Life Updates and a New Future for the Blog
Hi, I hope you’ve been well!
I’m not active on Instagram/Facebook anymore, and don’t plan to return. I do still comment on tiktok sometimes and unexpectedly got a huge amount of interest in a paper I wrote. So I posted on here to give people a place to read it (because they kept asking?? like…dozens of people???). I’m planning on revisiting the topic for my Misinformation class this semester so perhaps I’ll include a blog post while I’m working on that too.
Where have you been?? What’s up??
Ayy! You know, it’s hard to answer how I am these days. I have a roof over my head, I’m regularly going to the gym, and I’m eating well……but there are heavily armed National guard patrolling my neighborhood and fascism is taking over America. And that all has a negative impact on my mental health, just ain’t know other way to cut it. I’m getting through it and I guess doing my best to focus on the things that bring me joy where I can.
I’m in my second year of my Strategic Communications graduate program and loving it. It’s exactly as invigorating and engaging as I hoped it would be. I was pretty scared about going from fine arts into so many STEM classes but it turns out a paper is a paper and a lot of the skills are transferable. It’s giving me opportunities to research topics I’m deeply invested in, and the caliber of the professors and classmates is just top-notch.
It’s a rough time to be getting a degree in political science….but hey, at least I’m really well informed in how propaganda works now…
I’m taking things slow, only one class a semester but I’m really enjoying the pace, even if it means it’ll take me longer to graduate.
At the Maryland Renaissance Festival in an outfit I made 100% by myself?! Even the little purse!
Older photo of my pride and joy: my traditional Fair Isle sweater knit in Shetland wool. It’s almost finished now and will definitely be getting a blog post all it’s own.
What to expect from this blog:
Research explorations from school - The topics for these will likely be heavy as I’m focusing my studies on sex trafficking.
Knitting - To cope with the stress of the election and to get myself to stop using social media so much, I picked up knitting! I’ve found a lovely knitting community on Bluesky (the only social media I do still use).
Sewing projects - I took into to fashion during my undergrad and discovered that I love to sew. Got my sewing machine serviced and I’ve made ~7(?!) new items for myself!! It’s challenging and so so rewarding also removes me from the fast fashion cycle and gives me full control over materials. I’m on a sewing hiatus while I knit Christmas gifts but as soon as I can I’ll be jumping back in.
Transparently, plants will likely not the be main focus of this blog anymore. I’ve soured on the plant community at large (not everyone!!) and am turning my research skills on more pressing issues. But I do still have a sizable collection so I will do some planty check-ins .
Likely will be discussion of mental health and living with PTSD as these are significant factors in my life and played a big role in my content on instagram.
Occasional rants about living through the end of American democracy