Quiet reading
12 recent reflections from writers — anonymous or open. Read quietly.
Got off at the wrong bus stop and walked 40 minutes through a market I cannot find on any map. A woman saw me looking confused and gave me a bowl of phở. Wouldn't take money. Pointed me back toward my hostel with a wooden spoon. Will never…
Hit the wall today. Beautiful country. Nobody to share it with. Ate dinner alone and the family at the next table was laughing so hard the dad was wiping his eyes and I just. Felt it. Called my brother. Talked for an hour. Bought a pastry…
Slow morning at the cafe. Took my break in the alley behind the dumpsters. Hummed a thing into my voice memos. It's not bad?? I think it might actually be a bridge?? I quit conservatory because they made me hate music for a year. Today my…
Played one song. Six people clapped and one of them was my barista friend who's contractually obligated. Doesn't matter. Got off stage shaking. Drove home with the windows down. Felt like 17 again, in the best way.
She sneezed today. The TINIEST sneeze. I almost called my dad at 6am to tell him. I have so many photos of her sleeping. They all look the same. I will print all of them.
Bouncing her in the dark for the third hour. She finally fell asleep ON me, and now I can't move because she'll wake up. So here I am. Typing one-handed. Both legs numb. Would do this for 100 years.
He sent me a picture of his coffee at 7am his time and I'm in bed at 6pm mine and I just. Stared at it for ten minutes. 9 weeks until I see him. We have a tradition: when we're 7 days out we both start sending photos of the airport every m…
It's not the missing him. It's the small things. Today I saw a guy on the subway wearing the same coat as him and I just. Stood there. Like a fool. The guy got off at 14th and I almost did too.
Calathea. Her leaves are curling. WebMD-for-plants says it's overwatering AND underwatering AND too much light AND too little. So that's helpful. Named her Brenda. Don't die Brenda.
NEW LEAF. UNFURLED OVERNIGHT. SHE'S HUGE. I took 14 pictures and made my partner come look at her three separate times. He pretended to be impressed and I appreciate him for it.
Hit 30,000 words on Draft Two today. The pirate captain has finally kissed the cartographer's daughter (it's been 14 chapters of slow burn, I'M DYING). A patron asked me about tax forms while I was internally rejoicing. I helped her with g…
An eight-year-old came in today with a printed list. Twenty-two books. I checked them all out, one by one. He thanked me with the seriousness of a small senator. This is why I do this. Even when the printer is jammed and the wifi is down a…