Hello again!
Besides retail therapy, bubble baths, and continuous rants over the hurdles of the Kardashians (yes, not even I can escape it), there are quite a few more relevant things this writer can’t live without.
1. Milky tea with two sugars
My British-born nanna and poppy taught me well. Coffee was pretty much slapped out of my hands until age 11, so tea became the fav'. White tea, or nothing else. Though, I do still love an occasional chai latte: sugary, sweet drinks are what perk me up to write and edit.
2. A leather-bound journal
Writing should feel fancy. Even if it is just random thoughts throughout the day. It’s like writing on a computer vs. writing in a notebook — typing it up just feels so much more professional and end-product-like. I can pretend I’m some grown, angsty writer from the early 1900s. Recently, I’ve discovered China can do some lovely leather-bound (real leather) journals for a pretty decent price. It keeps my ramblings looking legit.
3. Two or three books I still haven’t read
If I’m carrying around a bag bigger than a wallet-fitter, you can bet I’ve got some pretty old books (possibly slightly stained from highlighters and lunch) tucked in there. My current tag-alongs are Tim Winton’s Cloud Street and Patrick Suskind's Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.
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4. My phone
Oh, woe is me, I can’t get rid of the thing. Since this past year of blogging and shout-outs on social media, my attachment has grown thicker. Lately, I’ve been loving Pinterest — though my original encounter with it was less than tolerant. It’s like scrapbooking for grownups. It carries an awesome circulation of blogging tips and writerly prompts. You can find me on Pinterest here.
5. Café writing
I love my cliché. As a writer, I vouch for café writing. I can name some problems though, involving too-loud settings, expensive drinks, and the occasional too-hot, too-cold issue. Usually, it’s easy enough to find a few nice places that don't drain your wallet or your ears. I’ve loved Dome in Vic Park and Hairy Persian Shisha Café in Northbridge for their night-time atmosphere. It’s good to be out of your house for a bit of people-watching and on-site inspiration.
6. Afternoon walks
I could never do the morning walks — I’m sure we can all imagine some reasons why: the chill, the having-to-wake-up-earlier-for-it, the people probably staring at me from their cars wondering why the darn I’m up at this hour, etc. Afternoon walks, however, are much more rewarding for me. You’ve got the dog-walkers, the still-sort-of-hot-from-the-day air, and the fact that you’re much more awake to keep you liking the stroll.
7. Ranting
Ranting is healthy for the writer if a journal isn’t in close proximity. If it’s not the latest controversy — well, usually it actually is. There's always some input to have on feminism, over-analysing celebrity happenings, Trump (urgh), and general complaining. That song “Girls” by Rita Ora ft. Cardi B, Charlie XCX and Bebe Rexha and its controversy with the LGBTQIA community is one I was just ranting about seconds before writing this post. Thanks, Tumblr.
8. Ten-thousand pens
Just try living with one or two. The life of a writer, or maybe just me, inevitably involves a cycle of losing hundreds of pens to feeling frustrated that I've restocked with too many. They're like elastic bands, or socks, or tiny bits of your pride.