All These Things # 3

Can you believe we’re almost at the end of September? Can you believe we’re actually in September, and it’s been officially Christmas season in the Philippines for several weeks now? This year is just zipping by, and while I am excited for a lot of things later this year (BTS concerts, hello!), I also kind of want to slow down and breathe a bit.

September means several things in my world–first and foremost, September marks Florence’s one-year anniversary of crossing the rainbow bridge. As expected, I had to deal with waves of grief on the days leading up to it, but I suddenly had a lot of work to deal with, so I didn’t cry as much as I thought I would. It feels like he’s been gone so long, but also not quite? I miss him so much.

Funnily enough, the day after the anniversary, I had to rush Pompom to the vet for an emergency. We finally had a sunny day, so I brought her out for a walk, only for her to start acting weird in the middle of it. Turns out she got bit by fire ants, triggering an anaphylactic shock. It was probably one of the scariest hours I’ve had in a year. I ended up visiting the vet where Florence passed to get her treated, and she was so out of it that I thought I was going to lose her then. But we had good vets, and she got treated on time, although she had to stay there overnight to be monitored. She’s home now and doing well, but we had her repeat blood tests, and there are still things we need to address by changing her diet. But I think seeing her get flagged for the same liver marker that Florence also got flagged for last year that kept us returning, is doing a number on my nervous system. o_o So now I’m a little extra worried, but she’s all happy and lively. She’s still young, and I know, objectively, that test results are data to help guide us to action, similar to how I see my results, but of course I still worry because I’m me. Whew. But she’ll be fine, and we’ll be fine.

Anyway, this whole dog ordeal made me run late to the Manila International Book Fair that weekend, but I still made it and had a great time despite the crowds. Here’s a video of everything I got at the book fair!

Reading

I started Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins! I’ve had the ebook since release day, but I stayed away from reading it since then because I wasn’t quite ready for the heartbreak that I know Haymitch’s story will bring me. But today I saw the trailer for the movie, and I have been feeling a little reading slump coming on, so I figured it was time to switch genres a bit from my usual contemporary romance. I still remember bingeing on The Hunger Games and Catching Fire when I was introduced to them years ago, then getting Mockingjay on release day and spending the rest of the night reading. And as much as I am bracing myself for the heartbreak, I know this will be a great book.

Other books I’ve read recently:

Writing

Nothing. Just a lot of things for work, but nothing new…yet. There’s a Thing already lined up for next year that’s just waiting, and another Thing I’m working on with friends, and we hope hoping to release it in time for Kilig Cafe next year. I did just finish outlining the second Thing, and while I still need to research a bit, I think I may be ready to start writing it. I hope to finish it by December! Let’s go.

Listening

As you may have seen on the list above, I am hooked on the Graphic Audio versions of Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series. I started listening to this because I finished This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me (Maggie the Undying #1), and I had such a hangover that I wanted to reread. But I had to beta read another story, so I reluctantly let that go for now, but I still want to read another Ilona Andrews book and decided on Hidden Legacy. I found the Graphic Audio version on Everand, and they’re SO GOOD.

My first encounter with an audio drama was in college, when someone shared a copy of the dramatized version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I remember enjoying the sound effects and Aslan’s roars, so immersing myself in the Hidden Legacy universe this way is such a treat. I’ve breezed through the first three books, and I’m now at Diamond Fire, but the Catalina arc isn’t in Everand yet, so maybe I’ll reread the Innkeeper series while I wait for that to be available.

Watching

Criminal Minds. There was a time I was going through Law & Order: SVU on Prime and Netflix, then I missed the BAU, so I resubscribed to Disney+ to start from the beginning. I have watched the whole series except for the latest Evolution seasons once through, so this is really more background noise for me now while I work and write, but I am truly fond of this cast.

I read somewhere on an Instagram post that we like watching these kinds of shows because even if the world is terrible, at least there’s justice in these shows. And at least we have the likes of Olivia Benson or Emily Prentiss. In the same way, maybe that’s why I like reading romance so much–because in the midst of the terribleness of the world, there is love and justice in the happily ever afters/happy for nows, too.

You know what I would love, though? The CSI franchise on any streaming service. CSI:NY, specifically. Gimme this, please.

Loving

My Pilot Kakuno with a medium nib that I got from the last Manila International Book Fair. I’ve been a fine/extra fine nib girl ever since I got into fountain pens because I have small handwriting, but I decided to get a medium nib this time just to try and to have one in my collection. I inked it last Monday with Vinta’s Burnt Sugar / Arnibal (a sample gifted by Kristine of Book Lover Titas and a fellow pen-abler haha), and I am in love? It’s so smooth and juicy, and I can see the shading! It’s so pretty!

Of course, this is a Japanese nib, which is equivalent to a Western F, so I’m not really sure if I will also like the medium nib in other pens. My TWSBI EFs are like Pilot Fs but a little thicker, so I can see some shading when I write with them. But this medium nib is a revelation, and it is so juicy and smooth. I can’t wait to try my other inks in this pen (and maybe try another M nib :P).

Thinking

I need to stop taking back the things I already surrendered to God in prayer just so I can worry about them. There’s no use being anxious about things (especially at night, before bed!), and surrendering means I let God take care of it. And since I also asked Mama Mary’s help for it, then I should try harder to leave it in her most capable hands.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything! (The Surrender Novena)