thx for being here!
I have a small white board of mantras floating above my desk. They are short affirmations, excerpts from poetry or Instagram one-liners that keep me grounded when I feel adrift, which (spoiler alert) is often. The metaphor I like to use is that I am a balloon tied to a boulder: I’m still on Earth, but always a little floaty and hovering above the ground.
I wake up and stare it in the face almost by accident every morning.
One of them reads “i am full of magic.”
Another is “i have the power to choose who i am.”
And another is “i am a writer who must write.”
We may be greater than the sum of our parts, but still we are made up of smaller habits and ticks that shape our experience. The only way I have ever finished projects and achieved things is because of little steps: allowing myself to cultivate my own momentum.
being in the weeds
This space is a testament to the journey of stepping into my authorial power and finding my voice. Some would see this process as messy and to-be-avoided. I think of it as being in the weeds.
The centerpiece of this space are the monthly dissertation diaries. These are equal parts meditations on my professional life, whether in terms of writing milestones, fellowship updates, and (soon), navigating the job market! They also usually feature a recap of some bit of media or some other practice that has gotten my wheels spinning.
Free subscribers also get access to 2-3 other posts each month that are more narrow in focus, like this recent week-in-the-life or my 2025 new year’s resolutions!
Paid subscribers receive all of these posts, plus installments of a monthly-ish series I call “sprouts.” These posts are shorter reflections on things keeping me occupied outside of my life as an academic: reading round-ups, journal snippets, or peeling back the curtain on marathon training. Plus, you give me a little confidence boost knowing that my writing is worth not just your eyes and ears, but also your hard-earned coin.
But if a regular subscription is not in the cards for you, you can also opt to leave a one-time tip whenever you’d like!
on art, life, and movement
Dear Weed-ers, I’ve been sitting on this one, been struggling to string thoughts together. In the weeks that I’ve been drafting, I’ve dealt with my silly little perfectionist gremlin. And this is true even as the whole point in the weeds is to give myself a chance to be untidy and imperfect.
chime in anytime :)
Upon subscribing, new posts can be sent to your email inbox. You can also find them using the Substack app, which feels very Tumblr circa 2012 in all the best ways. Feel free to join me on Instagram as well!
I would love so dearly to hear your voices in the comments of posts, or if you want to drop me a line via email or text. As always, share with friends and loved ones when something resonates with you! <3
