Kim Hooper's Blog

Big ol’ roundup: October 10, 2025

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:

The post Big ol’ roundup: October 10, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: September 19, 2025

This roundup has not been very weekly lately, but that’s okay. I’ve been really busy juggling some work projects. And, frankly, I’ve been too upset about what’s going on in the world to want to write my little roundup. Tensions are so high and witnessing the division (and downright venom) online is just…too much. I’m worried about our world. It’s a hard time to be a sensitive human being. That said, here’s my little roundup, an attempt at normalcy.

Quote of the week:
“Love doesn’t just sit there,
like a stone,
it has to be made, like bread;
re-made all the time,
made new.”
—Ursula K. Le Guin

What I’m reading:
The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. I’m really enjoying it. It’s one of those books that reminds you we’re all human and just looking for connection in this crazy world.

What I’m listening to:
A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch. After a string of heavy nonfiction books on audio, I went for a fiction book that sounded fun. It’s about a wannabe author who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.

What I’m watching:
I saw The Conjuring: Last Rites in the theater last weekend. Not my favorite of the franchise, but still held my attention. I’m keeping up with The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox on Hulu. Wow, she went through A LOT.

Writing news:
I’m making slow progress on a new novel. It’s in the very early stages. I just got the final cover art for my 2026 novel, MOTHER IS A VERB, which releases on February 17! I’ll do a little cover reveal next week. I’m loving it.

Interesting things I learned recently:

Nunchi is a Korean term for the deep social intelligence of reading between the lines—tuning into other people’s moods, body language, and unspoken cues to respond with sensitivityThe average person blinks 14 to 17 times per minuteIn 1983, 50 companies controlled 90% of the U.S. media market. That number is now down to 5If we held a moment of silence for every child lost to gun violence since Columbine, we would spend over 30 hours in silenceA 20-year study out of Norway found that women who cleaned their homes often, or worked as cleaners, had a decline in lung function comparable to smoking TWENTY cigarettes a dayThe reading skills of American high school seniors are the worst they have been in three decades, according to federal dataThe 5 countries with the highest use of antidepressants are: Iceland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Denmark, and Sweden. RFK Jr blames shootings on antidepressant use in the U.S. but seems these countries with higher usage rates don’t have issues with shootings. IT’S THE GUNS Eustress is defined as a moderate or normal psychological stress, interpreted as being beneficial (in other words, some stress is GOOD for us)

What I’m grateful for:

Real-life, in-person community. I’m more and more convinced that the online world is toxic. Going to my neighborhood book club, doing a dog walk with a friend, and having long conversations with my guy have lifted my spirits this week. My daughter and I are going to a birthday party tonight where I’ll get to see lots of people I haven’t seen in a while, so I’m sure that will be uplifting tooRunning, reading, and pets—all great stress relieversSecond grade going great so far! My daughter seems so happy, and that makes me so happy

A few snapshots:
From top to bottom: This photo of my dog represents my mood for the past several days; beautiful September days—my favorite running season; waking up to a glorious day.

The post Weekly Roundup: September 19, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: September 5, 2025

Hellllo and Happy September! I didn’t post last week because I was in the Netherlands. I did some book research there and also just had fun exploring. We went to the Dutch Grand Prix in the beach town of Zandvoort and it was such an amazing experience. I’ll include some trip photos at the end of this post. I’m still feeling jetlagged and foggy-brained, but happy to be back home with my daughter and pets. On to the roundup!

Quote of the week:
“Live the full life of the mind, exhilarated by new ideas, intoxicated by the Romance of the unusual.” –Ernest Hemingway

What I’m reading:
The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei. I started it on the plane and I’m almost done. It’s a good story about sisterhood and family.

What I’m listening to:
The Program: Inside the Mind of Keith Raniere and the Rise and Fall of NXIVM by Toni Natalie. I’m never NOT interested in a cult tale.

What I’m watching:
I watched a few movies on the plane. LOVED Anora. Liked Drop, The Woman in the Yard, and Babygirl. Still keeping up with (and loving) Dexter: Resurrection.

