6 Months
A half-birthday plus anti-hormone influencers, fame and privacy, and where the heck to go on social media
I’m really bad at pausing to appreciate big moments. When it comes to celebrating milestones? I very rarely do it because it makes me feel self-conscious, uncomfortable, and braggy.
Like it’s inappropriate and tacky.
Like, if I was a real writer or real professional, I wouldn’t need to toot my own horn. My work would speak on its own, obviously.
But if there’s one thing that I’ve learned as a debut author, if I don’t promote and celebrate my own work, no one else will. (Thank goodness for friends who remind me to be proud and celebrate the high points along the way. You know who you are.)
So…Happy 6 Months to my book, UP TO SPEED!
To everyone who has read UP TO SPEED, came to event, shared it with a friend or on social media, rated and/or reviewed it, or emailed or messaged me, THANK YOU.
I cannot truly put into words what your support means to me.
Six months feels like both a hot second and 10 years. I meant to post something when my book had been out for a month but didn’t. I meant to post something at three months but promptly forgot because of life.
I’m not going to wax on and on about it. I just wanted to officially mark this day because I am incredibly proud of this book.
Below is some coverage I’m most proud—and gives you a sense of the book for those of you who may not be familiar with it. I’m also sharing links some of my favorite tidbits I’ve come across and read recently.
Favorite Book Stuff
Appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe! Funny story, I was on vacation with my family and was up at 2:30am to film this segment, which may have been a blessing in disguise. Since I was half-awake, I wasn’t nervous.
I recorded a lot of podcasts this year and this is one my favorites. I’m a huge fan of Virginia Sole-Smith and joining her on the Burnt Toast podcast was a joy. She’s so smart and asks such great questions. Also, I want to be her friend.
As a science nerd, being a guest on Science Friday was a dream.
By now, you might know that knee injuries, especially ACL injuries, are personal for me so I was thrilled to write this op-ed for The Boston Globe.
This is one of the best articles on cycle syncing and I got to chime in as an “expert.”
Never not talking about periods and menstrual cycle, even in TIME.
What I’ve Been Reading (and a Song)
This fictional interview with Taylor Swift is so good. It's not really about Taylor Swift but about fame and privacy.
It really feels like there is nowhere to go on social media.
“If the early promise of social media was to bring society closer to a virtual ideal, the most recent shift in how platforms are used has lost the plot. Along with Twitter, the erosion of the user experience on Facebook and Instagram—with tiered subscriptions, a proliferation of hate speech and misinformation, privacy being sold as a luxury, and the threat of generative AI—marks a sharp turning point in the value of the social web."
On anti-hormone influencers and why we need to talk more about the side effects of birth control. I have a lot of thoughts about this!
(There's also a lot of noise around hormonal birth control and athletic performance but it's not always black or white.)
So many smart thoughts on burnout and how turning away from work sometimes means turning towards something else.
I’ve read Mario Fraioli’s newsletter, The Morning Shakeout, for years. Aside from his perspective and his conversations with others in the running world, he always shares a music recommendation. They almost always hidden gems, including this video of Dave Grohl and Nora Jones playing the Foo Fighter’s “Razor.”
I’d love to know, what’s something you’re proud of, right now? Also, how do you feel about social media and where are you hanging out??
Thanks for being here. More soon.
Christine
Happy 6 months. You should absolutely acknowledge it and celebrate it. It is a huge accomplishment.
Congratulations! So proud of you.
I really understand your reluctance to “toot your own horn “ I grew up with parents who always told me “if someone tells you they’re smart, they probably aren’t “. But THIS IS NOT DOING THAT. You are celebrating a huge accomplishment! Your book is incredible, smart, an actual game changer!