January 17, 2026

My tendinitis started to really act up this week in a way that it hasn't in about five years, and it completely shaped my week. Of course there's everything happening in the news that we're trying to process — the daily twists and escalations — and there's the cognitive dissonance of hearing about what's happening while still completing all of our usual daily tasks and routines.

The tendinitis meant that I had to make some adjustments to how I work. I started using dictation software again, or rather the built-in systems that Apple provides. It's remarkable how far assistive technologies have come since I last needed them. I had to take a little bit of time off to rest my hands, which meant that the week involved a lot of catching up as well.

I haven't been able to exercise or write as much as I would've liked, especially because I typically write by hand. Hand weights were not possible this week. But I did read, and I listened to audiobooks.

Highlights of the week included getting to catch up with a colleague and friend on Zoom. The kid and I read together before bedtime a couple of times (our own books but by each other). We chat about our day and share little bit bits of whatever it is that we're thinking about or reading. I've been doing a better job of taking care of our plants. I've made it part of my morning coffee routine, and starting the day by taking care of living things has been much better than staring at my phone and scrolling endlessly. I keep reminding myself we have to live — that wallowing is unproductive. We should check in, help how we can, and keep going. We need to hold on to the things that make us human and humane.

I feel most myself when reading and writing. I haven't been taking nearly as many photos as I do when happy or outdoors, and I've been reminding myself to do so – instead of taking photos when happy, to take photos to feel happy. To pause and observe, as when reading or writing. This isn't quite rest as resistance so much as an antithesis to "move fast and break things" – I want to move deliberately and build things with intention. I want thought and care and joy.