More of This, Please

On Taking Time Off and Having No Plans

I took a week off and didn’t go anywhere. And I realized a few things:

• Changing the people around you can tell you a lot about the people you have around you.

• Environments can set you up to succeed or fail.

• You don’t need to be productive when you’re off.

• Rest is necessary. Period.

I didn’t have an itinerary or a packed list of tasks. My only to-dos were simple: visit a few nurseries, find some new plants for the yard, and make lots of art. And, I didn’t share any of it online. I stayed offline as much as possible.

Every morning, I made a cup of matcha and stood at my back door watching the hummingbirds at the feeder. I didn’t realize how much I missed them. They always arrive like tiny reminders that joy doesn’t need permission. It just shows up.

I started sitting outside, checking on the herbs and flowers growing in the raised beds, and daydreaming about the yard I’m building.

I made art every single day. I visited the art store and treated myself to some new watercolor brushes. I held a $500 sable brush, admired it, and quickly put it back. I took a few drawing and painting classes and played around with digital art again. Making art daily was my favorite part of the week, and I’ve kept it going.

I finished reading Poppy Wars and it is hands down one of the best books I have ever read. I started Piranesi by Susanna Clarke but had to pause. It feels like the kind of book that needs your full attention so the worldbuilding makes sense from the start. Since I tend to read multiple books at once, it had to come out of the stack. I also finished Kennedy Ryan’s Can’t Get Enough and it was a nice end to the Skyland series.

The best part of the week was having the space to slow down, pay attention, and do only what I wanted to do.

It was good. It was needed. And I will absolutely do it again.

Out In These Internet Streets

• it’s giving mood zine if you are not a paid subscriber

• KeKe Palmer on House Guest with Scott Evans is so good

• Watching the thought process of Ten Hundred designing his trading card game

• Roy Wood Jr. chatting with Hasan Minhaj

• Subway Takes are excellent