Writing news:
I’ve been doing lots of pre-writing activities (aka research). Not a lot of writing happening. My agent says she’s obsessed with the first three chapters of the new thing I’m working on, so that’s encouraging Also, there are exciting things taking shape for my 2026 novel, MOTHER IS A VERB. This past week, we picked the audiobook narrator, I finished copyedits, and we discussed cover options (coming soon!). The book releases on February 17.

Interesting things I learned this week:
I learned a lot of interesting things about Amsterdam and the Netherlands, but my brain has not yet compiled a list of these things. Let’s say it’s coming soon. Here are some other random things I learned this past week:

Modern kids are SUPER sheltered: 56% have never talked to a neighbor while alone, 62% have never walked or biked anywhere without an adult, 71% have never used a sharp knife (source: The Harris Poll survey)Research shows women reach emotional maturity around age 32, while men often don’t get there until 43 (source: Psychology Today)Only 25% of Americans believe they have a good chance of improving their standard of living. Nearly 70% said it was no longer possible to work hard and get ahead (source: Wall Street Journal–NORC pollFrom 1975 to 2018, at least $50 trillion moved from the bottom 90% to the top 1% (source: Wall Street Journal)The percentage of Americans who report they “never had enough time” rose 10% in the last decade (source: Harvard Business School). And a Pew Research survey found that 6 in 10 U.S. adults say they’re too busy to enjoy life The Miss Universe pageant will welcome Palestine for the first time in the pageant’s historyPope Leo will welcome a pro-LGBTQ+ Catholic group to the Vatican for the first time in historyThe U.S. Mint’s new quarter honoring Stacey Park Milbern, co-founder of the disability justice movement, is the first to depict a woman using a wheelchair on American currency

What I’m grateful for:

A safe, smooth, fun trip to the Netherlands. So far, I have not tested positive for Covid, despite a stranger coughing all over me on the flight backAn amazing pet sitter while I was goneThe village who loved on my daughter while I was goneThe summer weather that’s still hanging around

Snapshots from my trip:

The post Weekly Roundup: September 5, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: August 22, 2025

Happy Friday! It was back-to-school week for us this week and both my daughter and I are super excited. I really thrive with a routine and I think my daughter does too. It still feels like summer so we’ll keep those vibes around as long as possible, just with some homework mixed in. Here’s the roundup!

Quote of the week:
“Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.” –Charles Addams

What I’m reading:
Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins. I love her writing and this book is so good. If you like multigenerational stories, this one’s for you.

What I’m listening to:
Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza. Jo is one of my favorite author follows on Instagram and Substack. This book is all about the lies behind tradwife influencers and I’ve been listening to it in every free moment. The narration is great.

What I’m watching:
I’m finally finishing the latest season of The Bear. It’s not my favorite season, but still good. I’m also keeping up with Dexter: Resurrection. It’s SO GOOD.

Writing news:
I’ve been busy with a copywriting work project this week, so haven’t done much fiction writing. I’ll get back to my “new thing” (current title of the book in my Word doc) soon.

Interesting things I learned this week:

This week, the Cambridge Dictionary added more than 6,000 new words to their official lexicon, including skibidi, delulu, and tradwifeA group of ravens is called an unkindness (yes, for real)George W. Bush was a cheerleader. While attending Phillips Academy, he served as head cheerleader during his senior year. He also participated in cheerleading at Yale UniversityGroundbreaking research shows exercise triggers molecular changes in all 19 organs, upgrading your brain, heart, liver, and moreIn 1978, Jerry Slocum assembled the first International Puzzle Party in his living room. Now it’s a global eventThere was a 14.9% year-on-year drop in murders in the US in 2024In a 2023 online survey of more than 2,000 adults from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, researchers found that women were nearly 2x as likely as men to say they rarely or never wake up feeling well restedIn a 2025 online survey of just over 2,000 US adults commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 31% of adults said that they slept in a separate bed or room from their partner. Among 35 to 44-year-olds in particular, the number was even higher, at 39%Drawing on data from the American Time Use Survey, researchers at University College London and the University of Florida have found that the number of Americans who reported reading for pleasure dropped from a high of 28% in 2004 to 16% in 2023. Put another way: over a period of twenty years, the number of Americans who read for fun dropped by forty percent, a decrease the researchers call “surprising” even though pleasure reading has been declining steadily since the 1940s. NOOOOOOOPreclinical lab and mouse studies show that bee venom kills aggressive breast cancer cells. This is so cool and so promising!Some fascinating history of weddings (thanks to Clementine Ford’s book): In the 16th century, the Germanic Goths decided that it was easier to kidnap a woman for marriage rather than negotiating a price for her (barf). If the abduction was successful, the groomsmen would stick around for the ceremony in case the woman’s family tried to reclaim her or another group of men tried to steal her for themselves. Rather than standing next to the groom, the best man was positioned next to the bride. The reason grooms traditionally stand on the right-hand side of the wedding altar is because this was the best position from which to draw their sword or a weapon in the event of a fight

