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Weekly roundup: March 1, 2024

I missed last week’s roundup due to technical difficulties, but I’m back. Happy first day of March! It’s Read Across America Day (aka Dr. Seuss’s birthday) tomorrow, but we are celebrating at my daughter’s school today. Here’s to reading!

Quotes of the week:
“I think of beauty as an absolute necessity. I don’t think it’s a privilege or an indulgence, it’s not even a quest… I think finding, incorporating and then representing beauty is what humans do… I don’t think we can do without it any more than we can do without dreams or oxygen.” –Toni Morrison

On a similar note, this one from the Van Gogh exhibit I visited with my daughter:

What I’m reading:
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller. I’ve heard good things and I’m excited to get into it. This was my book club’s runner-up pick for the month so some of us are reading it in addition to our first pick. Extra credit!

What I’m listening to:
What You Are Looking For Is In the Library by Michiko Aoyama. I usually listen to books on my runs, but I’m taking a break after last weekend’s race, so haven’t gotten very far with this one.

What I’m watching:
Let’s see. I watched Lover Stalker Killer on Netflix and that was a wild ride. Wow, people are crazy. I balanced that out with a lot of comedy specials–Taylor Tomlinson, Theo Von, Jenny Slate, Ali Wong. I had a lot of downtime in a hotel room for my race weekend!

Interesting things I learned this week:

Research suggests that self-confidence peaks between the ages of 60 and 70The German word sturmfrei literally means “storm free” and refers to “the freedom of being alone, the ability to do what you want”The word coddiwomple means “to travel purposefully toward an as-yet unknown destination”On February 22, the Odysseus Moon lander completed a soft lunar touchdown, becoming the first privately built spacecraft to land on the moon and the first US one to do so in 50 yearsSilicon Valley has declared loneliness a public health emergencyChicago has brought the newest lawsuit against Big Oil companies for spreading disinformation about the climate-warming hazards of burning fossil fuels — adding the third largest city in the U.S. to the growing list of state and local governments pushing for oil and gas majors to be held accountable in courtResearchers in the Amazon have discovered the world’s largest snake species – an enormous green anaconda – in Ecuador’s rainforest89-year-old Flo Meiler competed at the recent USATF New England and East Region Masters Indoor Championship, making her the oldest athlete in track events (you can read how she did here)

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“youngest person to get PhD.” I’m working on a new novel with a character who gets her PhD at a younger age so I wanted to google this. I had no idea that anyone can get a PhD at any age. Karl Witte is the youngest. He attended the University of Giessen in German and graduated with his doctorate at the age of 13. He holds the Guinness Book of World Records’ record for youngest doctorate.

What I’m grateful for:

A great race last weekend. I did the Ventura Half Marathon and ran a PR for me–1:33:50! It was a beautiful course. I took the train up and back, which was so relaxing and funLots of fun stuff with my daughter–a trip to the Van Gogh exhibit, the Lion King musical, UCLA gymnastics meet, volunteering at the animal shelter. I got to help on her class field trip this week too. Grateful I have a job that allowed me to do that! Taylor Swift. My daughter is obsessed so I guess I’m now a Swiftie by proxy and I’m not hating it. My daughter does performances for me on a nightly basis and I enjoy this more than playing BarbiesExciting writing-related news! I’ll be able to share soooooonConnecting with new people. Life is so weird and short. Whenever I find people who feel like “my people,” I get so happy

Snapshots:

From top to bottom: reading + pets = the best; Van Gogh immersive exhibit (highly recommend); volunteering at the animal shelter; post-race selfie; writing break selfie.

The post Weekly roundup: March 1, 2024 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly roundup: February 16, 2024

Happy Friday! I hope you had a nice Valentine’s Day if you celebrate. I didn’t used to care, but now I have a daughter who cares, so now I care. All that talk about seeing things through your child’s eyes is right on. I don’t have a romantic partner, but I have so much love in my life and I’m cool with dedicating a day to honoring that. I’m very lucky. On to the roundup!

Quote of the week:
“None of us understand what we’re doing but we do beautiful things anyway.” –Allen Ginsberg

What I’m reading:
The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. My book club selected this one for our next read. I went into it completely blind and I’m liking it a lot so far.

What I’m listening to:
Just started Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein. It’s hard to quickly summarize this book but it’s so interesting. I’ve been thinking a lot about online personas and how they can conflict with reality. What’s even real anymore? The book explores this.

What I’m watching:
The Tourist on Netflix. It’s a good watch.

