I really enjoy listening to the podcast "Me Reading Stuff" by the artist Robyn O'Neil, it's nice to listen to someone being enthusiastic about poetry and other forms of writing. Robyn asks questions in almost every episode of the podcast and I find them as a nice way to reflect. This space will include the questions and my answers, mostly so that the thoughts that I get while listening don't keep rattling in my brain endlessly.
check out "Me Reading Stuff" here
1. What companies/brands would you like to be sponsored by?
I'd like to be sponsored specifically by the Aldi brand vegan dumplings they have for at least one week every summer. Others include: Wave Books, audio-technica headphones, and whoever is making new Godzilla movies.
1. How are you?
Overall, doing well! I've got a busy day ahead but I'm trying to enjoy my morning by doing some writing and reading.
2. Who was your favorite neighbor?
I really like our current neighbors, a couple who graduated from the same library and info science program that I'm in now. I feel a new, positive energy in the whole house. We've talked to them a couple of times and hope to get to know them better, it's a little tough with the pandemic, of course.
3. When was the last time you felt like a teenager?
Writing on here makes me feel like a teenager sometimes, the way I would blog on Tumblr back in high school. But the thing that really throws me back into the teenage mindset is reading YA novels. I've had to read a couple for my Social Justice course and especially "The Hate U Give" brought back memories of racism I experienced in high school and the intensity of first crushes/relationships. So, to be more specific, like two weeks ago.
4. What would you buy in Kmart right now?
I honestly can't remember what they sell at Kmart. Maybe some type of breakfast food, I'm not really in the mood for sugary Aldi brand Captain Crunch this morning.
5. Coolest/least cool professions?
I asked S. what the coolest profession was and her response was: "I don't know. I think if I did know I'd be doing it." Ditto.
I don't really have an answer for least cool profession, I think as long as the person can derive some personal joy from their work than that's pretty cool.
6. How many days in a month does your stomach hurt?
Somewhere between 1-4 days. I have a pretty tough digestive system I think, takes something intense to give me stomach pain.
1. What is your least favorite color?
There are some harsh oranges that I really dislike. Not oranges found in nature though, it has to be something painted or colored orange. I'm fine with most reds though.
2. What is your drink of choice currently?
Hmm, this is tough. I'm not very good at keeping hydrated so anything that I drink I tend to gulp down quickly. I've been drinking more orange juice and diet pepsi lately so that's usually what I've been gravitating towards.
3. What is your present mindset?
I'm really organization-minded right now. I'm looking at things with the intention of getting what I can out of them and then moving forward. I think this has to do with a restlessness that has been making sleep hard for me the past few days. I've been in a depression fog the past two months, though it's been a little clearer lately.
4. What helps make you calm?
I tend to listen to music to calm down, a lot of those lofi music YouTube videos. I love to eat my meals looking out my front window while listening to something, especially in the morning and early evening. Sometimes playing video games goes into this category but the past month or so I've been playing more combat-based games so it's not as calming. Honestly, reading is what centers me the most. No matter the subject matter I tend to focus in on the language and let my mind play around with it.
p.s. Full disclosure: I googled what some good anger-reducing hobbies would be because quarantine has led to a lot of pent up anger but the lists I found were just full of your generic suggestions: journaling, puzzles, yoga, etc. I used to do solo boxing training in high school but that's not really an option right now because I don't want to go to a boxing gym due to covid and because I don't really like to spend time in male-dominated spaces. I feel out of place and in danger most of the time there. I do think writing my diary here on flounder has helped reduce some of my anger, it's nice just to dump my thoughts out.
5. What is your prized possession? (inanimate object, no humans or pets)
Usually I would say my notebook(s) but lately I've been writing more here (on flounder, the internet) than in my notebooks. I like that because I can access it even if the physical notebook isn't around. My mind keeps going back to "Autobiography of Death" by Kim Hyesoon. I read the book early in the summer, bought a copy immediately afterwards. I feel like I could use that book to get myself through almost anything so having it is necessary.