Now

I figured instead of writing slice-of-life updates, I could use this space to add little tidbits of what I'm up to.

Last Updated: Nov 13, 2024

Happenings

It had been warmer than usual so far this fall which was a bit disappointing, but the cooler weather is finally here to stay, I think. I've been opening the doors and windows every day to fill my home with crisp air as I work and it has been wonderful. It is raining as I type this. Hearing the raindrops and smelling petrichor are top tier hygge awesomeness for me, so I might be a bit floaty with joy. I think I feel floaty in general. As I wrote in my post this week, I feel like a heavy something in me broke in a way and I feel a touch lighter as whole. Bad things are still happening in my life and out in society. This election sucked so freaking hard that I cannot even articulate my sadness, helplessness, anger, and disappointment. There is a sickness in the family. I have urgent projects and zero clue on how to design them (yet) and my anxiety is still a more reliable companion than any human can even aspire to be. My daughter has been getting behavioral reports in school and I'm hoping to get her IEP ammended. I'm still procrastinating about things but overall... I think it's a good thing to view reality under this lens. A pinkie-swear with the universe to not wait until life is quieter outside of myself before giving myself permission to feel contentment sometimes.

I've been playing stitch. on the Switch a lot lately. Puzzles are my zen place for some reason and this one has been awesome for me, between the DYI theme, the soft music and all the pretty colors.

From my Shelves

After all the spooky reading, I did a 180º turn and binge read some translated Japanese slice-of-life novels which, omg I'm VERY addicted to still. I cried so much in every vingette. I'm too sensitive and will tear up when the story conveys hope as much as when sad things happen. I think there is so little hope in us sometimes that to see it and read about it gives me an overwhelming wave of emotion. Like my silly body can't contain the joy I feel when someone finds their way. Because in the end, many of us are living our lives and searching for that sign that can make us find clarity. I digress, I know 😅 Here are the books I read lately

I also finished Dracula Daily 🥳 It was a fun thing to do this year and I'm glad I stuck to it! I'm now going back and forth between Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-Reum and Super-Cannes by J.G. Ballard. The latter book would be better described as I am plodding through it haha but I am halfway through it and it seems like a repetitive story. The author writes well at least but the story needed some editing imo. Also, I swear there is an obssessive need for the author to specify at every turn that the protagonist drives a Jaguar. Paul NEVER walks to or drives his car. No, no, no. Never forget his car is the Jaguar. I daresay that the real main character of this book IS the car. I mean, Jaguar.

On Repeat

I've been listening to this Light Academia list a lot lately! I feel it's nice and gentle and goes well with all those Japanese books I've been reading ^_^

On My Needles

I'm making my mother-in-law her Christmas socks now!I'm making a simple pattern called Hermione's Everyday Socks. Can you believe over 40k knitters have knitted these on Ravelry? I bet it's more too, since not everyone logs their projects on there (I limit my tracking and logging of anything nowadays so I know I've made at least 4 pairs to add to that 40k haha). I'm trying a new to me yarn from Knit Picks called Muse for this project, but it's not my fave, sadly. The colors are BEAUTIFUL. But it's oddly scratchy for merino and I had to triple-check the ball band to make sure I didn't space out and started knitting a sock with Hawthorne instead of Muse 😅

Books are not to remain in your mind, but in your heart. Maybe they exist in your mind too, but as something more than memories. At a crossroads in life, a forgotten sentence or a story from years ago can come back to offer an invisible hand and guide you to a decision. Personally, I feel like the books I've read led me to make the choices I've made in life. While I may not remember all the details, the stories continue to exert a quiet influence on me.
– Hwang Bo-reum (Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop)