Hiya folkies. I hope you’re warm and cosy and ready for a quick look back at September and October.

September Recap

September started off with a new art tool in my arsenal and the discovery that I look mega cute in curly hair. From there, we entered a month FULL OF DOGGOS. We played lots of Dungeons and Dragons, of course, and had lots of wonderful canine guests.

The Gallery includes Bear the mini-poodle trying to become our Dungeon Master, and Foss the collie hanging out with Mac. I finally got a chance to break out my one-shot character, a Kenku rogue/warlock who can only speak by mimicking those around her—and she usually hangs around with horrible people, so her ability to say nice things is non-existent.

I did a lot of the day job with lovely Gizmo, our family Lhaso Apso, by my side just like old times. He’s an old pup now, and as soft and good as ever, content to just quietly sit wherever the people are and ignore the rest of the world. It was really nice having him back by my side while I worked and when I wrote. He’s such a good, relaxing dog to hang out with.

I finished Monument Valley, a super relaxing mobile puzzle game.

Fitness

I ran my first ever ‘official’ 5k by going to the local Parkrun! It was super exciting, and despite a wardrobe disaster with sliding-down-leggings I hit a personal best that I haven’t been able to match on any of my runs since, haha. I really enjoy the Parkruns, it’s nice to jog with a crowd and a ton of adorable dogs.

September Goals

[X] Writing: Finish the DtS word doc merge.
[X] WRITING: Write 40k.
[3/4] WRITING: Blogging catch-up! June, July and August recap posts as well as a one-year-overdue Helsinki photo post.
[ ] WRITING: Finish the DtS (epic fantasy with m/m romance) edit
[X] WRITING: Get to week 5 of the Couchto80k writing course.
[ ] WRITING: Start the Witch of the Western Isles (urban fantasy with f/f romance) book rewrite
[1/6] READING: Read 6 books.
[X] HEALTH: Finish Couch to 5k and start doing regular 5k lunchtime runs with the Zombies, Run! app
[X] HEALTH: Try a Parkrun!
[ ] HEALTH: Lose over 5lbs.
[ ] HEALTH: Continue increasing strength work to build up core strength/squats/quads for roller derby.
[2/3] LISTEN: Listen to The Night of Cake and Puppets by Laini Taylor, the Alice Isn’t Dead Podcast, the Bright Sessions.
[X] LEARN: Finish the Mindshift course.
[2/5] ART: Create and share five illustrations. [Silly Sharklady Doodle, More Serious Art of Same Character]

LOADS of words this month! It felt really good, especially alongside my first ever official 5k. All in all, a really great month.

Art

At the end of August, I gifted myself with an early birthday present: an iPad for art and music work. It took some time for the ‘expensive purchase’ guilt to ease off, but man, through the second half of the year my art has really been moving in interesting ways.

Feels good to be back into that habit.

 

October Recap

October is my birthday month, and often a tough month for me because I disappear up my own navel for a while thinking about things achieved this year and marks missed.

BUT I GOT A TEA CLUB SUBSCRIPTION WOO TEA.

 

October Goals

[ ] [17.6/30] Write 30k
[ ] [4/20] Do 20 editing Pomodoros.
[ ] Finish DtS edit.
[X] Finish C280k Course
[ ] Hit 145lbs
[ ] [3/6] Read 6 books
[ ] [3/5] Do 5 Zombies Run 5ks.
[ ] Put 5 art pieces online.
[x] Do a roller derby skate
[x] Do another Parkrun
[x] Read 3 books

Overall, a quiet month on the writing front, but I was really happy to be back at roller derby again for the Inverness Pride Skate.

Life, the Universe, and Korean Dating Games

The mobile game Mystic Messenger broke my heart with its April Fools’ plotline, which is EXTREMELY meta. The character you’ve been wooing realises you’re separated from him by a glass screen and you’ll never truly meet, and you’ve been lying to him this whole time about meeting face-to-face. It was a really unexpected right-turn off a silly bonus storyline, and whoa, it destroyed me. Poor sweet Zen. 

I had a month-long obsession with The Greatest Showman, especially the song “The Other Side”. Turns out I’m weak for dudes in suits that are CLEARLY flirting with each other over drinks.

Art

After bombing out of Inktober at the start of the month, I started drawing a lot more! And I started finding my doodling groove again, thanks to Austin Bachelor’s amazing digital art course.

And Finally, A Good Boy

He is still good, and oh gosh, look at his toebeans.