Weekend Dispatch

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

We are two days into this week and it already seems like it's been too long. We're wrapping up field hockey today with the last game of the season. It's been rewarding to see Harper learn, play, and embrace a new-to-her sport. And I'm still trying to learn the rules so I can understand what's going on!

Early tomorrow morning, Harper leaves for a field trip to Washington, D.C. with her 8th grade class. So, we've been busy packing and prepping her for the trip. She's super excited, and I'm super excited for her. I can't wait to get her back home on Friday so we can hear all about her adventures. But for now, this is what I'm up to this week:



As a child, I hated sleeping. To me, there were so many other things I could be doing rather than sleeping. And don't even get me started on those naps my mom tried In college I suffered from insomnia, choosing to stay up all night to read, chat with roommates, or study. I've never had a good relationship with sleep (detailed blog post to come on how I am addressing that). I had always viewed sleep as a waste of time. Who wants to waste 8 hours of a 24-hour day? I certainly didn't. It's only within the past few years that I have come to appreciate and understand the importance of sleep for your mental and physical well-being. On a recent trip to the bookstore, I came across Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, Ph.D., a sleep expert who has written this book to help us understand the importance of sleep and the role it plays in our lives. Walker delves deep into not only how sleep recharges us but also how it recalibrates our emotions and resets our immune system. Who knew sleep was more than just sleep?


Social media is all about the highlight reel. We see and hear about the best of everyone and everything but rarely the worst. When a friend told me about the podcast The Lowlight Reel, I couldn't wait to binge listen. The gist of the podcast is to highlight the "stuff you don't see on social media". The struggles, trials, and tribulations of its guests are the topic of conversation, and it's done in an inspirational way where guests overcome their troubles and share how they did so.


In college, a portion of my classes towards my English major were focused on Jewish American literature. I read a lot of books about Jewish culture and learned a lot about the Holocaust. I became fascinated with the Holocaust and thrust myself into learning as much about it as I could. That obsession continues to this day. I still read a lot of memoirs (this one is one of my favorites), and I watch lots of documentaries. I am half-way through The Accountant of Auschwitz, the true-story of Oskar Gröning who was one of the last SS members to be tried for his war crimes. He was tried at the age of 93. Seventy years the Holocaust, a new generation of lawyers armed with a change in legal thinking race against time to prosecute Grönig, who was one of 49 (out of approximately 6500) SS officers to be prosecuted. This is not to be missed! It's frightening, gripping, and to see the Holocaust survivors confront Gröning at his trial is incredibly moving. Available on Netflix.


Thanksgiving tends to be a very heavy meal. Lots of starches and carbs (think: mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, rolls, etc.). This Thanksgiving, rather than dive into pies and heavy desserts, make this fruit kabob turkey that doubles as a centerpiece.
photo via
So, tell me. What do you have planned this weekend?

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