I’ve given up on assigning any regular frequency to these roundups. Life has been incredibly busy, but I’m always making random notes in my phone about things I want to include in my roundup when I get around to it. I’m getting around to it today in large part because my daughter is off with her Dad on an Adventure Guides trip. Might go crazy and take a yoga class tonight. Here’s the roundup!

Quote of the week:
“Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, we will help. Only if we help, we shall be saved.” –Jane Goodall, rest in peace

What I’m reading:
I started The Antidote by Karen Russell the morning after hosting a sleepover with my daughter’s friends, which was not smart. I was having a hard time getting into it, so I jumped over to The Slip by Lucas Schaefer. Then I realized that I had The Antidote as a library loan due 10/13, so now I’m back to that and hoping to finish in time. Gotta love the library deadlines!

What I’m listening to:
Having It All: What Data Tells Us About Women’s Lives and Getting the Most Out of Yours by Corinne Low. It’s so, so good. Highly recommend for all women.

What I’m watching:
I haven’t had much time for shows, but I finally finished The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on Hulu. Wow. I also got sucked into Unknown Number: The High School Catfish on Netflix. OMG. That’s all I have to say on that one. I’m now watching Monster: The Ed Gein Story on Netflix because I have a possibly-unhealthy fascination with serial killers.

Writing news:
I’m in the middle of writing a new novel, which is still taking shape, and I’m getting ready for another book launch! MOTHER IS A VERB releases on February 17. I got the idea for this book upon falling into the vortex of “momfluencers.” It’s part thriller, part drama, and I always weave in some humor.

Interesting things I learned recently:
Get ready for a massive brain dump here… (courtesy of the Notes app in my phone):

Women spend 33 more minutes on average than men each day on beauty-enhancing activities. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but it adds up to 231 more minutes per week and 12,012 more minutes per year. That’s 8 days worth per year!Huntington’s disease was successfully treated for the first time in September! HUGE!For the first time at NASA, women outnumber men in the newest astronaut class selected in September 2025Snirtle is an 18th century English word meaning “to quietly laugh at something you’re not supposed to”The United Nations confirmed that the ozone layer is on track to make a full recovery by mid-century, crediting swift action and international agreements for sharply reducing the use of ozone-depleting chemicals and slowing the annual growth of the Antarctic ozone holeDogs see the world in shades of yellow, gray, and blue, akin to some colorblind humansThe colors most likely to attract bees are purple, violet, and blueThe first birth control pill (Enovid) was approved in 1960 with access initially restricted to married womenThere are only 279 master sommeliers in the world as of April 2025Sweden is the first country where doctors can prescribe nature and travel as part of wellness careChen Si is a Chinese man who, since 2003, has voluntarily patrolled the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge every weekend to prevent suicides. Often called the “Angel of Nanjing,” he has saved hundreds of lives by approaching people in distress and offering a listening ear and supportIn 1989, a man named Mauro Morandi landed on the tiny island of Budelli and never left. Living 33 years alone, he explained that he preferred silence over conversationIn French, bibliothèque intèrieure means your “inner library,” the invisible shelf you carry inside, filled with every story that’s ever shaped youAn 85-year study, started by Harvard researchers in 1938, has tracked more than 2,000 men and women and determined that the secret to a good life is…the quality of your relationshipsReading for pleasure in the U.S. has fallen by more than 40% over the past 20 years, according to a study from researchers at the University of Florida and University College, London. Noooooo

What I’m grateful for:

My daughter! She turned 8 last weekend. She is my very favorite human being and watching her grow is the greatest giftLots of activities lately—karate, soccer games, birthday parties, mom-and-me book club, park hangouts, playdates, cousin-filled gatherings. Never a dull moment! The Halloween decorations are OUT! Costumes have been selected!Ohana Fest with my guy. Seeing Eddie Vedder sing “Hey Jude” was a highlight for meGetting back to double-digit long runs. After running the Boston Marathon in April, I dialed back on mileage and intensity. I’ve got some loose race plans for 2026 so getting back into it! This is my favorite time of year to run. The skies are beautiful (see below)

Recent snapshots:

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