Kim Hooper's Blog, page 11

Weekly Roundup: July 28, 2023

Happy Friday. It’s been another busy-with-life-stuff week for me. I swear there have been phases when life has felt like it’s on cruise control, but not in a long time. Is this a result of the pandemic? Or something that just happens in your mid-forties? Please advise.

Quote of the week:
“It seems to me, that if we love, we grieve. That’s the deal. That’s the pact. Grief and love are forever intertwined. Grief is the terrible reminder of the depths of our love and, like love, grief is non-negotiable.” –Nick Cave

What I’m reading:
Day by Michael Cunningham. He’s the author of The Hours, which is one of my favorite books (and films!) of all time. I got an advance copy of this latest one and I’m liking it.

What I’m listening to:
I just finished All the Colors Came Out: A Father, A Daughter, and a Lifetime of Lessons by Kate Fagan. She is an amazing writer (if you haven’t read What Made Maddy Run, it’s one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read). I loved this latest book and it made me think so much about my own father and the loss of him.

What I’m watching:
I watched a great movie that I’m still thinking about–A Good Person. It’s written, directed, and produced by Zach Braff. It has a less-than-great rating on Rotten Tomatoes and I’m not sure why. I thought it was beautiful and well-done.

I started Season 2 of The Bear last night, and am still making my way through Season 1 of The Morning Show in 15-minute segments over my lunch break (which I’m quite sure is not how it’s intended to be watched, but oh well).

Writing news:
Nothing to report this week.

Interesting things I learned this week:

The Barbie movie saw the largest-ever North American opening weekend debut from a female director ($155M!). Go Greta Gerwig!July is on track to be the hottest month globally since record-keeping began in 1850Weather-related disasters in 2022 forced 1.2 million people in the U.S. from their homes for at least a month, and roughly half of them have yet to return, according to census dataHarvard Health estimates that a 155-lb person can burn about 80 calories an hour sitting down and reading. That’s more than they’d exert when standing (70 calories an hour)!Dysania is extreme difficulty getting out of bedPresident Biden’s dog Commander has bitten several Secret Service officers and sent at least one to a hospitalAt American colleges, the most-assigned novels by female authors are Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, Beloved by Toni Morrison, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and The Awakening by Kate ChopinAccording to a Gallup poll, women are more likely to do laundry (58% to 13%), prepare meals (51% to 17%), clean house (51% to 9%), grocery shop (45% to 18%), and wash dishes (42% to 18%)Hawaii is the most remote island chain in the world and twenty-five percent of the fish are endemic (meaning they only live there)

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Cat ear mites.” At least one of my pets is afflicted with something at any given time.

What I’m grateful for:

A new car lease. I’ve had the Nissan Leaf for the past two years and just got the Nissan Ariya. Also all-electric, but bigger inside. There are some great lease deals right now if you’re looking for electricQuality time with my world-traveling friend who is in town for a brief time before heading to Paraguay!Physical therapy for my lower back. I am at the age of needing physical therapy for my lower backMy thriving basil plant that is making me feel like a successful plant owner Summertime playdates with my daughter’s friends (and lots of pool time)Lots of cloud cover for my morning runs

Snapshots:

Thriving basil plant –> pesto –> yummy dinner I am definitely more of a cat person than a dog person, so I love a dog that lays around like a cat. I also love this little corner of my house. Summer evening sky. My daughter requested that I take a photo of this flower.

The post Weekly Roundup: July 28, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: July 21, 2023

Some Fridays, I am full of energy. Other Fridays, I am braindead. This Friday is the latter. With no deep thoughts to share, let’s get into the roundup.

Quote of the week:
“Life is good until it isn’t, and it is in these moments we learn how to love. From the depths of sorrow sprouts a beautiful truth: we are not alone in pain. We are a network—roots connected in sadness and growing out of darkness towards the light.” — Steph Catudal

What I’m reading:
The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard, one of my favorite authors.

What I’m listening to:
The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos (she’s a hospice nurse). This book is especially poignant after being with my dad in his final days. A lot of the stories in this book align with my own experience.

What I’m watching:
Haven’t had much time for shows this week, but still making my way through The Morning Show and The Bear.

Writing news:
Nothing noteworthy this week.

