dear friends,
I returned from our south of Turkey roadtrip on sunday and spent much of this week in a post-travel disorientation. today, I’m feeling almost re-acclimated again.
many lives ago, I wrote a short essay called “I calculated how long it takes me to get over a man” but now, I’m thinking about how long it takes to readjust to your daily life, after travel. something like this…
the number of days to readjust after travel =
{(total days of trip +
+ time zone differences (0.1 x zones of difference)
+ culture shock (0.1 x degree of personal shock)
+ strong emotions or nervous system deregulating experiences (1-10 intensity x 0.1 x occurrences))
(÷)
2 + (0.1 x solidity of personal practices) + (0.1 x relative comfort of home))} ?
I just made this up on the spot, so I’m sure my variables are wrong. I’m wondering if I could make a post-travel care kit for my future self (similar to a break-up kit, in the sense that travel changes you, so maybe it’s like a break-up with my past, pre-travel self — and I am the snake, shedding layers of skin with each voyage and return).
I expected a relaxing vacation with a lot of sleeping and painting, but I never opened my sketchbook, and woke up to roosters every morning, then spent the day chasing ancient ruins and secret turquoise bays, and following the whims of my Aries moon-child self and her insatiable craving for adventure.
my partner is the most Capricorn person I know (with an Sag rising) and it’s like traveling with a private security guard who really wants to make me happy. then, there’s Luna, our dog-balloon. the two of them combined are like earth and air.
hopefully, I’ll share some painted digestions soon, and show you all the beautiful things we saw.
~
🍄 this week: I wrote about the three symbiotic practices of art, ecosystem, and alchemy, reflections on making home feel like travel, and time capsule selections from my archives.
🌊 your art, ecosystem, and alchemy
writing this today felt like the ultimate distillation of many years of thinking about art, the internet, and business. I explore how each practice feeds into the next — from making art to making money.
your art, ecosystem, and alchemy — kening zhu
three symbiotic practices for art, sharing, & business
🧳 bringing home the feeling of travel
some journaling / notes to self, organized in a table
bringing home the feeling of travel — kening zhu
the three values that travel inspired in me
🔮 messages from the archives
~this weeks’ curations
the way of the artist-entrepreneur
writing this was a ground-breaking epiphany moment for me last year. (july 2023)
the way of the artist-entrepreneur — kening zhu
a mindset that changed everything in how I approach art + business as an artist — by aligning and inhabiting my whole creative self
infinite creative possibilities for a digital world
a non-exhaustive list of what you could put inside your digital ecosystems (january 2024)
digital world-building: a map of creative possibilities — kening zhu
an exploration of 6 types of things to create for your digital world.
breakups as rebirth: self-care for heartbreak
practices & perspectives from years of dramatic breakups (june 2023)
break-ups as rebirth: self-care for heartbreak — kening zhu
a guide for self-care during heartbreak
five years of this journal
next year, I’ll write a “ten years of this journal” edition. it’s gratifying to see how far I’ve come, and where I began. (december, 2020)
5 years of this journal — kening zhu
all the past lives of this journal, as it accompanied me through 5 years of wayfinding
📝 notes (what's rolling around my head)
iterating my creative work deck: I came back from my travels in the mood for radical simplification — and more spaciousness to exist in the real world. I think the next deck will be circle shaped, color-coded, and more minimalist.
I want to buy a car: for the first time in my life, ever, I feel a desire to buy a car. a car is like the ultimate hybrid of home + travel.
cafe drama/betrayal - I/we have been going through a drama with the coffee shop, involving money, creative energy, gangster-honor, and ex-best-friends. maybe one day I’ll write about it — but this is all to say: the cafe is still happening (with my money, but without me). this whole experience only affirms to me what every good Projector should know: never commit your creative energy (aka money) to people who don’t recognize you.
🍄 inspiration log
still reading: The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter — and savoring every short story here.
listening to: Pleasure Reading by Amelia Hruby. my dear friend’s new podcast! a delight to listen to no matter what book tastes you have.
listening to: Perfect Days on Mubi Podcast. I haven’t seen this film yet but listening to this conversation really made me want to…
🪄 alchemy plans
I’m very excited about what’s brewing next for house on the webs: monthly rest stops / office hours, asynchronous world walk-throughs, an illustrated workbook-zine, and much more…
as I’ve been deepening in my own sketchbook practices and honing systems of collecting inspiration, I’ve been feeling an urge to re-open / rebirth visual play camp — as both a course, and a inspiration database to guide you in your visual practice.
I’ve been talking about teaching small workshops for ages, and if rebirthing visual play camp doesn’t happen first, maybe a workshop will. (if you have any dream workshop topic you’d like me to teach on, please write me!)
🌸 goodbye for now...
sending you a glimpse
of a sunken Lycian city
from a small island called Kekova
off the Mediterranean coast
until soon,
🪼 kening
.
.
.
PS. also, I know I haven’t posted a new podcast episode in over a month! hopefully the episodes will be resuming next week.
🗺️ this is guidenotes 50, a weekly letter on creative alchemy & growing digital worlds.
🍃 find me on my podcast: botanical studies of internet magic.
🏔️ explore my course: house on the webs.
🪷 inquire about work with me: advising & creation services.
💧 send me a gift. water my world.