May was a month brimming with changes. And it was a busy one too.

I've always been a bit of a loner. Don't get me wrong, I adore my friends to pieces, but I'm so used to working through things on my own that I struggle to ask for help or accept it when it's offered. I've been working on that, and this past month, I took all the help that came my way.

One of the major changes this month was moving out of the office I had shared with a friend for about two years. I don't want to go into details, but since the rental agreement was in her name, I decided to vacate the space. For now, I've moved my workspace back into my flat. I might eventually find a new office, but with everything else going on, it probably won't happen this year.

And here's the other monumental event that unfolded this month: I signed the lease for my new flat! Like, what? I've lived in my current place for an entire decade. A whole decade! When I first moved in, I was in my mid-twenties, practically a kid still figuring out who I wanted to be. Now, ten years later, I stand on the precipice of departure, bidding farewell to the place that has been my home for the majority of my adult life. With the moving date set for July, I still have ample time to acclimate to the impending transition. I'll write more about this soon but for now, let me say this: I am both excited and anxious at once!

some other things

• had a lovely celebratory coffee catch-up with dani. we both took huge leaps this past month and i'm very proud of the both of us!
• met up with laura for another coffee & book shopping session. and two weeks later, she helped me pack up my office.
• worked a lot. a lot a lot. a lot of design tokens and documentation work, a lot of smaller support tasks. i've been working with migros for almost two years now, and it's been such a blast. i absolutely adore the team and the work is both challenging and rewarding.
• had a very good reading month – finished 8 books! loads of [cosy] mysteries and thrillers.
• notable books of the month: severance by ling ma and natural beauty by ling ling huang.

may bookmarks

1. When your dream home is AI
2. I tried Bomb Squad
3. Plum-Living – Custom Pax Doors
4. The Age of Instagram Face

How the fuck is it May already? It feels like the year just started, and now we're practically halfway to Halloween.

April was fun! Following a severe migraine attack, I intended to take just a day or two off but ended up taking a two week break to dedicate some time to continue work on my miniature projects. I had begun crafting a miniature record store last year but hadn't found much time to continue. During my break, I completed the exterior, most of the furniture, and even installed some functioning doors. Additionally, I cut, folded, and glued over 1200 tiny records. I'm still not done but we're getting closer! More on that soon!

In my first week at work, I logged over 60 billable hours and felt so productive that I ended up completing a bunch of projects around the flat. I put up some peel-and-stick tiles in the kitchen, installed floating shelves in the living room, and even organized my basement compartment. Does anyone else find they manage to squeeze in even more tasks when they're super busy?

some other things

• watched a lot of tv shows this month while working on my miniatures. after finishing a rewatch of "z nation," i started "izombie" and absolutely loved it.
• i started exploring 'self-help' books and quickly realised they're not really my thing. maybe i just haven't stumbled upon the right ones yet. know any i might like? tell me!
• finished april's daily drawings. it's been fun but i'm getting bored with my illustration style. also, finding new subjects to draw can be tough, especially when i do the same thing over a couple of days.
• tried to listen to the new taylor swift album but couldn't get past track seven or so.
• checked out a new vegan café that opened in my grätzl [neighbourhood] with patrick.
• notable books of the month: kim jiyoung, born 1982 by cho nam-joo and funny you should ask by elissa sussman.

april bookmarks

1. 100 days at the library: intro
2. why buffy season 4 is the coziest season
3. what the first astronauts ate - food in space
4. the end of the millennial lifestyle subsidy
5. sex and the city: how samantha was right about everything
6. the entire history of the met gala

I've been meaning to use this journal for more fun, mundane things. So, here's a list of things I've incorporated into my daily routine that really work for me and have helped make life a tad easier and calmer.

• After applying my skincare, I rub whatever is left on my hands onto my elbows. They've transformed from crusty and dry to absolutely baby-smooth!
• Invest in a water flosser, an electric toothbrush, and a tongue scraper. My dental routine's got almost as many steps as my skincare these days and my dentist is very pleased with me.
• Don't wear gel nails for too long. I adore the simplicity of a good gel manicure, but let me tell you, after a few months, my nails turn brittle and start snapping left and right. Now, I just go for regular manicures every once in a while and carve out an hour every (well, most, ish) Sunday to do my own nails.
• Get yourself an emotional support water bottle that turns hydration into a fun activity. I switch between a few favourites, but my current top pick is this baby right here.
• Pick up a no-screen hobby. I tend to hyper-focus on one hobby at a time. Right now, it's crafting miniatures from scratch. Before that, it was book-binding, and even before that, leather-work. Just step away from the screen. Your downtime shouldn't just mean switching to another tab.
• I'm not one to preach the no-screen-time-before-bed rule. You do you. I sometimes catch myself scrolling through Reddit way past my bedtime. We all know it's not the greatest habit. What has helped me switch to reading at night is keeping my current book on my pillow.
• Go schedule your annual checkups! Once a year, I take a moment to schedule all my checkups for the same week. I call it my medical week. I try to pack in multiple appointments each day — OB-GYN, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, dentist, internist, endocrinologist — you name it. Years ago, I even managed to squeeze five appointments into a single day.
• Speaking of checkups, get your blood tested at least annually. I make it a point to get a full blood panel at least three times a year — even before my Hashimoto's diagnosis. I often show deficiencies in iron, vitamin D, and B vitamins, to name a few, and I like to adjust my daily vitamin intake accordingly.
• And speaking of vitamins: Listen, if we're being honest, no one takes them daily. But try to stick to the 80:20 rule. Sure, some mornings I forget, or I just can't stomach anything other than my daily prescription meds. But I take them often enough to make sure my body gets everything it needs.
• Find yourself a comfort show — especially if you're dealing with anxiety or bouts of depression. For me, it's "The Good Place." Whenever I feel my mood starting to shift, I turn on that show and it makes me feel better — or at least somewhat safe.
• Try out ingredient prep. If you're anything like me, you might have tried meal prepping, but it hasn't worked for you. I just don't wanna eat the same thing for days. What I've been doing is prepping multiple ingredients on Sunday. I chop all my veggies, wash all my fruit, and whip up a few different dressings. I also like to cook a sheet pan of veggies, a grain, and a protein, which I can then mix and match into different meals throughout the week.

Have anything to add that makes your life easier and better? Let me know!