Interesting things I learned this week:

A stingray in a North Carolina aquarium is stumping scientists by getting pregnant in a tank with no male stingrays present. Immaculate conception?For Valentine’s Day, Pizza Hut delivered “goodbye pizzas” with breakup messages as part of a special promotion. Harsh. This Super Bowl was the most-watched program EVER (123.4 million viewers!)Scientists have found that women carry in their bodies fetal cells from every pregnancy…forever. This hit hard with me as I lost four babies before having my daughter. It’s comforting to know they are still with me, quite literallyA poll found that American women have become more liberal over the past two decades, while men’s ideological views have changed littleClinical trials have begun for the first anti-aging pill for dogs. The company that produces the pill, a startup called Loyal, hopes their drug can extend puppy lifespan by at least a yearIn other dog news… A Harvard psychiatrist specializing in dreams says that dogs probably dream of their owners

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“What is the new car smell.” We all know that smell, but what IS it? From googling, I learned this: “The classic new-car smell is a byproduct of a chemical process known as off-gassing… The root cause is attributable to the many plastics and adhesives used in a modern car’s interior… These combined materials generally emit a ‘gasoline-like’ smell, for a relatively short period of time.” Given this explanation, it’s weird we find this smell so appealing.

What I’m grateful for:

My daughter’s happiness about Valentine’s Day. She had her first school dance this last Friday (with me as her date haha) and she was very excited to pass out her cards in classCelebrating my ex-husband’s birthday. I’m so glad we’re able to continue celebrating each otherGuinea pigs! We’ve added to the mammals in the house with two guinea pigs–Domino and Tiger. Their little chirps are so cute. They’re super shy so we’ll see if they warm up over timeFun outings—dinner with mom-friends, “Alice’s Wonderland” play with my daughter, Super Bowl party (my daughter was actually into the game due to the Taylor Swift appearances)4-day weekend! My daughter and I are headed to see Beyond Van Gogh today, the Lion King musical this weekend, and a gymnastics competition on Monday. Nothing like having a social kid to curb hermit tendencies

Snapshots:

You can see the dog is very excited about the guinea pigs. This “Live & Grow” puzzle made me want to shrivel up & die. I usually save puzzles in case I want to do them again, but this one is going in the trash. So frustrating. Love is everywhere! Saw these near the beach. My daughter insisted we take a photo. My little writing companion.

The post Weekly roundup: February 16, 2024 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: February 9, 2024

Greetings from a completely saturated Southern California. It’s been a wet and wild week. Here’s the roundup!

Quote of the week:
“if anyone is magically going to appear
and suddenly make your life better,
just know that person
is always going to be you.”
–Brianna Pastor (go pre-order her book Good Grief–it’s wonderful)

What I’m reading:
Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff. A story of women killing despicable men–fun read haha.

What I’m listening to:
Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate. I’m a big fan of Ashley Audrain and she has said that Ashley Tate has been her writing partner for years… so I had to check out this book. I’m liking it. Curious to see how the story ends.

What I’m watching:
Movies: Anatomy of a Fall. I took myself to the theater for this one. It’s been on my list since I heard it got a standing ovation at Cannes. It also won some Golden Globes. I really enjoyed it. It’s one of those films you need to discuss with people.

TV: I finished Beef on Netflix and loved it. I started Loudermilk last night. I’m a big fan of Ron Livingston but this show isn’t really capturing my interest so far.

Writing news:
I am starting work on a new novel. I’ll have some exciting news to share soon!

Interesting things I learned this week:

This past Sunday was the wettest February day in Los Angeles in nearly 110 years and the third overall wettest day since record-keeping began in 1877. Nearly half of the average seasonal rainfall of Los Angeles fell in TWO DAYS More weather news: Last month was the hottest January ever measured, according to the European Union climate monitor Taylor Swift’s private jet emitted about 8,000 metric tons of CO2 over a 7-month period in 2022. For context: You’d have to live for 536 years to emit what Taylor’s jet did in 7 monthsAustralia is introducing “right to disconnect” laws giving workers the right to ignore unreasonable calls and messages from their bosses outside of work hours without penalty, with potential fines for employers that breach the ruleJoseph Heller’s Catch-22 was originally titled Catch-18. Shortly before publication, Leon Uris’ book Mila 18 came out and it was a big hit. So the title was changed. If you haven’t read Catch-22, do it! It’s one of my all-time favoritesAbout 2/3 of the countries in the world drive on the right including the US, China and Russia. Canada used to drive on the left but changed to the right to make border crossings with the US more manageableThe most expensive painting ever sold was Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi, which sold for $450.3 million in 2017The Japanese word misogi refers to difficult challenges in nature that aim to “clean off” the “contamination” caused by modern life  The longest-ever recorded wait time at Disney World was 480 minutes (8 hours!!) for Tower of Terror

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“largest litter of puppies.” Most of my google searches are in response to my daughter’s inquiries. Here’s what we learned: A Neapolitan mastiff named Tia currently holds the Guinness World Record for largest litter with 24 pups born in 2004. Whoa.

