Escapism and Other Fun Things

By Jamie DeBree 2025/03/03 Weekly News

Obviously I am still struggling with schedules and focus, but I think that’s the case for many people in the US these days, so I am just rolling with the lack of regular posting schedule for now. Hopefully I will find my way back to some good, solid routines eventually.

Because one cannot focus on politics & the general state of things without going insane (or I can’t, anyways), here are some of the things I’m trying to focus on instead:

Writing

I’ve been pretty stifled creatively-speaking with potential censorship looming, but I’ve been trying to work on the Writer’s Digest flash fiction prompts this month. I’ve done eleven of them so far, and I’ll probably keep whittling away at them just for the practice.

I’ve also been thinking about picking up a fantasy novel I started quite awhile ago to work on – it’s something I have mostly planned out as a potential series of sorts, and fantasy is a good escape and something not likely to fall afoul of any censorship laws.

Reading

I finished The Moonflowers by Abigail Rose-Marie, and it’s a great story, but also very heavy and thought-provoking. I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking for a good literary read. Between that and Black River Orchard by Chuck Wendig, I needed a break and something much lighter, so I started Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree – a fantasy that starts with an Orc being too cocky in battle. It’s easy enough to pick up, and easy to put down at night when I need to get to bed, so perfect for my escapism needs at the moment!

I also picked up Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert as a non-fiction ebook read on the go. I started it awhile ago, and never got back to it, but I was enjoying the first part before I set it aside for fiction (as so often happens with me and non-fiction).

Hobbies

I’ve been playing a lot of Stardew Valley lately – nothing like a good cozy game to get me out of this crazy world and into a much more peaceful one. Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp as well, and of course, Pokemon Go with my husband.

I am still working on the “Love’s Dream” puzzle – the pieces are very oddly shaped, and it’s definitely proving to be a challenge! I enjoy it though, mainly on Saturday nights.

I started a latch hook project in January (I can’t remember if I mentioned it here or not). I got it for Christmas, and have been working on it one or two nights per week, on and off. I used to do these as a kid, and really enjoyed them then. I’ve found that I still enjoy them, and ordered a few more kits to use as gifts later this year (probably Christmas), and a rug for myself. So that will keep me busy for awhile.

I’ve been meaning to start a crocheted cardigan, but haven’t managed to just yet. This one will be an experiment – I need to decide whether to start with granny squares pieced together, or if I want to try one of the hexagon cardigans that are super-popular right now. I was going to get everything set up this past weekend so I could start this week, but…

Finally, my dad made a new aquarium stand for the 55 gallon aquarium that, until yesterday (Sunday), was sitting on my dining room table. I spent all day swapping it with my 38 gallon, which was a huge job, but it’s done, and I’m now hoping my fish survive all the stress of moving tanks twice in one day and getting a massive water change all at once. I need a new filter for that tank in a bad way – that will probably be next weekend’s project.

The weather has been nicer, so the dogs and I are walking most nights again, which is always a good thing, but it does cut into my nightly crafting time. I’ve also been trying to get six solid hours of sleep a night, and have been mostly successful over the past week, which is a good improvement, or so all the medical studies say. I’m mostly just hoping it will help me lose weight and not get dementia. We shall see.

Hopefully your weather is treating you well, and you’re finding pleasant ways to occupy your mind as well!

Until next week (hopefully),

Jamie

Support your author:

Tagged on: crochet, distractions, escape, escapism, fishkeeping, fun, gaming, latch hook, reading, writing