Interesting things I learned this week:

Arlington, VA was named the fittest city for the sixth year in a row by the American College of Sports MedicineThe Greenland shark has the longest known lifespan of all vertebrates, living for up to 500 yearsBrazil has changed the country’s work hours so employees can watch women’s World Cup gamesA bill has been reintroduced in Congress to end the federal death penaltyThe Federal Reserve says that Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is so massive that it’s boosting the economySince Texas criminalized abortion in 2021, infant death rates went up 11.5% (likely because women were forced to carry babies to term who had anomalies that were not compatible with life)Over the last 50 years, the marriage rate in the U.S. has dropped by nearly 60%97% of teens use the internet daily; more than a third say they are on social media “almost constantly” and nearly half say they are online “almost constantly.” Girls are more online than boysThe word “date” did not appear in use until the end of the 19th centuryOf all the wild mammal species that have ever lived on this planet over the last 4.5 billion years, only one-sixth remain. The rest have died out since the emergence of humans. Of all those mammals that have died out, half of them have gone extinct in the past fifty years

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“replacing quartz tube.” I inherited by dad’s beloved hot tub and it brings me such joy, but there is a lot I need to learn in terms of maintenance… like the annual requirement to change the UV bulb that helps disinfect the water. The bulb is in a quartz tube that I promptly broke accidentally when trying to change the bulb. In this process, water from the spa started gushing out and I realized I was supposed to drain the tub before this procedure. It was not comical at the time, but it is now.

What I’m grateful for:
Air conditioners, pool time (my daughter is obsessed; see below photos), foggy mornings, concerts in the park, time with friends, new breweries.

Snapshots (courtesy of my photographer sister):

The post Weekly Roundup: July 21, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: July 14, 2023

Seems like it’s hot pretty much everywhere in the northern hemisphere right now, so I hope you are staying cool wherever you are. Here’s the roundup!

Quote of the week:
“Sometimes I think, I need a spare heart to feel all the things I feel.” —Sanober Khan, “Spare Heart,” in A Thousand Flamingos

What I’m reading:
Banyan Moon by Thao Thai. Really enjoying it.

What I’m listening to:
Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls by Kathleen Hale. I thought I knew everything about this story, but I clearly did not. So interesting.

What I’m watching:
I’m still making my way through Season 1 of The Morning Show. I’m also watching The Bear on Hulu and really loving the characters.

Writing news:
I’ve been working on some poetry while waiting on next steps for my novel. The big news this week was that the People Who Knew Me podcast was listed as one of the best podcasts by Vogue UK.

Interesting things I learned this week:

July 4 was the hottest day on Earth since recordkeeping began more than 40 years ago, and June was the warmest month overallThe FDA has approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the US (it’s called Opill and will be available in 2024)By some estimates, we are now exposed to more information each day than a person living in the Renaissance encountered in their entire lifetime: As of 2020, we produce 2,500,000,000,000,000,000 bytes of data per day. At that rate, roughly 90 percent of all the data in human history has been created in the last five yearsIn the US, there is no minimum age for marriage in nine states70% of wives take their husband’s name, according to a 2016 survey. Related: In the 1970s and 1980s, in an effort to combat gender inequality within the feminist wave of the time, laws were passed in Greece, Italy and Quebec, Canada that prohibited women from giving up their surname following a marriageAs of 2017, only 1/5 of the marine mammals remain of all the aquatic animals that have ever existedThe Portuguese word Saudade roughly translates to “a melancholic longing for difficult times,” “a time when everything was stripped bare, teaching us that meaning lies in the very things we take for granted. Sadness humbles. It cracks us open, allowing us to see others’ pain in ways that happiness can’t. It teaches us about the universality of suffering, but more importantly, the transcendent power of love. A love that is often overlooked without the presence of grief” (Steph Catudal, Everything All At Once)

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Longest living goldfish.” I attended my Great Uncle’s funeral this past week. He was more like a grandfather figure to me because my own grandpas died when I was really little. It was good to talk with everyone. At the reception, we somehow got on the topic of a family member’s 18-year-old goldfish and then had to find out what the record was for a goldfish lifespan. Turns out it’s 43 YEARS! Whoa.

What I’m grateful for:
A stream-of-consciousness list: my daughter (she has been quite the little buddy lately), sunshine, concerts in the park, mom friends, friends who read my poetry (you know who you are and I love you), hot tub time, a good hardcover book (Banyan Moon this week), hilarious memes on Instagram, pets doing pet things, therapy (I had a lot of grief come up at the funeral and felt a million times better after my therapy session).