What I’m grateful for:

The rush of starting work on a new novel. It feels like the beginning stages of a relationship and I love it so muchWatching the marathon Olympic Trials. They were held last Saturday and it was such a fun morning watching everyone on TV. So inspiring! Unlocking a new level of parenting in which my daughter and I do face masks together (and she says, “Alexa, play calm music”)Guinea pigs! We have purchased two guinea pigs, which we plan to take home tomorrow after we get their habitat set up. I’ve never owned guinea pigs so this will be fun (right?!)Rainy days. I’m guessing our California reservoirs are full up at this point. I’ve enjoyed the rain, but I’m very ready for us to dry out. Everyone’s yards are going to explode with growth this Spring!

Snapshots:

Every member of our household watched the Olympic Trials last Saturday. Mother-daughter face masks. A bit terrifying, I know. Good to see blue skies after so much rain. Lots of puddle jumping on my runs. #mood

The post Weekly Roundup: February 9, 2024 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: February 2, 2024

Happy Groundhog Day! I guess Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, so we’re in for an early spring. More importantly, who is watching the Bill Murray movie tonight? One of my all-time favorites. On to the roundup!

Quote of the week:
“We are all meant to shine, as children do… And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” –Marianne Williamson

What I’m reading:
I just started Martha Beck’s The Way of Integrity and I think it’ll be a good one. Before that, I read Dead in Long Beach, California by Venita Blackburn, which was listed as a Most Anticipated Book of 2024 by The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. It’s beautifully written but parts of it went way over my head. If you’ve read it, please reach out so we can discuss.

What I’m listening to:
The Comfort Crisis: Embrace Discomfort to Reclaim Your Wild, Happy, Healthy Self by Michael Easter. This is a fantastic book that everyone should read. The cover does it a disservice, in my opinion, by making it look a bit cheesy. It’s very well researched with important insights for modern times.

What I’m watching:
I’m finally watching Beef on Netflix, which has been on my list for a while. It’s very good! Earlier this week, I watched American Nightmare, a true-crime miniseries about an odd kidnapping case. I also took myself to the movie theater this week and saw American Fiction. I really enjoyed it!

Interesting things I learned this week:

Researchers believe they have found Amelia Earhart’s long-lost plane in the deep Pacific (read here)The cuckoo bird forces other species to incubate its eggs, laying them in nests where there is already at least one egg. To do this, the female cuckoo imitates the call of the sparrowhawk, scaring off the future adoptive parents of its young and leading them to abandon the nest temporarily. To avoid discovery, this female has developed various tricks, such as laying eggs that are identical to those of the chosen species. WILDIn 1900, the life expectancy was 47 years. This is incredible to me! 1900 wasn’t THAT long agoWomen in the 1930s had about 36 items in their closet, on average. Today, the average woman has more than 120 itemsIt’s estimated that Taylor Swift has generated about $330 million for the NFL just by attending Chiefs gamesHaving plants in your office increases productivity by 15%Baby elephants gestate for nearly two years and come out weighing up to 300 lbsBluey was the most streamed children’s show in 2023 #IYKYKMore than half of Americans don’t go outside for recreation AT ALLAmericans spend 93% of their time in climate-controlled indoor spacesThe average American touches his phone more than 2,000 times per dayGary Erickson, founder of Clif Bar, named the bar after his father, who introduced him to outdoor adventureHalf of all renters in the US spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities, a historic high, according to a recent study

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Chainsaw childbirth.” I heard that the chainsaw was originally invented to, um, assist with childbirth. What?! It’s true! “In 1780, two Scottish doctors invented the prototype of the chainsaw. Not to cut down trees or clear debris. No, John Aitken and James Jeffray invented the hand-cranked chainsaw to cut through the pelvises of delivering mothers who were having trouble pushing their babies out. It was called a symphysiotomy, and it was largely done without anesthesia. Mothers were completely conscious through the entire process. After seeing how well it worked in the delivery room — according to the male doctors — the machine was then co-opted to saw through wood and other materials, gradually growing in size to become the chainsaw we know today.” (source)

What I’m grateful for:

More time with one of my best friends! I took the day off work to hang with her and it was so nice. I wish we lived closer to each other (she currently lives in Paraguay!)Antibiotics. We had a good run of not needing them in our household, but my daughter’s cold took a turn and it was time. Thank goodness for medicine!Making time for a yoga class AND a massage this week. Was feeling in need of some extra self-care stuff

The usual snapshots of pets and clouds:

My run felt awful today but at least it was beautiful outside. I mean, come on! The man in my life. My sweet girl.

The post Weekly Roundup: February 2, 2024 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: January 26, 2024

Happy Friday! This was an exciting week for me with some great news that I’ll be able to share soon. How’s that for a teaser? On to the roundup…

Quote of the week:
“One key to knowing joy is to be easily pleased.” –Mark Nepo

What I’m reading:
Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe. I was SO EXCITED to get an advance copy of this book. I am a huge fan of Rufi Thorpe. I’m about halfway through and loving it, as I expected I would. It comes out in June!

