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Collage Journaling: two
Jan. 9th, 2026 12:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stonepicnicking_okapiI am often impressed by the beauty of the cards I receive for the winter holidays. This year that feeling was even greater. I only got 1 of those family photo cards which I can't do anything with. It doesn't help that the person who sends me those is married to someone I wish she weren't married to so it's always disappointing when I still see him in the photo :) The rest were really beautiful cards, almost all from DW friends, which I can recycle in my collaging.
One of the bases of this is my sister's thank you card. We are original from the US South so the exchange of written Thank You notes are sacrosanct. The words say 'use your wings.'
Also, I am beginning to toy with a formula for my collaging. 5 textures makes a collage. This will probably end up in one of your mailboxes next year. It's a nice non-Christmas winter card.
One of the bases of this is my sister's thank you card. We are original from the US South so the exchange of written Thank You notes are sacrosanct. The words say 'use your wings.'
Also, I am beginning to toy with a formula for my collaging. 5 textures makes a collage. This will probably end up in one of your mailboxes next year. It's a nice non-Christmas winter card.
Photo
Jan. 8th, 2026 02:52 pmstonepicnicking_okapiI accidentally took a nice photo today. My client is back in the hospital so I have some time on my hands so I went running at the lake and I tried to photograph this bird (lower right) but the sun was in my eyes so I wasn't sure I got it.
Snowflake Challeng #4: YT channels
Jan. 8th, 2026 02:21 pmstonepicnicking_okapi
Challenge #4: Rec The Contents Of Your Last Page
Any website that you like, be it fanfiction, art, social media, or something a bit more eccentric!
How about the Youtube channels I like:
Collage & Crafting
Moment D: Inspired my collaging. https://www.youtube.com/@momentD
Treasure Books: Inspired my junk journaling & similar. https://www.youtube.com/@TreasureBooks
Thrifty Day: Junk journaling. https://www.youtube.com/@thriftyday
Becorns: Little people made out of acorns and photographs/films them. https://www.youtube.com/@davidmbird
Nature:
RYUCAMP: A Korean man goes camping with his very cute dog. Elaborate Korean meals. https://www.youtube.com/@RYUCAMP
American Politics
Heather Cox Richardson: Ideology & analysis. https://www.youtube.com/@heathercoxrichardson
Hawk. Sarcasm & swearing. https://www.youtube.com/@hawkpodcasts
Mental Health
Midwest Magic Cleaning. A lot of insight about hoarding and hoarders but with wider application. https://www.youtube.com/@MidwestMagicCleaning
Rebel with a Plan. Planner & planning stuff & some ADHD stuff. https://www.youtube.com/@DakotaRebel/videos
Cuppacat. Cute animated ASMR. https://www.youtube.com/@cuppacatasmr
Spirituality
Eknath Easwaran. My guru. https://www.youtube.com/@EknathEaswaranVideos
Music
Beautiful Japanese Music and Men. Trap & bass music. No lyrics. Background music. https://www.youtube.com/@BeautifulJapaneseMusicandMen
Nine Cats on Life. Background music. Jazz. Other genres. https://www.youtube.com/@ninecatsonelife
Poet's Corner: To the New Year by W. S. Mervin
Jan. 8th, 2026 02:20 pmstonepicnicking_okapiTo the New Year by W. S. Merwin
With what stillness at last
you appear in the valley
your first sunlight reaching down
to touch the tips of a few
high leaves that do not stir
as though they had not noticed
and did not know you at all
then the voice of a dove calls
from far away in itself
to the hush of the morning
so this is the sound of you
here and now whether or not
anyone hears it this is
where we have come with our age
our knowledge such as it is
and our hopes such as they are
invisible before us
untouched and still possible
With what stillness at last
you appear in the valley
your first sunlight reaching down
to touch the tips of a few
high leaves that do not stir
as though they had not noticed
and did not know you at all
then the voice of a dove calls
from far away in itself
to the hush of the morning
so this is the sound of you
here and now whether or not
anyone hears it this is
where we have come with our age
our knowledge such as it is
and our hopes such as they are
invisible before us
untouched and still possible
Word: Percale
Jan. 7th, 2026 11:49 amstonepicnicking_okapiWednesday's word is...
...percale.
noun - [per-keyl]
1. a closely woven, smooth-finished, plain or printed cotton cloth, used for bed sheets, clothing, etc.
---
I found this word while looking through the Poetry Foundation's New Year poems collection. To the Garbage Collectors in Bloomington, Indiana, the First Pickup of the New Year by Philip Appleman
My vestiges of muscle stir
uneasily in their percale cocoon:
what moves those men out there, what
drives them running to the next house and the next?
