Weekly Roundup: April 30, 2021

Quote of the week:
“For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction.” –Cynthia Occelli

What I’m reading:
What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins–just finished
Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri–just started

What I’m listening to:
The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth–just finished
Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok–just started

I also discovered the Writer Mother Monster podcast and love it (I’ve listened to the Rachel Zucker and Ann Hood episodes so far).

What I’m watching:
Nothing of note (though I keep adding shows to my “list of shows to watch”). I’m still keeping up with Top Chef, Shark Tank, and Couples Therapy. 

Writing news:
Just your usual reminders this week:

People Who Knew Me will be re-released in a couple weeks (on May 11)No Hiding in Boise will release on June 15My sixth novel will come out in 2022–stay tuned for details!

What I’m talking about:

How California has the lowest Covid infection rate in the U.S. (yay!)Vaccine side effects–I felt a bit achy, but my husband had a full-on feverParts of quarantine I want to keep (read here) The Republican assertion that Biden’s climate change plan means cutting 90% of meat consumption by 2030. This isn’t true (read here), but I really wish it were, honestly. Seems like instead of talking about how bad meat is for the environment, we’re busy consoling Republicans and telling them nobody will take away their meat (or their guns)Why burnout is hitting so many of us now (read here)Biden’s family leave plan and how it’s a long time coming. The pandemic really shed light on the need for this. Kudos to Biden for pushing for legislation.  As C. Nicole Mason, president and chief executive at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) said, the pandemic has provided an “historic, once-in-a-generation opportunity to right the ship”

Interesting things I learned this week:

The U.S. population grew by only 7.4 percent over the past decade, the smallest increase since the 1930s (read here)Miscarriage rates are over 40% higher in black women (read here)Coyotes live about 10 years in the wild (the one at our local zoo is 18!)

Weirdest thing I googled this week:
Lymphatics of the face (most of my work clients are in the healthcare industry, so I feel like I’m in medical school some days).

What I’m grateful for:
The vaccine. I’m so happy to be almost fully protected against Covid. I’m also so grateful (every day) for my little birdie.

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