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2024 Zines Part One

Thursday, February 8, 2024 0 Art Projects, Zines No tags Permalink

One of my goals for this year is to create two zines a month. In January, I did slightly better than two. So here are my 2024 zines part one. In addition to these three, I did a completely hand-drawn piece that will not be circulated but was more of an experiment, and a fun piece for a dear friend that was just copied and sent to her.

This is a mini-zine, eight pages including the front and back cover, was made using washi tape, fancy paper, mini sticker photos, printer text, hand text and drawings. I had 50 copies printed at Allegra and have sent some out to pen pals and for zine trades. It is also available on my Etsy and I actually sold one yesterday! That’s right, first ever zine sale to Redondo Beach, CA. Super excited about that one.

Next zine up is a slightly larger zine, again eight pages including front and back cover, stapled. This zine was created with washi tape, vintage wrapping paper, vintage wall paper, vintage postage stamps, hand lettering, and the whole thing was typed up on my 1965 Olympia SM9 typewriter. Then I had it printed at Allegra as well. I have also been sending it to pen pals and in trades, but still need to put it up on Etsy.

Finally, we have Brood XIX. This is another eight page mini zine including front and back cover. It’s hand drawn and handwritten, and then photocopied on plain paper. However, it does come with it’s own sticker! Again, I need to get this one up on Etsy. I have been sending it in trades and to pen pals.

I’ve got a couple of zine ideas written down, and I am working on painting one right now. It is a slow process though. For whatever reason, February seems to be especially busy and I don’t have much time for projects as of yet. Hoping that will change a little. Keep an eye on the old YouTube channel, as I will be doing flip-throughs on these zines and a review of some excellent zines I’ve purchased or traded for recently. Hope your February is off to a great start!

Oscars 2024

Tuesday, January 30, 2024 0 Streaming TV/Movies No tags Permalink

It’s time for the Oscars 2024 review! Nominations have been released in my favorite categories. I’ll continue to watch as films become available for streaming, and will update this until the awards show takes place on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Films available online for free will have hyperlinks in their titles. I will note next to the title where other films are available, or not, as the case may be. The ones I watch, I will review. Please comment below what you’ve seen, what you enjoyed, and what you would like to see win!

Best picture

I find that the nominees for Academy Awards are often quite different than what the American public enjoys seeing at the movie theater. As such, it becomes more difficult for me to discuss the Oscars 2024 with coworkers and friends who are not specifically watching for awards season. And for myself, the nominees are often bleak or challenging to watch. I’ve had to break my viewing into small segments, interspersed with palate-cleansers (the 1980s mini-series North and South for this year). Of the movies I’ve seen over this past year, my favorite viewing was Asteroid City and it wasn’t nominated. As I do not go to theaters to watch movies, the ones I’ve seen are the ones I can stream.