Snapshots:

First selfie in a while. I feel like this photo is representative of summer with small children. One of the best parts of my day. I have resumed puzzling and the cats are not making it easy on me. Speaking of cats, this one has shown interest in going for walks, so we are trying it out. Finally putting the finishing touches on my house. The stained glass was made by one of my best friends, and another one of my besties gifted me the two pots on the left. Old boy is still doing well, post-stroke. Loving on him as much as I can. There have been lots of foggy mornings the past several months. The sun is starting to show itself on my runs.

The post Weekly Roundup: July 14, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: July 7, 2023

And here we are in July! The passage of time never fails to shock me. Yesterday marked the two-year anniversary of my dad’s death, so it’s been an emotional week over here. Let’s get into the roundup…

Quote of the week (inspired by my dad):
“The best way to cherish life is to remind yourself of life’s impermanence. It is to remember that every time you see someone that is one less time you see them. It is to remember that every time you go somewhere that is one less time you visit. By doing this, you naturally slow down. Almost like a reflex, you start to truly live.” –Andrew Anabi

What I’m reading:
Just started Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World by Jenn Granneman.

What I’m listening to:
The Measure by Nikki Erlick. I’m in a neighborhood book club (that I love!) and this is our pick for this month.
I also listened to this podcast episode on today’s run and found it so helpful and interesting: How to Disentangle from Toxic People

What I’m watching:
I took my daughter to see Elemental last weekend and really enjoyed it. I guess some people are saying that Pixar is losing its touch (read here), but I still love their movies.
For shows, I may be giving up on The Morning Show because I started watching The Bear on Hulu and I am hooked.

Writing news:
Just sent off another round of edits on my latest book. Next steps TBD.

Interesting things I learned this week:

This June was the hottest on record and included the two hottest days ever recorded. According to the New York Times, the past few days have likely been the hottest in modern historyIceland has so many crime writers but only one forensic pathologist. He was so busy answering their questions that he held a seminar (which sold out, so he held another one…which also sold out)The Chicago Colts (now known as the Chicago Cubs) hold the record for the most runs scored in a baseball game—36 runs in an 1897 gameA record share of American 40-year-olds have never been married—25% (vs 6% back in 1980)In the US, research suggests that 60% of adults believe in soulmatesIn 1939, just 10% of American brides-to-be wore a diamond engagement ring. Thanks to a targeted marketing campaign by De Beers (copywriter Mary Frances Gerety created the slogan a “diamond is forever”), 80% of brides had a diamond by 1990Every week, more animals are killed for human consumption than humans who have died in all wars in human history combinedIn the early 20th century, pink was associated with baby BOYS and blue was associated with baby GIRLS because at the time, pink was considered too harsh for girls (due to its closeness to red). Girls were assigned a color associated with the sky and daylight. The colors switched in the 1940sJoey Chestnut holds a world record for eating 141 hard boiled eggs in 8 minutesCarl Brigham created the SAT after working on the Army IQ screener, known as the Army Alpha test. Brigham brought a clear bias to intelligence testing: He believed people of color were innately less intelligent than white peopleThe tallest person ever was 8’11”

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Longest held breath under water.” My nephew was convinced he could beat the world record time so we had to look it up. A 56-year-old freediver named Budimir Šobat broke the record in 2021 with a staggering time of 24 minutes 37.36 seconds. Ummm…what?! For reference, the average healthy adult can hold their breath for 3-5 minutes.

What I’m grateful for:

A full and fun 4th of July complete with a neighborhood parade, a Padres/Angels game, lots of pool time, and fireworksZero house projects this week. I think I’m done for a good while. I need a breakFinishing this round of book edits, which took a lot out of meMy dad and all that he instilled in me. He was so fun and prioritized joy in life (while also working hard and pushing himself). I see so much of him in who I strive to be

Snapshots:

My daughter found this leaf when we were camping last Friday. So cool. The view while we waited for fireworks. Been looking through a lot of photos of my dad this week. This is one of my favorites of him with my daughter.

The post Weekly Roundup: July 7, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: June 30, 2023

Happy Friday and happy new month (tomorrow)! I have to pack for camping, so let’s get into it.

