What I've Been Up To
(Updated: February 15, 2025 from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA)
- I'm writing a new book, tentatively called Yore, which is intended to be the first book of a speculative science fiction trilogy. I've been describing it to people as such: “It’s a book set in a world in which we got a lot of things right, but a little late, and in which world peace is sustained, in part, by an international athletic competition similar to a live-action game of Dungeons & Dragons.” I'll hopefully come up with something better at some point, but that overview conveys the basics.
- I've been taking ballet classes since late-July of last year, and it's been great for my sense of balance, stability, proprioception, core- and leg-strength, and all sorts of other things. I originally signed up because 1. I didn't know anything about ballet and I like learning about things, 2. I think it would be great to have more movement (beyond raw exercise) in my life, and dance seems like a great way to do that, and 3. I was trying to work on some postural issues that (long story short) have been contributing to some TMJ problems I've experienced for years. It's helped with all of these things! But I'm also enjoying it for its own sake, as a practice.
- The past year-plus has been partly defined by traveling back and forth between Milwaukee and Seattle, where a portion of my family lives, and where my baby nephew is undergoing physical therapy. They've been through a lot, and the little guy has made tons of progress, but it's also a full-time job for four adults just keeping him going, getting him to all his appointments, and caring for the many pets that also live in that household. Subbing-in periodically is something I can do (and which am glad I can do) to help, and this has been both wonderful (in the sense that I have an excuse to pop out there and see family more frequently) but also a little bit stressful, as the whole situation is somewhat chaotic. I expect that'll continue to be the case (on all counts, though hopefully it becomes progressively less chaotic over time) for the duration of 2025.
- I've been experimenting with several new projects, all of which are incredibly small at the moment—which also means they're a lot of fun, as they don't have to be anything in particular; no expectations, yet. I've been hosting a little weekly reading group here in Milwaukee (just for fun, and to meet more of my neighbors) and I've established a schedule that allows me to get most of my paying work (established projects) finished up for the week if I work with focus on the mornings of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (which then leaves a lot of time for other things, and that's been wonderful on multiple levels).
Things I've Been Recommending
Book: Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh / A page-turner sci-fi novel about utopias, life paths, and radicalism. A fair bit of action, but also plenty of exploration of big ideas and (unfortunately timely) difficult topics.
Song: Shell (of a Man) by Saya Gray / Recently heard some newer work by this artist, but in looking back through her existing catalog, this song stuck out to me and ended being one of the first songs on my 2025 playlist. Funky, catchy, great lyrics.
Gear: Amazfit Band 7 / I have an older model Apple Watch (which I may still use when running outdoors, as the app I prefer for outdoor running isn't on this device), but I recently swapped it out for this cheap little gadget (~$45) because I realized 1. I don't want to wear a watch with a bunch of features all day, 2. Apple Watches don't have stellar battery life (and charging the thing all the time was becoming a chore), and 3. I actually kind of just want a little sensor I can wear without thinking about (or noticing) it, so I can track basic things like steps, heartbeat, and what time I fall asleep and wake up. This fits the bill perfectly, as you can change the settings so it only turns on if you tap it (to check the time), and otherwise it just sits there, taking up no space and weighing nothing at all. You only have to charge it every 2-3 weeks. And it doesn't do anything useful beyond that, so you're not tempted to fiddle with it when you should be doing other things.