Reading List 2025, Part 2

This year literally started out with W-T-F. 

That definitely tracks. 

As I said to someone the other day, so many things weren't on my Bingo card for 2025. 😑

Don't get me wrong, there were good things that happened this year too (more on that later), but the WTF moments (hours/days/months) just really stand out. 

So buckle up, this is a long one.

As usual, it was a tough year at work. Contention seems to be the norm anymore, which is hard on those of us who are conflict-averse. Six months of sustained stress is exhausting. Next year is a short session, so I just need to survive four months, but sadly all signs point to it being a complete and total dumpster fire, so... 😅😬

Speaking of stressful - a couple of years ago I found out that I was insulin intolerant (that my body wasn't responding properly to insulin), which caused an increase of glucose in my system. It wasn't too high, so I wasn't very concerned and opted not to take medication (probably a mistake in hindsight). After my annual exam last year I did a more comprehensive screening/blood tests and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. My A1C was 7%, which means I skipped right over the pre-diabetic range (5.7%-6.4%). Not the kind of overachieving I was looking for in my life.

To say I was devastated is an understatement. Given my family history - both my grandmothers had diabetes, plus many close family members on my dad's side and two on my mom's - it was something of an inevitability that I'd be diabetic someday. But since neither of my parents had/have it and at least my maternal grandmother didn't get it until later in life (I don't know when my paternal grandmother became diabetic), I assumed it wasn't something I needed to worry about for another 10-20 years. 

At the same time, it's been something of a "boogie man" in our lives since I was a child. Every diet and health kick growing up was done with the intent to stave off getting diabetes. While various ones were lowkey traumatic and definitely resulted in unintended body image issues (a topic for another day), they were rooted in a desire for better health, both short and long term. It's something I can appreciate much more as an adult than when I was a kid, and I didn't realize the looming diagnosis was as subconsciously distressing to me as it turned out to be. 

I started on Metformin in April and was only able to take it for a week before switching meds (to Rybelsus) because it made me so sick.* Post-Metformin, it took me over a month to feel remotely normal again. I've had some side affects from Rybelsus too, but they are much more manageable. These meds work by helping stimulate your body to make insulin and slow digestion. Between the meds, changes in diet - for instance, I literally only had ONE Pumpkin Spice Latte this year which, if you know me, is huge - and a minimal amount of exercise, I've lost 45 pounds and gotten my A1c down to 5.5, which is within the normal range. It's definitely encouraging on the "be more healthy" front. My only disappointment is that I'm not feeling better in general. I figured with the weight loss it would help with back issues, general aches and pain, etc...but that hasn't been the case. "Feeling" wise I'm still at a net loss (because of the minor side affects), but actual/health-wise I'm definitely doing better.

Another fun part has been the stress of it all and the rapid weight loss itself caused me to lose about 1/3 of my hair (which I didn't know that was a thing!). 😐  Things seem to have finally begun to stabilize on that front, plus I started taking Nutrafol to support the regrowth. I'm not vain about much, but I definitely am about my hair, so I wanted to take what steps I could to regain my luscious mane. 😄 I plan to take it for about 6 months, at which point I'll hopefully see a noticeable difference and will feel comfortable stopping ('cause it ain't cheap 😬). 

One more piece of the annoying 2025 health puzzle has been taking blood pressure meds to help my kidneys, which were displeased with this whole situation. I started out at a low dose, which was still enough to give me what I called "altitude issues," making me randomly lightheaded when I changed "altitude" (sat up or stood up), to the point that I passed out one morning when I got out of bed too quickly. Thankfully I just bounced off a bookcase and ended up with a bruised shoulder. I also had an incident in the shower when I'm pretty sure both my blood pressure and blood sugar dropped too low. Thankfully I didn't pass out, but things got a bit dicey. After that my doctor cut the dose in half, which reduced the lightheadedness and eliminated the bigger problems. At my annual appointment earlier this month I tested all the things (A1c, cholesterol, etc) again, and since all the numbers looked good for my kidneys, I'm taking a 3 month break from the blood pressure meds all together. In March we'll retest to see how things are looking. If they're the same, I can stay off the meds. If there are issues, I'll start up on the meds again. Fingers crossed all the other changes have been enough to positively impact my kidneys such that I can stay off the meds. 