Quote of the week:
“Our earth is round, and, among other things, that means that you and I can hold completely different points of view and both be right. The difference of our positions will show stars in your window I cannot even imagine. Your sky may burn with light, while mine, at the same moment, spreads beautiful to darkness. Still we must choose how we separately corner the circling universe of our experience. Once chosen, our cornering will determine the message of any star and darkness we encounter.” –June Jordan

What I’m reading:
Take What you Need by Idra Novey
Wedded Wife: A Feminist History of Marriage by Rachael Lennon

What I’m listening to:
Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero by Amanda Kloots. Heartbreaking, but so good, which tends to describe most of the books I love.

What I’m watching:
Still making my way through Season 1 of The Morning Show on AppleTV. It’s an objectively good show, but I can’t seem to get super into it. I watched Reality on HBO last night, about Reality Winner (yes, real name), the woman who was imprisoned for leaking an intelligence report about Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. Very good.

Writing news:
I’m in the midst of another round of edits to my latest manuscript. Hoping to have news to share soon.

Interesting things I learned this week:

The Hawaiian islands were formed millions of years apart from one another and they will all return under water due to subduction (over the course of millions of years, don’t worry)According to a 2020 study, most mothers can identify their child by smell aloneJust one indoor tanning session before the age of 35 is reported to increase your chance of melanoma skin cancer by a staggering 75%Of every 1,000 sexual assaults that even make it to the criminal justice system, approximately 975 perpetrators walk freeParents google “Is my daughter overweight?” at twice the rate that they search “Is my son overweight?”. Parents search “Is my son gifted?” at two and a half times the rate that they search “Is my daughter gifted?” (as reported by Jessica Nordell in her book, The End of Bias. So disturbing)Gossip originally meant god-parent. It was a positive term, suggesting a close, emotional bondThe witch hunts in Europe resulted in the execution of 80,000 to 100,000 womenIn an average zoo, lions and tigers have around 18,000 times less space than they do in the wild; for polar bears, this is 1 million times less

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“dog vomit couch.” Let’s just say that a little baking soda does wonders for this particular issue.

What I’m grateful for:

My older dog is doing better each day since his stroke last week. He is able to go for walks and is eating normally again. The aforementioned vomit was from my little dog. All these pets give me a run for my moneyCamping with family this weekendNeighborhood girlfriends who make my day whenever I run into them (sometimes literally)A good start to Chicago Marathon training, though today’s run felt like a total slog

Snapshots:
It’s been a busy week for me, workwise, so the only photos I’ve taken are of my pets sharing a bed beneath my desk (this is a new thing for them).

The post Weekly Roundup: June 30, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: June 23, 2023

It’s been a couple weeks since my last roundup. I was on a family trip to Maui. We’ve been going there since I was a little kid so it’s always a special time. Last year, I cut my trip short because it was so emotional for me to be there without my dad there. This year was less grief-y. I came back to a finally-sunny southern California. Summer is here!

Quote of the week:
“We’re born, we try, we learn, we change, we die, we’re born again once more, all in one lifetime. And sometimes, all at once.” — Steph Catudal (I loved her memoir)

What I’m reading:
Once Upon A Time We Ate Animals: The Future of Food by Roanne Van Voorst.
A couple books I read on my trip and loved:
The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good by Elise Loehnen

What I’m listening to:
Always the Last to Know by Kristan Higgins.
On my trip, I listened to The Celebrants by Steven Rowley. Very enjoyable!

What I’m watching:
I’ve started watching The Morning Show on AppleTV, but am not really into it yet. Does it get more engrossing? Caveat: I have zero attention span lately. I just watched Amy Schumer’s new comedy special, Emergency Contact, and liked that! Also watched Fire in Paradise, a documentary about the awful 2018 Camp Fire.

Writing news:
The last podcast episode of People Who Knew Me aired yesterday and I got a bit choked up at the end! I’m so pleased with the show and happy that people are discovering the story in this format. If you haven’t checked it out, you can watch episodes via BBC Sounds (no subscription necessary) or wherever you get podcasts.

Some podcast press:

The Financial Times called it “pacy and bingeable”The Guardian described it as “excellently soundscaped, grippingly plotted, smoothly acted”Star Rosamund Pike said, “It’s a remarkable story and one I felt emotionally drawn to”Radio Times wrote, “Daniella Isaacs has penned a masterful script, created an unsettling atmosphere and produced a piece of work that demands attention. You should. You should give it your full concentration. It’s worth it”

In other news…
Book birthdays! No Hiding in Boise turned 2 and Tiny turned 4!

