Creating
Quick thought of the day that popped into my head while taking a walk this morning.
Is creating a solitary act or a group project? I was thinking about my poetry collection and getting it published. A traditional route for fiction writing is the writer creates, then finds an agent and works with them, and if it sells to a publishing house, they work with an editor there, etc. So the final novel is more of a group production rather than a solitary creation.
But, it made me think about photographers and painters. They don’t normally work with editors to constantly shape and mold their work. What you see is what you get (pun intended).
I’m not opposed to this process but just think it doesn’t have to be the only way. I also have seen the product and love books that have gone through this process. But, for me, I think I want to publish what I created, and let it stand on its own merits and failings.
Finished reading: Taboo, Issue One; edited by Luke Sutherland and Andrea Morgan. 📚
I enjoyed this collection of poetry, short story, essay and images from a diverse collection of trans writers.
The introduction by Andrea Morgan and Luke Sutherland was excellent and powerful. Anemone & C.J. Harsh’s pieces (“Women Taste Better” and “Devour”, respectively) made me write ‘Holy Fuck’ in the margins. Both pieces were dark, delirious and delicious. C.S. Laing’s “False Tooth” wowed me with its dark goodness too.
Golden Boy’s “Reflections on Addiction and Community” and Alana Storm’s “Casa Susanna & the Legacy of Mid-Century Transvestism” were strong, thoughtful essays.
The last piece was a perfect way to end this collection. I loved Winona Meridian Marks’ “Sackcloth Opals Ashes Pearls”. It reminded me of a prose version of some of my poetry. 🩷
Watched: Emergency! S3E6, Snakebite 🍿
Rewatched this at the gym this afternoon. Just a great episode. Some good storytelling and action scenes. Must have cost a mint for the helicopter scenes but added to the depth of the show.
Season 3 is where it came into its own.
Mozart’s Requiem
Listened to Mozart’s Requiem tonight. The Nicholas Harnancourt version. It’s one of my favorite pieces. It has always settled and calmed me.
Though in our current situation, it’s an apropos choice. This is a requiem for America. The end of democracy. The end of freedom. The end of free speech. The end of the rule of law. The end of truth.
Watched: Star Trek: The Next Generation S5E2, Darmok 🍿
Possibly one of the best pieces of SF ever written and filmed. I love this episode so much.
Finished reading: The New Economy by Gabrielle Calvocoressi 📚
Poems I really liked in this collection were “My Perimenopausal Body Cistern Bow Disappointing”, “Write the Best Thing That Happened Today”, and “Good Friday”
Finished reading: Best Woman by Rose Dommu 📚
Bluebirds 🩷
I was trying to snap a photo of the boy who landed on our deck railing. I wasn’t concentrating, just trying to get the shot. After taking it, I looked at photo and was blown away that I’d also caught a snap of the girl too. I’d seen them both a few minutes before but only saw the boy when I grabbed my camera. Congratulations on her perfect, in focus photobomb!
On a day like today, it’s nice to have something positive to appreciate.
Watched: Carrie 🍿 pretty good though parts felt a little rushed in that some characters changed too quickly to be believed.
Warning, do NOT watch the trailer if you’ve never seen this flick. Gives away way too much.
My App Defaults
I saw this post about the default apps the writer uses for various services & tools. I love seeing these lists. I learn about new apps and sometimes I feel vindicated for having choosing something similar.
Here’s my list. But I warn you that what normally happens when I do something like this is that it gets my mind churning and the next thing I know, I’ve changed my defaults. 🤣 But, this is a current snapshot. As you will see, I’m pretty much an Apple fangirl.
- 👩🏻💻 Blogging: Micro.blog
- 📚 Book tracking: Book Track
- 📅 Calendar: Apple Calendar everywhere and Calendar 366 on iPhone
- 💬 Chat: Apple Messages
- ☁️ Cloud Storage: iCloud
- 📇 Contacts: Apple Contacts
- 📀 Database: Collections DB
- 📔 Journaling: Apple Journal
- ⌨️ Launcher: Raycast
- 📬 Mail client: Apple Mail
- ✉️ Mail service: Apple iCloud
- 🧭 Maps: Apple Maps
- 🎸 Music: Apple Music
- 🗞️ News: Apple News
- 📝 Notes: Apple Notes (hands down so amazing)
- 🔐 Passwords: Apple Passwords
- 🌅 Photos: Apple Photos & iCloud
- 🎙️ Podcasts: Overcast
- 🛠️ Productivity suite: Pages, Numbers and Keynote
- 📖 Reading: Kindle (physical & app), Libby
- 🧐 Read Later: GoodLinks
- 📰 RSS client: News Explorer (sync via iCloud)
- 🛒 Shopping Lists: Our Groceries
- 🙋🏻♀️ Social Media: BlueSky, Tumblr
- ✅ Tasks: Apple Reminders
- 🌤️ Weather: Apple Weather
- 🌐 Web browsing: Safari everywhere, and also DuckDuckGo browser on Mac
Year in books for 2025
I read some amazing books and poetry in 2025. The depth of these writers was amazing and some will nestle in my heart for a long time to come.
Ending the year with Jeanne Thornton’s A/S/L was a true treat. She is an amazing writer, both in storytelling and craft
A Transformative Year
This has been an incredible and insane year. I’ve come into my own identity just as so many have been working to erase me and my brothers & sisters from the greater culture. We’ve got a long road ahead of us but we have always been here and we will always be here.
I have found that I have surrounded myself with so many wonderful people in my life. They have been accepting and supportive of me as I explore the world through awakened eyes. I have been lucky and I hope that I have been as supportive to them through their lives as well.
And I’ve found such a great home here, on Micro.blog. It’s such a great system and the community is wonderful. I’ve “met” some wonderful people and I can always find something to make me smile whenever I scroll through my timelines.
Wishing everyone a Happy New Year! 🩷
Watched: Night Gallery S2E1, The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes 🍿
The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes is probably some of the finest pieces of television I’ve ever seen. Tight, fun, dark, well acted. I really enjoyed it. Clint Howard is excellent in this role.
Finished reading: A/S/L by Jeanne Thornton 📚
This couldn’t be anything but 5 stars. I might even have liked it more than Summer Fun. Fantastic story and writer.
Letter writing
While I like to text, I love emails more. I like having the time to form thoughts, massage the text, and think about how my words will be received.
Reading about the Danish government’s plan to end postal letter delivery at the end of 2025, I thought of how before email, I loved to send and receive (!) physical letters.
The thought that this joy will stop for some is heartbreaking to me. I can’t say how important it was to receive letters from a loved one or a pen pal as I was growing up. I would ride my bike to a favorite secluded place and read the letter, rapt.
I will strive to write physical letters to my friends in the future to keep this practice alive. I beg you to do the same.
Had to happen eventually. One person, a friend but not a close friend, seemed to reject me. It doesn’t change things but it is a sad moment.
Watched: Good Boy 🍿
Oh My God. The dog lead character acted better than most of the A list Hollywood folks. An amazing, jump scare, emotional film. Loved.