“American Fiction” – In theaters
“Anatomy of a Fall” – Rent on Amazon. I rated Anatomy of a Fall 3/5 stars in my bullet journal. This film is in French and English, and is one of the shorter films nominated at 2 hours, 31 minutes (which is still a long film). It is a courtroom drama that somehow reminds me of Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton’s plight in being judged by foreigners who don’t necessarily share the same showing of emotions and actions. The bleakness of the scenery and color of the surroundings help to demonstrate the situation at hand. There is a dog scene in there, though the dog does not die, in case you worry about that sort of thing. This film is also nominated for best original screenplay and film editing. Sandra Hüller is nominated for best actress, and Justine Triet for best director.
“Barbie” – Stream on Max. I mentioned above that I really loved Asteroid City. Barbie World in the beginning of this film is the same visual delight. The rest of it? Meh. It just didn’t do it for me. I was pretty successful in the box office, and it obviously got a lot of nominations. Ryan Gosling was nominated for best supporting actor as was America Ferrera for best supporting actress. The film was nominated for best adapted screenplay, and songs “I’m Just Ken” and “What Was I Made For?” as well as costume design and production design. Still, I rated it 2/5 stars.
“The Holdovers” – Peacock. For most of the Oscars, I can’t say that I really enjoyed watching them for the sake of a good movie. They are noteworthy or thought-provoking or whatever. But The Holdovers, I enjoyed. It made me laugh. Not like last year’s Triangle of Sadness, but still, laughter. There is also a poignant kindness that reaches into your soul. The characters are genuinely likeable. Paul Giamatti is up for best actor and Da’Vine Joy Randolph for best supporting actress. The film is also up for best original screenplay and film editing. It’s not as seemingly destined for Oscar wins, and yet I hope sincerely it wins for each nomination.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” – Apple TV. A number of years ago, I attempted to read the book this film was based on. I stopped part way through as I found it just too depressing. The movie is, not surprisingly, just as depressing but it is an important part of American history and good to know the background on. I think the movie is more accessible than the book. It is long, though. Three hours and 26 minutes long. Lily Gladstone was nominated for best actress, and I think she was just amazing in it and absolutely deserves to win. I’d love to see her in future films as well. Robert De Niro is nominated for best supporting actor and Martin Scorsese for best director. It is nominated for best original score and best song for “Wahzhazhe (A Song For My People)” as well as for cinematography, costume design, film editing, and production design. I loved the cinematography, but I also enjoyed Oppenheimer for the same category so I’m not sure which should win. But yes, Lily Gladstone is absolutely amazing. For the overall movie, I rated this 3/5 stars.
“Maestro” – Netflix. Goodness. I started this movie and got about 20 minutes in. I will likely go back and finish it? Maybe? Tell me if you enjoyed it and if it’s worth giving it another chance.
“Oppenheimer” – Rent on Amazon, stream on Peacock Feb. 16. Bob and I watched Oppenheimer together. It is long. Three hours long, which is shorter than Killers of the Flower Moon. But still really very long. It’s a period piece that goes back and forth in time. Some of it is shot in black and white, some in color. A lot of the actors look a lot the same and I found that it was difficult to keep everyone straight in the beginning. I think this film could be helped out a lot by watching it through a few times, but for me it’s too long to give it that much attention. Cillian Murphy is nominated for best actor and I think he was quite good. Robert Downey Jr. is nominated for best supporting actor and I think he was outstanding. Emily Blunt was nominated for best supporting actress and I just don’t see it. Christopher Nolan is nominated for best director. The film is nominated for best adapted screenplay, best original score, cinematography, film editing, sound, production design, and makeup and hair styling. I think the score is not bad. When I compare it to last year’s All Quiet on the Western Front, it’s not that good, but it may be good enough to win in this year’s grouping of nominees. Anyhow, I rated this 3/5 stars.
“Past Lives” – Rent on Amazon. This film is subtitled. The cinematography gets me on this film. It is like another character, one you can fall in love with. The soundscape is similar. It’s an interesting question, of who was meant to be in your life. I found some parts of it uncomfortable to watch. The storyline did remind me of the “Before” trilogy directed by Richard Linklater, so if you enjoyed those I think you will love Past Lives.
“Poor Things” – In theaters
“The Zone of Interest” – In theaters

Documentary feature film

Second to my love for short docs, I adore full length documentaries.

“20 Days in Mariupol” – this film is created by Frontline PBS and the Associated Press. It runs 1:35 and is about Russia’s siege of Mariupol, a coastal resort city in Ukraine. I think if you watch this film, you will have two thoughts. First, Putin and members of the Russian military are barbarians, removed from any humanity. Second, the United States needs to support – financially and militarily – Ukraine. Watch it, and tell me it isn’t more frightening than the worst horror movie you can think of. It’s worse than my nightmares. But watch it, please watch it.
“Bobi Wine: The People’s President” – Hulu, Disney
“The Eternal Memory” – Paramount
“Four Daughters” – Kino Film Collection or purchase through Amazon. One hour, 47 minutes. This is a documentary, but told in a most unusual way. It tells of a family of four daughters who endured a challenging childhood. Two of them became radicalized at a young age and are in prison. The family has difficulty telling the difficult parts of their story, so actors are brought in to help. Together, the actors and family form a bond. In the end, I believe everyone is a bit traumatized. This film has subtitles.
“To Kill a Tiger” – not available

Live action short film

Live action short films go hand in hand with animated short films. These small beauties, often foreign-created, leave you feeling fundamentally different than you did before you started viewing.

