✷ greetings ✷

i hope you're all hanging in there! i've been struggling with what to write this month because the situation in gaza is so dire, everything else feels kinda trite??? here's a super comprehensive tumblr post if you're feeling helpless and wanna take action but don't know where to start. 

i haven't really been advertising for the holidays much because it feels way too icky at a time like this. it's absurd to me that people can just ignore an ongoing genocide, much less endorse it. i still wanna (perhaps naively) believe that a lot of people who can't get behind palestinians just fundamentally misunderstand what's going on? every time i scroll instagram i kinda wanna scream because the juxtaposition of holiday ads and unthinkable atrocities is just WILD my dudes. i don't think our brains are supposed to be able to parse that tho.

i hope you're able to carve out a little peace this month amidst the routine chaos of the holidays and The World At Large. let's keep fighting in all the little ways we can.

✷ rip tinyletter ✷

mailchimp has unfortunately decided to end tinyletter. i'm scooting over to substack, so this will be the last newlestter sent thru tinyletter. new year, new host. january's newsletter will come thru substack, so be sure to check your spam and opt into emails if you get a confirmation from substack! i'm moving the oly punk rock flea market mailing list to substack too. it seems like a cool site? i won't miss tiny letter's glitchy editor. 

✷ shop / holiday cutoffs ✷

place your orders by december 14th if you want them to arrive by xmas! usps notoriously experiences delays and lost mail this time of year. pls be patient with small businesses <3 also I WILL BE ON VACATION DEC 25TH - JAN 1ST. orders placed during that time will ship january 3rd.

i recently introduced a new mystery bundle, 3 mini zines and 3 stickers for $13.12! ;-) there's an option to select one sticker or zine you want to be for sure included, the rest will be a surprise. also i have gift cards on offer and no one has ever purchased one lol, they start at $6.66.

✷ leaning into rest ✷

it's become abundantly clear to me that i need to lean into rest in the winter, which is a funny thing to try to do in tandem with the holiday rush. i haven't been as busy as in previous years, so i've been finding time to chill. but more than that, i have an interest in chillin for maybe the first winter ever? i usually overwork in the winter because i'm depressed and it helps keep my mind off things. this winter i don't have that intense drive to be working on the next thing. i finish my stuff, i feel satisfied, and then i go watch a movie or something. i could get used to this.

i've always hated this time of year but i feel less grouchy on the antidepressants. i even made little paper santa hats for the diy cardboard halloween bats i have in my window year round. i feel like a broken record sharing about my experience on antidepressants but damn, i wish i had tried them sooner. 

✷ second home ✷

the show i bottomlined for josh last month went really well, which had pretty much nothing to do with me lol. i've been organizing events for a long time but i never get over the acute anxiety that no one will show up (especially with music events). luckily that wasn't the case for this gig!

i got to meet dakota irl (someone i've been friends with on the internet for at least 10 years - check out his band new junk city! he can also fulfill your screen printing needs!). our last minute bill worked out well, i got to meet some folks who put on masks required gigs at their house (swamp house!) and rat cage (a high school hardcore band) brought a TON of kids out. us old farts had a grand time thanks to them. let's hear it for diy lifers! let's hear it for high schoolers!

we're still reading up on nonprofit stuff, i've been reaching out to similar orgs in the area and trying to peep their bylaws because i haven't the slightest clue how to write those/what to snake from templates to cover our asses when we apply.

✷ upcoming events ✷

friday december 22nd at new moon: we have the date reserved for a second home benefit gig. the bill isn't totally settled but i'll be playing, wavers will be bringing the fun, and trust fall will maybe be doing a special set. it should start at 7, ideally $10 (no one turned away for lack of funds), please wear a mask! i'll be bringing some masks with me. hopefully we'll have door prize goodie bags for this. keep an eye on @secondhomegigs for updates!

✷ covid safe(r) events/places list ✷

i've been working on compiling a list of events/venues/shops that require masks (or have a masks required hour/day). it's pacific northwest focused, feel free to send stuff i should add! 

✷ fucking hooray ✷

✷ coffee walks: a few days a week, i make coffee and take a little walk around my neighborhood. i often get to pet cats, visit with chickens, spot fun mushrooms, have little human interactions. bonus points for getting that precious daylight in the early part of the day as is helpful to seasonal affective disorder!
✷ PERMANENT lil free zine library is imminent!!!! i have procured a structure, gotta jazz it up and figure out exactly where to plant it.
✷ i've been in a music rut lately but you are good: a feelings podcast about movies has been so good for my heart, i love movies and i love the way the hosts examine them with humor and nuance! it's also very queer. 
✷ i'm looking forward to my very planned very real vacation which will take place between xmas and new years, very excited to do nothing instead of having a overwork-induced nervous breakdown!
✷ i have decided i'm going to take a trip to lancaster in april to table at lancaster zine fest (a thing that did not exist when i lived there!)

til next time! thanks for reading!

love,
alyssa

~ past perzine newsletters ~