Field Notes

 Yesterday was mostly lovely, which I so needed. 

I got together with my friend Katy to drive around and find Christmas presents for our loved ones. It's always so much fun to talk to them, and we laughed a lot, in spite of both of us going through a real rough time right now. I am so happy with my purchases! I can't wait to gift them to folks. 

First off, I'm making these cool cloth + beeswax food wrappers for people this year. Jo-Ann fabrics was having a big sale on quilting squares, so that's what I got. It was 5 for $5, so I got 10. They're all really cute. I found some awesome Sushi cloth for Max + Chris, some really nice batik-style abstracts for mom, some botanicals and crystals for myself, and other cute things. TBH I was skeptical about using the beeswax cloth because I didn't know how to clean it, but it's actually really easy. 

And it's a nice colorful wrapper for a sandwich that doesn't need to be a plastic bag or a plastic tupperware, so that's a definite bonus. 

As for other gifts, here's what I picked up: 

Mom: A New Yorker puzzle (since my partner is from the Jersey suburbs and loves New York City, we've been traveling back there a bunch and I wanted her to experience a small piece of that)

Dad: I'm planning on getting him some NYC specialty foods while I'm there, like mustards or bbq sauces or anything that's kind of uniquely "New York". (Any tips from East Coasters very welcome!)

Anais: A book-shaped locket (need to get smol photos printed) and for Jokabokaflod I got hir a copy of "I'll Be Gone in the Dark"

Manny: A puzzle version of the Great Wave Off Kanagawa + Volume 2 of Paper Girls

Max: A "Christmas at the Burrow" candle from Frostbeard, a local book-themed candle maker

Chris: Need to find a nice set of DND dice

Katy: Need to get some Yak Traks, and maybe something else too

Other things making me happy: 

The Drarry discord. Fanfic is helping me overcome burnout in a big way right now. I've sent the first two chapters of my fic off to be beta read (by Max, who is planning to help me with pacing and repetition), and it's so lovely to focus on fiction. I think once I get a manuscript for my first book on witchcraft done, I'm going to focus on fiction. I've got a couple ideas kicking around, but I know it's not their time yet. In the meantime: Fanfic!

It's also so so so important to have something that is a writing project that I don't need to monetize, and in a very real way CAN'T monetize. 

I'm also really digging this particular YouTube LoFi Chill channel. I know that "chill lo-fi hip hop beats to study to" is the Millennial elevator music but I DON'T CARE. It's relaxing and helps my brain when I'm struggling. It's also cute and makes me feel like a slice-of-life anime character which is not bad. Not bad at all. 

(Oh man, if I could do art, I would make a cover for that: Gay Witch Just Trying to Write and Keep Her Plants Alive) XD