Friday, Jul. 23, 2021 - 8:19 pm.
The down side of me writing on Friday afternoons/evenings, is that I'm mostly thinking about work. Work's going great! The end.
Let's talk about that amazing shop of independent artists in the city. It's the closest thing to the independent makers scene in Sheffield (yes, I'm always missing Sheffield), and it's one of the things that I do like about being in this city.
I've shopped there a couple of times, online and in-store. That's the place that's made me step out of the house, which gives you an idea of what an amazing place it must be, giving me a reason to go out and live like that.
OH! And this independent store is also selling my book <3 I'm pretty sure I mentioned that they took some copies (did I?), but it's worth repeating.
Andrew and I went there last Saturday. We had the daughter of a friend drive us there, haha (the friend and her daughter lived in Sheffield during the same period as us, this friend won the same scholarship). We did pay her, a girl gotta hustle. She's 18, trying to adjust and move on after life in the United Kingdom and the pandemic in South America.
After doing some shopping, the daughter drove us to her house, where her mom, our friend, cooked us lunch, also "Sheffield-inspired" (Indian food, LOL). I hadn't had such a wonderful day in so long: Shopping, seeing friends, eating good food, being outside on a sunny winter day.
It kind of feels like the pandemic is passing. I'm very unsure about this, it's a treacherous thing with all those variants and it just hasn't gone away, has it? But measures in the city, perhaps all over, are relaxing. Andrew and I have met with one or two people every week.
We actually had a friend over last night. It was quite the partying. We drank some pisco sour, a bottle of champagne, and some vodka with orange juice. I actually stayed with the pisco and the Oreo cheesecake that she brought, and just a few sips of the other two drinks. They hit me hard fast, and I don't enjoy feeling that drunk. But it was a very fun night.
I digress, though. The measures. From the pictures I see from friends at my home country you'd think the pandemic there is gone. But actually, don't get me started on my fucking home country. Yesterday I said I'm not stepping foot there ever again. I'm probably just bluffing, because my sense of duty is a bitch, but what's happening there is so horrible and I feel so impotent. I want my siblings and nephew and a few friends out of there now.
Speaking of social events, this upcoming Thursday I'll be on this online conversation about Central American literature. Again. I haven't been on one of these in the last few months, god bless, but these literary events seem to keep popping here and there. Does it translate to people reading my work? It fucking doesn't. I'm not thrilled about this event, but I wasn't disinterested enough to say no.
Another nice thing that Andrew and I have going on: We've taken upon watching Drag Race. What a joy it is to be a queer woman married to a queer man.
Well, there you. Here's me rambling about my life outside work, my proper life. It actually seems to be getting busier.
I'm missing talking about how absent of a girlfriend I've been with Helen these weeks. She's a saint and waits for me patiently, but I'm more and more convinced that this long-distance relationship thing isn't working anymore. I don't talk to her that much because I'm either busy or exhausted, but all the while I'm feeling guilty. But I guess this is a conversation to be had with her before I go on here.
Another friend just came over. And the pizza's almost here. See? More socializing, Jesus Christ. It's great to see people, but also, gotta keep an eye on the virus.