While I'm still having a tough time with it all (it's hard not feeling like a failure even though genetics aren't a pass/fail situation), I'm doing a lot better and am more comfortable talking to people about it. Up until...maybe October?...I'd only shared what's been going on with a handful of people. It's come up organically a few times recently and I've engaged in conversation about it, instead of deflecting and talking about something else. So that's a step forward, I guess. 

One last health WTF that hit this fall was I had to get my wisdom teeth removed. I only had two and never had a reason to remove them till now. One had slowly emerged overtime with no pain or issue, so I just ignored its existence. Then, in September, the other side came barreling out with gusto and much discomfort. Since I didn't want to be in pain on my trip (details ahead), I was able to get in and have them removed the week before I left on our cruise. While it seemed a little insane at the time, I think it was the right choice. I was still healing up on the trip, but would have been in much more pain if I'd waited. I'm mostly annoyed that at almost 40 (at that point) I was having to deal with wisdom teeth. 😐

Another upsetting thing happened back in July, thankfully not related to my health. I signed up for a week long dogsit in Denver through Trusted Housesitters to watch a sweet American Bulldog named Elmore. The house was lovely, in a great location, and the homeowners let me use their car - all great things. The problem came on day three, when a bowel obstruction caused Elmore to (TMI alert!) throw up 10-12 times, not eat anything (including treats) and become super lethargic. Thank God and St. Francis it wasn't my fault! It had happened to him once before when he was younger and it took 4-5 days after eating the non-food item to start causing serious problems. The first time he ended up needing surgery and this time it took IV fluids, meds and three days at the vet (and a $4,000 bill! 😳) for him to be well enough to come home, at which point one of his owners came back early to be with him. I'd originally planned to stay until Sunday (with two nights in a hotel responsibility-free), but the stress of taking Elmore to the vet, not knowing if he was going to be ok and my schedule being thrown off because of it, I just opted to head home and flew back to Nebraska four days early. 

I actually just heard from Elmore's owner, Tori, last week, asking if I could watch him again the end of March, which is so nice. I can't because of session, but it makes me feel even better about it. Maybe something will work out with them later in the year. 😊

Poor Elmore. He was a sweet potato with a wiggly butt.

A good thing happened while I was in Denver too, though. I decided to give myself an early birthday present and go out for a fancy dinner while I was in town. I did some research on restaurants with tasting menus and I kept seeing rave reviews about Beckon. It turned out to be as good as people said. They offer a twelve (thirteen with an add-on, which I didn't do) course tasting menu in an eclectic and intimate setting. The service was outstanding and the food was amazing. My favorites were the duck with peaches, leek risotto and bread & butter (which sounds too simple to be a favorite, but it was phenomenal) . Their menu is seasonal and they (recently?) started their own farm where they source some of the ingredients. 

Since I went alone, I opted for the chef's counter where I was able to observe the food preparation. I sat next to three ladies (one named Katie!) who were also there celebrating a birthday. They were very nice and included me in their conversation, the other Katie even offering me a taste of the Wagyu beef add-on (it was outstanding and melted like butter). The experience was quite a splurge, but definitely worth it for such an enjoyable evening!

Duck with Colorado peaches

Wagyu fat sourdough, butter and herb oil

A really good Old Fashioned

Fancy Katie for a fancy dinner

Another highlight this year was going on a cruise and to Hawaii for my birthday! This was an incredible gift from my mom for my 40th!! We stayed two nights in Vancouver before the nine day cruise (seven of which were at sea), and then we spent four nights on Maui. This was my first cruise and I'm grateful that I didn't get sea sick or have any issues, really. The trip couldn't have gone better.😊🩷

In Vancouver we visited the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (where I didn't meet my future husband, long story 😂), saw the famed Steam Clock and ate at some great restaurants (Nightingale, Carlino and Jam Cafe). I highly recommend the pistachio donut and lemon poppyseed muffin from Breka bakery. They were so good. 🩷 We also walked part of the seawall and around Stanley Park, including by Beaver Lake.