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“German word for wanting to slap someone immediately.” Jo Piazza’s book makes mention of this, but I couldn’t catch the word on audio, so Google to the rescue. The word is Backpfeifengesicht, translating to “a face that invites a slap.”

What I’m grateful for:

Back to school! My daughter already loves her teacher. She had a tough time on the first day of kindergarten and the first day of first grade, but this year’s first day was easy peasy. It’s so cool to see her gain confidenceWine night with my neighbors, who I adoreFriends who talk me off ledges (you know who you are)

Pet snapshots of the week:

The post Weekly Roundup: August 22, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: August 15, 2025

Happy Friday! I have a million things on my to-do list so let’s get right to it…

Quote of the week:
“It is a little embarrassing that, after forty-five years of research and study, the best advice I can give to people is to be a little kinder to each other.” –Aldous Huxley

What I’m reading:
I’m getting ready for a trip to Amsterdam so I’m reading a book written by a woman who worked in the Wallen (aka red light district). It’s super interesting. Earlier this week, I finished The Death of Us by Abigail Dean and really liked it. The cover makes it look like a thriller and it’s really not. It’s an in-depth character study about a couple who goes through a traumatic assault and how that affects the rest of their lives together (and apart).

What I’m listening to:
I just started The Leaving Season, a memoir by Kelly McMasters.

What I’m watching:
My boyfriend and I saw Weapons in the theater last weekend. I love horror movies and this didn’t disappoint. I’ve also been re-watching I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, the docuseries about the Golden State Killer. Abigail Dean (The Death of Us) didn’t say in the acknowledgments that she based her book on the Golden State Killer’s attacks, but there are so many similarities. Chilling.

Writing news:
I’ve started writing a new novel and am in the stage when I’m not sure what will become of it, but it’s been fun! I’m still loving hearing from readers of Woman on the Verge and can’t wait to announce my 2026 novel (comes out in February).

Interesting things I learned this week:

You can use a mixture of white toothpaste and water to get scuff marks off walls. VERIFIEDOver 21 days of talking with ChatGPT, an otherwise perfectly sane man became convinced that he was a real-life superhero. The New York Times analyzed the conversationIn the Crescent Park neighborhood of Palo Alto, Mark Zuckerberg paid more than $110 million to buy 11 houses to create a compound for his family. Neighbors say it includes a 7-foot statue of Zuckerberg’s wife and 7,000 square feet of underground space they call a “billionaire’s bat cave”Bookshop.org saw 65% growth in the first six months of 2025. Woohoo!Russia and Alaska are only 2.4 miles apart, which makes me wonder if Sarah Palin really could see Russia from her houseNearly 8 in 10 companies have reported using generative A.I., but just as many have reported “no significant bottom-line impact”1 in 3 Americans now say their financial situation has deteriorated in the past year (Yahoo Finance)The human skull has 22 bones54% of adults say they drink alcoholic beverages, according to a Gallup poll. That’s a 30-year lowU.S. children are 80% more likely to die before adulthood than children in peer nations. Why? Guns and shitty healthcare

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Banned baby names in US.” My daughter was watching something on YouTube that mentioned there are 10 names that are banned in the US, so I had to investigate. It’s true, and the banned names are:

KingQueenJesus ChristIIISanta ClausMajestyAdolf HitlerMessiah@1069

You also can’t have a number in your name in the US, like “Mon1ka.” These are my favorite international banned names:

