The Weekly Wrap: November 16, 2025

It's that point of the year where I can't decide if I want to be a loaf who does nothing or someone who fills our calendar with all of the holiday fun.

So far, the holiday fun is winning. Having a kid who enjoys doing stuff tips the scale. I took a look at our calendar and, aside from the last weekend of the year, we have at least one event or party already filling each weekend. There's some holiday travel, two parties, and two dance performances. Somewhere in there, we'll need to get a tree and decorate. And kiddo is ending the year going to a week of gymnastics camp.

We are in the mad dash to 2026. I'm not sure if I'm ready for the another new year. 

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• Making space for common good. [The Atlantic - gift link]
• And paying for the common good is the cost of living in a civilization. [Culture Study]
• The traumas our children are facing. [Raising Her Voice]
• How does ChatGPT write? [WaPo - gift link]
• Something I've never thought about - what happens when we lose spaces of non-sexual nudity? [The Atlantic - gift link]

• This could be phenomenal, if done right. [Planet Money]
• Things I should remember when I've been sitting like a gremlin... [Life Kit]
• Joke writing is more than just being funny. [99% Invisible]
• The allure of buy now, pay later. [Planet Money]
• When pandas were a myth. [Atlas Obscura]

• And the award for worst entry in the Jurassic Park series goes to Jurassic World: Rebirth. For an action movie, some scenes were exceptionally slow. There's also an entire set of characters that were unnecessary and, in fact, dragged down the story. But their presence was all a set up so one character could do one key thing. That's it. Also, this was less dinosaurs and more monster flick. It might have killed the series. [Peacock]

• I love how easy it is to make mixed mushroom sheet pan gnocchi. I buy a pre-sliced variety pack of mushrooms. All I need to do is rinse them and then toss them on the sheet pan with everything else. Don't skip the fresh thyme. It provides a key flavor. [The Kitchn]
• Sheet pan meals are easy so I also made kielbasa with potatoes and green beans. Again, it's mostly a chop and/or dump dish. I should have added more of the steak seasoning. I went lighter and the flavor was barely noticeable. [Budget Bytes]