What I’m Doing Now #9
A 4-minute read
Apparently, I didn't update the Now Page at the beginning of May, which was unintentional at first, yet by the time I realised it, half of the month had already passed and I didn't quite feel I had anything to say. Now that May is over, I'd rather not further break the updating habit by skipping two months in a row.
As has become the usual, my spouse and I took a few outings to the sea and some local parks, though the weather has been up and down. The wind was strong enough to push all the trees at our favourite coffee shop sideways, which is quite a sight.
Now the sunlight has increased, I have started growing various herbs and vegetables on the windowsill. Though the coriander, without hesitation, bolted before it could finish growing more than a handful of true leaves. The others, nevertheless, seem to be going strong—above all, the tomatoes. While I do miss having a proper garden in which I can relentlessly toil, a windowsill is sufficient for apartment life.
During one of the weekends, we took a trip to a quaint museum dedicated to Christian culture, which was quite fascinating. It was like a trip through time, and it's interesting how many diverse eras we consider disconnected in our heads yet are in fact entangled and interwoven. A trip to an aquarium was also on the cards, though I felt it somewhat disappointing. It's my own fault of course, having unrealistically romanticised my expectations prior to the visit.
While going about some typical errands and appointments, we discovered—accidentally—a beautiful area in the city replete with the most splendid natural beauty. Small valleys and hillocks covered in vibrant wildflowers. Trees draping lazily over duck-inhabited rivers. Sprawling greenscapes and the inescapable chattering of tiny springtime birds. I'm infinitely grateful that there are still places of such serene nature untouched even in the middle of the city. At the time, I vaguely recalled that nostalgic feeling we call "relaxation".
Language learning is on hiatus again… of course. I've been wracking my brain for reasons why I've come to loathe, with all my heart, the process of learning a language. My self-awareness is greatly lacking in this department, but my spouse suspects the cause is my poor ability to understand my own energy reserves, physical condition, and willpower—that is, I keep pushing myself too hard and I'm too dense to notice. Inevitably, burnout strikes and sours my relationship to the language. I suspect this connects, too, to my poor attitude towards drawing these days, and why I've been prone to leaving projects unfinished.
I'd begun working on my graphic novel again, firing away on all cylinders, only to realise that it would work significantly better as a textual novel. (Not least because of my mediocre art skills). The scope and themes changed dramatically (not to mention, it's lost its "genre"), and I started to feel the medium may not be right for how the idea eventually evolved. It's possible I chose the graphic novel format merely as an excuse to visualise my story more vividly, but I don't particularly have any other reason to create in that medium, and it's not one I have much experience with in the first place. As for the project itself, I have the preponderance of the planning done; most scenes are either devised, or written in a draft form reminiscent of a play with stage directions, and now I'm mostly working out kinks and knots—essentially, details related to consistency, accuracy, and realism. I'm curious to see what eventuates from it.
Regarding reading, something rather unexpected has come to pass: my interest in reading non-fiction has largely waned. Something I've today written about loosely.
Reply by Email • Buy Me a Coffee • Now Archive • Current Now