What I’m listening to:
Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included) by Pooja Lakshmin. Highly recommended for all women.

What I’m watching:
Racist Trees, a great documentary about how a historically Black neighborhood in Palm Springs fights to remove a divisive wall of trees.

I also finished The Curse and immediately googled the meaning of the finale episode, which was so bizarre but also amazing. I still do not understand the finale, but I thoroughly enjoyed the series. Between this series and Poor Things, Emma Stone has reached new heights with her acting career.

Interesting things I learned this week:

Sixteen of the 25 best-selling books of 2023 were by womenTraffic on roads in the US tripled between 1970 and 2007. For planes, the figures are even more dramatic: The number of passenger flights has increased 25% since just 2002, and 30,000 commercial aircraft fly overhead per dayAccording to a 2016 survey of 2,000 women, women criticize themselves, on average, 8 times per dayHumans plus our pets and livestock now account for 98% of the planet’s terrestrial vertebratesIn 2004, 70% of US mothers recalled that they had played freely outside themselves when they were children, yet only 31% allowed their children to do the same, despite a drop in crime since thenIn the U.K., two-thirds of schoolchildren do not know acorns come from treesCicadas are about to take over: This spring, for the first time since 1803, two separate broods of cicadas will emerge simultaneously. One group emerges from their underground burrows every 13 years, the other emerges every 17 years

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Longest first name.” My daughter asked me what the longest first name is so we had to look it up. The honors go to a girl with 1,019 characters in her name. This is the name (I kid you not): ‘Rhoshandiatellyneshiaunneveshenkescianneshaimondrischlyndasaccarna renquellenendrasamecashaunettethalemeicoleshiwhalhinive’onchellecaundenesheaalausondrilynnejeanetrimyranaekuesaundrilynnezekeriakenvaunetradevonneyavondalatarneskcaevontaepreonkeinesceellaviavelzadawnefriendsettajessicannelesciajoyvaelloydietteyvettesparklenesceaundrieaquenttaekatilyaevea shauwneoraliaevaekizzieshiyjuanewandalecciannereneitheliapreciousnesceverroneccaloveliatyronevekacarrionnehenriettaescecleonpatrarutheliacharsalynnmeokcamonaeloiesalynnecsiannemerciadellesciaustillaparissalondonveshadenequamonecaalexetiozetiaquaniaenglaundneshiafrancethosharomeshaunnehawaineakowethauandavernellchishankcarlinaaddoneillesciachristondrafawndrealaotrelleoctavionnemiariasarahtashabnequckagailenaxeteshiataharadaponsadeloriakoentescacraigneckadellanierstellavonnemyiatangoneshiadianac rvettinagodtawndrashirlenescekilokoneyasharrontannamyantoniaaquinettesequioadaurilessiaquatandamerceddiamaebellecescajamesauwnneltomecapolotyoajohny aetheodoradilcyana Koyaanisquatsiuth Williams.

Her mother said she wanted her name to be unique and to get a Guinness record. In day-to-day life, she goes by Jamie.

Runner-up: I also googled, “How to make microwave stop beeping” because my microwave is incredibly persistent in letting me know that it is done cooking my food. The beeping is like an assault on my senses. Anyway, thanks to a 45-second YouTube video, I am free of this nuisance. It’s the little things…

What I’m grateful for:

Visiting with my best friend, who is in town from Paraguay! Her life is very international and I rarely get to see her. It’s such a treat when I doConversations with my daughter. She has become so chatty lately, sharing her thoughts and feelings at breakneck speed. It’s a delight to watch her discover herselfMy book club. I was feeling blah before going to our meeting last night and came home feeling so refreshed. Such a great group of womenMy first good-feeling run in a while. I have been in a slump with running, just not feeling invigorated like I usually do. But my run this morning felt great. It’s such a humbling sport. I’m signed up for a half marathon in 4 weeks and hoping I have a good day on race dayA few days of rain to water the plants and make everything sparkleThe usual things—pet cuddles, cozy blankets, therapy, jacuzzi time, hot tea. In reference to the quote of the week above, I really do derive so much joy over the little things in life

Snapshots:

Finished a new puzzle. This one features banned books and it made me sad, though the actual puzzle was fun. Fall foliage in winter. We had a good storm move through. I love the rain. Post-storm beauty. Pets have been all up in my grill while I’m trying to work lately. Can’t say I hate it though.

The post Weekly Roundup: January 26, 2024 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: January 19, 2024

I’ve had a weird-feeling week with a case of the blahs. Then I read today that Pluto is “shifting into Aquarius” tomorrow, which only happens every 248 years apparently and is supposed to come with some big changes. I am not a big astrology person and I don’t even know what “shifting into Aquarius” means, but I am willing to set aside my skepticism and trust that I’ll feel like a brand new human tomorrow…right? RIGHT? Okay, moving on…

Quote of the week:
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.”
—Edward Abbey

What I’m reading:
They’re Going to Love You by Meg Howrey. Oh my goodness, it’s so great. I’m halfway through and taking my time to savor it.

