Mari Musings

May 2026

• Extremely violent…

  Ham-ha, readers! I have a lazy update, with nothing crazy to share. I’ve been fairly busy the past couple of months, but there’s not much to ‘write home about.’ I’ve felt disinterested from updating my site, hence the lack of updates. I’ve been working on some backend stuff, but writing very little… I’ve been working on taking better care of myself the past few months, and it’s paying off. I started taking vitamins and eating better, more consistently. My efforts have brought me energy and a much easier time sleeping, definitely something to be grateful for. I don’t own a scale, but I think I’ve also lost a bit of weight too. The clothes that would not fit me at all last summer fit “normally” again. Overall, I feel a lot stronger and better overall physically, and I’m proud of myself. I need my strength because work and family have brought unprecedented challenges to my life. The oldest daughter curse never goes away. And as for work, I just try to be grateful for what I have and how…

  Permanent link to “Extremely violent, dark haired women... and Tomodachi Life”

April 2026

• Book Series Holds…

  Spoilers for #1-3 of the Of Flesh & Bones series ♥ Mentions of rape My diary entries have officially bled over into insufferable internet oversharing. I am constantly complaining about books I read in my diary, a safe place to do so by nature. I regularly crash out while reading Harper L. Woods books, which is a bit sad. Her writing is like eating Walmart sheet cake — it is no boutique cupcake yet still delicious. I finally finished Of Flesh & Bones #3 after starting it 2 months ago. I had to take a break because What Lurks Between the Fates because it's so damn boring and frustrating. I'm considering dropping the series altogether after the piss ending of Fates. The plot is nowhere in sight; I have few answers promised in Shadows and teased throughout the book; the evil of the main villain is horribly contrived; and worst of all, I could hardly call it a romance. I reread some key moments of the first book, and I remembered why I liked this series in the first place. Caelum is…

  Permanent link to “Book Series Holds Woman Hostage”

March 2026

• Springtime…

  I’m relieved that Winter is finally over and we’re taking our first soggy steps into Spring. Ostara was uneventful this year, though the equinoxes tend to be quieter affairs in my family compared to Litha and Yule. I didn’t do very much to celebrate. My life seems to be a roller coaster lately, with many turns and roundabouts outside my control. I’m doing my best to focus on what’s within my grasp rather than what’s just outside my reach. I’ve unwillingly had to move to a mostly work-from-home schedule due to some office shenanaigans. I’m grateful, as always, to have a flexible job in that respect, but it’s so depressing to be home all the time. I would describe myself as an extrovert with a low social capacity. Meaning, I need to be social and around people to feel OK… but I get tired easily from [i]too[/i] much interaction. It’s quite the Goldilocks situation. I’m making effort to leave my house, even if I’m by myself, going on walks and window shopping when I can. I visit my family…

  Permanent link to “Springtime Loneliness”

February 2026

• Annoying Men Who Do…

  I recently finished What Lies Beyond the Veil by Harper L. Woods. I really enjoyed the Coven duology, and as such, I picked up her other series. While I love fantasy in general, I had some reservations about it initially. My issue is that fae worldbuilding can be tedious to read. I dislike lore info dumping in the first few chapters, and I've noticed that is a persistent issue in this new wave of gothic fae dark romantasy novels. I love Woods' writing style though, so I set my reservations aside. It took me awhile to warm up to the book as the first 50 to 100 pages are slow paced and painful. It's almost too much information about the FMC's shitty life subjected to lore appropriate misogyny and abuse. Like, I get it. She's suffering. She's really going through it. Her life sucks. As readers, we know she's going to have some sexy fairy guy come save her, and I think about half of the first act could have been cut. I swear on my love, I enjoyed this book. It just took a while to get…

  Permanent link to “Annoying Men Who Do Not Exist”

• Miss Hamster Lacks…

  Wow, it's almost Valentine's Day! Maybe it's silly, but Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday. It's low pressure, red and pink, and there are hearts and chocolate everywhere. I love taking time to tell my loved ones how much they mean to me, especially Dudu. I've been sick in bed for the last week with the flu, and he took such good care of me. I'm so grateful. Speaking of being bed-bound... it sucked so much LOL. I have a low social battery, and I have trouble keeping in touch. And, simultaneously, dialetically, I'm an extrovert. My cup is filled by being around people, and when I'm isolated, as was the case as I recovered from the flu, I feel so sad. I'm okay with being by myself and enjoy my alone time. But days of being stuck in my house by myself really gets to me. It makes me so crazy that I start missing my cubicle and the mean old ladies I work with. Thankfully, I am finally feeling well enough to rejoin society after a week in bed. I'm sure the feelings of 'please on the…

  Permanent link to “Miss Hamster Lacks Social Enrichment for a Week”

January 2026

• Sewing Adventures

  Happy New Year! Is it too late for that greeting...? I took several pictures over the past few weeks for this blog, but I’m too tired to update. Funny how that works, right? My strength and fortitude have been challenged in new ways by some personal matters. I won’t quit, though … even if I’ve kissed my limit for a couple of weeks. To take my mind off the horrors, even with no energy, I have played a lot of small, non-committal games, such as Suika, Block Blast, and Life Makeover. It’s helping, and today is a good day. I bought a new phone last week for the first time in like 8 years, so I’m excited to play with the new camera. —And it will be nice to edit the pictures without worrying that my phone will blow up, LOL. I’ve also sewn several projects this last month! I have improved my basic skills with each project, and I’m pretty happy with everything I’ve stitched together. I never finished those weird pants for my mom. I felt demoralized after realizing that they probably will not…

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