I read a lot of these āFive Thingsā posts lately and really vibe with the simplicity of it. It feels more like a microblogging prompt, but hey, whatever gets words on the page! I see it in the form of things people are thinking about, five things that happened in a day or week, or five things someone cannot live without.
If I think about the things I do not ever want to live without, itās very easy to pick five things. The ones that come to mind immediately are:
My husband. For obvious reasons, but heās my soulmate, my rock, my everything. I am so glad we found each other and I really donāt need to elaborate further. Heās the bestest and heās mine. š©·
My cat, Mojo. Heās seventeen now. I found him when he was six months old. Heās been a part of my entire adult life. When he had a health scare last year, I started realizing he was not going to be around foreverā¦ so Iām trying to really spoil him and enjoy the precious time we have left together. Hereās to hoping he sticks around for another five years or more. šø
Coffee. My writing would suffer, my work would suffer, and the people around me would suffer if I couldnāt enjoy my morning beans. Every morning, I fill my reusable adapter for my Keurig and drop some cinnamon and Stevia into a mug before pressing start. The smell of fresh coffee is enough to get me ready to take on the day. āļø
Reading/Writing. The one thing Iāve had my entire life to get me through something, to work out my thoughts, is writing. Therapy. And had I not been a reader when I was younger, perhaps I would have been more scarred by the things happening in the world around me. Reading and writing have saved me a million times, and theyāll save me a million more. šāš»
Computer (or, The Internet). I cannot imagine my life without itā¦ but I remember a life before it. Iām in that weird space between āGen Xā and āTrue Millennialā (an Xennial, if you will, and no, I will not apologize for using that term because itās what I am, dammit!) where I can fully recollect what life was like before I got a computer and the internet. It was filled with outside things and sure, plenty of television/video games. Having a world of information and connection at my finger tips is something I will never take for granted. š©š¼āš»
I truly would be sad all day if I didnāt have those five things in my life, and hopefully, I will have them all for as long as possible.
Now, five things that brought me joy this past week. Before I compiled this, I spent time just thinking about all the things that happened during the week and while there were some low points (grief waves rolling in strong), it was still pretty effortless to think of five things that made me smile.
Cooking/baking. I made my first fall crockpot of chili. I have a recipe I loosely follow, something Iāve modified over the yearsā¦ and to be perfectly honest, I donāt think I could replicate it every single time. I throw things in the crockpot and let the low heat do its job. The end result is always perfect. Now, on the baking side of things, I decided to bake my husband a German Chocolate Cake. I took shortcuts ā used store bought mix and frostings (sue me) and it was deliciously moist and rich AF. He was happy, which made me happy. I liked it too, but I enjoyed making it for him more.
Finishing two books. Iāve been behind on reading for the last couple of years due to me throwing all my free time into finishing the novel (and admittedly, playing Animal Crossing to dissociate from the horrors that persist). My To Be Read (TBR) list has grown out of controlā¦ yet, I canāt stop buying a new book or two each time I wander into a bookstore. ĀÆ\_(ć)_/ĀÆ That and, my friends have stellar recommendations. So this past week, I finished The Senatorās Wife (Liv Constantine) and The Anthropocene Reviewed (John Green). I enjoyed both and will spare you a review, but one is suspense and the other is nonfiction. Follow me on Goodreads to see what else Iām reading, or what I plan to read eventually!
Seeing the sea. We had to make a quick trip to St. Petersburg, Florida, so we decided to make the most of our 24-hour trip and stay on the beach. While we were visiting for a sad reason, it was nice to have that moment of solace: sitting on the beach, breathing in the salty air and listening to the waves lapping against the shore. The beach has always been one of my happy places. I feel refreshed from a quick dip in the salty water and took a moonlit stroll with my love to reflect on the events of the day, and life in general. While somber, it was still quiet and comforting.
Hereās a lilā bonus video of the calming waters.Sending out query letters. It was scary, sure. My husband stood behind me as I sent my first one and congratulated me. I DID THE THING. I actually did the thing!! I sent a few more out, and Iāll keep sending them until someone bites. That nervousness disappeared after I sent the first one ā Iām ready to keep rocking and working toward finding representation. Wish me luck!
My readers. The messages I received after posting my synopsis last week was such a boost ā it made me feel like pursuing long-form fiction is worthwhile. I canāt wait to publish this book, and because of your support, Iām starting novel number two and continuing the Ani Pierce saga here on Substack. Thank you again for all your kind words and never-ending support. OH ANDā¦ New subscribers!! I am so glad youāre vibing with me. Welcome to the party! From the bottom of my heart, thanks for choosing to subscribe and I hope you enjoy my work. If youāre digging what I do here, please feel free to share with your pals who might also enjoy a mix of fiction, poetry, and essays from yours truly.
Tell me reader, what are your five things that sparked joy or that you cannot live without? Share in the comments if youāre so inclined. Until next timeā¦
Reminder: Iām running a special on paid subscriptions. Upgrade now through October 31 and youāll get 15% off. Forever. Get it while itās hot!
Some previous work you may enjoyā¦
My Novel: Synopsis and a Sneak Peak ā I finally reveal what my novel is about and give my paid subscribers the first two chapters.
Clandestine Affairs ā read these chapters to prepare for the next installment, which is coming soon!
Moody Road ā my brush with a classic Northern Indiana urban legend, which just happened to basically be in my backyard.
My Favorite Soundtracks ā music from films I love and adore.
Acorn Street ā a short story based on a famous spot in Boston, MA.
My Unwanted Fifteen Minutes of Fame: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 ā I always said I wanted to be famous, but not because of thisā¦
where the fireflies glow ā a piece I penned during National Poetry Month.