What I’m listening to:
More: A Memoir of Open Marriage by Molly Roden Winter. Some parts of this book make me cringe, but it’s really interesting. Would be fun fodder for a novel.

What I’m watching:
The Curse. I am officially hooked. It’s such a strange show with an eerie vibe. Also very cringey in parts. Emma Stone is great in it.

Interesting things I learned this week:

The Iowa caucus was decided by 14% of the state’s registered Republicans, so Trump won 51% of 14% of about one-quarter of the population of one stateThe median monthly price of rent nationwide went from $1,647 in December 2020 to $1,966 in November 2023Earlier this week, nearly 80% of the US saw freezing temperatures, and roughly one-third of Americans are under wind chill advisoriesAccording to one study of adolescents in 2008, girls spent more time on household tasks than boys did on school days, and on Sundays, that difference skyrocketed — girls spent, on average, nearly 40 minutes longer on household tasks on Sundays than boys. The researchers wrote, “Like their adult counterparts, female adolescents have greater responsibilities than males for household labor…..It may be that the gender schema for males includes a sense of entitlement to leisure, whereas for girls there is a notion that leisure is residual, or something that happens after other obligations have been met.” GroanEnglish poet William Wordsworth was an avid walker. It’s estimated he walked 180,000 miles in his lifePiloerection is the word for hair standing on endAccording to a study, cats have “surprising social depth” with nearly 300 facial expressionsKate Winslet says she keeps her Oscar in her bathroom so that guests can hold it and do their own acceptance speeches in the mirrorBaby whales do not breastfeed through direct contact with their mothers. Instead, the mama whale expels her milk while her child is near her and the baby drinks it from the water. The milk has so much fat that it doesn’t dissolve in water

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“How LEGO got its name.” Another random curiosity. The answer: The Danish phrase “Leg Godt” translates to “play well.” While googling this, I also learned that there are more than 400 billion LEGO pieces on the planet and 60 billion bricks now being produced each year. I actually thought there would be more because my house alone has 1 billion.

What I’m grateful for:

Renovating my yard! It’s been on my to-do list since I moved in May and I’m getting around to it now. Doing a lot of “nesting” in the new year and it’s so nice. The number of indoor plants I have accumulated is a little crazyFinding community via playdates and moms-only dinners and neighbor chats. I would describe myself as somewhat of a loner, but I cannot deny how much it lifts me to be around othersCuddling my daughter and our pets. The best part of every day

Snapshots:

We had an extremely low tide last week, giving us a rare glimpse of the ocean floor. All of this is usually underwater. So many of these guys. I feel a bit guilty to be able to run in such beautiful weather while many of my running friends around the country are dealing with snow. It IS supposed to rain here this weekend–haha. Typical morning in bed. My daughter is usually next to me too. Swings and sunsets. Nothing better.

The post Weekly Roundup: January 19, 2024 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: January 12, 2024

I don’t know if it’s age or what, but I feel like the seasons affect me more than they ever did before. It’s been chilly where I am (low 40s in the mornings is chilly in my book) and I just want to hibernate in cozy blankets with my pets and my daughter. I am usually a very productive, active person, but have felt very sloooow lately. I don’t hate it. Here’s to embracing winter pace.

Quote of the week:
Calvin: Look at all the stars! The universe just goes out forever and ever!
Hobbes: It kind of makes you wonder why man considers himself such a big screaming deal.
—Bill Watterson

What I’m reading:
I tore through The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams. Highly recommend. I’m now reading Time’s Mouth by Edan Lepucki and LOVING it.

What I’m listening to:
I just finished Brutalities: A Love Story by Margo Steines and it was so beautifully written and raw. Such a great memoir (but difficult at times, with several triggering topics).

What I’m watching:
I started watching The Curse because I love Emma Stone. I’m a couple episodes in and not sure what I think yet.

Interesting things I learned this week:

