✷ greetings ✷

hi hello! i’m back from my break[down]! i really marinated in all that time off. it's slow going, but my nervous system is beginning to get the idea.
 

image description: a screengrab from @gendersauce's instagram, there's a small black and white clipart man hiding under a large top hat with text, "sometimes i just need cave time, where no one says shit and it's very dark."

✷ changes ✷

firstly, this newsletter will now be a top of every month thing!

shipping: shipping on my website is now $4.40 across the board! no more confusing choice at checkout where i inevitably get shorted postage/end up making negative money! use the discount code NOBUTTONS for the old price if yr not buying buttons. this was a looooong time coming. there’s a longer explanation in my website faq. anyway! orders now ship once per week, usually on fridays.

email responsiveness: i’ve added a note to my website contact forms that i like to chew on emails for a couple days before responding. i don’t know if anyone cares, but a lot of my job is email and sometimes i Just Cannot Email. but i always feel anxious about not responding fast enough.

image description: a screengrab from @arcanebullshit's instagram. the header reads, "how the email found me." a large vulture is labeled, "the email" and is hovering over a person splayed out and chained to a boulder, labeled "me (not well)."

website changes: i’m no longer doing the free mini zine with purchase of 1 regular zine. i’m working on adding a tip option and maybe a pay it forward system? i also changed the bulk order page to say i need minimum 3 weeks notice for bulk orders, even though i’m certain no one is gonna read it lol.

a schedule appears: i gave myself office hours? they're tues & thurs, plus one mon or fri per week, 11-4. i hope this helps keep me from overworking!

✷ reimagining work ✷

some new mantras i'm desperately trying to internalize:

✷ i won’t make things easier for future alyssa at the expense of present alyssa.

✷ fuck capitalism, internalize this: my worth is not tied to my income. rest and play are always more important. do the bare minimum.

✷ work at art, not business. the goal is to pay the bills without a boss, not have a "successful" "business."

not only am i laying new ground rules for myself around working, i'm also trying to figure out how to refill the creative well and fix my godforsaken sleep schedule. so far, that's looked like spending waaaaay less time on my phone, and winding down for sleep way earlier. i've been blowing through comedy specials and feel-good tv instead of scrolling, if anyone has recommendations. bonus: this week i dusted off an old ihome that lived in the garage, so i can listen to ye ol' ipod in my room instead of streaming. didn't expect that to bring me as much joy as it did, but it rules! it's like a time capsule from 2013.

✷ zine news / patreon news ✷

i couldn’t come back empty handed lol. while i was out, i made an elliott smith fanzine. it’s called some song: my favorite elliott smith deep cuts. it was fun to work on, and it comes with a playlist that has my favorite recordings of the songs covered in the zine.

image description: my desk ft. a few piles of 1 sheet folded zines, with the new elliott smith zine in the forefront.

that will go out to patrons this month (so update your address asap if needed) and it'll be in the shop as soon as that happens! i also just added a new 1-off digital zine for patrons called double dare ya. it’s a present i made for my nibling as a companion to a playlist (full of riot grrrl, queercore and some newer bands i thought they’d like).

✷ do diy news ✷

i finally made it all the way through my submission backlog! i got a ton of new spots added in december and january. now is a great time to browse. still endless spring cleaning to do but that's kinda the job!

✷ the newsletter just keeps going! ✷

pssst, oly punk rock flea market is looking for a space to hold an event in late march and we have a lead. no promises, but fingers crossed!

i was asked to take part in an event that feels like punching above my weight and i agreed lmao. more on that soon!

i am shamelessly asking for bday mail again! my bday is on the 10th and i love snail mail:

alyssa giannini
225 milroy st nw
olympia wa 98502
 

image description: a screengrab from @arcanebullshit's instagram with old timey art of the devil and a guy with a snake. text reads,"not today, satan!" "i'm too high lol." "what are you doing tomorrow?"

thanks for reading! til next time.

love,
alyssa

~ past perzine newsletters ~