Arthur Ashe Boulevard highway exit, 2017

Hello and happy new year, if we haven't spoken since 2022. I, for one, would like a medal for writing a newsletter about a given month before the month is out. Keeping it short today because today is a day to get out and enjoy the world. (I am procrastinating from doing that by writing this letter.)

This month, my self-appointed job has been to think more clearly about what I love and why, and allowing myself to love them even more deeply. This does apply to things like video games, but also, I've made a real effort to read more this month.

I have also embodied a little discipline: I have been doing a 30-day yoga challenge, I started seeing a personal trainer, and I've started to look at things like diet and exercise less from the perspective of "I'm in my 20s, I do what I want" and more through the lens of "I only get one body, and it would be nice to still have all my faculties at 50 or 60." I'm working with a mentor I trust on queerness, identity, and getting what I want.

Here's just shy of 2,000 words I submitted to a freelance writing job at Ranker this morning. They asked for niche interests, and so I delivered.

Mario Wings to the Sky... Or Does He?

I'm hoping to fill out elliemusgrave.com/blog with more posts, but in the meantime, feel free to read back on older posts.

A couple of asks: if anyone has advice about how to "break into" the world of freelancing (laughing wryly at myself here), feel free to reach out. Also, if anyone has a reason why I should not adopt this tiny kitten I met recently who's named after August Wilson, please tell me now.

In other N64 news I just remembered the "purposeful little grey cat" theme song.

More stuff:

• Two friends, Nikhil and Zoë, launched new newsletters over the past month! Nikhil writes reflecting pool and Zoë writes tiny report card. Go give them your emails.

• Ben Seretan, champion of ambient music and the weekly newsletter, put together all of the songs from his weekly newsletters between 2020-2022. They're available for purchase here! Go give Ben your money.

• If you're a subscriber you likely already know that boygenius recently put out some singles in anticipation of a new album. If you haven't read the Rolling Stone interview, I recommend it. Go give them your eyeballs.

• Hearing Japanese Breakfast cover Head Over Heels made me realize I have been mishearing the second verse for as long as I've loved Tears For Fears (a long time).

I'm going to go do the yoga I put off doing last night.

x E