T.M. Hanson

This has been a very quiet month, what with various retrogrades and eclipse season coming up. It’s also been quiet because I’ve been doing paid work. This is the first month I’ve been working properly since taking sick leave, so it’s been really interesting to see how I’ve fared and what’s starting to look like a sustainable practice for me. It’s exciting to think I’m getting back to that point, but I’m also learning a lot about myself and my disabilities in the meantime. Resultantly, finding that balance has been a huge focus for me these past few weeks.

Writing

August has been rather strange in regards to writing. On one hand, I’ve hardly got much done but on the other hand, I’ve had a wonderful time. I wasn’t able to write as much as I’d hoped, not due to fatigue but to other projects and responsibilities. So, IWOAW was put momentarily on hold. Even so, I still managed to finish two chapters, edit another two, and start one more chapter.

I miss writing and, as I start to pick up steam, it’s felt nice to be back at it. In fact, the days I do write, I’ve enjoyed myself and the process immensely, which is why taking time off to focus on other projects has been hard, albeit necessary. However, those other projects are now coming to a close, so I’m back to working on my writing. I was hoping I would have finished Volume 7 by the end of this month but I still have a few chapters to go. I’m learning to be incredibly patient with my journey, learning what a writing practice looks like alongside a chronic illness and two neurodivergent disorders. It’s much slower than I’m used to but I’m pleased to be writing at all, particularly on a semi-regular basis.

Inwardly, I’ve been contemplating the second draft of IWOAW, what that would look like, and how I can start on it. I’ve already re-arranged the chapters. Volumes 1-4 have been completely re-organised and edited in terms of timeline and length, and I’m ready to start re-writing old chapters, as well as adding new ones. Soon, I’m hoping I’ll be able to start further research too, which is exciting! In terms of other ideas, I’ve been contemplating a fantasy novel idea, though that is still bare bones in comparison.

Reading

I’ve enjoyed this month of reading. It’s been leisurely, insightful, and pleasurable. I finished Eragon and Eldest (the first two books of the Inheritance Cycle) and I enjoyed those immensely. In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this series- I thought I would find it quite boring and tedious. To the contrary, I’ve loved each book. I’m currently making my way through Brisingr (the third installment). Loving Eragon wasn’t on my 2024 bingo card, yet here we are! This series will probably be a big highlight for me this year.

In the meantime, I did take a break between Eldest and Brisingr, as they’re such long books, and it was starting to get a bit tiring reading one after the other. I started Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson- a book I bought some years back. However, as someone with a background in Clinical Psychology, I found it quite difficult to get through. It felt a little reductive in its stereotypes, negative in how they are viewed, and these personality types were based entirely on how people present themselves at work, rather than their life as a whole. Personality types are already a little controversial in psychology, so to find those issues within the book was quite disappointing, especially considering the humorous title. I read about half of the book before abandoning it. This non-fiction was a particular piece that I’ve been looking forward to, so it was a huge shame to end up disliking it.  

Another non-fiction that I’ve been slowly reading is You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid, Or Crazy by Kelly and Ramundo. It’s a book on ADHD, particularly ADHD in women, as this was first written in the 90s and a lot less was known on the disability, let alone how it manifested in biological women. I’ve read quite a bit of that in my spare time and it’s already given me a lot to think about. I ordered the updated version, which was around the 2010s. I would highly recommend it for those seeking perspectives from not just women with ADHD but professionals in the field who also have this disability themselves.

In terms of fiction, I finally read The Crucible by Arthur Miller (I’ve had this since I was a teen) and loved it! I’m going to try and watch the film soon. I’ve also read Mort by Terry Pratchett, which I also loved because I’m a huge fan of Death and his family. To have a whole book dedicated to them was a dream. Plus, The Hogfather is one of my favourite Discworld books and I watch the film nearly every year, so to see that backstory between Susan’s parents (as I’m assuming they are) was really fascinating and entertaining. Death was, well, Death. He’ll always be a favourite. So, I would highly recommend both!

I also joined Substack as a reader and I’ve been following a lot of people to do with literature, chronic illness, disability, and spirituality. I’ve been doing a lot of reading on there, finding these little snippets insightful. They’re not really novels or books, but they are things I’ve read so I thought I’d share my journey on there. It’s already helped me with finding others like me, with learning more about myself and my craft, and just reading articles on subjects I like!

Personal

Not a lot has happened this month, which is actually really nice. Some parts of this year have been so busy that to dedicate my time to ambling in the park, researching parts of myself and subjects of interest, spending time with friends and family, and just resting and eating has been lovely. I needed a lot of downtime; I felt I was potentially headed for a small crash because of how busy I’ve been. August has been a bit of a reset, which has been simply delightful. Here are some of the highlights:

• Having afternoon tea at home with my partner whilst we watched Emma (2020).
• My partner and I’s order of Sea of Stars turned up and I’ve been playing it. It’s been super fun!
• Spending time with the book club reading out at the allotment.
• Finally sending off my short stories and author bio for publication!
• My anniversary!! I took my partner out for a surprise day. We went to the Van Gogh Immersive Experience, then to a Malaysian restaurant (she’s gotta try some dishes from the homeland), and then off to see Hamilton on stage. It’s one of her favourite musicals of all time!
• New Sailor Moon manga and also, the Cosmos film!! We watched the first half with mi goreng and bao buns, and the second half with Silver Moon tea, Luna incense, and salted caramel bao buns and strawberry mochi.
• Getting some work again for the first time in ages (I’m starting to build up towards going back to work) and getting some tarot reading requests and editing requests.
• Having visible muscle on my arms and legs now from all of the weightlifting I’ve been doing and just generally getting fitter (I never thought I’d see the day where I can do a press-up again). I’ve been working on my fitness due to being bed-bound from chronic fatigue, so this has been a huge positive for me.
• That really tasty cheese that we got from the local market and the chilli chutney we paired it with *insert drooling Homer Simpson here*.
• My increasing capacity, which means I get to speak to my friends more, go out more, write more, and engage with my hobbies. This has been a really nice change of pace for me this past month and I’m incredibly grateful to get to this point.

A lot revolves around food, I know, but that’s because I love food. There’s also been a lot of reading, watching films, and just engaging with hobbies again. It’s been so nice to be able to say yes to visiting the local market, to going out for coffee, or to booking a future event with friends or family. It’s also been nice that steps are being made in my writing projects- I have editing work for published authors, as well as for small local businesses, and people are asking for tarot readings.

Altogether, it’s been a slow, restful, and pleasurable month. I’ve felt so much better within myself and I can see how much progress I’m making with my fatigue, progress that’s sustainable too. It really has been the small things this month, but I’m not complaining. It’s been so relaxing, nourishing, and necessary. I wouldn’t mind another month of it to be honest! You can’t complain about taking it steady.

I can’t wait to see what September brings! I’m still learning where my creative practice fits into all of this, especially on a reduced capacity, but I’m so glad to be back in a place where I’m inspired to write and that I’m writing at all. It gives me a lot to look forward to.

Until next time!