...percale.
noun - [per-keyl]
1. a closely woven, smooth-finished, plain or printed cotton cloth, used for bed sheets, clothing, etc.
---
I found this word while looking through the Poetry Foundation's New Year poems collection. To the Garbage Collectors in Bloomington, Indiana, the First Pickup of the New Year by Philip Appleman
My vestiges of muscle stir
uneasily in their percale cocoon:
what moves those men out there, what
drives them running to the next house and the next?
Snowflake Challenge #3: Happy Birthday, Sherlock Holmes
Jan. 6th, 2026 08:27 pmstonepicnicking_okapiWrite a love letter to fandom. It might be to fandom in general, to a particular fandom, favourite character, anything at all.
My love language is dessert.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHERLOCK HOLMES!
The jams of this year's epiphany tart are raspberry and apricot.
My love language is dessert.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHERLOCK HOLMES!
The jams of this year's epiphany tart are raspberry and apricot.
Music Monday: Committed to Parkview
Jan. 5th, 2026 05:34 pmstonepicnicking_okapiI decided to go back to this list of a 30 day music challenge from mx_morden to get inspiration: https://mx-morden.dreamwidth.org/24574.html
Day 5 is a song that reminds you of someone
My mother was as clean a living person as I can imagine. She's been dead for 32 years now. As far as I know, she never drank or smoked or used any kind of drugs, but she really liked the Highwayman (Cash, Waylon, Willie, and Kris Kristofferson) and I can remember her ironing and wearing out this record on the record players and I can remember her sing along to this song about people in a mental asylum. I don't know. Just one of those things.
mx_morden to get inspiration: https://mx-morden.dreamwidth.org/24574.htmlDay 5 is a song that reminds you of someone
My mother was as clean a living person as I can imagine. She's been dead for 32 years now. As far as I know, she never drank or smoked or used any kind of drugs, but she really liked the Highwayman (Cash, Waylon, Willie, and Kris Kristofferson) and I can remember her ironing and wearing out this record on the record players and I can remember her sing along to this song about people in a mental asylum. I don't know. Just one of those things.
Snowflake Challenge #2
Jan. 4th, 2026 11:54 amstonepicnicking_okapiChallenge #2: Pets of Fandom
Loosely defined! Post about your pets, pets from your canon, anything you want!
My main fandom is Sherlock Holmes and one of the many questions related to canon is what happened to the dog (or was it a dog? Some believe it was a gun!) that Watson claims he keeps (a bully pup) when he first meets Sherlock Holmes. I have answered this in ficlets for as long as I have been in fandom (which is now 15 years). Here's another go.
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD) - Retirement - Sussex AU
Rating: Gen
Length: 200
Summary: A solved case leads to an unexpected prospect.
( Read more... )
Snowflake Challenge 2026, Day 1
Jan. 3rd, 2026 11:57 am22degreehaloChallenge #1
The Icebreaker Challenge: Introduce yourself. Tell us why you're doing the challenge, and what you hope to gain from it.
Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it.
So: Hi!!!!! I try to do Snowflake Challenge every year (I fully completed it in 2024 IIRC!!!) and at this point it's pretty much the only consistent time I post to this blog :') Which is a bit of a shame, but while I used to regularly write longer-form posts to tumblr, over the last year and a half or so I've been dealing with some pretty heavy fatigue and haven't really done that anymore. Or maybe it's just that I'm channelling all that writing energy into fic right now? I got into SVSSS last year and have been absolutely bursting with inspiration ever since <333
( Anyway!! As for what I plan to get out of this event... I'm not sure!!! )
The Icebreaker Challenge: Introduce yourself. Tell us why you're doing the challenge, and what you hope to gain from it.
Post your answer to today’s challenge in your own space and leave a comment in this post saying you did it.
So: Hi!!!!! I try to do Snowflake Challenge every year (I fully completed it in 2024 IIRC!!!) and at this point it's pretty much the only consistent time I post to this blog :') Which is a bit of a shame, but while I used to regularly write longer-form posts to tumblr, over the last year and a half or so I've been dealing with some pretty heavy fatigue and haven't really done that anymore. Or maybe it's just that I'm channelling all that writing energy into fic right now? I got into SVSSS last year and have been absolutely bursting with inspiration ever since <333
( Anyway!! As for what I plan to get out of this event... I'm not sure!!! )
Poet's Corner: Pavane for the New Year by Elder James Olson
Jan. 1st, 2026 04:43 pmstonepicnicking_okapiPavane for the New Year by Elder James Olson [1948]
Note: a pavane is a stately dance in slow duple time, popular in the 16th and 17th centuries and performed in elaborate clothing.
[https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?volume=73&issue=3&page=26}
Note: a pavane is a stately dance in slow duple time, popular in the 16th and 17th centuries and performed in elaborate clothing.