Chief Maximus (New Zealand)Robocop (Mexico)Friday (Italy)Metallica (Sweden)Devil (Japan)BRFXXCCXXMNPCCCCLLLMMNPRXVCLMNCKSSQLBB11116 (Sweden)Thor (Portugal)Nutella (France)

What I’m grateful for:

We made it through the last full week of summer break. This one was challenging as my daughter’s soccer camp was 9-11am. Working parents know what I mean. Thank goodness for joining forces and organizing playdates with other familiesWe found our chameleon. It got out of his cage when my daughter had two friends over for a sleepover. I was a bit terrified but we found him in a houseplant (see photo below)! Physical therapy for my cranky hip. I’ve been taking it easy with running mileage because my body hasn’t felt 100%, but I’m feeling better and better thanks to some good PTKing-size bed has arrived. We’ve started letting the puppy sleep with us, which calls for more space. She’s getting big (see photo below)!

The post Weekly Roundup: August 15, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: August 8, 2025

We have reached the point of summer when the parents start to rise up in collective mutiny and demand that school start ASAP. For all those out there doing the exhausting juggling act, we’re almost there!

Quote of the week:
“Luxury has never appealed to me, I like simple things, books, being alone, or with somebody who understands.” ― Daphne du Maurier

What I’m reading:
The Death of Us by Abigail Dean. I’m really liking it so far.

What I’m listening to:
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman. It’s fun and light so far. My daughter saw the title come up on my car screen when we were driving and she was like, “Mom, what kind of book is this?!” I have to admit I chose it for the title.

What I’m watching:
Still making our way through the docuseries 100 Foot Wave. Last night, watched The Zone of Interest, which has been on my list for a while. It’s about an SS family in Nazi Germany who live right next door to Auschwitz and go about their daily lives as if nothing’s wrong. Chilling. It really shows you how people can come to overlook the suffering of others.

Writing news:
I turned in copyedits on my 2026 novel. Hoping to share more on that soon! Every day, I hear from readers of Woman on the Verge and it really makes me remember why I write. I did a fun little interview for About the Authors TV and I’ll post a link when it’s up!

Interesting things I learned this week:

A doginist is a person who believes dogs are better than peopleA tidsoptimist is a person who is constantly late because they think they have more time than they actually doIn South Korea, there’s a mock jail called Prison Inside Me where people stay to escape the pressures of daily lifeRelated to above: A recent study by Moodle found that job burnout has hit an all-time high with 66% of workers experiencing it80% of Americans report being extremely or very motivated to vote in next year’s election for CongressOnce extinct in the country, Denmark just recorded the highest number of white stork nestlings in decadesAfter gray wolves were reintroduced, aspen trees are flourishing in Yellowstone for the first time in 80 yearsJen Pawol will become the first woman to umpire a regular-season MLB game, marking a historic milestone for baseball. Sidenote: As a kid, I once told my dad (who was a baseball player) that I wanted to be the first female umpDutch kids have ranked #1 in well-being since 2007, according to UNICEF rankingsCoastal California has had the coolest June 1-August 1 period on record since at least 1979. Where I am, we’ve had just a few days above 80AI data centers in Texas used 463 million gallons of water in just two years, mostly to keep servers cool. Meanwhile, residents are being urged to “take shorter showers” due to drought conditionsAs of 2021, the average individual cost of a wedding in America was $28,000 (which jumps to $34,000 if you include the engagement)Only nine states in America allow a man to change his name on marriage the way a woman canThe first brewers of beer were women! From I Don’t by Clementine Ford: “The first-known records of female brewers—or ‘brewsters’, as they used to be called—can be traced back to Mesopotamia, roughly four thousand years ago. The Ancient Sumerians worshipped the goddess Ninkasi, whose name translates to ‘mistress of beer’, and celebrated her with a hymn containing what is now the world’s oldest-known beer recipe, which included the soaking of malt in a jar and the spreading of cooked mash on large reed mats”

What I’m grateful for:

My daughter’s theater camp. She did 3 different shows this summer, including today’s “Beauty and the Beast” performance. It was so much fun to see!Sleepovers, playdates, outings… a summer of funSolar panels on my roof working (and saving me so much on electricity!)

I leave you with this…
May we all have this kind of overwhelming love in our lives.