“The After” – Netflix
“Invincible” – Not available
“Knight of Fortune” – Two older gentlemen happen to meet at a morgue to view their wives. this short film is subtitled into English and runs 25 minutes. It is about making connections in life when you have no one else, but you leave yourself open enough to share a moment or two.
“Red, White and Blue” – Not available
“The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” – Netflix

Documentary short film

Documentary short films are perhaps my favorite category for the Oscars. Getting an entire important story out in a short time frame has got to be one of the biggest challenges of filmmaking. Editors have to be ruthless, while providing enough in the final cut to move us.

“The ABCs of Book Banning” – Paramount. I really enjoyed this film, from MTV. It starts with an impassioned plea to stop book burning by a 100 year old woman, who remembered the book burning of the Nazis. Then it moves to a surprising group of interviewees – children. These kids are smart. Smarter than adults. They speak of racism and LGBTQ+ issues like it’s no big deal. It is simply part of their world, to be different. These kids love learning and love reading, and can’t understand why adults in this country would want to stop that. These kids are caring about others. Watching this film gave me hope for the future, because of the kids. Highly recommend.
“The Barber of Little Rock” – Another New Yorker documentary, this 35 minute piece explores the racial wealth gap. The film follows Arlo Washington, who opened the Washington Barber College and a nonprofit loan fund. The film discusses ‘banking while black’, something white individuals never have to consider. This is a great documentary, exploring how a group of people can make a real difference in a community to improve equity and create justice.
“Island in Between” – The islands of Kinmen, Taiwan are very close, within visual range, of mainland China. This short doc, 19 minutes long, is a reflection on a Taiwanese resident’s growing up and exploring the desire for Taiwan, with the support of the United States, retaking over China from the communists. This early exposure to Taiwanese life is then compared to life after the pandemic when China may be taking a more direct route to retake Taiwan under the One China principle. Through it, you view a beautiful, peaceful island in between two super powers and their desire to remain their own country.
“The Last Repair Shop” – Los Angeles schools provides musical instruments to their students. This repair shop repairs them as needed. This fantastic documentary, 39 minutes long, highlights the importance of music in the lives of the repair workers and the students who use the instruments. Make sure you watch the full credits as well. I absolutely loved this film, and encourage everyone to watch it.
“Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó” – Disney+

Animated short film

I’m often torn by the animated short film category. If you’re not familiar, these are not generally animated films like Disney would make, only shorter. No, they are animated versions of the live action short films and often have very unsettling, adult themes. You may remember Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar speech about animation as more than just children’s movies.

“Letter to a Pig” – not available
“Ninety-Five Senses” – This is a very short animated film, noting the order in which the senses shut down when you die. It is thought-provoking and worth a watch.
“Our Uniform” – not available
“Pachyderme” – This movie clocks in at 11 minutes. It is in French, with subtitles. A nine-year old is afraid of sleeping at her grandparents’ house. There is a dark undertone in this film, which makes you feel unsettled and uncomfortable. The color palette and framing are integral parts of this story. If you watch it, you will be unlikely to let it slip from your mind again.
“War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” – not available

Welcome 2024

Tuesday, January 2, 2024 0 Bullet Journal, Living in Michigan, Misc. Blatherings, Painting, Zines No tags Permalink

Can you believe it? It’s time to welcome 2024! The holidays always go so fast. There’s just something about a fresh new year, though. Full of possibilities! You’ll see my bullet journal vision page spread above. I’ve selected my word of the year, Creativity. I let go of things I cannot control by finding peace. I find peace through my creativity. I also plan on continuing to improve my health, and getting better control of my finances. My yearly bullet journal is where I track my daily activities, as well as my progress on goals of the year. By the end of 2024, I will have increased financial security, health, peace, and creativity.

2024 Goals

Health

I made some good progress on my health in 2023. However, the older I get, the more work seems to be required to maintain. This year, I need to lower my A1C and get my LDL Calculated and Non HDL lower.

Finances

This year, I am going to track every purchase I make and see if I can’t do a better job of planning or stopping the frivolous purchases. I’m going to review my IRA and see if I can’t have a plan for better growth as well.

