People I'd Like to Know Better
Oh my goodness, thank you for tagging me, dear @myreia! You are always so kind and I love your creations - your WoL fanfiction inspired me to start writing again after a dry spell and I've thoroughly enjoyed being included in and seeing your beautiful art in Oc-tober!
I'm so good at lurking and disappearing for weeks on end, so please know that I'm squealing with delight and hope you have a wonderful day ♥
Last Book: Okay, so I'll give two because one might not count: Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden (research for my Fields of Mistria farmer, Marigold, whose family runs a flower shop lol I needed a cozy moment), and Wool by Hugh Howey.
I really love mysteries, sci-fi, and fantasy novels. If I were to recommend anything, the list would include: The Expanse series (starting with The Leviathan Wakes) by James S.A. Corey, The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart, and V.E Schwab's Shades of Magic series.
Last Song: The playlist is always varied, but "Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter was the last song. Before that, it was "Weak and Powerless" by A Perfect Circle followed by "NFWMB" by Hozier.
I love melody across (almost) any genre, so at any given time I'll be listening to Aurora, Sleep Token, Bad Omens, EXO, Tool, Kalandra, or Unprocessed.
Last Movie: Brooklyn (2015), which I enjoyed. I've been really enjoying period dramas lately and I'm a sucker for a historical romance.
Last Series: Oof, remember how I said I've been watching a lot of period dramas? I've been redecorating my bedroom as my primary focus the last couple of weeks and bingeing The Gilded Age (2022-present) and Belgravia (2020).
Outside of those, I always keep up on Fallout (2024-present), Bob's Burgers (2011-present), and Frasier re-runs are my comfort background noise.
Salty or Sweet: Can I choose both? I love dark chocolate and sea-salted fresh caramels, so I clearly love sweet things but not too sweet.
Coffee or Tea: Yeah, I have to choose both here, too, and I'm not sorry about it. I have a drawer dedicated to teas that I find (D&Tea has really fun teas that are actually quite delicious - I'd highly recommend!), and I really love my espresso machine for lattes in the morning.
Working on: In XIV, I've been plotting out a couple of builds that I'd love to put in a large (if I ever win the lottery again - not a complaint, I'm just excited to design in a larger space!) or the patch comes out for housing item increases. I've got an idea for the Crystal Exarch's private chambers in the Crystal Tower - which is obviously a very indulgent project, given my adoration of Odza & G'raha Tia. I've also been messing around with making my own versions of the apartments in the major cities that have inns. I like the idea of putting my own touch on it and making a bit of a different space for each location!
Outside of XIV, I've been reeeeeally enjoying the coziness of Fields of Mistria - so much, in fact, that I've started trying to write my farmer's fanfiction in earnest! I may never post anything about it, but the creative inspiration from such a comfy game (with a romance I've really enjoyed leaning into, since it's Balor and he's basically Mr. Howlmovingcastle) has been refreshing. I've got a whole story outlined and scenes plotted, just need to get to writing!
And, in an effort to try and give myself something to focus on other than the horrid state of the Unites States these days, I've been really self-indulgent and have allowed myself to invest in redecorating my bedroom. It's been pretty much the same design aesthetic for the last 10 years - a mix of industrial maximalism and a touch of whimsy - so I'd been looking to change it up. The finishing touches are going in this weekend, but it's a mix of some Victorian elements meets eldritch horror meets light academia. I painted an accent wall (Vintage Couture by tonesterpaints), bought tentacle candelabras for my new dresser, and found a huge map of the city I live in from 1890 that I had framed to go on the picture rail I installed.
I don't know that I'd ever be brave enough to post photos when it is finished, but please know that I love it and I'm really happy at making my home align with what makes me happy. It's been really fun being very intentional with my design irl since it hasn't seemed to change much in the last decade.
Please don't feel the need to reblog or even acknowledge, but if you'd like to complete this and share, consider yourself tagged! I'll tag @rhalgr, @fourteenthz, @risingoflights, @lucien-aventine, @otherworldseekers, and @robynostornwyn!
Take care of yourselves, remember to hydrate, and have a lovely day! ♥