The post Weekly Roundup: August 8, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: August 1, 2025

Whew. I don’t know about the other parents out there, but summer is killing me. I love that there is so much fun to be had, but doing all the fun while also doing all the responsibilities is a lot. This week’s summer camp was only three hours per day, so I felt like I was doing pickup right after doing drop-off. I hosted various playdates in the afternoon to occupy my daughter (#onlychildproblems) so I was supervising those while working while doing copyedits for my 2026 novel. The only good thing about life being this hectic is that I haven’t had much time to follow the news. Please excuse any typos in this roundup. My brain and body are exhausted.

Quote of the week:
“It is no measure of good health to be well adjusted to a sick society.” —Andrea Gibson, who passed away on July 14. I knew she had cancer, but hearing that she was gone took my breath away. Her writing is beautiful. Do yourself a favor and buy one of her books (or all of them).

What I’m reading:
I Don’t: The Case Against Marriage by Clementine Ford. I love her and this book gets it exactly right.

What I’m listening to:
Murderland: Time and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers by Caroline Fraser. If you are mildly obsessed with serial killers, this book is for you. It’s so well-written and raises the question of if toxic smelters in the Pacific Northwest created the notorious monsters of the 1970s.

What I’m watching:
The docuseries 100 Foot Wave, which is so captivating. We also watched American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden. I didn’t know the full story of the US getting bin Laden. Fascinating.

Writing news:
I’m finishing up copyedits on my 2026 novel. I should have a title and cover to share soon! Readers keep reaching out to me about Woman on the Verge, which makes me so happy. I’m so happy it’s resonating!

Interesting things I learned recently:

The Russian earthquake, measured as an 8.8 according to the US Geological Survey, is the 6th largest ever recordedIn a survey of parents conducted by Atomik Research in 2023, nearly half said they find summer more stressful than the school year Related: The phrase “summer ceiling” is used to refer to the collective obstacles faced by working mothers over the summer “as a result of the scarcity (or complete lack) of childcare resources, couple equity and overall gender equality”Off the northeastern coast of Australia, a team of scientists is using machine-generated fog and artificially brightened clouds to cast shade on the water. They want to see if it’s possible to reduce coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef by cooling the surrounding waterChronic pain afflicts nearly 15% of American adults, according to a 2023 report from the CDC; women are 70% of chronic pain patientsThe tallest living tree, Hyperion, is a coast redwood standing 380 feet. Its location is kept secretTree planting in England is now at its highest recorded rate in over 20 years.Trump’s approval rating dropped to its lowest level of his second term—37%!Renewables like solar and wind are now crushing fossil fuels on price. More than 90% of renewable sources are now cheaper than their available carbon-emitting alternativesRelated: New data shows that California was powered by two-thirds clean energy in 2023, a historic firstYoung Americans are increasingly ditching alcohol. Since 2000, young people have been drinking less and less; by 2023, 62% of people aged 18 to 34 said they drank at all, 10% lower than in 2003Magpies are considered some of the world’s most intelligent creatures. They pass the mirror test, where they can recognize themselves in a mirrorThe world’s largest, heaviest, most dense living organism ever found is the pando tree. Scientists think its massive underground root system started at the end of the last ice age. It occupies 106 acres and is thought to weigh about 13 million poundsSeattle is the northernmost city in the United States and is farther north than Toronto (who knew?!)In medieval Europe, cats were sometimes viewed with suspicion and fear, even linked to witchcraft and evil. They were often killed and some historians suggest this may have indirectly contributed to the severity of the bubonic plague, as reduced cat populations could have allowed rat populations to increase, potentially exacerbating the spread

What I’m grateful for:

A quick getaway to Monterey to see the Indycar race and explore. I saw so many sea lions while running along the shorelineMy daughter’s “Wicked” performance today. Theater camp has been awesomeHosting Mom & Me book club at my house, complete with a pool party. I love our community so muchSo. Many. Playdates. Related: I am very grateful for my poolTaking my dogs to the beach together for the first time. Puppy was terrified of the waves

Snapshots from the past couple weeks:
From top to bottom: A little beach walk; pup’s first beach experience; Indycar at Laguna Seca with my guy; a Monterey tree growing out of my head; the most beautiful run on the shoreline; summer daze; best friends.