Beaver Lake, Stanley Park

As the ship set sail from Vancouver, we passed by Stanley Park, giving us a very different view. The first (and only) stop of the cruise was in Seattle, where we visited St. James Cathedral, Pike Public Market and the Chihuly Garden and Glass. I've seen his work in Denver and Las Vegas, but this was definitely the most impressive collection.

The Shrine of the Blesses Virgin Mary, St. James Cathedral, Seattle WA

Chihuly Garden and Glass

Chihuly Garden and Glass

After Seattle, we hit the open sea! Having a balcony was so nice, providing convenient access to the outdoors with a fair bit of privacy. For a ship with over 4,000 passengers, I was pleasantly surprised that it only felt crowded once or twice. We had dinner in a couple specialty restaurants (Jamie's Italian, Wonderland & Chops Grille), as well as in the main dining room, where we got to know the people at the table next to us - Sarah & Doug from Phoenix.

There were different themes each day, from Caribbean Resort to Dress Your Best. It was fun getting all gussied up for two of the dinners, as well as cracking out my Snow White costume for the Halloween celebration. 🎃 

The day before the ship docked we passed by Kauai and had stunning views of the cliffsides, valleys and a misty storm hanging over the island.

Last, but not least, when our ship docked in Honolulu, we headed straight to the airport and flew to Maui for four nights. Technically this was the 3rd time I've been to Hawaii, but since I was in utero the first time and 8 months old the second, this is the first time that counts to me! 😆 We stayed at an AirBnB in Wailuku close enough to the water to hear the waves crashing from the balcony. We drove to Kihei and Lahaina, the fire damage at the latter was still very evident. Maria Lanakila Catholic Church miraculously survived, even though all the properties around it were lost.

A funny thing we noticed was all the chickens and roosters wandering around the island, basically like colorful pigeons clucking about. I felt rude eating my chicken and waffles while a small hen kept circling our table. It felt like she knew and was judging me. 😆 🐓

The balcony of our room on Anthem of the Sea.

Mom on our balcony as we headed out from Vancouver and floated by Stanley Park!

Formal night! 

Land ho! 

The view from our Air BnB on Maui.

Sunset at Kalepolepo Beach Park.

So many birthday things this year (including my boss decorating the office & organizing a group of my coworkers to take me to lunch)! One last birthday hurrah was on Halloween, which I commandeered to go out to dinner with friends who brought their A games to the party!! We had Flora, Fauna & Merriweather, Red Riding Hood and Pinocchio, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul (so impressed!), Sesame Street's The Count and me, the Midnight Celestial Fairy. I took inspiration from a gal (@tallglassofcline) who attends a ton of fantasy balls and went as "Second Star to the Right" at the Neverland Ball. Since I didn't have any other Peter Pan-ness going on, I decided to call it something else. I bought the wings on Etsy and love how heavy duty they are. I'll definitely use them as part of another costume again in the future!

Heading into next year, I'm thankful that I have things to look forward to - several traveling Broadway plays (Hadestown, Six, Wicked, Music Man), the Statehood dinner in February (a friend is planning to buy a table, so I'm all but guaranteed a seat!), two concerts (Lewis Capaldi in April and Josh Groban at Madison Square Garden!) and, if everything falls into place, a family trip to Italy next December! We visited in 2008 after I graduated from college and have been talking about going back for a long time. I'm hoping to talk Mom & Matt into popping over to Croatia, but we'll see if that works out. 😊 

A weird thing to include, but definitely worth noting - a very toxic friendship ended this year and I am relieved to enter 2026 without the emotional and mental weight that I've been carrying for a very long time. I (finally) chose peace and will steadfastly continue to do so. 

Other than aforementioned good things to look forward to, next year is shaping up to be quite a mess. So many things have happened work-wise that will make session a nightmare (including, but not limited to, the Sen. McKeon scandal, the impending Board of Regents impeachment and Senator M Cavanaugh being denied access to the ICE facility in McCook), plus I'm dealing with increasingly unpleasant lady issues, such that may require surgery at some point. I'm deferring being concerned about that for now, but it is something on the 2026-2027 horizon. Gotta love being a woman. 😐

And on that happy note, on to my reading list! 

