The Everything Fall and the Kitchen Sink Newsletter
Phew! I don’t know where October began, but it ended in a blur. This month I managed to have an excellent convention experience at GameHoleCon, push through some long-standing projects, get caught up on volunteering, prep for winter, and enjoy a low-key spoopy holiday. (For those of you who need a spoopy palette cleanser, Upload Season Three on Amazon Prime just dropped! If you liked The Good Place, you’ll love this show!) I even managed to turn around a submission on a tight deadline and update my whiteboard. Woo!
Now, as I look ahead, I’m taking a beat to celebrate and plan small, joyful moments for the winter (outside of sh*tty knitting and Genshin Impact) like DAVID TENNANT IS COMING BACK AS DOCTOR WHO ZOMG. I’m hoping to try new confections to bake and finally re-learn crochet. When I was wee, I used to crochet with string, and I’ve forgotten all of those skills. Still, I wound up getting swamped during OcTOADber and am now working on a piece that incorporates all the toads I missed. To avoid overcommitting, I’m opting not to participate in NaNoWriMo, but I have a few contributions in DriveThruFiction’s NaNoWriMo Sale.*
Well, that’s the “fall” part of the newsletter, so here’s the kitchen sink: I want to share a few things I learned about conservation since I started volunteering at the zoo. And, I need to preface this by sharing an uncomfortable fact: We are living in the sixth mass extinction. Yeahhhh... It’s “a lot” to unpack. Part of what I’ve been learning, however, is all the ways that regular ole humans (like you and me!) can do something tangible in your life. Actions like using reusable bags instead of plastic or paper. If you’re worried about size? I got you! The November 2023 Nanobags Kickstarter features several new designs—I love these bags and have some in regular and extra-large sizes. They work great for travel, too!
It’s no secret I have... Well, my thumbs aren’t a nice shade of green that’s for sure. I’ve gotten better over time, but gardening and indoor plant maintenance has been a work-in-progress. I’m most proud of my terrarium—a pandemic relic that survives and thrives! I’ve also been learning more about native plants and how they’re incredibly important for the environment. Plants that are safe for animals to eat and use as shelter are essential to their survival, too.
If you have a yard or garden, it might be worth exploring native plants or setting up a pollinator garden for the bees. If you don’t? Depending on your bandwidth, please think about volunteering at your local botanical garden, museum, zoo, etc. Even a few hours here and there helps!
On to winter, I suppose, with all it’s bluster. Before I go, I just want to take a moment and mention how grateful I am for all of you. Thank you for being here, reading my updates, and sticking with me. There’s more to come! For now, though, I’ll just sip my espresso and keep on, keepin’ on.
Be well!
* Yep, links to DriveThru and Amazon in my newsletter are affiliate-related. I get a little kickback if you decide to shop.