The post Weekly Roundup: August 1, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: July 18, 2025

Happy Friday! Let’s get right into it.

Quote of the week:
“I was made for another planet altogether. I mistook the way.” ― Simone de Beauvoir
(I am feeling this a lot lately, as are the other sensitive empaths I know. The world feels very mean and harsh lately. I wish all the non-assholes could just form their own country)

What I’m reading:
Just started The Probable Son by Cindy Jiban, which releases in December!

What I’m listening to:
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams. My good friend recommended it. I’m not usually into romance-y type books, but I’ll give it a go.

What I’m watching:
Making my way through season 4 of The Bear on Hulu. Last night, we got into a new documentary series, 100 Foot Wave. I thought it was just a one-episode thing but apparently it’s a few seasons. I can’t turn back now. We also started the new Dexter series, which is really good so far! Oh, and we saw Jurassic World Rebirth in the theater. The writing is terrible but I was entertained enough.

Writing news:
I had a really fun local event at High Tide Coffee this past week. It was a fun collab with my friend’s wine company, Caleb & Rose (subscribe if you want quarterly boxes of truly good wine). I love, love, love talking to readers. Thank you to everyone who came! My daughter took the second photo below. It’s so fun having her at these.

Interesting things I learned this week:

The British government said that it would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote. The plan, which would require a new law, would add some 1.6 million teenagers to the voting populationAmericans who think global warming is happening now outnumber those who think it is not by a ratio of more than 4 to 1 (69% versus 15%)A new Gallup poll taken over the month of June shows Trump support on “handling the immigration issue” now stands at 35% with 62% opposingThe River Seine in Paris reopened to public swimming for the first time in a centuryIn 2024, men spent an average of 100 minutes per day doing household activities like laundry and cleaning, a record-high amount as captured by the American Time Use SurveyThis article in Salon magazine reports that the movie Frida with Selma Hayek was rated R in the US because of nudity, but in Holland it was rated appropriate for ages 6 and up, whereas The Avengers was the exact opposite. A confused Dutch teen asked, “Why are boobs worse than death?! How do boobs affect people negatively? Are they scary? Do they make people do bad things? I don’t get it.”Related to the above: Being prudes doesn’t seem to help us… The U.S. teen pregnancy rate is 41.5 per 1000 people. Germany by contrast is a mere 9.8 per 1000, The Netherlands is 5.3, Switzerland is 4.3, . Europeans also have lower STI rates and far lower HIV/AIDS rates…and violent movies seem to hurt us: “The U.S. homicide rate was 10.5-7.9 per 100,000 population compared to Europe’s less than 2 per 100,000. The U.S. rate for rape was approximately seven times higher than the average for Europe. United States robbery rates were approximately four times higher than those in Europe. Theft and auto theft in the United States were approximately twice as high as in Europe. The U.S. rates for violent crime were also higher than those for Canada, Australia, and New Zealand” (from the US Dept of Justice’s website)

What I’m grateful for:

Getting to see one of my best friends IRL. She lives out of the country so seeing her is a rare treatA wonderful book event. I love my community so muchPhysical therapy working magic on a lingering issue. Running is feeling good againSummer concerts in the park. We saw the Stones and Beatles cover bands last weekendStarting to write a new novel. I’m never sure if I’m serious so the title of the Word document is “New thing 2025”Puppy got her cone off, which makes cuddling much easier (evidence below)

The post Weekly Roundup: July 18, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: July 11, 2025

Happy Friday. There continues to be so many terrible things going on in the world, which I’m trying to hold at the same time as holding the small joys in my daily life. The struggle is real. Here’s this week’s roundup.

Quote of the week:
“You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” —Angela Y. Davis

What I’m reading:
I raced through What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown (SO good) and am now reading Doll Parts by Penny Zang (loving it so far).

What I’m listening to:
Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams. It’s about her time at Facebook and it’s exactly what it says it is—a cautionary tale.

What I’m watching:
Just finished Season 4 of Vikings on Netflix. I’m in the middle of season 4 of The Bear on Hulu.

Writing news:
Woman on the Verge is out and about. It’s been so wonderful to hear from readers. Thank you to everyone who had read it! I’ll have news on my 2026 novel soon. The planned release is February!