Be sure to check out Part 1, if you haven't yet. 

My friend Katie (author of Once Upon a Pyne) put together a rating system that she uses on Goodreads. I asked her permission to steal it and have implemented it below.

Here is her (and now my) criteria: 

⭐: the worst piece of garbage I’ve ever read 

⭐⭐: overall bleh book, but some redeeming qualities 

⭐⭐⭐: liked it, but wouldn’t read again 

⭐⭐⭐⭐: liked it more and would read again 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: amazing and definitely should read again 

I've decided to add a + designation, which is basically a half star. 

If you want to keep up with what I'm reading on a more updated basis, you can follow me on Goodreads. 

1. Lucy Gayheart by Willa Cather  (Book Club, audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐ 3/4 
   I'm not a fan of Willa Cather, so giving this almost four stars is a bigger deal than you realize. 😄 The only reason I didn't give it four stars is because I don't expect to read it again. The story and characters are tragic and far more relatable than Cather's other stories (at least to me). If you like her books and haven't read this one, I'd definitely recommend it. 
   
   
2. One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware ⭐⭐⭐ 3/4 
   Ruth Ware has been pretty hit or miss. I love a couple of her books and have been disappointed in others. This one, while including many troupes of the thriller genre, had enough twists that it's one of my favorites of hers. I especially liked the ending. I refrained from giving it four stars because a lot of it fits a very specific mold, but I would recommend it to someone who is a fan of Ware or thrillers. 
   
   
3. The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins ⭐⭐ 1/2
   This was a genuinely disappointing read. I like a lot of Paula Hawkins books, but not this one. Basically everyone sucked and not in interesting ways. 
   
   
4. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson  (Book Club, audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐
   A letter from a father to his young son about his life and family history. Interesting story, but not my favorite read of the year. 
   
   
5. Zero Days by Ruth Ware ⭐⭐⭐
   Another by Ware that sadly wasn't as good as One Perfect Couple. The plot was rather predictable, but I did like the ending. 
   
   
6. Kristin Lavransdatter: Book One (The Wreath) by Sigrid Undset (Book Club, audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   Super short version - this series is incredibly well written, but intensely frustrating (in a good way?).
   I read at least this first book in high school. I thought I'd read all three, but I have zero memory of books 2 & 3. Set in the 14th century, this saga follows the life of a girl named...you guessed it...Kristin Lavransdatter. It was interesting to read it again as an adult, instead of with a teenage perspective. I was more of a romantic back then and was, to an extent, rooting for Kristin and Erlend, because l-o-v-e and whatever. Now, as an adult, I mourned the life Kristin could have had with Simon and was constantly wishing I could reach into the story and punch Erlend in the face for the obsessed, wildly immature man (and in my more critical moments, groomer) that he was. Kristin made plenty of poor life choices, but starting as a starry-eyed 16 year old, while Erlend was a 28 year old man who should have known better than to tempt a child (not to mention she was already engaged to someone else). The fact that he got her pregnant against her wishes (they'd been sleeping together, but he didn't take her no seriously once they were engaged) was one more thing that ticked me off about him. 
   
   
7. Kristin Lavransdatter: Book Two (The Wife) by Sigrid Undset (Book Club, audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
   Which rolls into the next book, when he gets angry with her once he finds out she's pregnant, which she kept secret till after the wedding. I'm sorry, sir, I don't think you get to be mad that your child will barely be considered legitimate. That's on you. Kristen, while still making plenty of mistakes along the way, tries to create the best life and home she can at Husaby (Erlend's estate). She has children in quick succession, which puts a strain on her relationship with Erlend, who dislikes his lack of...access to her time, attention, etc. Their relationship is never a healthy one - even though they truly care about each other deep down, their obsession and lust for one another smothers anything good or truly self-sacrificing in their marriage. There are moments or opportunities where the story could have taken a healthier turn, but things never quite fall into place (while Kristin isn't blameless, I lay most of this on Erlend's monumental lack of maturity, including when he eventually cheats on Kristin). 
   
