Hello from Portland, where I'm supposed to be in surgery right now.

The good news is I have a new date: January 2, 2026. The day after new year, the other ball will drop.

...

I'll be over here.

Anyway, just a quick how do you do. Things are feeling a bit end of the year right now, after I got next quarter's training calendar out of my hand, and the holidays coming up. So it's time to evaluate some habits, and get them tuned up.

Right now, I am about (checks the folder) 262 poems into the year. Not too shabby. I'm also 37 days into at least a poem a day. Which is a tidy little streak. My goal this year (november to november) is to write every single day. It doesn't have to be publishable. It doesn't have to be perfect. It has to be written.

A day with writing is better than a day without writing. We know this. All of us who read this know this. If I write, the day is at least 10% better. Especially if I write in the early morning.

I have my writing corner set up for the early mornings. A little spot with the black book, open to desktop 1, and a blank Obsidian window every morning. Little paper calendar with places to physically x. Sticky notes and pens. Fizzy water. A big poetry anthology to steal from. A bliss station. Start the day here every morning. It's easier to write if you have a setup.

I've also been working on my office set up at work. I'm not able to slack as much digitally as in other jobs (I'm mega efficient at work so I can fuck off more), so I've got notebooks and small text windows set up when I finish a task, and need a decompress break. Don't tell my boss that paper can't be tracked.

My next publication is hitting the stands soon. If you'd like a copy, you can find it here: https://www.pilepress.com/product/issue-11-pre-order

I've had a ton of publications this year (about 6) but this is the first one with a physical copy in a while. So I'm excited to have it in hand.

This week was going to be disappointing. No surgery. No plans. But now we have 2 friendsgivings (with my friend Andrea, who I am currently watching every Steven Spielberg film with, and my friends Bev and Samantha) and a delightful "lay around in bed with a friend and catch up between...whatever..." with my dear friend REDACTED BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE CONSENT TO SHARE HER NAME on Friday. So a busy weekend.

Which is nice because damn, friends, I'm still really depressed that my surgery got shifted because of my weight. I'm still feeling heartbroken about my body. I still feel the opposite of sexy. I still feel like a failure.

I was talking to a friend about this a couple of days ago. She was one of the first girls that I met when I moved to Portland, anarchist trans writer, canceled soon after for a breakup that went viral, moved somewhere else to find a quieter life. Anyway, she has hooked her way to all the surgeries, and has finally found peace in her body. I want one thing, I said. I know, hon, she said. I wish I could pass along all the changes magically. But you'll get your one thing.

Anyway, that's it from me. Thanks for being awesome. It was nice to meet a couple of you in person for the first time (wild that I have readers that I don't know closely). I hope you find yourself with friends. Fuck the government. Be good to yourselves.

Love and stuff,

Misha Lynn Moon