Sundaze 270: Stranger Things, notes on grief and hello February
Hello Sundaze.
Well, it’s not quite Sunday as I write this edition. I’m scheduling this fortnight’s, as today is a difficult day for my family and I. But, we’re finally out of January and I’m looking forward to properly getting stuck in with the year. I suppose I spent most of my starter-month-of-2024 getting back into a routine, enjoying cosy at-home evenings and focusing on work. (Your girl got to manage her first campaign and it went well!) I made a few notes about goals and have since yeeted some off the list, but I haven’t… done much else, really. And that’s just fine.
Seeing Stranger Things: The First Shadow in London
Popped into London last weekend to see Stranger Things: The First Shadow with two of my friends. We booked tickets last summer, so this felt like a girl maths ✨ free ✨ day out. I totally recommend booking fun things in far in advance, because it feels like a treat and a surprise at the same time! And the show itself was great. The theatrics and stage work were truly magic, and I LOVED being back in the Stranger Things world. The First Shadow is a prequel to the Netflix series, set in the 50s/60s and following a teenaged Joyce and Hopper.
I’ve since embarked on my first-ever rewatch of the Netflix series, and I love it more than ever.
Remembering my Granny
Today marks eight years without my beloved Granny. This post is, of course, scheduled and as you read this I’m probably down at the cemetery making a little incense offering to Granny. It’s been a tricky week for me – and my whole family – and I’ve pondered a lot about grief. When she passed away after battling multiple cancers, it was a shock and not-a-shock at the same time. She’d been diagnosed less than a year previous and I had been coming to terms with it alone in Hong Kong. My Granny was the woman who raised me (and my siblings and cousins), and she was my ultimate source of comfort – the pinnacle of family-hood and matriarchy. I once tried to put this into words just days after she passed, but, honestly, there are never going to be enough words to convey what a force my Granny was and is in my life.
Hug your families extra tight, friends.
A month of quietness
I purposefully opted for a quiet January, for once, and I am already a big fan. I am totally doing this every year! I spoke previously about not hitting the ground running in the New Year, but this year I deliberately rested and focused on work and routine. It’s been great. Not only do I feel rested, I feel more clarification on what I do want from the year. I’d like balance, purpose, slowness, experience and connection.
The Substack schedule is in
My quiet January, however, has set me up in good stead for a consistent upcoming content schedule. I’m sure I’ve previously written about how I plan posts, decide where to put them and make sure I have a regular reel of content, but I can certainly put a new post together, if any fellow content creators are interested? Top of my agenda was nailing down a Substack schedule…
I’m offering both free and paid tiers on Substack, which I actually feel good about. For just £3.50 a month, paid readers can enjoy at least five newsletters and/or personal essays from me, while free subscribers can read three. Having shared regular posts on Daisybutter (and Instagram, etc.) for free for 14 years, I hope this little community can depend on the fact I always share consistently.
Links I’ve Loved
- This Substack newsletter from Poorna Bell was magical, talking about the restful homes of women who live alone.
- My boyfriend and I’s matching embroidered hoodies are on sale – they’re a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day.
- As a recovering people-pleaser, I enjoyed this piece about being addicted to approval.
- My friend Sian has released new pieces on their shop. I love this sweet nod to Valentine’s.
- My fourth (or fifth?!) replenish of this body oil arrived and it’s banishing my grim winter skin.
- And I’m still pondering a purchase of this adorable chair.
Posts This Fortnight
- My Top 2023 Books and 2024 Reading Plans
- Elevating a Sustainable Wardrobe
- Review: The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers
- Open-hearted joys 開開心心 66
- Actually Sustainable Style Staples
Wishing you a safe and restful Sunday, my loves.