The most wonderful time of the year

an image of a lighthouse perched atop a cliff, overlooking the sea/ocean.
Photo by Courtney Corlew on Unsplash

The holidays are just around the corner and here I am, in my tiny corner of the world, healing post-operation. That’s right. I recently had an operation. The past couple of days had been quite a rollercoaster. It was my first time to undergo surgery, and a major one, at that!

So many things were running inside my head days prior to the surgery, the night before it, the few hours before it, and during the operation. After it, I was pretty much asleep. To be honest, I wanted to cry more about the needles that poked me and prodded my veins. I am not new to getting IV fluids, but lately it’s been getting more and more challenging to have needles inserted. Something to do with my veins, I was told. It took them seven tries before they finally (and successfully, although temporarily) managed to insert a needle in each hand. The stitches and my lower back where anesthesia was placed were not hurting too much, thanks to the pain relievers.

I’m currently taking it slow and easy. Nothing too strenuous. I shouldn’t even climb up and down the stairs, but I can walk around a few times a day as a form of exercise. Enough talk about the operation, though, because guess what? I have a new short horror story, an upcoming newsletter on writing and living the creative life, as well as some kdrama merch. And we all know this blog wouldn’t be complete if there are no mentions of kdrama.

Let’s get to it!

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Skipped September, new blog layout, and spooky season plans

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Hola! What in “The X-Files” throwback is this layout? Kapjagi wae? Look, it’s past 5 in the morning (a Saturday, too, at that) and I just finished re-watching “The Haunting of Bly Manor.” Also, I just started reading “We Have Always Lived in the Castle” by Shirley Jackson. (Aside: I think I’m in love with the name Mary Katherine and the nickname, Merricat, given to that character.)

Me and my remain two brain cells are struggling as I type this down and, well… *scratches the back of my neck* This is not going well. My mind is not completely working right now. You would not believe all the typos here, if only it wasn’t saved by autocorrect.

Anyhoo. Enough blathering. Let’s dive right into the good stuff.

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Quick hits: words for breakfast, an incredible zine, tools for a creative process, and the battle between your weekend self

A oil painting of the White Cliffs of Dover
Photo by Catherine Kay Greenup on Unsplash

Hey, folks! How’s May treating you? I hope all is going well. Things have been so-so, but I know I need to get my ducks lined up in a row, both in my personal passion projects and my health. I’ll talk more about those passion projects soon, but for now, let’s talk horror and creativity.

Grab your favorite mug of coffee or tea (or maybe a protein shake – you do you, boo), kick back and relax as I yap away. Nothing too lengthy this time, though! I know, that sigh of relief is from us both. Without further ado, let’s start with the yapping.

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After Dark Dispatch: Featured frenemies in “Doctor Slump” kdrama, a multi-hyphen life, and yet another story in the making

Photo by Riza Gabriela on Unsplash

January’s closed. A done deal. February waltzed into the scene faster than I could say, “Stop!” For the most part, I still pause every time I type or write “2024.” That’s the general state of my mind this year.

In the past couple of days, I managed to get sick and overwrite my blog. Thank goodness for modern medicine and automated back-ups. I am forever grateful for those two. Meanwhile, I am going to have a talk with my remaining two brain cells.

Also, what do you think of my new header? I have fully embraced my persona as a millennial kdrama girl. 😁 But let’s talk about other things that spark joy and creativity. I mean, the world could have more of those, right?

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Midweek dispatch special: Good things come in twos

South Korean photo, night time, neon lights, sidewalk | Ciaran O'Brien via Unsplash
Photo by Ciaran O’Brien on Unsplash

I have been consuming words mostly in the form of newsletters, especially the ones from Substack. October has come and gone, and I mourn the time I lost feeling unwell. I could’ve been out and about for spooky season, but no. My body demanded rest. My body has betrayed me.

The good news is that it’s never too late for anything scary, which is why I’m currently watching “Shadow”, a Thai series that takes place in an all-boys school, where seeing the supernatural and getting haunted by ghosts and spirits are just as frightening as getting bullied for one’s sexual preference. I won’t talk too much about that here, though. I plan to do that in the next issue of my newsletter.

A NaNoWriMo Story: “Love % Of” (working title)

So far, we’ve got a sinister stalker and a faceless villain to contend with our main characters. This story has a dash of romantic comedy and peppered with enemies-to-lovers trope for our two main characters, whose names I am still very much undecided even as I type this down. This is a love story with a hint of darkness in it. Unlike my other story, “The Secret Wife”, which is all fluff and cuteness, this one weighs heavier. Yes, there’s still going to be some comedic moments but there will also be scenes brushing on death and obsession. The darker side of putting someone on a pedestal and believing that feeling and everything that comes with it is rooted on love.

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