…Do you ever see people critiquing specific word usage in novels and wonder if they know that language can be used in fun and figurative ways? And that this is half the joy of writing?

An example off the top of my head - if I say ‘He gave a whisper of a smile’, it does not mean that the smile is literally whispering; it means that the word ‘whisper’ invokes a sense of smallness, due perhaps to subtlety or shyness, and that is something I want connected to your mental envisioning of this dude’s smile. 

Saying ‘But that makes no sense; a smile and a whisper are two different things’ misses the point e n t i r e l y

this resonated, huh

Twitter and tiktok are like a coral reef

It’s loud and bright and productive and glamorous. It’s fast-paced and things cycle through the environment in hours. Everyone is trying to fight for their position in the food chain and stay Relevant. There are lots of pretty things to look at. If something gets Popular it has an impact on everything around it, for a brief time until the next big thing arrives. To an outside observer it’s chaos but to those involved it has order, reason, a Purpose.

Tumblr is like a deep-sea ecosystem.

Things are slow and weird. Memes bounce around for years and even decades. People exist in their little isolated hydrothermal vent communities of mutuals. Sometimes something big happens (suez canal, November 5th, Queen Lizzie kickin’ it) and we all gather around like a whale fall but for the most part we’re just snootling around in the sand doing whatever the fuck. Occasionally someone comes down and shines their flashlight around and immediately leaves and tells their friends about what freaky shit we have going on in the depths. We don’t care. We’re very busy talking about Our Friend Jonathan from a book published in the 1800s like worms slowly digesting the bones of a long-dead organism.

"Nothing ever ends poetically. It ends and we turn it into poetry. All that blood was never once beautiful. It was just red."

– Kait Rokowski

Tell me you book journal, without telling me you book journal. I’ll go first, haha.

Anyway, here’s a few books I tabbed and my new November spread! I am loving it! (inspo from Pinterest). Also, those little dots in my calendar are my habits (the key’s covered up by the book I’m currently reading).

Current read 📕: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe

Ps. For all my American peeps, don’t forget to vote in midterms on Tuesday, Nov 8!

I’m so behind on all my uni readings because of my bachelor paper. When will I ever find the time to read all those books aaaah ☕️

Colmar in Alsace, France (via vsco.co)

Something about angel wings-

Much about a broken heart.

Sensing the Greek Gods (part 1)

Zeus The roar of thunder, flashes of lightening, the wise gaze of an aging king, a cool breeze running through your hair, the smell of plants after rain, the compassion in acts of kindness

Hera Tears of joy during a wedding, a gentle mother’s love, the laughter of children, wisdom gained from years of experience, humming in the kitchen, the warm embrace of a spouse, standing up for other women, holding the small hand of your child

Poseidon The crashing of waves, earthquakes, riding horses by the sea, sailing alongside whales, the taste of salt water, the destruction of tsunamis 

Hades Paying respects to the dead, a comforting voice that eases your depression, the touch of soft soil, the sleep that comes after a panic attack, tears falling during funerals, candles left for the departed, the cold of a winter night, silence

Demeter The taste of juicy ripe fruit, running your fingers through a field of wheat, Summer changing to Autumn, honey on your lips, the smell of freshly baked bread, golden leaves covering the ground, the taste of cinnamon, soil-covered hands tending to a flourishing garden, cooking a warm meal for your child

Persephone Flowers blossoming at the start of Spring, birdsong, the warmth of the Sun, plants fading as they wilt away, the taste of a pomegranate, joyful laughter, stern gazes, the hug from a friend to ease sorrow, the gentle humming of bees, the cycle of life and death, butterflies in a garden of flowers, cold rage, leaving lilies at a grave

Aphrodite Overwhelming love as you hold your spouse, the taste of wine and chocolate, a warm bath with your lover, candlelight, slow dancing, fiery rage, the triumph after a victorious battle, the splashing of waves, passionate moaning, loving kisses in the dark, admiring your body in the mirror, the radiance of the stars, romantic devotion, a burning red rose, the sound of high heels, lipstick stains on your lover’s body, mourning the death of a loved one, hands held tight, the feeling of awe upon looking at something beautiful, gentle singing

Hermes Pulling pranks and laughing till your stomach hurts, long car rides, the rush of wind, the smell of gasoline, beating someone in a race, bright smiles, the scent of strawberries, sugar rushes, learning a new language, exploring a different country, receiving a letter from a penpal, giving to the poor, tossing a coin in the air, the call of a hawk in the distance, walking till your feet ache, the taste of sweetened coffee

Apollo The warm embrace of the Sun, shooting an arrow and hitting the target, the soothing taste of tea during a cold, cities overcome by plague, enemies receiving swift justice, the gentle playing of music, reciting poetry, the awe you feel upon entering an art gallery, stained glass windows, eloquent words

Dionysus The rush of freedom while running through the wilderness, the chill of mountains, getting drunk with friends at a club, watching a play, getting in touch with your chaotic side, partying around a bonfire, attending a Pride parade, getting dizzy from too much wine, indulging the senses, frenzied emotions

Sensing the Greek Gods (part 1)

Zeus The roar of thunder, flashes of lightening, the wise gaze of an aging king, a cool breeze running through your hair, the smell of plants after rain, the compassion in acts of kindness

Hera Tears of joy during a wedding, a gentle mother’s love, the laughter of children, wisdom gained from years of experience, humming in the kitchen, the warm embrace of a spouse, standing up for other women, holding the small hand of your child

Poseidon The crashing of waves, earthquakes, riding horses by the sea, sailing alongside whales, the taste of salt water, the destruction of tsunamis 

Hades Paying respects to the dead, a comforting voice that eases your depression, the touch of soft soil, the sleep that comes after a panic attack, tears falling during funerals, candles left for the departed, the cold of a winter night, silence

Demeter The taste of juicy ripe fruit, running your fingers through a field of wheat, Summer changing to Autumn, honey on your lips, the smell of freshly baked bread, golden leaves covering the ground, the taste of cinnamon, soil-covered hands tending to a flourishing garden, cooking a warm meal for your child

Persephone Flowers blossoming at the start of Spring, birdsong, the warmth of the Sun, plants fading as they wilt away, the taste of a pomegranate, joyful laughter, stern gazes, the hug from a friend to ease sorrow, the gentle humming of bees, the cycle of life and death, butterflies in a garden of flowers, cold rage, leaving lilies at a grave

Aphrodite Overwhelming love as you hold your spouse, the taste of wine and chocolate, a warm bath with your lover, candlelight, slow dancing, fiery rage, the triumph after a victorious battle, the splashing of waves, passionate moaning, loving kisses in the dark, admiring your body in the mirror, the radiance of the stars, romantic devotion, a burning red rose, the sound of high heels, lipstick stains on your lover’s body, mourning the death of a loved one, hands held tight, the feeling of awe upon looking at something beautiful, gentle singing

Hermes Pulling pranks and laughing till your stomach hurts, long car rides, the rush of wind, the smell of gasoline, beating someone in a race, bright smiles, the scent of strawberries, sugar rushes, learning a new language, exploring a different country, receiving a letter from a penpal, giving to the poor, tossing a coin in the air, the call of a hawk in the distance, walking till your feet ache, the taste of sweetened coffee

Apollo The warm embrace of the Sun, shooting an arrow and hitting the target, the soothing taste of tea during a cold, cities overcome by plague, enemies receiving swift justice, the gentle playing of music, reciting poetry, the awe you feel upon entering an art gallery, stained glass windows, eloquent words

Dionysus The rush of freedom while running through the wilderness, the chill of mountains, getting drunk with friends at a club, watching a play, getting in touch with your chaotic side, partying around a bonfire, attending a Pride parade, getting dizzy from too much wine, indulging the senses, frenzied emotions

St. Isaac's Cathedral. x

Romance in the shadows of our daydreams

It will calm you. x

Headless John The Baptist Hitchhiking, C.T. Salazar

Details: Self-Portrait with a Harp, Rose Adélaïde Ducreux - 1791

nothing is as tender as annotating your favourite books. it’s like leaving a piece of your heart on the pages for somebody else to find.