(Side preamble: The news remains . . . a lot. I continue to be grateful for Up First and my Pantsuit Politics membership. Onward.)
1- I abandoned a book temporarily. (It is not the one shown below.)
Honestly, I was enjoying R.F. Kuang’s Katabasis (about ~60 pages in) but was finding that I Just. Was. Not. Picking. It. Up. I still want to read it but I think I am going to save it for an upcoming plane ride. This came in from the library and on a whim I decided to start it.
OHHHH it’s up my alley, at least so far. I read the author’s The Gifted School (and liked it) and the genre of “wealthy or wealthy-ish smart people behaving like assholes” (think: White Lotus, but a book) is always a favorite of mine, PLUS there’s a whole AI angle.
One of my goals for next year is to abandon more books. I think a nice middle ground between abandoning forever and slogging through is to put a book aside for now. That way it’s noncommittal. And I really do want to read Katabasis. Just not in this particular moment.
2- Dress update: IT ARRIVES TODAY. The suspense is sort of fun. (I have other dresses that would be fine if this one doesn’t work out, but I hope it does!).
Now I’m worried I’m going to think the length is too much but — well, we will have to find out. I will share a pic either way.
3- I finished roughly planning out all of my PL for 2026. There was a spreadsheet, a calendar, and math involved.
As it stands, I will finish 2025 with about a ~70 hour surplus. And also as it stands, I will end 2026 with a ~5 hour surplus. Which means: I am planning to take a lot of time off next year!
HOWEVER, I think that is probably cutting it too close, so now am figuring out work days to add back. I am likely going to add back 1-2 clinical days after our Disney trip (we arrive home on Wednesday which is Passover; while working Thursday would not necessarily be IDEAL, it would still be doable). I am also going to add back Tuesday of Thanksgiving week (the kids are off, but I’m also working that Tuesday this year, and it is totally fine). Actually, I could probably also add Monday or Weds of Thanksgiving week for 2026 and save an extra day that way.
My job is not all that flexible BUT I am grateful to have the freedom I do to select and take days off. I know that is NOT something to be taken for granted.
For certain things not yet well-defined, I created placeholders. (Example: my college friends and I will likely get together in the fall but not sure which weekend; I picked a random Thursday/Fri in October 2026 and requested off knowing I can always swap out those days to a different nearby week pretty easily as long as it’s far in advance).
4- I am really leaning into reflection season this year. You know what has unexpectedly helped with that? MORNING PAGES. I know, I complained about them previously. They have displaced meditation from my morning routine. But for now, I am considering this a worthy trade (and am trying to figure out where meditation could fit in the evening — forever trying to get a handle on my Golden Hours).
But forcing yourself to just riff for 3 pages in the morning does force your mind to just . . . go places. It’s been interesting, and for me it’s a great time of year for the practice. I definitely suggest at least trying it if you haven’t.
5- The things we do for love . . .let’s do this. (Josh’s idea. But I am sure it will be fun!)
16 Comments
I wish I had better writing and could do a little bit of a “morning pages” brain dump. But my writing is horrible, and it hurts to write for a longer span of time since my pointer finger is just not the same since my synovectomy in January… My therapist really wants me to do some sort of brain dump so I need to probably just do it in word and then delete it (which she also recommended).
Culpability is one of the 3 books I’m suggesting when we vote on our 2026 book club reads! I have heard mixed reviews of Katabasis. One of the Currently Reading hosts abandoned it. Another podcaster (a Sarah’s Bookshelves Live cohost) also abandoned it. I am not a fantasy person at all so won’t be checking out that book. I have gotten much better at abandoning in the last few years. If it’s not clicking, I just set it aside – and rarely check the book out again. Life is too short to read books that aren’t working for you!
I finished culpability last month and like it (not loved!) as it touches upon AI ethics and so much more.
OMG I LOVE WEIRD AL.
DNFing books I’m not enjoying is an evergreen goal of mine. I am making tiny strides in that direction, but I have still slogged through many, many books I haven’t liked.
I also love Weird Al and saw him live a few years ago, and it was one of the best concerts I have ever been to! I think more artists are doing the kind of showmanship that he was back then (fun entrance, cool things onstage), but it was very fun and entertaining and maybe he is doing even more new things now.
Okay did not peg you as someone who would even know who Weird Al is but I’m so excited for you to go to that concert, lol. I have never seen him in concert but he was a HUGE part of my childhood. Have so much fun!!!
I probably would not, if not for Josh but he is excited!!!
Iām sure he is š have a great time!
Did you ever see the Weird Al biopic with Daniel Radcliffe? Unsurprisingly it was fun but also strange. I’m also trying to abandon books that aren’t working for me, and abandoned one last week so–progress!
Maybe I need to watch to prepare š
Ahhh the dress! Did it come? Do you love it? Please let us know! The suspense is killing me! š I love the goal of DNFing more books. I just DNFed too books, and it took me over two months to finally take one of them back to the library (it seems they would have auto-renewed it forever!) When I realized I was bummed that it auto-renewed a final time (instead of just being overdue), I finally took it back. I didn’t let it get that bad with the second one, I gave it up way more quickly.
yesss the library helps with DNFing (or DNSing!!!!)
Ha – this reminds me that my daughter had a brief (it didn’t FEEL brief at the time) obsession with Weird Al. He is such a brilliant creator, and I hope you have fun!
This also made me laugh: “There was a spreadsheet, a calendar, and math involved.”
That dress is so fabulous. I hope you love it on!
I’ve heard mixed reviews on Katabasis. I ended up not liking Yellow Face so I’m not reading this one (although I did like Babel). But I know what you mean, when a book just isn’t right for that particular time. I’m only reading light, fun things right now because my brain can’t handle anything else.
I can’t wait to see the dress!!!
LOVED THAT BOOK– we need to discuss on our next walk and talk.
We also saw Weird Al in concert a few years ago, and it was actually really good! I bet you will enjoy it (at least more than you fear, lol).
I’ve never heard of Weird Al and have to go google him. LOL
I am so impressed with your PL planning… I am kinda glad we don’t have to do that at my work (meaning, I can pretty much take time off whenever I want on “short” notice, unless there’s deadlines/conferences/meetings and I like it that way.