Creativity

In 2024, I want to get back to regular painting. I find great peace while painting. I already have a project I need to start on right away, so that will be a great start. I plan to paint one piece each month. After taking the prose poetry class last year, I have not made time to keep up with regular writing. It is important to me, and I want to place greater emphasis on it this year. In 2024, I will write four prose poems and month. By the end of the year, I will have one prose poem published. I love zines, and would like to work on creating and sharing more this year. In 2024, I will create two zines per month.

Social Media

I maintain a number of social media pages and groups. In 2024, I want to keep a regular schedule of when things get published and make sure I’m keeping up. I’d like to grow my YouTube channel specifically. Want to help? Here are the links:

Youtube

Instagram

Website

What are you doing for your 2024 goals?

Reading Update December

Thursday, December 28, 2023 0 Good Reads No tags Permalink

It’s time for a reading update December style. All the things I read between spooky thrillers to the end of the year. I was glad to get back to reading this year and I’m already making plans for reading in 2024.

Babel by R.F. Kuang, pictured above, was quite good. It’s fantasy of a historical nature, taking place between England and China in 1830. It’s a good study in social structure and doesn’t have a very complex world or magic system to learn. Well worth the read if you like a book like I’ve described. I sent it on to my friend Kaciana, as she enjoys fantasy books as well.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is a fast science fiction read dealing with multiple universes. I really enjoyed this one, and passed it on to my friend Liz when I was done. It’s absolutely readable even if you aren’t really into science fiction.

Black Sheep by Rachel Harrison tickled my fancy. It starts out having you believe one thing, and then kind of turns it on its head. It was quirky and entertaining. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but my coworker Shevy enjoyed it.

I’m currently reading Melissa Blair’s A Broken Blade. It’s true fantasy and is an entertaining read so far. I’m only a few chapters into it and then had to stop for some sideline projects. It is the sort of light reading that sucks you into the world it creates and doesn’t ask too much of your brain. It’s rather the opposite ends of the fantasy spectrum than Babel is.

I have a number of books up on my TBR list for 2024. I know I need to do a general update, but I’m not sure I will get to it by the end of 2023. The last few months were somewhat challenging as a whole, but I’m looking forward to the new year.

What are you reading now, and what’s next on your list?

Good Reads Thrillers

Thursday, October 26, 2023 0 Vintage Postcards No tags Permalink

It is the spooky season, and I’ve been tucking into some good reads thrillers this month. If you like true crime podcasts, Britbox mysteries and watching 48 Hours, these might be some good books for you. I’ve been following a lot of #booktok recommendations. Watching and then reading, you can kind of sort through which TikTokkers have similar reading taste to you, and which ones have no taste at all! I also wonder what they do for a living, based on how many books they read per week. Some of these I tore right through, and others dragged a bit. I’m a fast reader, but there’s no way I can work full time, do everything I need to around the house, and read eight books in a week.

First up on the good reads thrillers list is The September House by Carissa Orlando, which I am currently reading. I am really enjoying it and it is a fast read. It has an interesting premise, which the author reveals right away. The main character lives in a haunted house, and the haunting reaches peak each year in the month of September. It’s a haunted house, so you can expect some descriptions of gore and death.

good reads thrillers The One by John Marrs

Next up for good reads thrillers is The One by John Marrs. It follows several individuals as they interact with an online dating service that matches you to your one soul mate based on DNA. It was a super fast read, done in about five hours. There is some violence, and not all things turn out well in the end. Still, I think it’s well worth a read for its interesting concept and clear writing.

I am a sucker for a book about a carnival or amusement park. I do compare everything I read in this genre to Stephen King’s Joyland, which I consider to be the best. Wonderland wasn’t as good, but I still didn’t really expect the ending. It’s fairly long, and took me awhile to get through.

Lastly, there is Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter. Lots of folks on TikTok recommend it. I do not. It’s violent. It’s mostly about snuff porn. I wish I hadn’t read it.

What are you reading this spooky season?