Interesting things I learned this week:

Today is National Typewriter Day AND National Hydration DayThe longest chess game took over 20 hours and 269 movesThe average person groans for 34 minutes on a Monday vs 22 minutes on other daysWith the new IOS update, autocorrect will no longer change “fuck” to “duck” (hallelujah!)Danish Dad, Jacob Sommer Simonsen, set the world record for a half marathon with a stroller (1:08:04). Incidentally, he also holds the Danish national record for the beer mile (5:18)Earlier this month, a wolverine was spotted in the California wilderness for only the second time in a century90% of ocean trash is plasticYou are more likely to be killed by a falling coconut than by a sharkThe longest word you can type with just your left hand is “sweaterdresses”The treadmill was invented as a prison rehab deviceThe farthest flight of a paper airplane was 289 feet and 9 inches (and the plane was created by Boeing engineers)According to legendary marriage therapists Drs. John and Julie Gottman, 69% of conflicts between couples will never be resolved, typically because there are significant differences in personality or lifestyle needs98% of venture capital money goes to men, according to Crunchbase dataMichigan is the only state with explicit laws on the books stating that you cannot discriminate on the basis of body shape or size

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Bo Jackson hiccups.” My daughter was complaining about hiccups and her dad mentioned that Bo Jackson was in the midst of a year-long battle with hiccups. So I had to investigate. It is true. He says he’s tried everything, including sniffing a porcupine’s butt. Related: American Charles Osborne had hiccups for 68 years, from 1922 to February 1990, and was entered in the Guinness World Records as the man with the longest attack of hiccups, an estimated 430 million hiccups.

What I’m grateful for:

A great family trip complete with my mom, my sister, my sister’s kids, my daughter and her dad. We also spent a good deal of time with our “Hawaii family” (hi, Rob and Gloria!)The end of house projects (for now). I’m so relieved and excited to just settle into my homeTime with one of my best friends who is in town visitingDoggie on the mend. My 13-year-old pup had a stroke earlier this week. I was pretty sure that would be the end for him, but he seems to be recovering slowlySunshine! As we were leaving on vacation, I saw a headline that said southern California hadn’t had a day of full sunshine since February! There’s been so much gloom this year. But the sun is officially OUT

A few snapshots:

Maui sunset. Never gets old. Take me back! Comforting the patient. A few days after my dog’s stroke, we were able to go on a short walk around the block, where I saw this little library I’d never noticed before.

The post Weekly Roundup: June 23, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: June 2, 2023

And then it was June. You wouldn’t know it where I live because it’s been gloomy and cool. I am a spoiled Californian and I am impatient for sunshine. In any case, I hope you’re enjoying a good start to your month. Happy PRIDE to all who celebrate!

Quote of the week:
“I now inhabit a life I don’t deserve, but we all walk this earth feeling we are frauds. The trick is to be grateful and hope the caper doesn’t end any time soon.” –David Carr

What I’m reading:
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim. I was lucky to get an advance copy of this one. It’s so good. I’m really enjoying it. Releases September 5.

What I’m listening to:
I’m continuing my running memoir streak with Kara Goucher’s The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Dosing, and Deception on Nike’s Elite Running Team. It’s keeping me good company on my runs.

What I’m watching:
I just finished Season 7 of Workin’ Moms. I’ll miss it! I watched American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing too. I was riveted (I don’t think I picked up my phone once during the episodes and that’s saying something). I also saw The Little Mermaid in the theater with my daughter on Memorial Day. I thought it was really well done.

Writing news:
Have you checked out the People Who Knew Me podcast yet? You can catch up on episodes (they’re only 15 minutes) here (no subscription required). We’ve received a couple great reviews in Radio Times and The Guardian! I also just heard that we’re #1 on the Apple fiction chart in 9 countries including UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland.

My poem “Grief Hour” won the Gemini Magazine poetry open and was published online this week–read it here. Thank you to everyone who has read it and left such kind comments. I am falling in love with poetry.

Interesting things I learned this week:

A “peg-puff” is a “young woman with the manners of an old one.” OMG, I’m a peg-puff!Even before Covid, one study found that more than 90% of moms reported feeling lonely after having kids (related: this article about maternal mental health by Reshma Saujani is great)There are zero female conductors of elite orchestrasIn Gibraltar, an orca named “White Gladis” is leading a gang of whales in attacking/sinking boats. It’s believed she had a traumatizing encounter with a boat herself and is now seeking revengeThe frontal lobe may not be fully developed until halfway through the third decade of lifeAccording to research, Mississippi is the state with the highest stress levels (Minnesota was deemed the least stressed-out state)The word amateur comes from the Latin amare, meaning “to love.” I like this idea of equating being new to something (aka not an expert) with being in loveThe record for highest attendance of a ticketed concert is held by Indio Solari, who had 500,000 people attend his concert in Argentina. Rod Stewart and John-Michel Jarre each had free concerts with attendance greater than 3.5 million!

