assorted miscellany

reblogs and cross-posts from my other socials

[emperatrix]

05.25.2 lessons learned in the editing trenches - realizing I may be in for more than I thought

or, biting off more than I can chew. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com This update is cross-posted from my Substack. If you would like to receive regular writing updates and future book news, consider subscribing to my newsletter. ✍🏻Writing Updates I made the brilliant (re: mad) decision to edit two manuscripts simultaneously, and it was sort of working. Is working. Sort of. I mean, I’m…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

Join me for a March budget recap... and the time has come for the Q1 low buy update! #myyearofless #lowbuy2025

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

Quiet days at the end of March. Date nights, trying the viral Dubai Chocolate (I am a weak human), catching up on work and life chores, and finally(!) sorting through the doll collection I recovered from my childhood bedroom.

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

off the shelf: books I enjoyed in Q1 2025

Disclaimer: The cake rating is my totally subjective, entirely arbitrary rating system. If I finished it, you can assume I enjoyed it regardless of rating. 5 🍰‘s generally mean that I absolutely loved it and will/have purchased a copy for my personal collection. Read The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson 🍰🍰🍰.5 My first foray into anything omega verse related, and I’m sure it’s on the lighter side of…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

video: My year of less 💵 February Low/No Buy Budget Review & Check In

Join me for a sit-down as I reflect on February spending, challenges, struggles, and worries about the future of my finances. In this update: 💰$163 saved (in addition to my usual savings) Dining out is still a trouble area, but improving. Groceries are on point. Dentistry struck with a vengeance. Rethinking book purchasing and the value of having physical libraries (at 07:53) Rethinking my…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

on loss, regrets, and choosing to change #blog #personalessay

the View from Sunday: 7.25

[emperatrix]

video: March Update ☕ Life Lately: thinking out loud and updates on life, writing, and all the things

March has been interesting… I’ve been ill, which means everything has been slow and I feel dreadfully behind. Join me for a sit down ramble as I think out loud about life, writing, and the current state of my projects and editing goals. Plus, thoughts on the future of my self-publishing plan, the indie market, and reading as both joy and resistance in light of the current climate. 💜 For more,…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

the view from Sunday, 6.25

And we’re back! Apparently, my body likes to remind me to rest by going absolutely ballistic and making me crash. I may have caught a mild bout of norovirus or ingested something absolutely heinous… no official diagnosis, but it had me 🤢🤮 for three days and left me with an awful, pounding migraine attack for well over a week. It took me about a week and a half to fully recover (eg. get back to my…

the view from Sunday, 6.25

[emperatrix]

the view from Monday, 5.25

I’ve been physically and mentally exhausted over the last few days. Life is lifeing and my body is going through it. I had too many tasks and chores to take care of this weekend and the Sunday post fell by the wayside, but I wanted to share this tiny bit of hope that filled me today. I have two orchids in my shower, they’ve been with me for years, and they usually bloom once a year. I hadn’t…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

video: My Year of Less 💵 January 2025 Low/No Buy Budget Review & Check In

It’s time for the first budget review of my 2025 low/no buy… it’s been a good one.

It’s time for the first budget review of my 2025 low/no buy… it’s been a good one. 😁 Some small wins: 📱switched my phone plan to mint at 50% for the first year for $180 – I was paying $90 for 1080 a year 🍲 stuck to the dining out budget and fast food plan 🙌🏻 Total saved: $573 (after much recalculating) – a big win! Playlists 💵 My “Year of Less” Playlist 🎥Quiet Days in 2025 vlog…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

off the shelf:what I read Oct - Dec 2024

all the books I read and listed to between Oct and Dec 2024... a reading recap #bookreviews #readingrecs #whatIread #bookblog

Disclaimer: The cake rating is my totally subjective, entirely arbitrary rating system. If I finished it, you can assume I enjoyed it regardless of the rating. 5 🍰‘s generally mean that I absolutely loved it and will/have purchased a copy for my personal collection. Read Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey 🍰🍰🍰 See Rebel Yule for my sudden desire for holiday reads. A sweet, Christmas-themed…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

video: One nice date in January ✨🍲 My Year of Less (spending on dining out!)

My year of less: One Nice Date in January #vlog #lowbuy2025 #nobuy2025

Come along for a Hot Pot dinner for two with appetizers and a boba for him 😊 As part of my “Year of Less” project, I am trying to stick to two planned dates per month as a way to enjoy dining out, and keep the cost within reason, while making it feel special. Total cost for this date (including tip): $59.59 What’s your favorite cheap date?

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

the view from Sunday (redux) 1.25

the view from Sunday (redux) 1.25 #blog

If you’ve been around these parts for a while, you might remember a series called “the view from Sunday.” These were weekly-ish musings on life, writing, books I was reading, activities I was enjoying, etc. It’s been a while since I’ve had a regular posting schedule and I’ve missed the opportunity to engage with you all through the blog. That’s not to say the vlogs are going away–not at all–but…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

video: My Year Of Less 🛒 Two Low Spend Grocery Hauls (January 2025)

My Year Of Less 🛒 Two Low Spend Grocery Hauls (January 2025) #lowbuy #groceryhaul #budgetvlog

In an effort to spend less and be better prepared for migraine days, I’m back to my old ways and shopping with the intent to meal plan/prep. Join me for two, low spend, intentional grocery hauls as I re-evaluate my relationship with food spending. Plus, a few examples of the meals I prepped 😄 The big haul should last most of the month, allowing me to fill in the gaps with less. 🛒 January…

View On WordPress

[emperatrix]

video: June budget review, Q2 recap, and 6-month update on my no/low buy categories

A chatty sit-down update on my 2024 budget/savings challenge.

[emperatrix]

video: a birthday vlog and a chatty day in the life

[emperatrix]

video: in which I give you all the updates in one post

View On WordPress