In a survey of 1500 Americans’ 2023 reading habits, 54% of respondents read at least one book in 2023; 33% read at least 5; and 21% read 10 or more A recent study analyzed three brands of bottled water and found a liter contained an average of 240,000 pieces of plastic Crime is down! In the past year, the number of murders in U.S. cities fell by more than 12% (the biggest national decline on record). Recent data also suggests that the violent-crime rate in 2023 was near its lowest level in more than 50 yearsIn parts of East Asia, rates of nearsightedness in teenagers surpass 90%. Scientists say this is linked to how much time they are spending indoors, away from sunlight. The sun primes the retina’s dopamine receptors, and those in turn control the shape of the developing eyeHomo sapiens officially became an urban species sometime in 2008. That’s when the World Health Organization reported that for the first time more people throughout the world live in urban areas than rural onesThe human nose can detect 1 TRILLION odorsAccording to the U.S. National Park Service, 83% of the land in the lower 48 states sits within 3,500 feet of a road, close enough to hear vehiclesGordon Hempton, a sound engineer based in Washington State, traveled the country in search of the few remaining quiet places. By his count, the entire continental U.S. has fewer than 12 sites where you can’t hear human-made noise for at least 15 minutes at dawn. He discovered that the quietest place in the country is a spot in the Hoh Rainforest at Olympic National ParkThe Australian lyrebird is the world’s best mimic, and can imitate chainsaws, car alarms, and the click of a camera shutterIn the Gaelic language, crizzle is “the sound and action of open water as it freezes”Last month was the warmest December California has experienced since 1958, and the 4th warmest since record-keeping began in 1895, according to data from the Western Regional Climate Center

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Joy of pasta study.” An author-friend of mine posted something about this on Instagram so I had to look it up. And, yes, there was a study that proves that pasta increases happiness.

What I’m grateful for:

My daughter is back in school and we are in somewhat of a routine again (though it’s been super hard to get up in the morning this week)Anne Lamott! I got to see her speak last night at an event and it filled my cupI signed up for a half-marathon at the end of February. Nice to have a goal to work toward! Pet cuddles. I cannot get enough lately

A couple pet snapshots (sorry, that’s all I got):

My co-worker, always asleep on the job. The bird feeder brings entertainment for all of us.

The post Weekly Roundup: January 12, 2024 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: January 5, 2024

Happy new year! Jumping back into normal life this week has been a bit brutal, but it’s Friday and, if you’re reading this, you survived. It feels like my daughter has been on winter break for 300 years and we are both excited for her to go back to school on Monday. Of course, then I’ll miss her because motherhood is totally confusing. On to the roundup!

Quote of the week:
“To make living itself an art, that is the goal.” –Henry Miller
#2024goals

What I’m reading:
The Limits by Nell Freudenberger. I really liked her book The Newlyweds and this one is also good, though very different from The Newlyweds. I’m always so impressed by authors who have such wide range.

What I’m listening to:
Everyone But Myself, a memoir by Julie Chavez about the mental health crisis she experiences while juggling the demands of modern motherhood.

What I’m watching:
Women Talking, based on the book by Miriam Toews (who I love). The movie is dark and a bit slow, but it’s a really important story based on real-life events.

Interesting things I learned this week:

Sales of print books fell 2.3% in 2023. However, it’s important to note that book sales were way up during Covid, so now they’re just returning to “normal” levelsA 13-year-old boy from Oklahoma is the first person to beat Tetris The Japanese term koi no yokan describes the feeling upon meeting someone that falling in love with them is inevitableWalking for at least 11 minutes every day could lower your risk of premature death by almost 25%, according to a major study. It also cuts people’s risks for heart disease by 17% and for cancer of any kind by 7%Yuri Knorozov, the linguist who deciphered the Maya script, listed his cat Asya as a co-author on his work but the editors always removed her. So he chose this as his author photo The 405 freeway is the most congested highway in the United States (I can attest to how dreadful it is). Related: The interchange where the 405 meets the 10 freeway was the first interchange in California designed by a female engineer. Her name was Marilyn Jorgenson Reece and she was the first woman in California to be registered as a civil engineer

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
I didn’t think I googled anything too weird this week, but then I looked at my search history and I sure did: “Porcupine word origin.” I have lots of word origin inquiries, ha. What I learned: “The English word for porcupines can be traced back about 600 years, when the animal was known as ‘porke despyne.’ That came from the Old French porc espin, which literally translates to ‘spine hog,’ from the Latin roots porcus (pig) and spina (thorn or spine).” From now on, I will call porcupines “thorn pigs.”

What I’m grateful for:

My birdfeeder that’s bringing a steady stream of entertainment throughout the dayA fun New Year’s Eve with my daughter at our friends’ house. I love our little communityCamps and playdates that are entertaining my daughter while I work this week. It would be nice if Corporate America synced with school schedules. Moms have to juggle so muchWatching my daughter grow. She is such a mini teenager lately (she’s 6)—very into Taylor Swift and makeup and dancing in front of the mirror. She got her ears pierced on New Year’s Day with two of her buddies!Feeling healthy. I know cases of flu and Covid are up everywhere, so I’m grateful for every day my family is feeling good

Snapshots:

I daydream more and more about being an old retired lady who reads and cuddles cats all day… …since I am not an old retired lady, my cat just sits next to me while I do work calls. My first runs of 2024 have been spectacular. The clouds! I feel like I’m in a painting when I run on these mornings. Yes, you!

