Goodbye, November; hello, December + Links

Uff, after the NaBloPoMo I had to take a breather so I disappeared for a few days.

Links to share:

This Monica Packer episode “Did Something List” was awesome. Her year in review and setting the word of the year for 2026. I saved this episode and will definitely use the inspiration for my end-of-year review.

Suze Orman episodes: from January 6th of 2025 “Make Your Money Make More Money” and “Dividend-paying stocks vs Treasuries” and “Using the Stock Market.”

“No Easy Fix” – podcast series from the Atlantic about homelessness and addiction in San Francisco.

November memories, good and painful, big and small:

Our NYC day trip, Chinatown, Kinokuniya shopping and Bryant park

A close friend (and an auntie to my kids) came to visit one Sunday

Two new crowns on teeth in the back of my upper jaw

A rather brutal luteal phase leading up to a cycle that just left me worn out

Sunday Skates Tradition started

Paint and sip with friends

November also felt long..

Christmas shopping done but nothing was bought on Black Friday or Cyber Monday

Bath and Body Works field trip to get holiday candles

NaBloPoMo and the wonderful bloggers that joined

Fall mixer at work+tenure award

Rebalanced our portfolio

My daughter’s 8th birthday

A sense of general overwhelm with life, work, and parenting

Books: The Names, Nothing to Envy, Kill Creek, And Yet (poetry).

December to-dos and want- to-dos

Kids’ winter concerts! My husband will attend those since he has a more flexible schedule

Only 15 working days left (counting from today, 12/04)

Book: Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Skating with Santa event at the skating rink

Christmas cards and small gifts for teachers + instructors (piano, jiu jitsu, aftercare, gymnastics)

Parent-teacher conferences at my kids school (next week)

My daughter and husband flying to Maine before Christmas

Exercise- rowing machine, weights, and treadmill (in the basement)

Friends get-together at B’s place tomorrow

And that’s a wrap!

Low lights/ highlights for you for November?

Stuff to look forward to in December?

Posted by:

Daria

Mother, teacher, partner, friend. I love coffee, books, and travel with and without kids. I dislike exercise. Nothing glamorous here but do have moments of insight.

13 responses to “Goodbye, November; hello, December + Links”

Elisabeth

December 4, 2025

Phew. You have been so busy! November was a complete blur for me. Maybe more than any other month in the year. I feel like it was just…gone in the blink of an eye.

December will be full, but it’s not quite as hectic as some other Decembers. I’m also trying to remind myself there is a long stretch between Christmas and New Year’s so I want to save some things for that time instead of cramming events and hosting people BEFORE Christmas, why not wait to fill the down time after Christmas? At least that’s my hope.

I really loved Brooks’ book Horse and her memoir was excellent!

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1. Daria
  
  December 5, 2025
  
  That is such a great point about that week between Christmas and new years. It’s a very special week for me when I’m not working and the kids are home, too ❤️ I added Brooks’ other books to my never-ending TBR list 🙂
  
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San

December 5, 2025

I don’t blame you for taking a breather. NaBloPoMo was busy… and now we’re going into the holiday season.

I always love the time between Christmas and New Year’s – in Germany we call it “between the years” and it’s usually a good time to decompress after all the holiday festivities.

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Stephany

December 5, 2025

November was a hard month, even though there were a lot of good things (birthday! Thanksgiving! NaBloPoMo!), but my chronic hip pain really wore on me. I’m hoping to spend December enjoying the holiday season and all that comes with it!

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jennystancampiano

December 5, 2025

I’m impressed that you have your Christmas shopping done!!! I know this time of yer is super busy, but you seem to hve things under control.

I like Monica Packer- thanks for reminding me. I’ll check out that episode!

The countdown is on- you deserve a nice break from school, and it will come.

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1. Daria
  
  December 6, 2025
  
  We buy very few things… if I were to put a number on it… maybe 5 -6 things for the kids and for each other we decided to just fill the stockings for my husband and I. If we want/need something- we get it.
  For the kids, it mainly Legos, chemistry kits, crafts kits, and books.
  
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sarahjedd

December 6, 2025

Daria! Yes! Hearing you say this makes me relaize I completely agree. NOVEMBER WAS SO LONG my goodness.

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Sam

December 6, 2025

I also liked Monica Packer’s messy middle episode this week! I just finished Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks and thought it was fantastic, so I think I might have to add Year of Wonders.

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1. Daria
  
  December 6, 2025
  
  The Year of Wonders is heartbreaking, be careful because there are very graphic and honest descriptions of loosing loved one, like kids for example. I was quite shaken by those.
  
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J

December 6, 2025

Year of Wonders was great. I am glad you are enjoying it.

You had a very busy November. Ours was busy as well. You mention that week between Christmas and New Years. That is a very busy week at my company, but we can take turns taking that week off. I’m glad that it is my turn, it’s pretty much my favorite week of the year. Calm, the fuss is over, but it still has that holiday feel, the tree is still up, all of that.

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1. Daria
  
  December 7, 2025
  
  Agreed Julie! Ad, how wonderful that you have that week off this year.
  
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Ernie @ nosmallfeetblog.com

December 7, 2025

I took a few days off after NaBloPoMo too. I enjoy your recap. Low lights in Nov would be feeling spread too thin, and not having enough time – between NaBloPoMo and having kids home and having two chapters due to my writing group – EEK – it was a lot. The worst part was Reg puking in the car on T-giving, but no one else got sick.

December – looking forward to surprising Curly with her two cousins flying in for her bday. I’m thrilled to have my Christmas poem done earlier than every before.

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Lisa’s Yarns

December 7, 2025

Oof! Conferences in December. Yikes!! Ours are in October around fall break. It would be tough to squeeze something else in during an already busy month! November was pretty good for me. The first week of December was just way too much. But now the rest of the month is a more normal busy with no evening commitments. I haven’t done much Christmas shopping because I wanted to get through Will’s bday first. So now it’s crunch time!

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