Sundaze 213

As you read this, I’m in Hereford after celebrating my godson’s christening! It definitely feels strange to have a ‘normal’ diary again after over a year of mostly making plans with my kettle and Nintendo Switch… But all in a good way! It’s been a dream to see my best friend and spend some proper time with her, as well as steal plenty of baby cuddles, of course. But I’ve found a new tactic with making plans these days: block out 3-4 days for unwinding and restoring those essential energy levels. It’s working well for me so far.

I’ve had such a great week this week, and I can’t put my finger on just why. I guess it’s like I usually chalk things to: a plethora of little joys leading up to one big one. My newfound work-life balance is really goin’ places for me. Working to my pace and on my own hours means I’m extra productive when I need to be and that I get to claim back some time for myself. But more on that later.

Mechanical keyboard love

So, it turns out you’re all obsessed with mechanical keyboards now as well! I must admit, the adorable clicky sound and beautiful backlight are becoming a form of self-care for me. This week, I’ve spent far too many hours researching new boards, more intricate switches and custom keycaps. And as so many people have asked for it… I’ll be sharing a complete desk/workspace tour soon, so you can see how my space is set up for writing, gaming and blogging purposes.

I was chosen for United Agents Books’ 100 x 100!

I’ve spoken about my book writing process and journey a few times now, and I’m at the stage now where I’m submitting the proposal to literary agents with the hope of being represented. So far, it’s been a really rough ride and the letdowns don’t feel any easier than the first rejection. But I’m trying not to lose hope, and my proposal has been polished multiple times now.

However… I’m so thrilled to share that my submission was randomly selected by United Agents Books in their recent 100 x 100 open house! Even though it’s a random selection with no guarantee of representation, I’m really excited to receive personalised and detailed feedback from their team. It’s definitely given me a big boost in terms of completing the chapter I’m currently struggling through.

That The Ivy Asia tirade

If you follow me on Twitter, you’ll have seen my small rant about the The Ivy Asia debacle over the weekend. In short, the upmarket restaurant group have decided to foray into Asian fusion cuisine. I’m a bit of a non-believer when it comes to Asian fusion, because food is such a huge part of many Asian cultures. For it to be commodified and made palatable for Western taste buds has always felt off to me. But I digress.

The Ivy released a marketing video across their social media channels that, well, was a 30-second caricature of whichever East, South and South East Asian identity it could find. Not only did it use wildly outdated stereotypes, it criss-crossed several elements from each country and community. In response, many of us ESEA creators spoke out. And while the videos and posts are now gone, it sparks a wider conversation: how did this get approved?!

In 2021, how do teams exist where there are no PoC? Or, perhaps worse, PoC that are listened to and made to feel as though their opinion is worthy and valued? Over nine years of working for pretty big brands – if I may toot my own horn! – in London, I don’t think my concerns about representation, identity, or race were ever taken seriously. And that is a huge point of concern in itself.

I’d like to pen a proper essay about this topic, if you’ll indulge me?