September Update

Tuesday, September 26, 2023 0 Crochet/Knitting No tags Permalink

Now that the month is nearly over, I figured it was time for a September Update. The soybean fields are turning gold. The gardens are ready to be put to bed for the year. The robins are gathering to make their trip south, and the other seasonal birds are long gone. The crab apples at Mom’s house have dropped, and stepping on them always reminds me of this scene:

In fact, why don’t we just jump straight to October. I made a hat for a project. Three days, followed the pattern, and this is the completed project:

I have a very small head. But the hat wouldn’t even fit me. I’m not sure it would fit Schlitzie either. Mom’s second knee replacement went well and she is recovering quickly. I had an awesome time with Kirsten, and we even got the carpet removed from Mom’s bedroom. The construction project started up in the lobby of the shelter, which made everyone mad. Does anyone even read this site any more?

October is a spooky month, and I have no creative outlet for it. I will put together some small packages for my pen pals at least.

Canine Carnival Craft Fair

Monday, August 28, 2023 0 Crochet/Knitting No tags Permalink

The Canine Carnival Craft Fair at the shelter took place Saturday, August 26. This year, the second year of the event, we added a craft show. Mom and I had a little crochet booth. Mom did lots of craft fairs when I was young, but this was my first time selling anything.

Bob and I arrived at 6am to start setting up Mom’s booth. After that, we continued to work setting up the shelter tents for the kid crafts, face-painting, scavenger hunt, raffle and t-shirt sales, and more. Shevy did an amazing job with having everything prepared and organized.

So, the craft fair. We had been so busy crocheting items ahead of time, but it looked like a lot less when it was on the tables! I had a giant strawberry, medium strawberry, six strawberry keychains, eight mini froggies, 12 medium froggies and one large froggie, plus 30 hair scrunchies and one shawl. Mom had a couple of shawls, three purses, two hats, a large chicken, two cats, two octopuses, a cactus, a mini whale, four monkey cup holders, an assortment of other cup holders, a goblin and a mermaid. I had put a lot of work into setting up the booth with different levels and props (ferris wheel for froggies), but it didn’t match what I had in my mind. Oh well.

In the end, I sold the medium and the giant strawberry, a medium yellow frog, three scrunchies, and four strawberry keychains for a total of $80. Mom sold the smaller octopus, a cactus, both kitties, the goblin, a red monkey cup holder and four bells for a total of $84.

I’m not going to add in all of the booth hard costs like the tables, tent, table cloths and display items as we can use those again. I’ll have to add up how much yarn I spent. The booth cost was $25. I was pleased I sold some items, and I hope they hold up and folks are happy with their purchases. Mom and I have both gotten some asks for commissioned pieces after the show, which is nice. Over the next week, I’ll be putting up our leftover items on my Etsy account here.

I’m a little surprised the froggies and hair scrunchies didn’t do better. They are quite popular for YouTubers doing their own crochet craft markets. Not counting the fair day itself, or the prep to get the stuff organized for the tables, the crocheting took a fair amount of time and didn’t yield much money or sales in the end. I think it’s a fine hobby to have, and I’d probably do a fair again, but only as a hobby. I can’t see it really turning into a money-making side hustle adventure.

Heartland Yarn Adventure 2023 Day Two

Friday, August 11, 2023 0 Crochet/Knitting No tags Permalink

For the Heartland Yarn Adventure 2023 Day Two, we set off for another set of local yarn shops (click here to read Day One). We started off in Chelsea, which is maybe the loveliest town in Michigan! First shop up was Artisan Knitworks. Love, love, love this shop!

Artisan Knitworks has a collection of the most incredible buttons you’ve seen, and gorgeous yarn. It’s cozy and you just want to stay there. If you go, bring your crochet (or knitting) and sit for a spell!

If you can’t make it to Chelsea in person, check out their website and order online. Also, follow them on social media. You won’t regret it! I went crazy and bought two yarn hanks, one from Hanks Yarning Co which is dyed right there in Chelsea, and one from a company called Fyberspates (UK brand).

After Chelsea, we headed to Ann Arbor. Unfortunately for us, we chose a day that also held the farmer’s market and we couldn’t find a single parking space anywhere. After driving around for quite awhile, we gave up and headed to our final shop in Adrian.

Tink and the Frog has such a fantastic social media presence, I really wanted to go there. We parked and then had lunch at The Buzz Cafe before shopping. It was really tasty.

