This week has been a weird one. I say weird, because I don’t know that I have an adjective that could encompass all the everything. So, weird it is, and in this case, I mean that in a derogatory manner.

Some of it is the world, and some of it is personal. (Nothing dire, but the house doesn’t need to be on fire for things to be hard.)

Yesterday, I cried. Twice. And I’m not even sure how to name the feeling. Or explain it. Or untangle it. Or if I even want to do any of that. (I don’t.)

But if there’s one thing I’ve never been accused of, it’s being cold or unfeeling. I have all of the emotions, always, and that’s not necessarily fun or convenient. In fact, it’s almost never those things.

But by the evening, I got to see cat photos that brought me joy, made a meal I love (japanese egg salad sammich and spicy coleslaw on the side), and got to talk to a friend about the Struggle of All the Everything, while sharing the joys that help. All this lifted my heart.

I want to talk about some joys. So, in no particular order:

Spring flowers, hot coffee on a chilly morning when the fog is creeping along the ground, the little chirpy meow my cat does, sharing ridiculous photos with friends, chocolate (preferably dark), candy for breakfast (Sweet Day ftw!), making my dad laugh, writing poems, and feeling safe.

If you are also going through it (like so many of us are), make a list of things that bring you joy, things that you love. Get a pen and paper if you need to. It will help, trust me.

Bits and Bobs

• There is a cool Kickstarter that my friend Gil has a comic in! It’s wonderful. Please check out REAL LIFE COMIX: Only in New York.

• A.C. Wise has an excellent new story out at Nightmare. You can read it here: https://www.nightmare-magazine.com/fiction/the-final-girl-trap/

• The U.K. cover for Cassandra Khaw’s incredible forthcoming book, Find Me Where It Ends, just dropped—and it’s gorgeous!

• You should definitely check out some of the incredible art my friend Liz has for sale. (She did my header on Bluesky!)

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  https://youtu.be/9eyTSI3Qf0Y?si=yTautFdHWWpdpkqQ

  *title stolen shamelessly from an Anne Sexton poem that I have loved for years and years