"Too Sweet" On Repeat and Other Things

aka Ten Things

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Pretend this is MySpace (for those of you who remember MySpace) and that I — like every other queer millennial obsessed with Hozier — have the song “Too Sweet” playing in the background while you read this.

You’re welcome.

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1. I’ve been reading a lot of novellas lately, taking notes on pacing and tension points, and how relationships develop in such a short amount of time. I think I’m going to be spending this month revisiting my completed WIP to take more notes and switch from a dual POV to a single POV. Now the only question: which character? Lolsob.

2. Currently writing to: soul crushing soft country morning — I love Spotify daylists so much. Hozier, Noah Kahan, girl in red, Conan Gray, Paris Paloma, just to name a few.

3. I know March Madness refers to a basketball thing, but I cannot help but think that it’s such a fitting phrase for the month of March. March is that weird month of “oh, look springtime! Huzzah!” but also “dear gods, how is it already March? I am not ready!” but also “where did March go?” — I am still in March hangover, thank you.

4. Trying to break my day up into hour long increments to help me focus. An hour to wake up, an hour to drink coffee and eat breakfast, an hour to read, an hour to write, an hour to drink water and eat second breakfast, and so on. Honestly, it only works from about 8:30 to 1:30. I don’t really know what happens after that, except that I know I try to eat lunch, maybe read or write again, and then it’s dinner and then it’s bedtime. But I just lose the second half of my day for some reason.

5. The great thing about telling me secrets is that I have a shit memory. So yeah, I will absolutely be a great secret keeper. Because I will also absolutely forget it. Not for lack of caring, but because my brain cannot hold a lot of things the way it used to.

6. I’m beginning to think that Ten Things is too much. It takes multiple days to get to Ten Things, but I can write Five Things in a single sitting. Hmm. Will have to think on that, especially since I am already determined to make this one a Ten Things.

7. One day I will remember to eat the fruit in the fridge quickly. But alas, that day is not today. I’m eating squishy blackberries, frost bitten blueberries — the strawberries are okay, but just okay. Maybe I should start putting them in oatmeal again.

8. My dad has been texting me more lately. It’s weird, but I’m not mad about it. Mostly just random “Love you” and pictures of the latest country he’s in. The latest country is Iceland and I wish I could teleport myself there immediately. I’m fairly certain my youngest sister is with him for her Easter break. I should ask her for pictures too.

9. I made a promise to myself that I would not get on social media on April Fools Day. And holy shit, I did not realize how often I grab for my phone just to give it a cursory scroll through Instagram/Threads. Maybe I should start deleting the apps from my phone on days I want a real break and then redownload when I am ready to come back. (Confession: I only checked once because I forgot but I wanted to respond to some comments and DMs lolsob)

10. A week ago I asked folks on my Instagram what colors/vibes/things they associate with me, here are a few of my favorites: a crackling fire, cinnamon, cozy, home, sunrise, fantasy, berry and jewel tones, earthy colors, weeds that bloom, and coffee. I think these are painfully accurate — as I sit here in my cozy robe, dark green blanket, with a cinnamon candle burning, daydreaming about books I am going to read today, and debating a second cup of coffee.

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Until next time,
Ash