six-eyed dragonfly + sunshine

i had a good day today. saw the sun and blue sky. saw some geese hanging out in the grass when i left work.

listened to a band called 退格 or Backspace. Specifically the song 六眼蜻蜓, which i guess translates to six-eyed dragonfly. The single artwork does track with that.

i got a new comment on the fanfic chapter that i'd posted yesterday 

"I wasn’t expecting this to pull me in like that."

i hope this is a real comment from a real reader, and if so, it is some level of an accomplishment because that was on a chapter 24,821 words in.

and other than that, i showered and ate ramen ✨

cute + cute + cute

i've just posted Chapter 20 of my Apothecary Diaries x Tears of the Kingdom crossover fanfic. https://archiveofourown.org/works/67059565/chapters/173136517

editing took some time because i had some clunky sentences, but i do get so happy to see some cute little moments in my own fic. 

“Master Jinshi, hold out your hands.” Maomao approached him, staring at his hands. She held onto his fingertips. “Not even a tremor.” She looked into his face. “But they’re in need of salve. I’ll need a proper mortar and pestle, not this poison one.”

Jinshi tried to remain composed as she held his hands and looked up into his eyes. He gulped. “The mortar?”

“Cinnabar,” Maomao said, matter-of-factly. She let his hands drop.

(●'◡'●)

so cute. i love them

anyway, feeling so drawn to cute things right now. cute music, cute writing, cute drawings. it must be the influence of spring. 

current listens...nothing as impactful yet as POP or CLOVER.

but Favourite Girl by Biig Piig, Take Me Home by PinkPantheress, Drown in Clouds of Dew by Rozie Ramati, POP GIRL by Lexie Liu, Badum Badum! by Dearveni (the ultra cute album art for this below)

i just opened up the song i was working on yesterday and good lord it's so much worse than i was expecting. my voice is SO BAD. 

anyway, i think im done for the night (～﹃～)~zZ

red hair + the cutest songs

i dyed my hair tonight - my usual red. that'll help me feel a little bit better because sometimes when my hair gets too gray i just don't feel like myself anymore

ok i've absolutely started on another song, a little moth love song. my inspos (the things making me want to try to make the cutest music in the world) continue to be Limosina by 1tbsp and cherry chola (although this is quite a bit dancier and sexier), CLOVER by Cannelle (i've desperately been searching today for more songs that give me this CUTEST VIBE IN THE WHOLE WORLD) and I found somethiiiing!! Pop by Miso Extra is SO DAMN CUTE. Good Kisses by Miso Extra and Metronomy is also really good but a lil too cool for my current vibe

now, some lyrics so we can break down how cute this shit is. 

CLOVER by Cannelle

Wearing your favorite shirt

Kelly green like the color

Of a four leaf clover

I wanna rip it off

And push you on the floor

But you don't want me at all

I found a four leaf clover, I think it's my lucky sign

It told me to keep the secret that I have to make you mine

 POP by Miso Extra 

Running around in circles after you

I just wanna squeeze you till you

Pop

なぜか、あたし (for some reason, I)

Oh I just wanna squeeze you till you pop

なぜか、あたし (for some reason, I)

近づいて欲しい (I want you to come closer)

Girl, it's all so fucking cute! 

Also listened to a song Teacup by Cowgirl Clue. i love the production and find the song super strangely charming. 

so anyway, definitely trying to make something cute nowadays. 

my favorite lyrics of my lil song so far

I was flying to the moon

but you left the light on

I’ll be seeing you soon

baby keep the light on 

 and for now, i think that's enough <3

heaven + diner + hatching

took a mid-afternoon nap that was just heaven for a moment.

we went to our favorite diner for brunch today to celebrate Matt's birthday and we brought our Sunday newspaper to read there. 

there were a few moments that felt extremely Twin Peaks. i love a diner. it's one of my favorite things about American culture.

i posted a vlog today https://youtu.be/DTWZTQMB44o

i watched a video from @bookishlyjo https://youtu.be/oodjeMQP6BQ?si=y8kHZndqHItKw7hn and from that checked out a book from my library called Heaven Official's Blessing. It's possible i'd be into this, so imunna give this a shot. 

Synopsis from wikipedia:

Eight hundred years ago, Xie Lian was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Xianle. He was loved by his citizens and was considered the darling of the heavens. He ascended to the heavens at 17 years old; however, due to unfortunate circumstances, returns back to the mortal realm. Years later, he ascends again–only to be banished a few minutes after his ascension.

really feeling into super cutesy songs right now and i think i might want to make a companion to my Bug Sluts EP that's Lover Bugs or something like that. I was thinking some lyrics in the shower about a moth. 

I've been reading Tyrant Lizard Queen. on page 21 now. our T-rex is hatching. 

war + woods + clover + art

went to the woods today

then an art gallery

bought a painting

my husband was distraught all day because of war

i understand but also I feel pretty numb because sometimes stuff like that doesn't feel real right away for me. 

4 years ago, war broke out in Ukraine on his birthday. And he was so happy not to have a new war on his birthday this year. But... it's only 4 days later. 

we talked a bit about it sitting outside a Whole Foods because i really wanted a rice crispy treat and I can have the ones there (i'm usually allergic because soy is in everything good in this world). we discussed the impossible task of reckoning with being American. sometimes it feels like this immense emotional burden because we are fairly frequently "the baddies." i mentioned to him the sensation that i've been getting reading the Climate Justice book. this feeling that in the scheme of the world i feel like a billionaire, but in our society it's difficult to live any other way. 

some quotes:

"Poverty does not equate with stupidity. These people have their own knowledge, their own technology, their own systems." - an unnamed Vietnamese woman

"...human rights begin in small places, close to home, some so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. 'Unless these rights have meaning there...they have little meaning anywhere.'" - includes a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt

i mowed the lawn this morning and listened to Britney Spears.

I also listened to CLOVER by Cannelle, which is my current obsession. 

i was able to sketch some last night

the left is inspired by some artworks in my home.

the right is my own pets. Clover sleeping, Big Al sleeping, and Looey wandering around. 

Photos from the woods

I think the below is Scoliopus bigelovii (also called California fetid adderstongue, which seems like a bit of a rude name considering i think it looks pretty neat. I guess it smells bad.)

This lil moth guy is Trichogezia californiata.

and then a photo of me, i suppose. wore a crop top because it's downright warm, especially considering the snow earlier. 

and then yes, at the gallery, i bought this painting (pardon Clover's head). This was from an artist Teresa Saluzzo (https://www.instagram.com/teresasaluzzo/?hl=en) I'm still not quite sure where i'm going to put it. a question for tomorrow. 

And then two things notable because of their relation to my fanfic: there were moss covered grills that my husband said resembled some sort of shrine that a Korok should be at, and there was a carved cinnabar chest at an antiques store. my fanfic does include a mystery related to cinnabar. 

now I plan to continue the evening by working on a reading vlog to post tomorrow. 

windows open + doodles

I WAS ABLE TO SKETCH LAST NIGHT before i went to bed i drew some doodles based on the album artworks i'd been inspired by <3

some things i'd like to draw:

• cats
• dogs
• insect characters
• cute fashions (a la lego clikits)
• maybe dinos
• bows and flowers
• cute kitchenware
• bats, devils, creatures

and more specifically here are some ideas

• a cat with headphones on
• a slug or snail on a dog (one time my dog got a slug on her thigh and she was very concerned about it)
• the artworks in my house but the way i want to draw them

Maybe i can develop a style. i've not had one before, but i have had different vibes for different projects

also spring is happening and i had all the windows open when i got home

gonna go out and have a meal now. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

sketching + 2 videos

again feeling very drawn to the idea of sketching. 

again, the evening has slipped by. perhaps after posting this I will grab a sketchbook and try.

i've never been very good at drawing, but i gave it a very earnest attempt in order to illustrate some creative projects, and I was able to do what i wanted with those projects. but it does not come naturally to me at all, and i don't always feel drawn to doing it, which i feel like is most of the problem. 

upon some relistens, i really do very much enjoy that song aaahh give me some more time

anyway, i think i will look at some of these album artworks i've been enjoying so much, their styles, and taking them as some more direct inspiration for sketching. it's that playful high school unseen sketchbook kind of vibe that i'm being drawn to. that and the ultra cute, almost childlike. 

i want it to be fun and experimental and i don't even really care if it ends up good. 

very excited for Friday as i will have all the time in the world in the evening to make my sketching dreams come true. 

i watched a video yesterday with my husband that was two people pitching country music songs to a real country music songwriter. it was extremely entertaining and reminded me of my love for honky tonk. i shared some honky tonk with the music chat today and i think we all had a good time with that. 

i also watched the skz video where they record half time, bleep, and in my head. I really really enjoy these studio videos. in truth, those videos may have been the push for me to try making my own music. so i am grateful 

must feed the animals now.