It’s a really cute little store, and worth going if you are near Adrian! I again bought two hanks of yarn, one from Wonderland Yarns in the color of Cheshire Cat, and Malabrigo Rios yarn in the color Diana.

Road construction in Michigan has been horrendous this year, but Google Maps sent us on a country-road trip for the way home which was nice. We really enjoyed this year’s Heartland Yarn Adventure, and look forward to joining next year!

Heartland Yarn Adventure 2023

Friday, August 4, 2023 0 Crochet/Knitting No tags Permalink

Mom and I joined the Heartland Yarn Adventure 2023, and had such a great time! We visited just four shops in Michigan during two days. It was a great opportunity to visit interesting towns, enjoy great meals and local restaurants, and support local yarn shops and fiber artists.

We started our yarn adventure by picking up our passport at the Yarn Garden in Charlotte, Michigan. It had been many years since I had visited the Yarn Garden, and it was even better than I remember. Probably because the last time I visited, I wasn’t interested in crocheting and yarn! The Yarn Garden is the independent yarn shop of your dreams. It’s so cozy and feels familiar and like the place your soul is meant to wander.

They have gorgeous yarn, wonderful sample projects using the yarn, and the owners are the friendliest people ever. You should absolutely follow them on social media for great content regularly updated.

I wound up purchasing these adorable little cotton yarn cakes to make washcloths, and a beautiful hank of Manos del Uruguay – Alegria Grande yarn (buy your own from the Yarn Garden online here). Mom got a pattern book for amigurumi and yarn cakes to make a cat.

Next up, we went to Woven Art in East Lansing. The folks there are so friendly! It’s a great shop if you’re not only interested in yarn, but in weaving.

Their logo is a cute little black squirrel! I purchased a second skein of Manos del Uruguay yarn, this time in Marla.

After shopping, we stopped at For Crepe Sake, where we had a delicious savory crepe and French strawberry soda for lunch. It was a great first day of shopping!
Come back to see Day 2.

Summer Reads 2023

Tuesday, July 25, 2023 0 Summer Reads No tags Permalink

My last year of summer reads was 2021. After that summer, something happened and I was no longer able to really enjoy reading. I’d get a headache or I couldn’t concentrate or I’d fall asleep. Very frustrating. This year I didn’t set out to do a summer reading program, but I got a new pair of prescription glasses. Instead of my progressive lenses for regular life, this is my prescription complete with prism but only for reading. It has made all of the difference! Though I’ve been quite busy with crocheting for the upcoming craft fair, I’ve managed to complete three books so far this summer. And with the algorithm on TikTok feeding me #booktok suggestions, I’ve got a list of books coming up! Here is the summer reads 2023, so far.

Jane Harper has become my favorite author, and her latest book Exiles came out at the perfect time. Another mystery that takes place in Australia, this book is the perfect mix of interesting story and a gorgeous backdrop described in a way that makes you feel like you’re there. Honestly, 10/10 for me.

Next up, Emma Torzs’ Ink Blood Sister Scribe. I saw this one on TikTok. It is light reading for sure. This book follows two sets of characters who work on writing and curating magic books, and brings them together in a unique way. It was enjoyable, but probably forgettable over time. 7/10.

People on TikTok love this Riley Sager book, The Only One Left. It is a murder mystery and it is set in Maine, which in my view is a great place for a summer read. It is one of those books where it goes along at a good clip, but then everything happens in the last 50 pages. Sager throws in everything and the kitchen sink at the end. I enjoyed the rest of the book more than the ending. I didn’t guess all of the plot twists, but it felt like there were so many that you couldn’t really savor any of them. 6/10.

Next up on my Summer Reads 2023 is another TikTok recommendation. This week is supposed to be hot, hot, hot, 90 degrees plus. Halloween decorations are already out at the stores. Folks are already thinking of back to school, and spooky books are taking over on recommendations. Everyone seems to love The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. Although I think that’s a stupid name for a book, I’m going to give it a try. I just started watching A Discovery of Witches on tv, based on the trilogy by Deborah Harkness which I started reading in 2012. Spooky season is on the way.

What are you reading this summer?