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“What do crickets eat?” My daughter is really into bugs lately. I got her this little bug cage so she can go around the yard and capture insects. She got a cricket and is determined to keep it alive as a way to convince her dad to get her a guinea pig. We are three days in and the cricket is doing well. Of course, I also had to google, “How long do crickets live?” 90 days. Let’s hope our cricket is at the beginning of its lifespan.

What I’m grateful for:

My daughter’s preschool. She had her graduation on Wednesday and I have to admit I got a little choked up at the end of it. We’ve been lucky to be part of a great community. She starts kindergarten in August!Setting up my new house, slowly but surely. It’s coming together! I’m now obsessed with plants and bird feeders. See above re: peg-puffGetting my head above water with work (sort of). Juggling my “fun writing” (as I call it) with my professional writing (I’m an advertising copywriter) is A LOT sometimes, but I’m feeling less frazzled lately

No snapshots to share this week. My camera roll this week is full of photos of my daughter and not much else. I’ll have some next week!

The post Weekly Roundup: June 2, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: May 26, 2023

Hellooo. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve done a roundup. I was out of town on a trip with my daughter and her dad (first post-divorce family trip—yes, these things are possible and even enjoyable!). We flew into Nashville, then went to Asheville, Charlotte, and Charleston. We visited friends along the way, tried lots of new beers, visited every indie bookstore we could, and enjoyed all the greenery (so many trees!). My brain is overfilling with stuff, so this roundup will be packed.

Quote of the week:
“I have already lost touch with a couple people I used to be.” — Joan Didion

What I’m reading:
Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May. I thought this was going to be more of a cultural study, but it’s really a memoir about a woman who is struggling to come back to life after the pandemic.

What I’m listening to:
Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman. After reading Des Linden’s memoir, I wanted another running one. This one is great.

What I’m watching:
I just watched The Longest Third Date on Netflix, about two people who end up stuck in Costa Rica during Covid after spending only two previous dates together. It’s cute! I’m also watching Season 7 of Workin’ Moms.

Writing news:
Lots of news! My first book, People Who Knew Me, was turned into a podcast drama series by BBC Sounds and the first two episodes are OUT now. The episodes are just 15 minutes long and really well done. The book turned 7 this week (it was first published May 24, 2016) and the podcast has been a great way to celebrate. There are 10 episodes total and they come out on Tuesday and Thursday.

While on my trip, I got great news that Ways the World Could End is a finalist in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards! Just in time to celebrate the first book birthday for this one!

What I’m talking about:

The surgeon general’s warning about social media. Dr. Vivek Murthy cited a “profound risk of harm” to adolescent mental health. As a parent, I am terrified of my daughter being on social media. I look back at my own youth and I’m so glad it didn’t exist. I would have really struggledIf therapy really works. This New York Times article on the topic was really interesting. For me personally, therapy has been incredibly helpful, but I think so much is dependent upon finding the right therapist and the right approach at the right cost (which is a whole separate issue)Ron DeSantis running for president. Please no. He has waged a war on the LGBTQ+ community in Florida, censored education, banned abortion access in his state, and has taken steps to criminalize protesting. Fascism much?The grayest May that ever was in southern California. All of us spoiled Californians are starting to get seasonal affective disorder

Interesting things I learned this week (or, rather, the past few weeks):

