Home projects

This is was a gift I finished before I left NY; it made me so happy I had to photograph it in my lap on the way to the airport.

I did one last sweep edit for my new jiseung how-to (was aghast to find a drawn error) and then rushed to the library the next morning to reproduce.

It required THREE trips (1. OMG the non-repro blue pencil is showing up, so angry! 2. Figured it out by lightening the copy by one click, 3. Somehow left one original page behind but found it in the recycling trash). I knew I had to do it ASAP because it was only a matter of time before the libraries would get shut down. Editioned 30 copies that night and cleaned up my writing page, so it's live.

The gym where I swim is also closing and I didn't feel like seeing ignorant people look at my Asian-looking face and have racist reactions (my mom had both silent and yelling reactions while out, another friend's friend who is Chinese was asked to leave her yoga class in Brooklyn. At least they did not have hands put onto them in violence, unlike unfortunate others). So I went for a morning walk at the local metropark where I saw this little sign. Directly above is a bracket to hold your phone and take a picture.

Then you upload the picture to a site that arranges them into a time lapse! I checked online and didn't post mine because someone already did one from this morning, but I love the idea especially because this area is a watershed that is in the process of being restored. I'll die before it changes significant but it's nice to know that people are willing to set aside land to return to a less developed state—ostensibly for future generations.

Once I got home, I cleaned up the side of my house that I never look at, whose window wells were FULL of leaves and debris. I was inspired by accidentally discovering these flowers yesterday, which Velma told me are snowdrops. I had no idea! They have brought me enormous joy and hope for the future. Velma also shared info that included an article about suburban perennial gardening that buoyed me as well (my goal is for my land to reflect me, which will take time, but then to eventually run itself). We were told in this particular pandemic time that walking outside in nature and gardening are allowed, so I'm happy to lean that way.