Rediscovering the joy of having an imagination

Thank You For Being Here, Issue #31

Author

Jenay Zhyrov
October 06, 2023

Hey! Hello. What’s good?

My mind is tingling with excitement. There’s a small clear box in my closet with old art supplies that haven’t been touched in years. I drag the box down from a white wire shelf, pull out a set of charcoal pencils, and find a small but thick pad of square sketch paper I forgot I own.

I sketch at my wooden dining table while glancing at cute paintings by artists I admire. My imagination isn’t strong enough yet to conjure images and draw without a reference. I’m in awe of those who can.

While sketching, I feel out of practice, but I try my best to remain in a bubble of fun. I don’t usually enjoy things I’m not good at, but that’s a normal human feeling. In this case, it’s art, a subjective expression, so “not good” isn’t a real thing. A cartoon animal is starting to take form, and a few lines are a little wonky, but getting frustrated would suck the joy out of it, so I don’t. After all, it’s just a little practice and play.

Each square page of my sketch pad is only big enough to fit a few small sketches, so I whip through five pages pretty quickly without thinking too hard about it. My favorite draft is probably the bull I copied from @leighellexson (for practice purposes, of course!).

I’m giddy to be drawing again, finally. I want to amble through a creative exploration and revive my artistic side. Between looking at artists' work online and reading more fantasy books, I feel my imagination stretching, and I want to stretch with it.

My brief art session is almost over, and I realize I miss writing poems, too. @furrylittlepeach is hosting her annual creative challenge, Peachtober, and I think using her prompts could be a fun way to ease back into poetry.

Are there any activities you miss doing and want to pick up again, whether it’s for expression, stress relief, or simply fun?

Thank you for being here,
Jenay

I’ve fallen in love with instrumental fantasy playlists. I listen to them while I work, making it feel like I’m on an epic quest to meet my deadlines. They also enhance the experience of reading fantasy books, which I’ve been hooked on lately (more on that soon).

🎶 Current favorites

And as always, the Thank You For Being Here playlist is there for you, too.

😶 Make space for your thoughts
My head was spinning in the summer, and to cope, I leaned on constant distractions to keep stressful thoughts at bay. Even when brushing my teeth or doing other mundane tasks, I’d turn on a podcast, show, or YouTube video to keep my mind occupied.

I’m sure that habit had me missing out on valuable thinking space for creativity, gratitude, memories, and the processing of feelings. This month, I intend to put some boundaries in place for when and where I tune into things.

🎨🎮🏺 Hobbies Update
Earlier this year, I wrote about wanting to try new “adult extracurriculars” like indoor rock climbing, pottery, or rug tufting. So far, I’ve checked pottery off this list (I want to take more lessons!) and have added a few new activities: drawing, painting with gouache, and cozy gaming.

Vadym and I are buying a Nintendo Switch today, thanks to a pool of money we’ve saved from gifts given by family and friends. This has been on our wish list for three years! If you have any switch games you love (especially co-op ones), email me your recs!

My recently published work: 5 Must-Read Books for Building Brands and Wealth by Entrepreneurs of Color (HubSpot)

🗞️ I’m in the press! Shoutout DFW interviewed me about the role risk plays in my life and journey as a new freelance writer.

Need support with editorial content or copywriting? My calendar is open for Q4. Please message me or refer me to a friend.

  • Stop Waiting for Perfect: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Into Your Power by L’Oreal Thompson Payton (⭐⭐⭐.5): L’Oreal, an award-winning journalist and motivational speaker, has become a friend over the last couple of years and was kind enough to share guidance when I was first thinking about going freelance. In her debut book, she shares her experiences with imposter syndrome and self-doubt as an ambitious high achiever and how to overcome them. There were a few gems I jotted down and plan to put into practice.

  • The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): I was thinking about this book for days after I finished it. My book journal is filled with all-caps notes and exclamation points. The book has two time periods, two storylines, and two main love stories. Georgia Stanton, a 28-year-old starting over after a difficult divorce, is confronted by Noah Harrison, a bestselling author, tasked with completing her late great-grandmother Scarlett's final novel. While Noah is at the pinnacle of his career, Georgia is determined to avoid the pitfalls of love, even if it means jeopardizing Noah's career, as they uncover the painful, real-life romance within Scarlett's unfinished manuscript.

  • Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): Similar to how I felt after reading her other book, I became obsessed. This spicy romantasy follows 20-year-old Violet Sorrengail, who defies expectations as she joins the fierce competition to become a dragon rider at Navarre's elite war college, facing deadly challenges and hidden secrets. In a world where dragons don't bond with fragile humans, Violet's survival hinges on her wits and the dangerous alliances she forms at Basgiath War College. Like the Legendborn series, FW ignited my love of reading fantasy. I already pre-ordered the next book, Iron Flame.

On my TBR shelf for October

📖 This week, I finished A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, a buddy read with my best friend.

📖 I’m now reading The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna. A witch becomes a governess for three young witches and meets a handsome but scowling librarian. It’s adorable so far.

🔘 A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas: book 2 of the romantasy ACOTAR series.

🔘 Woman, Eating by Claire Kohda: despite her hunger for blood, a mixed-race Vampire craves Japanese food and wants to find a way to live among humans.

🔘 The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston: a romance ghostwriter returns to her hometown and encounters her new editor, who is suddenly a ghost with unfinished business.

📚🛒 Visit your local library or browse my Bookshop or Amazon Bookshelf to purchase copies. I'll earn a tiny commission if you buy a book from these affiliate links. Thanks for supporting authors, bookshops, and me!

Extra. Extra.

Movies

Ron’s Gone Wrong is a funny and unhinged animated film about an awkward boy’s friendship with a malfunctioning robot. It has meaningful commentary on how our phones and social media run our lives and dictate our relationships and behaviors and what it means to make, choose, and be a friend.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 was my least favorite of this beloved franchise, but it was still a fun watch with one tear-jerking family moment.

Series

💓💄 Wholesome reality shows: Down for Love follows six New Zealanders with Down syndrome navigating dating challenges in their search for love. I loved it just as much as Love on a Spectrum. Season 5 of Glow Up, a makeup artist competition, wasn’t as impressive as past seasons (and the new host is meh), but it was still enjoyable.

👅👫❤️🏳️‍🌈 A favorite British teen comedy ends: Season 4 of Sex Education is its final season, and I have mixed feelings. There were a lot of heavy (and important!) storylines crammed into one season that I think deserved a bit more time to breathe and feel less forced. But wow, I loved Maeve, Eric, and Aimee’s growth, and I’ll really miss watching the show.

📺 I’m currently in the middle of enjoying: One Piece (based on the 1,000+ episode anime) and Crash Landing On You (a K-Drama).

🎃👻🔮 Spooky Cute Lineup: I confess, I haven’t planned my complete Halloween watch list yet like I usually do. But off the top of my head, I want to do a third rewatch of Over the Garden Wall, check out the new Haunted Mansion movie, and unpause my binge of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (I’m currently in season 3). Plus, whatever classics I can squeeze in.

💞 bonding with family
🚗 taking my mom to Austin and keeping the itinerary a surprise
🥳 celebrating two years of marriage and Vadym’s 30th birthday
🎡 wandering around the state fair
🍂 setting up autumn and Halloween decor
🤎 dusting cinnamon on cozy fall drinks
📚 gasping because of plot twists and texting reactions to friends
🎮 planning at-home arcade date nights

Thank you, Taylor G., for your generous contribution in September!

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