Books (as always) ~ ~ Stories are my constant companions, and I do my best to end each day with some quiet, relaxed reading time before laying myself down to sleep. Lately, I have been enjoying shorter literary adventures, such as Cinder House by Freya Markse, The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang, and The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura. These books are all around 200 pages but contain stories that are enchanting and soul-soothing, reminding me in the midst of all the sharp edges of the world that there is still good and sweetness, hope and compassion. That is not to say that I have given up on longer novels (Heaven forfend!) but reading these sweet shorter ones has been not only fun but has offered a surprising sense of accomplishment in finishing and, sometimes, passing on these stories to students and friends. I am keeping my eyes open for more startlingly delightful little reads as I move throughout the year.

Kpop/Ateez ~ ~

Like a good deal of the western world, I was thrown full throttle into kpop this summer with Netflix’s Kpop Demon Hunters and my child’s obsession became a shared one. I had been aware of kpop before then, of course, but I really did not listen to music beyond musicals often enough at the time to become a fan. Now, though, I proudly call myself a baby Atiny (a fan of the kpop group Ateez). Having grown up a loyal devotee of the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, it’s FUN to be a new fangirl again! I’m enjoying learning songs and dances and watching way more videos and footage of the group than I ever had access to my first time around the fangirl circuit. The music, the dancing, the energy, and the sweet humanity of the group–along with one of my besties’ love for them and her enthusiastic feeding of my interest–makes me happy in a way I well remember from my teenage years. I love it when music makes me dance in my seat or bounce down the sidewalk, and Ateez definitely does that. So, thank you, Mingi, San, Hongjoong, Wooyoung, Yeosang, Seonghwa, Yunho, and Jongho, for such tangible and visceral joy in these dark winter days. May this new Lunar New Year bring you blessings, joy, and prosperity as you move forward on your paths, whatever they may hold. 🧧

Naps 😴 ~ ~ You probably know by now that I am in a committed relationship with naptime. I absolutely cherish stretching out on my couch with a calm ambiance video playing in the background and my cat Jack a reassuring weight on my legs. I love putting my book down to doze off, so relaxed that it just feels like the logical next step. That blessed sense of being safe and comfortable, being able to let my guard down and set things aside freely for a while to refill my body’s cup and energy with the rest that I need. Speaking of which…I think my couch is calling me again.

I wish you a cozy rest of your winter, Dear Ones. 🩷