   
8. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern ⭐⭐⭐ 3/4 
   A friend read this book in a different book club and said it reminded them of me (that they thought it was something I'd enjoy), so of course I had to read it! I brought it with me on the cruise and it was a great vacation read. The only reason I didn't give it 4 stars is because I don't know that I'd read it again, simply because the surprise/watching things unfold is what makes it special. It's a tale of hubris that plays with magic and time in interesting ways, and one that I'd definitely recommend.  
   
   
9. The Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen ⭐⭐ 1/2
   An annoyingly trope-y story about a psycho wife and philandering husband, with a poor  make-up salesgirl caught up in their disastrous life. 
   
   
10. Kristin Lavransdatter: Book Three (The Cross) by Sigrid Undset (Book Club, audiobook) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
    As I was reading Book Two, I wondered "why isn't this one called The Cross? There are certainly lots of crosses to bear"...but once I got into Book Three, I understood. 😐 I spent so much of these books thinking "poor Kristin," including this one. While culpable in many cases, it felt like she bore all the consequences at every turn, including for things where she wasn't to blame, like the death of her youngest son. That whole storyline was heartbreaking. So much pain could have been avoided if Erland had just been a more caring husband and better human (I want him to step on ALL the Legos).  The book wraps up shortly after Kristin's death, bringing the saga full circle.   
    
    
11. Starter Villain by John Scalzi ⭐⭐⭐⭐
    A birthday gift from my coworker, this was a fun, entertaining read. While it did indeed involve villains, it kept a lighthearted tone and did a good job setting up a believable world where things like villain conventions exist. 
    
    
12. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Book Club, audiobook narrated by Rosamund Pike) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐+
    I cannot adequately express how much I love this book. It's charming, witty, endearing and an amazing window into a world so different from our lives today. While I love the movies (the 1995 BBC mini series is definitely superior, but I do enjoy the 2005 version), the book is so much better. Most of this is due to the extended timeline - things don't happen nearly as quickly in the book - and the greater depth of character (Mr. Collins is even more dreadful, if you can imagine). I've read the physical copy several times, but opted for the audiobook (via Audible) this go around. Rosamond Pike, who played Jane in the 2005 movie, did a great job narrating. Whatever the medium, this is a classic for a reason and I'd HIGHLY recommend checking it out! 🩷  
    
    

Super random way to wrap things up, but here are two things I've discovered this year that have made lunch at work easier - Mission Carb Balance Tortillas (for burritos or wraps, larger 6 ct or smaller 8 ct) and Momofuku noodles. These tortillas are lower in calories and much higher in fiber than regular ones, while maintaining a good texture and taste. I've been making a Mexican Chicken Salad ** that's travels well and makes 4-5 meals worth of food, especially when turned into a burrito. The noodles (which are airdried instead of fried) have replaced ramen in a chicken soup I occasionally make, and while each packet is 320 calories, I can string it out into two meals by adding things to it, like chicken (+ Tajin and/or Local Hive Hot Sauce), black beans, corn and/or butternut squash (additional calories, but finishing with coconut cream is really good). I also cook it in chicken broth, which adds flavor and protein. 

Any new discoveries - literary, culinary or otherwise - that you found this year worth sharing? 

Have a safe and happy New Year! 

~ Katie Q.  🐧

* In case you're not up for TMI, I figured I'd stick the symptoms down here - I could barely eat anything because I got awful GI cramps every time I ate. Weirdly paired with that was horrible constipation, which caused a lot of back pain. Milk of Magnesia was a God-send.  There was also sharp, random pain in my legs, stomach and chest, and (additional) pain in my legs that felt like they were swollen and bruised, even though they obviously weren't. Unsurprisingly, all this made me feel off/sick in general and life pretty damn miserable. 😟

** Mexican Chicken Salad

- 1 chicken breast from Whole Foods Roasted Chicken, shredded 

- 1 Chobani Zero Sugar Key Lime Pie (or yogurt of choice)

- 1 can of rinsed black beans

- 1 can of corn 

- 1 medium red onion, rough chopped

- fresh lime juice, if I have one

- Cotija cheese, crumbled (if I remember to buy some)

- Tajin, salt and Local Hive Hot Sauce to taste

Mix together, store in a container and wrap in a tortilla or eat with sliced avocado. 

You're welcome.