longest night. In ancient times it was seen as the symbolic death and rebirth of the sun or of a sun god. Many see this as a time that marks the beginning of a renewal, an increase in light (literal and metaphorical). I dig it
- The marathon of holiday season. I’ve talked to a few people who have said they agree it seems especially marathon-y this year. Are we all just burnt out?
- The Jan 6 panel’s vote to prosecute Trump for a range of crimes related to his attempt to overthrow the 2020 election. I’m very interested to see what happens next with this…
- President Zelensky’s visit to the White House, as part of his first trip away from Ukraine since the conflict began. Hearing him speak gives me chills. He has done so much for his country and I’m happy that we are stepping in to offer some support
Interesting things I learned this week:
- There’s a tradition in Iceland where people exchange books on Christmas Eve, then cozy up together and read into the night. It’s called Jolabokaflod, or “Christmas Book Flood” and I am into it
- NASA’s InSight Mars rover ran out of battery and “retired” last week. After its mission, which lasted just over 4 years, it sent its last communication back to Earth: “My power’s really low, so this may be the last image I send. Don’t worry about me though: my time here has been both productive and serene.” I have no idea why this makes me so emotional, but it does
- Research supports that office buildings are too cold! A Cornell University study found that office temperatures affect workplace productivity. When temperatures were increased from 68 degrees Fahrenheit to 77, typing output rose by 150% and error frequency dropped by 44%
- A survey conducted across 20 countries found wide variance in the percentage of people who believe humanity will end within their lifetimes: In France, 6 percent of those polled did; in the United States, 22 percent
- It took Earth about 3 billion years to go from single-celled life to multicellular life. It took less than 70 million years to go from Tyrannosaurus rex to humans
- Initial reviews of The Great Gatsby were not good. The Chicago Tribune reviewer called it “obviously unimportant.” The Dallas Morning News wrote, “One finishes The Great Gatsby with a feeling of regret, not for the fate of the people in the book, but for Mr. Fitzgerald.” OUCH. The book now sells half a million copies per year
- Air-conditioning and electric fans combined account for around 10% of all global electricity usage—and that number is expected to increase as the planet warms
- Black cows painted with zebra stripes are about 50% less likely to be bitten by flies
- Friolero is a Spanish word for someone who is very sensitive to cold
- NY has banned the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits (as a way to curb puppy mills and abusive breeders)
- A survey of chief financial officers in American corporations found that 80% were men with stay-at-home wives
- A study published this Thursday said 65% of Antarctica’s native species, including emperor penguins, will likely disappear by the end of the century due to climate change
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Donkey notepad.” Let’s just say I was looking for a very specific gift for someone…and I was successful.
What I’m grateful for:
- My daughter’s holiday performance at school, which was pretty much the cutest thing I have ever seen
- Being healthy-ish. I jinxed myself last week and was sick over the weekend with some kind of cold-stomach bug combo. It was as fun as it sounds. I’m feeling pretty good now, thankfully
- Sugar cookies and homemade cake pops! And I just printed a recipe for cinnamon rolls
- A break in routine for the week ahead. I’m trying to take time off work and my daughter is out of school, so we’ll get to be mellow (or as mellow as a five-year-old can be)
A couple snapshots:
