9 Things Making My Life Better This Quarter (Oct.-Dec. 2021)
We’re almost at the end of 2021, a year of confusing changes and choices (What are the rules for everything opening back up? Where am I OK going? Whom do I feel comfortable seeing? Where do I feel comfortable not wearing a mask? What is my “new normal”? Why are feelings???). For me, the past few months have been a weird mix of hope, burnout, and overstimulation.
Here are some more mundane things that have helped me through:
Octopath Traveller (Nintendo Switch game by Square Enix, 2018)
Love yourself an old-school JRPG? I do! And I like this one, with eight protagonists and their eight sort-of-connected-ish?-dramatic-chord stories. The mechanics and plot and whatever are all great, but I particularly like how I’m never struggling to figure out where to go next. On the micro-scale, Octopath puts next-plot-coupon-here markers on the (optional) HUD so you’re never angrily talking to every single damn villager to find the one random person who will tell you something you already figured out so that the game will let you proceed. On the macro-scale, you always know where the next step of each character’s story is, and you can choose to pursue whichever you want, in whatever order you feel like.
Dreadnought by April Daniels (YA SFF novel, 2017)
I enjoyed this #OwnVoices YA novel about a teen trans girl who lives in a world where superheroes exist and who accidentally takes on the mantle and powers of one of the strongest and most iconic American heroes. I loved how the author builds up the logistics of a world with superheroes; allows the teen main characters to work out their own problems with allies and enemies; and describes powers/fight scenes in an exciting way that still feels book-ish instead of trying-to-be-a-movie/comic.
Teen Titans 2016 series (DC Comics, 2016-2021)
I’m not sufficiently “into” comics to know the full history of all the DC characters (or completely understand the meaning of their byzantine family trees), but I do like these struggling teens. I particularly like Damian Wayne (Robin) fighting to do his best and also not be an asshole, and I’m always down for angry GNC queer girls like Crush. I just wish the anthologies included the stray issues that fit with other series, ’cause it’s seriously annoying to figure out what titles I have to search on Hoopla to find the missing pieces.
taekwondo mini-practices
Earning my yellow belt has been much more challenging than earning my white belt, in part because it’s tough to find time to practice during semester. I still hope to submit my test before the end of the year, but I realized that, in order to do so, I need to work much harder on learning the actual test components. So I decided to practice the hardest parts every day–about 10-15 minutes–and, so far, that’s been more manageable than trying to squeeze in a gigantic practice hour once or twice a week. It’s also fun!
Dailyscreen Moisturizer SPF 40
I know I’m supposed to apply a facial moisturizer with SPF every day. But until I bought this (admittedly pricy) product, I avoided it, mainly because I found the sunscreen smell of my previous moisturizer overwhelming and unpleasant. (Scents are often very intense for me, whether added or natural.) There’s still a slight sunscreen smell, but it’s better than others I’ve tried, and the moisturizer doesn’t bother me no matter how long I wear it.
I managed to rip my old duvet cover in that really-difficult-to-fix place right along the seam within a few months of owning it. I mended it as best I could and carried on, but finally I decided it was time to replace it. This brand was the only duvet cover I could find in the size and colour I wanted that also had a zipper. It shipped quickly, is super-soft and breathable, and washes easily. I even found myself using the free pillowcase that came with it because the fabric feels great.
Because of where the thermostat sensors live in our home (and because of the amount/type of tech equipment we each run), Husband’s work space is always too hot, and his attempts to cool it down make mine too cold. I originally bought this teeny purple heater a couple years ago, but only now am I using it. It helps to keep my hands or feet from going numb without overheating the rest of me. Also, it’s purple. Purple is fun.
Cheese Club
My friend and I invented Cheese Club, aka we get together once a month and try new cheeses. We decided to split a subscription to Cheese of the Month from Cheesy Place; should you decide to emulate us (an excellent choice), you can subscribe too or DIY yourself a monthly cheese selection. We’ve learned that it’s very important to cut yourself thin slices of whatever starch you choose to pair with your cheese, and also that you probably won’t be hungry for dinner.
Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price (non-fiction book, 2021)
Sometimes, ideas don’t stick until you hear them from the right person in the right way. This book about discarding the idea of “productivity” as a measure of worth, even for really important things like social justice, hit home for me in a way I needed. Dr. Price’s argument, supported with research data, interview data, and anecdotes from their personal experience, is that we should reject the widespread, implicit idea that not striving to do the most work possible is a moral and social failing. Put that way, it seems obvious; put in the way of “it’s OK to not support a friend sometimes” or “not always prioritizing your kid’s wants over your own isn’t the end of the world” or “maybe you can’t do everything your coworkers need you to all the time, and that’s fine,” not so much.
In the middle of reading it, I did what I should have done a long time ago: deleted my work email/etc. account from my personal phone, and, in the days since, I’ve been better at reminding myself that I, too, deserve the compassion and flexibility I try to show my students, which sometimes means putting myself first and always means never reading the comments section.
Runner-up:
Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé (YA thriller, 2021)
Didn’t finish this amazing debut novel in time to add it to this blog entry (aka just read it yesterday), but it was great!