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a reminder: this blog is no longer active!

I’ve moved to a new blog. If we have interacted before/used to be mutuals, or you’d simply like to keep in touch please dm/ask/reply so I can message you via my new blog. Otherwise, please do unfollow.

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what's your new url?

Message me directly or reply to the post so I know who to contact.

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heya, from one internet oldie to another oldie on the internet, people wanting to know details about your work and life is a big current internet culture thing. although sometimes people are just genuinely curious and trying to make conversation, i'd be wary of sharing much. the internet culture changed from "keep personal details private and dont ask unless you personally know them" to "if you keep information to yourself it's suspicious and weird" and everyone wants to know everything about some random persons real life details. What you do with your life and how you earn a living is your business, what you share with the blog should be the beginning and end of follower involvement. harmless curiosity is fine but nobody is entitled to know ANYTHING about you. a healthy disconnect between internet and offline activities is really important, i think. just my two cents. I love your blog and your posts are always interesting! Again this isn't directed at anyone in specific, just a comment on the shift in internet culture at large. Cheers!

Hello!!

See that's what I'm saying! I was raised to not even tell anyone my fave color on yahoo messenger lol. I really don't see the relevance of mentioning or elaborating on details about me to my posting of photos of books and places and plants?? I don't understand why any of it matters on a personal level. I come from the livejournal days of using the internet as a sort of diary, a means to escape general society. Like a safe haven. I loved the quiet and the feeling that I can be myself. And I understand that times have changed but it does feel like people aren't people online anymore? More like products to inspect? To treat like a thing?

I would have a different response if the original anon messaged me directly and asked that question then. I understand asking what someone does is a normal small talk thing. That's not what happened though. I can't very well be "befriending" an anon. It’s a one way interaction. Ultimately, I don't think any of the anons mean harm, really. And the important thing is it's being discussed in a civil manner. It's just paranoia-inducing that people can have a whole complete fictional person (who they think is me) in mind when they see my posts. I find that strange. It's making me not want to really post much. And if I can avoid that kind of exposure that invites parasocial interaction then I think it would be better to remove myself from the situation as that is something within my control.

Appreciate this message anon! Thank you <3

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Hi! Yet another separate anon here - I think understanding your age a little makes a big difference in understanding your ability to travel. I am a follower in my 30s and have always thought you were a young student. If other young students thought the same, I can understand why they would seek to understand how they also may be able to achieve the lifestyle you depict here. Best wishes to you! ❤️

Yeah, I totally get that. I guess my point here is that I'm just a person and this is just my life. I'm not selling anything or trying to influence. I'm just posting about certain aspects of my life (about books, art, sometimes emotionally personal stuff but on the whole focusing on topics and not myself as a person) so it's quite shocking to be on the receiving end of what feels like pressure to have to explain everything I do and why and how. But I'm grateful everyone has been nice ultimately!!!

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Hello! to be honest I don't think the other anon was being rude or anything like that. I always thought you're on your (second?) gap year and you've never posted much about work (maybe I missed it?), but it always sounded like your family is wealthy to me. like that is totally fine. but you posting travel stuff and someone asking how you can do it without talking about working a lot is weird. just my two cents. you don't have to comment of course! I love your blog, but I think "how can you do what you do" is not an unimportant or weird question to ask.

Anywasy, have a great weekend!

Hello anon. Perhaps it's a cultural difference? I personally wouldn't ask a stranger that question without the context. But the important thing is they've communicated it and it's all sorted out. I wasn't angry or anything.

Would you care for a conversation? There's something I'm curious about.

Do you mean to imply that if someone doesn't talk about something, it isn't real/happening? And if I post online, is it then necessary to explain/share everything? So that I can fill out information for the people who are looking at my curated posts? You say it's not an unimportant or weird question, that it's necessary to know that of a random, personal blog online. I ask you back: Who gave anyone the right to have that kind of entitlement to information that I myself have not decided to share? Why does my personal life matter to anyone who isn't a part of it in an intimate way? Who are you to decide something like that for me?

I'm genuinely trying to understand this. I hope you don't think I'm being snarky. I'm old so maybe I'm not doing this tumblr thing correctly anymore. The assumptions you listed are all wildly incorrect (and I'm not saying you're bad for those assumptions, please don't misunderstand!) But that's kind of what I'm trying to wrap my head around. Personally it's verging on parasocial. It's quite uncomfortable.

(And thanks for the love. I do appreciate it.)

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hi, violet! what do you do? how do you afford all of your trips?

Hello anon! With peace and love. This is something I wouldn't mind being asked in a face to face convo, but it feels a bit weird to be asked by a stranger? I afford it by earning the money I need to live my life the way I want to, I guess, like a normal person??? I'm not trying to sound like an asshole I swear but this is quite the intrusive question.

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Heya! I just want to say that I love your blog, and I love your words. The post you wrote about Oe Kenzaburo's works and passing (rest in peace) brought an immense amount of comfort and quiet(?) to me. It was almost like a conversation I would/could have with friends, and it made me reflect a lot. I still think about it weekly! haha

Wishing you a gentle summer, and many safe and memorable travels!

Dearest anon, I read this earlier this morning and it has parted all the clouds of today (it's a really busy Monday). So, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart that you read what I wrote. That post made me go back to very tender memories and it's an honour to know it had even just a tiny impact on someone. It really means a lot to me that you reached out to send me this.

Thank you for your well wishes. Please know I will store this warm and glowing example of kindness in the deepest corners of my heart always. Take care of yourself and have a wonderful summer!!

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May books! The month I fell deeply in love with Annie Ernaux and finally read all of Jane Austen’s works (Sanditon being the last book on the checklist). The goal for June is to read longer books, fingers crossed.

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Started Human Acts by Han Kang today! I drew it from my TBR tote where I keep a dozen or so books I’d like to read soon. This way there’s some element of surprise and excitement when picking my next read. It has been such a vibrant May so far, busy in a good way. Happy weekend 🌷

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"No no," said Thibault, shaking his head. "You don't get to absolve yourself of responsibility for this. I wanted to love you. I tried, and tried again. But you made it impossible."

Marina Kemp, Nightingale.

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April reads! A little bit of everything here: literary fiction, poetry, essay and even an Akutagawa short story compilation! Putting it that way, I do feel accomplished though it has been the slowest reading month for me this year. Anyway, there’s no point dwelling on it now. I shall try my best to remedy it in May. Sending you sunshine from this corner of my living room where most of the reading is done nowadays! 🌞

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"It is important—even necessary—for us to become acutely aware of the fact that we can't trust ourselves. The only ones you can trust to some extent are people who really know that."

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa, The Story of a Head That Fell Off.

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Mary Oliver, When I Am Among The Trees. 

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It occured to me that writing should aim to do the same, to replicate the feeling of witnessing sexual intercourse, that feeling of anxiety and stupefaction, a suspension of moral judgement.

Annie Ernaux, Simple Passion.

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i did something today that i had been guilt tripped into not doing before and i actually really feel relieved now that i’ve done it. i’ll always be a villain no matter what so i might as well just do what feels right for me rather than pleasing someone hell bent on portraying me as “deadly” all because i set boundaries and enforced them.

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March books and upcoming reads! I read my best book of the year so far in March, which is Heaven by Mieko Kawakami. I haven’t read anything yet to kick off this month but I’m looking forward to getting started on Nightingale by Marina Kemp tonight.

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Current read! I scored this one second-hand not too long ago. I’ve been looking forward to reading it ever since I caught gif sets of the TV show on my dash. Anyway, I hope this week will be kind to all of us. Sending you sunshine 🌞