Things I Liked About January 2021
- My first Marvels & Tales publication, obvs. Highlight of the year.
- I ate my favorite crab dish, TWICE. Because they deliver. Once as a leftover from my NYE gustatory excess, and once after payday because they had an offer and whatsapped me about it (the second time I got it in two flavours and omg dipping fried mantou into salted egg buttermilk sauce!). Crabs are the highlight of January, clearly.
- The Rise of the Phoenixes. OMG. So addictive. It fills that hole in my soul from finishing the first two books in Ken Liu’s The Dandelion Dynasty and I HAVE JUST DISCOVERED! THAT BOOK 3! IS OUT! But, we’re in a pandemic and I don’t want to read it as an ebook 🙁 (looks like I might have to do so, though)
- Unicorn ice cream from Inside Scoop. It’s a blend of raspberry yogurt, milk ice cream with swirls of clitoria ternatia (blue pea flower) dye, and colourful sprinkles. Good stuff. First time I ate it was a couple of years back when one of my oldest friends bought it for me for my birthday. I expected it to just be sweet and colorful but was surprised by the subtle blend of flavors: tart, fruity, not too sweet. So far everything I’ve tasted from Inside Scoop has surprised me in very positive ways. Anyway, I decided to order a pint this weekend as my Marvels & Tales publication reward.
- My plant babies make me happy every day.
- Finishing up the Latin course on Duolingo although I have mixed feelings about this because it’s simply not enough, so I am still doing the exercises as revisions.
- Chess! Levelling up is always a happy moment.
- My brain working again so it’s full steam ahead on my research and research writing.
- I am an author again. Also full steam ahead with creative writing. Funny how the two go hand in hand. The moment I am stuck with my creative writing, I am stuck with my academic writing as well.
- Almost wrapping up Truancy though the rest of it will have to wait until I have marbles because even though classes are now over, I have a lot of teaching and supervision stuff to do. One PhD student is finishing this year, as well as two MA students. That’s three dissertations I need to check and finalise this year. There’s also the grant application process which is a headache.
- Not living in the cancer fear that plagued me between September-December 2020.
Things I Did NOT Like About January
- This goddamn pandemic and living in constant fear/sadness.
- Feeling guilty whenever happy things happen because of this goddamn pandemic. But at the same time clinging to the small pockets of happiness because it keeps me going. I guess it’s a balance. To have the small pockets of indulgence but to remember the bigger picture of what’s going on outside my nest. I don’t think I am unique in this. I think we’re all going through it.
- All of my stacked and imploding deadlines. Although I’ve cleared a great number of them I still live with constant stress and guilt. I’m tormented by the fact that Truancy is not published yet. But we’re getting there!
- My brain is tired. My soul is tired. I have not taken leave since November 2020. Actually, I don’t remember taking leave then, either.
- Gaining “eating my feelings” weight. But somehow it feels like vital self-care. And I have been exercising and not being completely sedentary, so there’s that. And I lost a couple of those kgs.
- Stuff I can’t talk about and don’t really want on this website but basically the direction my country is heading into, the state we’re in — which is why I can’t talk about things.
- People suffering. Injustice. Stuff related to the above bullet point which exacerbates these situations. Please donate if you can. Here’s another website which has a comprehensive list of links for you to donate.