The post Weekly Roundup: January 5, 2024 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Books I read in 2023

It’s the last day of the year and my favorite post to create. I love looking back on a year of reading. This year, I read 141 books, with a good mix of fiction and nonfiction, as well as more poetry and plays. My top 15 in the fiction and nonfiction categories are below, followed by the full list of everything I read. As always, please share recommendations. I’d love to hear your favorites from the past year. Here’s to a new year of reading and discovery.

Fiction:
Rabbit Cake by Annie Hartnett
A Little Hope by Ethan Joella
The Perishing by Natashia Deón
Imposter by Bradeigh Godfrey
Brood by Jackie Polzin
We Spread by Iain Reid
The Possibilities by Yael Goldstein-Love
The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka
Idaho by Emily Ruskovich
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
The Maid by Nita Prose
Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward
Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
Old Babes in the Woods: Stories by Margaret Atwood
I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
The Hero of This Book by Elizabeth McCracken
Speak for the Dead by Amy Tector
A Small Sacrifice for an Enormous Happiness: Stories by Jai Chakrabarti
Maame by Jessica George
Tell Me One Thing by Kerri Schlottman
Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
At Sea by Emma Fedor
Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro
The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley
My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin
Mother in the Dark by Kayla Maiuri
The Rabbit Hutch by Tess Gunty
I Could Live Here Forever by Hanna Halperin
The Dinner Party by Sarah Gilmartin
The Half Moon by Mary Beth Keane
Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland
The Whispers by Ashley Audrain
Always the Last to Know by Kristan Higgins
Home is a Made Up Place: Stories by Ronit Plank
Take What You Need by Idra Novey
The Measure by Nikki Erlick
Banyan Moon by Thao Thai
The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard
Day by Michael Cunningham
While We Were Burning by Sara Koffi
Shark Heart by Emily Habeck
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
California Golden by Melanie Benjamin
Darling Girls by Sally Hepworth
Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
Little Monsters by Adrienne Brodeur
Hang the Moon by Jeannette Walls
The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker
The Change by Kirsten Miller
The New Mother by Nora Murphy
A Quitter’s Paradise by Elysha Chang
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen
After Annie by Anna Quindlen
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
Wellness by Nathan Hill
Blue Hour by Tiffany Clarke Harrison
Honor the Dead by Amy Tector
What We Fed to the Manticore by Talia Lakshmi Kolluri
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok
After the Lights Go Out by John Vercher
Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
Hercule Poirot’s Christmas: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins

Nonfiction:
The Heart and Other Monsters: A Memoir by Rose Andersen
A Really Good Day: How Microdosing Made a Mega Difference in My Mood, My Marriage, and My Life by Ayelet Waldman
Essential Labor: Mothering As Social Change by Angela Garbes
When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection by Gabor Maté
Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way to Think About Abortion by Gabrielle Blair
The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté and Daniel Maté
Pay Up: The Future of Women and Work (and Why It’s Different Than You Think) by Reshma Saujani
Choosing to Run: A Memoir by Des Linden
Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood by Jessica Grose
At Home in the World: A Memoir by Joyce Maynard
Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be by Becky Kennedy
You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir by Maggie Smith
Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity, and Change by Maggie Smith
What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey Through Loss to Love by Laurel Braitman
Good for a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World by Lauren Fleshman
You Are the One You’ve Been Waiting For: Applying Internal Family Systems to Intimate Relationships by Richard Schwartz
Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May
The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike’s Elite Running Team by Kara Goucher with Mary Pilon
Everything All At Once: A Memoir by Steph Catudal
On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good by Elise Loehnen
We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Once Upon a Time We Ate Animals: The Future of Food by Roanne Van Voorst
Wedded Wife: A Feminist History of Marriage by Rachael Lennon
Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero by Amanda Kloots
Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World by Jenn Granneman and Andre Solo
Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls by Kathleen Hale
The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Handley Vlahos R.N.
All the Colors Came Out: A Father, A Daughter, and a Lifetime of Lessons by Kate Fagan
The Chronology of Water: A Memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch
Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor
All the Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and the Ways We Strive by Rainesford Stauffer
The Forgotten Girls: A Memoir of Friendship and Lost Promise in Rural America by Monica Potts
A Living Remedy: A Memoir by Nicole Chung
The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing by Lara Love Hardin
by Diane Ackerman
We Are Too Many: A Memoir [Kind of] by Hannah Pittard
Contradiction Days: An Artist on the Verge of Motherhood by Joanna Novak
Blood Orange Night: My Journey to the Edge of Madness by Melissa Bond
Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture by Sara Petersen
The Forever Witness: How DNA and Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder by Edward Humes
How We Love: Notes on a Life by Clementine Ford
Touched Out: Motherhood, Misogyny, Consent, and Control by Amanda Montei
Why Fathers Cry At Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Letters, Recipes, and Remembrances by Kwame Alexander
Everyday Utopia: What 2,000 Years of Wild Experiments Can Teach Us about the Good Life by Kristen Ghodsee
What About Men? A Feminist Answers the Question by Caitlin Moran
Soundings: Journeys in the Company of Whales: A Memoir by Doreen Cunningham
The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth by Elizabeth Rush
Fight Like a Girl by Clementine Ford
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
Novelist as a Vocation by Haruki Murakami
Mom Rage: The Everyday Crisis of Modern Motherhood by Minna Dubin
Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism: And Other Arguments for Economic Independence by Kristen Ghodsee
Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children by Emily Edlynn

