There is always a strange duality to January, that keeps me in limbo but also sets me free. My January was slow and (but?) tumultuous–so full of heartache and magic, it dazzled and fazed me. It wasn't particularly mind-bending but still a very precarious start to the year.

✨ Highlights from last month–

I published two bots on Mastodon; @flavorfulfeelings generates flavors for your feelings in stunning (sometimes questionable) color combinations, and @heartful disrupts your scrolling to reflect on community care and collective action to keep the revolution alive.
I wrote 17 new poems for a personal zine project.
I updated my website and Year in Review checklist.

💭 On my mind lately–

I've been feeling a little weird about some stuff amidst the recent changes in my life–I've felt everything from excitement and growth to anticipation and wonder. But other feelings are more complex and opaque, like;

How do I reconcile the discomfort I feel with the thrill that comes with growth and change?
Will I ever feel truly comfortable and at home in this (perceived) new reality?

It's all kinda confusing and bittersweet, you know?

📦 Discoveries–

Read, reading, want to read–

I completed 2/24 of my Read Harder Challenge! Right now I’m reading Postcolonial Astrology: Reading the Planets through Capital, Power, and Labor by Alice Sparkly Kat.

I loved reading Vegan Burgers & Burritos: Easy & Delicious Whole Food Recipes for the Everyday Cook and The Vegan Matrix: Understanding & Discussing Privilege Among Vegans to Build a More Inclusive & Empowered Movement.

Films–

I watched Castle in the Ground, Still, Gozo, Lola’s Last Letter, Eat With Me, I Think We’re Alone Now, Housebound, and The Love Witch. I cannot wait to watch Tangerine (2016), In Between (2016), and The Watermelon Woman (1996).

Music–

I haven’t been to any local gigs or music festivals since the pandemic and I’ve really missed the energy and camaraderie. So I've been watching a ton of live streams like; Two Minutes to Midnight’s Splitsville EP 4 Livestream feat. Touche Amore and Circa Survive, Comeback Kid at Hellfest 2022, and The Story So Far at Ice House. It's not quite the same as being there in person, but it's been a great way to discover music/artists/filmmakers/record labels and experience some amazing shows from home.

New favorites–

The absolutely phenomenal Cassie Raptor. I could listen to Never Before Seen, Never Again Found by Arm’s Length and After the Party by the Menzingers (and watch the music video directed by Kyle Thrash!) a million times, and it would hurt as much as it did the first time. All the good stuff by Philadelphia’s Wax Bodega.

Also, I highly recommend listening to The First Ever Radio Hour for more new music and reunion bands!

Articles–

For over 19 years now, the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb has been a repository of gifts given between former lovers.
JK Rowling is transphobic and there is absolutely no magic in Hogwarts Legacy.
Laziness does not exist but unseen barriers do!
Weird and quirky social media postings are not the liberating space that influencers and businesses make of them.

🔮 What I’m up to this month–

My friends and I are writing/producing a visual poetry performance and a zine about our personal experience with mental illness, abuse, sexuality, how growing up in dysfunctional homes affects us as adults, and how we have each had to navigate the complex and often challenging terrain of these issues. We're also raising funds to take our poetry reading on the road and reach more people.
Writing (coding?) new bots for Mastodon and Tumblr.
I’m making my own (recycled) paper again and I’m also working on a secret project that involves a lot of art-making!

January 2023 Highlights

✨ Highlights from last month–

💭 On my mind lately–

📦 Discoveries–

🔮 What I’m up to this month–