👋🏼 Yellow, World!

I’m happy to be back in your inbox. I hope my last bulletin was the friendly dose of cool finds you needed. I know I’ve been writing more lately, so I wanted to be mindful and share content without overwhelming others. Hence why I renamed this and the previous bulletin as “mini” issues.

In the last “mini” issue, I mentioned that some cool stuff would be coming your way, though I failed to specify that I would be more active on social media. I’ve been making videos, aka reels, and in the process learned not to be overly concerned with perfection. Check some of these reels here. 📹

Another cool thing I’m doing is working on ways to bring the Bean-Sized Bulletin to your actual mailbox. This is still a work in progress, but I hope to have some updates next month. If you want to support this bulletin, please consider joining my Ko-fi memberships. There are three membership tiers available for all my fellow beans!

📚 Book Nook

CHAPTER  1
Each year when Shesheshen hibernated, she dreamed of her childhood nest.
Oh, the warmth of it. A warmth unlike anything in the adult world, soft and pliable heat keeping her and her siblings alive. In that warmth, they were fed raw life. Her father’s ribs, rich in marrow, cracking delicately in their mouths, and providing the first feast of their lives. His fat deposits were generous, and his entrails sheltered them from the cruel winter ele- ments. If Shesheshen could have spent her entire life inside the nest of his remains, she would have.

Amazing Stories

I was feeling stuck between books. My passion for voice work sometimes means my shelf leans heavily non-fiction. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but my little heart does need fiction. It calls for it, especially when the world feels like too much. 🥲

So Ale, my fiancée, lent me this book to try, and oh my spookiness! I dove into Chapter 1 and was completely blindsided by that opening (the one in the quote above).

I usually share books I’ve finished reading, but as you can see, I try not to force myself to read just for the sake of reading. I need to feel inspired and a little eager. If you’re interested in following along to see what this book has in store for me, you, us, I invite you to read Chapter 1 of Someone You Can Build a Nest In.

🎮 Game Corner

There’s something powerful about a game that gives you no instructions—just space. Hollow Knight throws you into Hallownest, a fallen insect kingdom full of decay and mystery. You’re a small bug with a nail. There’s no narrator. No quest log. No glowing arrows.

David

Back in 2022, I started playing Hollow Knight for the first time ever. I went from not playing video games that much to venturing into some really challenging games I never thought I’d be able to play.

I know I usually share games I’ve more or less completed, but I won’t lie—Hollow Knight has been a game I haven’t been able to bring myself to finish. Not really for lack of trying. I’ve started the game four times, on different consoles and at different times, put forth over 200 hours, and once I did get pretty close to wrapping this one up. But I couldn’t. I just, couldn’t.

Every time I’ve played this game, I’ve been able to notice new details, learn more about the story, and even cry at moments that just hit different. I love this game, and honestly. I just didn’t want it to end. There’s something about finishing a beautiful experience that feels like losing it. 🥺

I’m now on my fifth try, 12 hours in, and I think this time I will push through and reach the end. If you’ve ever experienced this with anything—a book you read slowly, a series you can’t bear to finish, a creative project you keep tweaking instead of sharing—I hear you! It’s hard, but maybe it just takes time for us to turn the page, and that’s okay.

🔍 Curated Discoveries

Husky's music plays much like Gawenda's lyrics: spare one moment, bursting with feeling the next. Pitched somewhere between the pristine, pocket-orchestral feel of early Sufjan Stevens and the intricate, ever-changing popcraft of the Shins, they're preternaturally confident for a young band, piling on when needs be but just as willing to pull back to almost nothing.

Pitchfork

Living through unprecedented times calls for unprecedented tenderness. Now, don’t mistake tenderness for weakness. For me, tenderness is essential. One way I put it into practice is through the music I hear.

Husky is one band I come back to when I need to show myself some compassion. Even in during difficult times, we may sometimes forget what a little cariñito can do for our well-being. If your heart ever needs a cozy corner to retreat, may Husky’s music be that safe corner you need.

Though linguistic discrimination is commonplace, it’s not widely discussed, and this long-running monthly podcast is working to change that.

The New York Times

As previously mentioned in my last linguistic gems recording, this podcast is a must! Many Vocal Fries episodes focus on language, linguistics, society, and culture. 🌎

In their episode “Writing Beyond Writing,” hosts Megan and Kerry invite Tim Brookes to examine what writing actually is. I encourage you to follow the show—it’s consistently thoughtful.

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