Poetry, plays, and other stuff:
A Lit Wick by Christopher Charlton
The Art of Disappearing by Stephanie Alison Walker
Friends with Guns: A Play by Stephanie Alison Walker
Good Bones: Poems by Maggie Smith
Goldenrod: Poems by Maggie Smith
A Thousand Flamingos: Poems by Sanober Khan
My Wicked Wicked Ways: Poems by Sandra Cisneros
Woman Without Shame: Poems by Sandra Cisneros
Ledger: Poems by Jane Hirshfield
The Hurting Kind: Poems by Ada Limón
The Wild Iris: Poems by Louise Glück
How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope by James Crews, editor
The Book of Delights: Essays by Ross Gay
Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude by Ross Gay

The post Books I read in 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.

Weekly Roundup: December 29, 2023

It’s hard to believe this will be my last roundup of 2023. This year was both incredibly short and incredibly long, meaning it went by in the blink of an eye but was very emotionally draining. I always look forward to a new year. Yes, it’s an arbitrary date and we can “start fresh” at any time, but there is something liberating about leaving behind one calendar and moving onto another. I hope this year ahead is wonderful for you.

Quote of the week:
“The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” –Marcel Proust (I thought this was a good one for a new year. We may not change location or circumstances, but we can see things differently)

What I’m reading:
I’m about halfway through The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins and really enjoying it.

What I’m listening to:
Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout and Raise Competent, Confident Children by Emily Edlynn. No, it is not a coincidence that I started reading this over my daughter’s winter break, when she summons me once every 1.5 minutes. Writing this blog post in her presence has been…challenging. Please excuse any typos.

What I’m watching:
I went to the theater for the first time in a hot minute to see Poor Things. I’m so glad I saw it in the theater vs streaming at home. The cinematography is amazing. It is a wildly bizarre movie, but I also found myself so engaged in it. Emma Stone deserves an Oscar for this one.

At home, I’ve been watching The Resort on Peacock, which is also bizarre but entertaining.

Interesting things I learned this week:

The influencer/social media content creator economy is now valued at $250 billion. However, in a recent survey, only 12% of full-time creators said they made more than $50,000 a yearScientists have pinpointed the cause of severe morning sickness, saying it’s a single hormone (GDF15) that’s to blame. It’s about time they discovered this. Women’s health research is woefully underfundedIn a survey of 800 employers, 45% said they would no longer make a bachelor’s degree mandatory for some positions1 in about 700 people are born with 6 fingers, a condition called polydactyly. Most people have the extra finger removed when they are babies, which is why most of us have never met someone with 6 fingersWomen couldn’t work outside the home without permission of a husband until 1957TV dads are appearing in key parenting scenes less and less often according to a 2020 study that analyzed scenes of TV dads from 1980 to 2017 51% of Americans believe children are better off with mothers who stay home and don’t work, while only 8% say the same of fathersBiden has a 39% approval rating–the worst approval rating of any modern day president seeking reelectionGluggaveður is an Icelandic term which means ‘window-weather’. It’s the kind of weather that is nice to look at through the window but not nice to be out inGökotta is a Swedish concept that involves waking up early to experience the stillness of the morning and appreciate the beauty of nature, particularly birdsong

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
“Why is Alexa called Alexa.” I got my daughter an Echo Dot for Christmas so she can summon Alexa instead of me to answer questions. Her favorite thing is to tell Alexa “I love you,” which leads to Alexa singing a very adorable song in response. Anyway, the answer to my query: “Amazon developers chose the name Alexa because it has a hard consonant with the X, which helps it be recognized with higher precision.”

What I’m grateful for:

A very merry and mellow Christmas. My core family is all nearby so there was no stressful travel involved. I made cinnamon rolls from scratch, which was a highlight for me, and I also gifted myself a Little Free Library for the front of my house!Lots of fun activities with my daughter while she’s out of school and I’m off workStaying healthy, despite all the bugs going around. Knock on wood…

Snapshots:

Christmas morning. Since my older dog died, we take my little dog with us out more often. Puppuccinos are a big hit. My daughter has a newfound interest in vacuuming and I ain’t mad about it. She has my noise sensitivity…hence, the headphones. My Little Free Library! I’ve been loving the rainbows lately. They seem appropriate for the end of the year.

The post Weekly Roundup: December 29, 2023 appeared first on Kim Hooper's Blog.