Biophilia is the love of life and all living systemsFemale dragonflies are known to fake their own deaths to avoid mating with unwanted males. They will freeze mid-air, crash to the ground, and lie motionless when faced with aggressive malesOnly about 1 in 5 homes for sale in 2022 was affordable for a typical householdUnlike other spiders, tarantulas do not spin webs to catch preyOn May 21, a city in Texas called Kyle attempted to break the world record for the biggest-ever gathering of people with the same name — Kyle. About 1500 Kyles gathered, which did not break the record (the record is a gathering of 2300+ Ivans)Kittens in a single litter can have different fathers (I had no idea about this and it explains why my two womb-mate kitties look nothing alike)The risk of a shark attack is 1 in 11.5 millionAlaska has 4 different time zones. Related: China has one time zone; Russia has 1144.5% of US households have a dog; 29% have cats10-12% of the population is left-handedIn the early 1900s, gray wolves were in 35 states; today, they can only be found in 9Coyotes are in every US state except HawaiiMissouri is the state most forgotten when people are asked to name the 50 statesPickleball was created by three dads on a badminton court in 19651 day on Venus is equal to 243 Earth daysA bee’s max speed is 15 mphReuters reported in February that there are more than 200 e-books in Amazon’s Kindle stores listing ChatGPT as an author or co-authorAn overdue book was just returned to a northern California library almost 100 years late. The book is A History of the United States by Benson Lossing and it was first checked out in 1927. A mystery man returned itAtlanta’s airport is the busiest airport in the worldA woman named Kouri Richins wrote a children’s book about grief after her husband’s death last year; she is now charged with murdering him (yikes!)

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Why do hands get prune-y in water?” This question arose from my daughter and her cousin after sitting in our hot tub for a while. The answer: The outermost layer of the skin swells when it absorbs water. It is tightly attached to the skin underneath, so it compensates for the increased area by wrinkling.

What I’m grateful for:

A great trip and a great homecoming. I really enjoyed the time away from the grind, and it was wonderful to see friends I haven’t seen in years. Also, I’m so thankful for our house/pet sitters who made it easier to be awayContinuing to make my new house a home. I feel like my to-do list is never-ending, but things are starting to come togetherStarting my new running training cycle. I took a little break and am happy to be back! I’m training for the Chicago Marathon in OctoberAdvil. I have had a two-day headache (it’s been a hectic week with lots of post-trip catch-up work) and Advil is saving me

A few snapshots from our trip:

We did some housesitting in Nashville. Not a bad view. Malaprop’s bookstore in Asheville. On Mother’s Day, I took myself for a run along a creek in Asheville. So beautiful there! Seen on a run in Charlotte. I might have to make this into a print for my office.

The post Weekly Roundup: May 26, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: May 5, 2023

Happy Friday! And Happy May! And Happy Cinco de Mayo! And Happy Birthday to my mama! That was too many exclamation marks, I know. One of my writing teachers once told me to never, ever use an exclamation mark. In novels, I use them sparingly (I think. I should check), but there are no rules with the weekly roundups.

Quote of the week:
“I have woven a parachute out of everything broken.” –William Stafford

What I’m reading:
I finished The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty. It won the 2022 National Book Award, so I feel like I’m just not edgy or hip or smart enough to “get” this book. It wasn’t for me. I’m now reading Maggie Smith’s Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change. After reading her memoir, I am a devoted fan and must read everything she’s written.

What I’m listening to:
Just downloaded What Bravery Looks Like: An Epic Journey Through Loss to Love by Laurel Braitman. I’ve heard good things.

What I’m watching:
I’m back to Bad Sisters on Apple TV. I have a couple more episodes left of Season 1. Love it.

Writing news:
Gemini Magazine announced me as the winner of the 2023 Poetry Open! My poem, “Grief Hour,” will be published online this month. I’ll share the link then.

What I’m talking about:
Not much. I don’t have cable TV at my new house and I quite like it that way. I’m pretty detached from the news for now and enjoying the reprieve.

Interesting things I learned this week:

As of 2021, about 15% of the population runs recreationallyFauja Singh is the oldest marathon finisher at 101 and he has a children’s book about himThe “nost” in “nostalgia” means “homecoming”; the “algia” means “pain”For the third year in a row, the population of California has declinedAccording to research, being a mother is equivalent to working 98 hours per weekMore than 349,000 students have experienced gun violence in a school

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Disney on Ice salary.” Took my daughter to see Disney on Ice and was so curious about this. From my googling, it seems that skaters start at around $550/week and go up from there. The average is about $47K/year. Character performers can earn $184k/year!

