Roads Go Ever On 06: Thunderbolt and lightning
š» what I'm up to š»
Iāve been staying up way later than usual lately. I get wrapped up in reading and next thing I know itās after midnight. A few nights ago rain started pouring down, pelting the ground and the apartment door with an impressive force. And then a quiet rumble that turned into a jarring thunderclap. Lightning flashed outside the window. I bolted from my seat. The cats looked apprehensive. I donāt remember the last time I heard thunder in Los Angeles. Itās a novelty. The enthusiasm of LA rain Twitter supports this. Thunderstorms loud enough to rattle the windows, rain dropping in forceful splats. I long for rain. Itās the kind of weather I miss the most from the Midwest where I grew up. And here it was. The sky opened up most of the night and the following day, though the lightning and thunder dissipated.
But what wonderful timing to have a thunderstorm in this desert city on the cusp of a new year. Not just any new year either--the new year to end all other new years. While Iām under no illusion that the world will magically transform when the clock officially flips to the first day of 2021, I am embracing this period of change. Los Angeles got a superficial bath; Iām hoping for something with deeper roots. Iām putting my energy towards that anyway.
Can I just say: I do not want to write this week. Not even a little. I want to sink into the last days of my time off my day job. Read one more book. Get through more of a Star Trek: TNG rewatch.Ā I want to focus on packing (I mean, I donāt want to pack but I kind of have to). But deadlines. Theyāre a thing. Wish me luck.
š my book things š
Iām tired. Youāre tired. Weāll get back to self-promo in the new year. :)
šŗ what I'm watching šŗ
The Siege of Mandalore + Revenge of the Sith
Iām all about the comfort familiar shows bring at the end of this year. As we reached the end of a Star Wars: The Clone Wars rewatch, we decided to combine the events of the Siege of Mandalore (the final four episodes of The Clone Wars) and Revenge of the Sith. We used this guide to know when to pause the film for another episode of The Clone Wars and oh wow, was it effective. And just in general watching Episode III immediately after finishing The Clone Warsā¦ it all hits so much harder.
š what I'm reading š
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan
A long-running war. A girl who is a cleric and communes with the gods in a pretty fascinating, stripped way. A prince on the other side of the war who doesn't know who to trust; he has his own kind of different magic. Secrets, so many secrets. Wicked Saints is a bit of a fairy tale with a bite and constant surprises. Thank you for the rec, Rosie.
And a quick follow-up to a book Iād just started when I wrote my last newsletter: I finished The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden and it was so enchanting it made my heart glow.
Readingā¦ well, I donāt know what I would do without books. They help me grow and learn. They inspire me. Books are always there waiting with open arms. They were one of my saving graces in this weirdo year of 2020. And so I decided I want to have a place to continually shout about what Iām reading and loving, bookshops, my never-diminishing TBR pile, etc: I made a bookstagram! Follow me at @amyturningpages.
š³ something whalesome š³
I like wholesome things and the whale emoji is cute so: whalesome!
If you haven't read the story about 4-year-old Eliana and her fairy garden and Sapphire the fairy, please do. Expect warm feelings, possibly tears, and definitely some very Samwise Gamgee "There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo" feels.
š creativity corner š
Here Iāll share tips and tricks that are helping me write, imagine, and/or stay productive.
Music helps me focus. On those days when I desperately donāt want to write but need to, I find music especially helpful. I flip my phone into do not disturb mode and put it out of reach. I close any browser tab that isnāt relevant to what Iām writing. Then I put on music. Lately itās been a lot of Samuel Kim Musicās Star Wars lofi mixes, like the one above, on repeat. I also love a good score. The Witcher, Into the Spider-Verse, The Mandalorian, Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance - those are just a few of my go-tos. And my friend Liza is in a fantastic group that curates some truly wonderful playlists on Spotify; I canāt recommend the āAdventureā playlist enough for when you need to get something done.
What do you like to listen to while youāre being creative?
š quote of the week š
āChange always comes with a closing cost. But itās still worth trying. Not because the odds are particularly good, mind you, but considering the alternative. Thereās value in struggle. Value in touching the raw and bloody parts of our souls, opening them up to the sunlight, and hoping they heal.ā Rosie Danan, The Roommate
What if we never tried anything different? What if we let fear of the unknown hold us back all the damn time? No thank you. Iād rather try and fall on my face (and I have, uh, definitely done that). And as Iām about ready to make a big changeā¦ well, this quote emboldened me. May it do the same for you.
Happy new year to all of you; may 2021 bring everything you need and want.