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.
I really did love this story when it was still percolating in my head. Don’t get me wrong. I still love it now. It’s just that I feel like I may have overestimated myself by joining NaNoWriMo this month. I’m way behind the word count goal for day eight, for reasons that are both acceptable (health) and unacceptable (laziness). And the thought of producing 50k words by November 30 is pressing down on me, to the point that I almost dread writing.
I’m still writing this NaNoWriMo entry, though. I just know I won’t finish it by end of this month, but I’ll continue. The story is too precious for me to just drop it. I’ve started piecing together a playlist for this novel and I’d like share one of the songs for it. Think of it as part of the story’s OST. I hope you enjoy the song, “Black Rose”, as much as I do. I will share a snippet of “Love % Of” this month, so stay tuned.
Recommended reads: Spotlight on Annyeong Ari
I have 26 unread emails that’s been sitting in my inbox for days, some of them even for weeks. I don’t want to touch those, not until I’m sure that I’m 100% focused and ready to devour and digest with my usual gusto. With that said, let’s jump into a Substack newsletter that’s been giving me ✨joy✨.
Annyeong Ari
All the way from South Korea., Ari delivers the latest dish on news, trends, culture, and even recipes! Her newsletter feels like a wildcard and I love it. One of her newsletter issues, “Every Night, A Stranger Wakes Up Next to Me”, talks about a recent Korean horror thriller – a movie called “Sleep.” As she talks about the movie, she intersperses it with a mini Korean language lesson. How cool and fun is that? As if that’s not enough to scratch my itch on learning new things, she also brings in another cultural tidbit: hwachae, a Korean fruit punch. Apparently, this drink went viral on TikTok and you know what? Well deserved. It looks so yummy and perfect for the hot weather we’ve been having this side of the world!
Annyeong Ari isn’t just about the fun things, though. In it, Ari also talks about current issues that impact her country, as she did in “The Day All Schools Stopped.” Below is a snippet of her entry:
*Trigger warning: The newsletter issue below mentions death and suicide.
She has so much things to share with us and we have so much to learn from her – current happenings, delicious recipes, and the Korean language. She covers them all in every issue and does it with her distinct balanced style of being flippant yet heartwarming. I’m really glad I came across her newsletter. Annyeong Ari is definitely a keeper!
That’s all I have for you today, folks! I hope you enjoyed reading this mini midweek dispatch. Now let’s gear up for the (few!) remaining workdays and power through until Friday. *sends you good and chill vibes* Now I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for the weekend. My brain has turned to mush and I need all of Saturday and Sunday to recharge.
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