What I’m grateful for:

A healthy mom who is starting a new year of life today! Losing my dad was so hard on all of us and I can never take health for granted againA mom who used to be a physical therapist. I messed up my back yesterday (while bending down to put something in a cabinet. Hello, middle age!). I have a race on Sunday so I was super worried, but my mom worked some magic and I’m feeling mobile todayHalf marathon on Sunday! I had to miss my last race due to winter virus madness. I’m feeling healthy and ready for a fun race dayMy happy old dog. The vet found a probably-cancerous tumor while at a routine vet visit this week, so I don’t think we have much time left with him. For now, he is eating well and enjoying his daily walks and naps, and I’m grateful for that, however long it lastsAdjusting to the new house. I’ve never been great with change, and this one has been particularly taxing and emotional, but I’m starting to feel settled. My daughter is liking her new space and seems at home too. The house projects continue, but soon we’ll have a backyard deck we can enjoy all summer

Snapshots:

Selfie while walking from my house to my daughter’s soccer practice at the park, which is a 5-minute walk from her dad’s house. Grateful for all the closeness. Pets seem to be adjusting to the new digs just fine. Date night with my sister to see Taylor Tomlinson at the Pantages. She is hilarious. Best comedian out there right now, IMO. New dog walk route = new flowers Tried a new neighborhood book club with a great group of women. We discussed Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (which I LOVED) Taken on my last workout run for this training cycle. Excited to race!

The post Weekly Roundup: May 5, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: April 28, 2023

I spent this week moving houses, meaning I have a significant life hangover right now. Moving sucks. Unpacking sucks. Building furniture sucks. I’ve done way too much research on how to use camlock screws. Needless to say, I am ready for the weekend.

Quote of the week:
“I am out with lanterns, looking for myself.” –Emily Dickinson

What I’m reading:
I finished Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Becky Kennedy. One of the best parenting books I’ve read. I’m just starting The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty. Having a hard time getting into it with all my life stuff going on.

What I’m listening to:
Poet Maggie Smith’s memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful. It is a gorgeous book, the story her divorce and so much more. There are many similarities between the dissolution of her marriage and the dissolution of my own, so this one is really striking a chord with me.

What I’m watching:
Absolutely nothing. My daughter has been sleeping in bed with me while we adjust to the new house, so my show-watching time is gone for now. I have seen too much of her shows, with Chip and Potato being the current favorite.

Writing news:
I won a poetry contest! My poem “Grief Hour” was chosen as the winner of the Gemini Magazine Poetry Open. It will be published in May and I’ll share the link then.

What I’m talking about:
I am exhausted and have become selectively mute.

Interesting things I learned this week:

Netflix is ending its DVD mailing service after 25 years. The fact that it’s been around 25 years is making me feel old. I remember when it was new and novelDisney parks are banning costumes for adultsScientists have found that people who bite their nails may have stronger immune systemsSenator Patty Murray is the first woman to cast 10,000 votes as a US SenatorThe average duration of a baseball game this year is 2 hours and 39 minutes, about a half-hour shorter than the average duration of a game last yearThe ALA’s top most banned and challenged books from 2010-2019 includes The Bluest Eye, To Kill a Mockingbird, Of Mice and Men, The Color Purple, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and many other classics that you probably read in high school. Also on the list: Go the Fuck to Sleep, which is a book I gift to every new parent. Hilarious that people want it bannedTucker Carlson was reportedly worth $600M to Fox News. Buh-byeThe average person spends about two hours dreaming each nightThe average marathon runner is 40 years oldThe EPA is set to announce the first federal limits on carbon emissions from power plants. It’s about timeThe United States, the “land of the free,” ranks 24th in “personal freedom” (inclusive of fairness of laws, personal safety, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom to pursue same-sex relationships or obtain a divorce, etc)The US ranks 40th out of 46 countries when it comes to equal pay between men and women (aka it’s the 7th-worst country for equal pay)There were several Guinness Records set at the recent London Marathon, including: Fastest marathon dressed in pajamas, fastest marathon dressed as a fairy tale character, fastest marathon dressed as a savory food, fastest marathon dressed as an insect, and fastest marathon wearing wellington boots. You can read the full, amazing list of records here

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“How long do snails live?” My daughter and nephew were collecting snails the other day and had many questions about them. Did you know snails can live 2 to 5 years in the wild? And larger species can live up to TWENTY-FIVE YEARS in captivity?!

What I’m grateful for:

Surviving this house move without completely destroying my mental health or my lower backMy daughter continuing to prove that children are resilientA new home office with a beautiful view

Snapshots:

This was my Earth Day outfit while watching my daughter’s soccer game. Tee from my sister’s shop. Roses in the yard I left behind. As seen on my new dog walk route. Kitties enjoying the new views.

The post Weekly Roundup: April 28, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.