Interesting things I learned this week:

In Norway, a standard response to “How are you?” is “Up and not crying” (oppe og ikke gråter). I need to use thisA survey reports that parents need 2.5 days to recover physically and mentally from family vacationsAccording to a study from Canisius College, women tend to sleep better next to their dogs than they do next to a human partnerThis summer, the sun is generating record-breaking quantities of electricity. In a new piece about the rise of solar power, Bill McKibben reports that at one point in May, California was producing more than one and a half times the energy it needed with renewable sources aloneThe US ranks 30th in healthcare and 46th in life expectancy (out of 63 countries). It’s 59th in climate change performance. Sigh.

What I’m grateful for:

44 years of my sister. We celebrated her this past week and it was such a nice dinner outA great 4th of July last Friday—quality time with great peopleMy daughter’s theater camp this week. They had their performance of “Matilda” today and it was so great. I think I have a theater kid!Seeing one of my very best friends tonight. She’s in town with her husband, which is rare as they’re usually based out of the country

A couple snapshots:
Top: The pup still has the cone and I think she assumes it will be with her forever. It has not affected our cuddling time. Bottom: Earrings for the special occasion of celebrating my sister’s birthday.

The post Weekly Roundup: July 11, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: July 4, 2025

Happy 4th of July! It’s no secret that I’m quite displeased with the current state of the country. We’re in dark times. But I know there are so many of us who truly stand by what this country was founded on. A little history refresher: On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

Quote of the week:
“We have one life, one shot at all the glorious things of life, and we walk about constricted, apologetic, afraid. We have so little time; we have so little space upon which to spread our love and our talents and our kindness. Run toward life fulsomely and freely.” —Tennessee Williams

What I’m reading:
The Uproar by Karim Dimechkie. I’m going to finish this one after I write this blog post. It’s very engaging and interesting… about how one incident can lead to an unraveling of so many things.

What I’m listening to:
Boys Will Be Boys: Power, Patriarchy, and Toxic Masculinity by Clementine Ford. I love her writing and she’s great on audio too.

What I’m watching:
Season 4 of Vikings on Netflix. Season 4 of The Bear on Hulu. A very cool documentary–The Shark Whisperer on Netflix, about Ocean Ramsey. My boyfriend and I saw the F1 movie in the theater last weekend and that was a treat.

Writing news:
Woman on the Verge is officially OUT! I’m so excited for people to read this book and talk about it. Thank you to all the readers who have already reached out. It means so much to me.

Interesting things I learned this week:

For only the third time, astronomers have found something passing through our solar system that came from outside it. It looks like a cometEating dairy before bed may cause nightmares, according to a new study by Frontiers in PsychologyDon Quixote, with 500 million copies sold since it was first published in Spanish in 1605 and 1615, is considered the best-selling novel of all time, according to this listThe earliest known author is an Akkadian (ancient Mesopotamian) princess and high priestess named Enheduanna, who signed her temple hymns in 2300 BCE. This is the earliest surviving example of a single author signing their work. Many more were anonymous or are unknown todayThe world’s richest 1% raised their wealth by $34 TRILLION in 10 years, enough to eliminate poverty 22 times overThe average Amazon warehouse worker would have to work full-time with no vacations or time off for over 1,000 years to pay for Jeff Bezos’ weddingAn AI-generated band called “The Velvet Sundown” has gained over 300K listeners in just a few weeks. This is terrifying!A study says men don’t fully mature until age 43. Wait, men fully mature??

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Trump cologne.” I couldn’t believe he was selling this so had to see for myself. Who is buying all this merch? Embarrassing.

What I’m grateful for:

My puppy is doing well after having her spay surgery this week. It’s so hard to see pets not feeling well, but she’s back to her usual energyMy daughter’s karate belt test last weekend. It’s so fun to watch her. She got her orange belt! Her cousin came to cheer her on. Their relationship is something else I’m grateful forPlaydates where both the kids and the moms have funOur neighborhood bike parade this morning—my daughter won the bike decorations contest (this is largely thanks to her dad who is much better at this type of thing than me)

Snapshots:

The post Weekly Roundup: July 4, 2025 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.