Happy Friday! I didn’t do a roundup last week because I was in Maui! It was a rough re-entry into regular life this week. My nervous system did not need to watch the presidential debate last week. Argh, what a mess that was.
Quote of the week:
“To be great, be whole: don’t exaggerate
or leave out any part of you.
Be complete in each thing. Put all you are
into the least of your acts.”
–Fernando Pessoa, “To Be Great, Be Whole”
What I’m reading:
All the Broken Places by John Boyne. My good friend recommended this one and it is so good. When I was on vacation, I read Days of Wonder by Caroline Leavitt, The Red Grove by Tessa Fontaine, and The Husbands by Holly Gramazio.
What I’m listening to:
Releasing the Mother Load: How to Carry Less and Enjoy Motherhood More by Erica Djossa. Overall, I’d recommend this book to any new-ish mother, with one caveat: It’s really geared toward moms who have partners. As a single mom, I found some of the book a bit frustrating. Some of us don’t have someone to delegate to…
What I’m watching:
Still making my way through Season 1 of “Hacks.” I love it. I’m just very slow with watching shows. I’d have to give up reading time to have more show-watching time…and I’m just not willing to do that haha.
Writing news:
I took a full break while I was on vacation. I’ve been getting back to my new manuscript this week. I’m in the phase of feeling like I have a million puzzle pieces to somehow fit together. It’s a fun kind of stress.
Interesting things I learned this week:
- Politicians tend to use shorter words in speeches when the temperature outside is 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter, according to a study that looked at 7 million speeches across eight countries
- Only 7% of Michelin-starred restaurants have female chefs. I learned this in the book I’m listening to, which talks about how when cooking is a paid profession, it’s male-led, while cooking in the unpaid home sphere is largely considered a female duty
- The world broke 1,400 temperature records in a week with the heat wave that just swept the globe
- 60% of Netflix’s most popular shows are based on books and comics
- The real name for a hashtag is an octothorpe
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Do macadamia nuts grow on trees?” My friend, Lauren, came along to Maui and we were feeling dumb that we did not know the answer to this. The answer is yes. They grow on a medium-sized evergreen tree that is native to Australia (who knew?). It wasn’t until the early 1900s that Hawaii started to grow them as a commercial crop.
What I’m grateful for:
- A full week in Maui. I got to spend time with my daughter and family (my mom, sister, my sister’s three boys), as well as friends. Lots of beach and pool time, sunbathing, reading, eating at our favorite spots
- My wonderful house/pet sitter who gave me such peace of mind while I was gone. Local friends, hit me up if you need a good person for this!
- My daughter’s first loose tooth. She will be 7 in October so she is late to the tooth-losing party. She has been waiting for this party for months now. The tooth fairy’s gotta get ready
Snapshots:
From top to bottom: Most of the Maui vacation crew (L-R: Gloria, me, my mom, Rob, and my sister); my sis and me; me and my friend, Lauren; my daughter and a giant sea turtle (!); had to make a stop at the goat farm; the best beaches; doggie yoga; reuniting with my favorite cat
