The Weekly Digest

The kids are getting out of school in just a bit and I’m going to go get them and head straight to the orthodontist. We made it a whole nine days before Skyler put her retainer in a napkin at a restaurant and we found ourselves begging the management to let us search their trash. (Alas, the health code says no go and I wasn’t able to be Mary Steenburgen to Aron’s Steve Martin. IYKYK.) My friend tells me it’s a rite of passage.

It had been a good night before that—we watched Skyler play the piano in a winter concert and did some holiday singing-along-ing. This year’s season seems to be going especially fast, so it’s nice to have those moments when you’re compelled to just sit and soak it in.

Any fun plans Saturday or Sunday? We’ve found watching the World Cup to be a thrill, so we’re all looking forward to the final between Argentina and France on Sunday. Otherwise, it’s a surprisingly low-key weekend for one so close to Christmas. It seemed that everyone tried to fit things into that December 10/11 one this year. I’m looking forward to it.

Hope all is well! Some links of note…

I heard a story about Chat GPT this morning on NPR and my mind was a little blown—especially to think it’s in heavy use by teenagers? It’s the brainchild of OpenAI, an artificial intelligence research company.

The Barbie trailer is out!

Aron brought home a slice of cake from Claim Jumper last week and we’re still making our way through it. Has anyone seen this thing? Insanity!

I’m always interested to see what does well at our bookclub gift exchanges. I can report that one of the biggest hits this year was an Olive & June gift set. (And I got it!) It came with the glitter polish that’s in this little set and it’s one of the best glitter ones I’ve seen. Skyler will love it.

On a related note, I’ve been wearing press-on nails again recently and I love how quick it is. These ones are amazing. Just look clean, and bare—I trim them even shorter.

This Egg Nog roundup is missing some of our favorites (like Clover and Strauss), but I’m always up for more taste-testing.

Now that White Lotus has ended, what will you be watching? I’ve been making my way through the Harry & Meghan Netflix series, but I need to choose a new one for both of us. We’re thinking Fleishman is in Trouble. How about you?

Genetic portraits—so cool.

I’m excited to put these jewelry loupes in the kids’ stockings this year. I’ve been told they’re fun to take around and look at nature through.

Aron and I send lots of cat and baby content to each other… this was a good one recently.

I would trust Even Cleveland (Stephanie Madewell) for book recs! What a list!

Kottke just reminded me of this counting Sesame Street song, sung by the Pointer sisters. I used to sing this to my kids all the time—though not all 12 minutes!

I’m very excited to try this baking tip for piping frosting next time we do form cookies!

Any recs for really cool, large, inexpensive posters that would be well-suited to a pre-teen boy’s room?

Also crowdsourcing: Oaxaca recs! Bring them on!

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