Posts Tagged With: joy

Reviving Old Hobbies

After not only surviving but also winning NaNoWriMo 2023, I kept up my writing momentum throughout most of December. Something I’d call impressive considering I worked extra hours, caught a nasty cold, and travelled during the busy holiday season to spend time with family. After Christmas the momentum of my writing died down a bit, and I ended up reviving an old hobby–visual storytelling. Well, sort of. Way back in the grand old days of Adobe Premier 6 (I realize that’s dating myself a bit) I used to love video editing and making fan music videos. You know, where you take anime or video game footage and put it to music?

Well, I’ve had this Mac for over a year, and I guess it just took 1) the realization that I had iMovie (and it didn’t suck as free software anymore) and 2) A show with the right song that I was simultaneously obsessed with. And then all those video ideas I’d had over the last while where I’d hear a song and think, “Wow, that would go so well with [this] show” all kind of clicked into place, and I found myself making fan music videos again, and reviving my really old YouTube channel in the process.

In the world of AuDHD level hyper focuses, and hobby hopping to keep it all interesting, I’ve found myself taking a full break from writing. Which I feel has been good in a way. It’s allowed me to percolate on ideas I’d been stuck on, and let that writing itch come back. You know the one that tickles your senses when you’re busy doing something else? “I should write a bit later.” So, as I’ve slowly been coming out of my video editing fever haze, I’ve been thinking more about writing again. About that story without an ending on Wattpad, and ultimately about book 3 (and the editor I haven’t heard back from in 10 months).

Anyways, for the sake of keeping me from rambling, I’ll end this post here. But 2024 is looking bright from this seat, because the freedom and ability to be creative brings me joy. I hope you have also been able to start 2024 with joy, despite hardships that might arise.

~Kat

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Mother Nature, and Creative Breaks

I haven’t written much since summer started. I’ve been working, and relaxing, visiting friends, and family, and generally trying to find joy. The most important lesson I’ve learned recently, is that there is healing in joy. “Productive” is a relative term. I don’t have to be working to be productive. In fact, I feel that I’ve been very productive this summer, but not in many ways I can show externally. There is something incredibly special about rekindling your inner passions, and I think I’ve spent most of the summer trying to heal the parts of myself I’d been neglecting.

I have been writing on and off. I’ve even started (and finished) some sewing projects. There isn’t really a time limit on life, so whether I finish something right now, or give myself permission to take my time on something, what really matters is how I feel at the end of it. I’ve been camping, and fishing. I picked 6lbs of blueberries with my family, and I’ve driven in the middle of the night to go star gazing. By letting myself experience life, and giving myself permission to rest when I’m tired, I think I’ve been more productive, honestly.

I’ll leave you with this photo I captured of my father and my daughter fishing on the lake. Mother nature is so beautiful, and I know I’m privileged to share it with such special people.

~ Ali Kat

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