[https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?volume=73&issue=3&page=26}
Happy New Year & Snowflake Challenge 1
Jan. 1st, 2026 04:36 pmstonepicnicking_okapiHappy New Year to everyone!
Challenge #1
The Icebreaker Challenge: Introduce yourself. Tell us why you're doing the challenge, and what you hope to gain from it.
Hello, I'm okapi. I've been on DW for 8 years. Almost everything in my journal is unlocked. I post music, personal posts, words, fic, books I've read or listened to, and poetry. My fandoms are Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie and other Golden Age of Crime fiction, BTS, Jeeves & Wooster, and Venom. I also post crafts like these candles I made today with my kids.
I like the Snowflake Challenge because it's a popular event which means there are lots of interesting things to read every day. I hope to learn more about my current friends and maybe make a few new ones.
Challenge #1
The Icebreaker Challenge: Introduce yourself. Tell us why you're doing the challenge, and what you hope to gain from it.
Hello, I'm okapi. I've been on DW for 8 years. Almost everything in my journal is unlocked. I post music, personal posts, words, fic, books I've read or listened to, and poetry. My fandoms are Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie and other Golden Age of Crime fiction, BTS, Jeeves & Wooster, and Venom. I also post crafts like these candles I made today with my kids.
I like the Snowflake Challenge because it's a popular event which means there are lots of interesting things to read every day. I hope to learn more about my current friends and maybe make a few new ones.
Poet's Corner: on new year's eve by Evie Shockley
Dec. 31st, 2025 07:03 pmstonepicnicking_okapion new year’s eve by Evie Shockley
we make midnight a maquette of the year:
frostlight glinting off snow to solemnize
the vows we offer to ourselves in near
silence: the competition shimmerwise
of champagne and chandeliers to attract
laughter and cheers: the glow from the fireplace
reflecting the burning intra-red pact
between beloveds: we cosset the space
of a fey hour, anxious gods molding our
hoped-for adams with this temporal clay:
each of us edacious for shining or
rash enough to think sacrifice will stay
this fugacious time: while stillness suspends
vitality in balance, as passions
struggle with passions for sway, the mind wends
towards what’s to come: a callithump of fashions,
ersatz smiles, crowded days: a bloodless cut
that severs soul from bone: a long aching
quiet in which we will hear nothing but
the clean crack of our promises breaking.
we make midnight a maquette of the year:
frostlight glinting off snow to solemnize
the vows we offer to ourselves in near
silence: the competition shimmerwise
of champagne and chandeliers to attract
laughter and cheers: the glow from the fireplace
reflecting the burning intra-red pact
between beloveds: we cosset the space
of a fey hour, anxious gods molding our
hoped-for adams with this temporal clay:
each of us edacious for shining or
rash enough to think sacrifice will stay
this fugacious time: while stillness suspends
vitality in balance, as passions
struggle with passions for sway, the mind wends
towards what’s to come: a callithump of fashions,
ersatz smiles, crowded days: a bloodless cut
that severs soul from bone: a long aching
quiet in which we will hear nothing but
the clean crack of our promises breaking.
The State of the Ficcery: December 2025
Dec. 31st, 2025 05:47 pmstonepicnicking_okapi[I have been trying to get my drink on since 3 pm and finally have a glass in my hand. Kind of fitting for the year.]
Word count for 2025: 260,487
For 2026: My only writing goals are to 1. finish my Rear Window AU on 13 Jun 2026 and 2. to do at least one fill for 2026 Spook Me.
Reading: 72 books, which is up 13 from last year. I finishedkingstoken's bingo and I got one line of garonne's bingo.
For 2026: I want to finish the Rebus series (I have the last two from the library already checked out) and finish my All of Agatha in January 2027. My main goal, however, it to keep a simple reading log, which will include the basic info about the book and one sentence of my opinion/observation of it. I feel like I read things (or more often listen to audiobooks) and I don't recall anything. So I want to be a bit (not as much as many people, but more than I do now which is nothing) more mindful.
Crafting: I did crafty Xmas gifts for 3 friends. Also 20 Xmas cards!
For 2026: My only goal is to be more mindful/one-pointed when I craft so I can enjoy the process of creating. And a resolution to keep the collaging out of my planner to reduce the bulk. I stopped using my planner by the autumn because it got too bulky because of the collage layers so collaging is going in journals for that purpose and the planner will have the occasional sticker.
Health & Fitness: I don't want to dwell too much on weight in case it's triggering for anyone but I put on weight this year. And I was disappointed in my performance at the Turkey Trot. I did try pickleball, and I like it, but I only have so many hours on the day. I would like to have a resolution about pickleball, but I just can't see myself committing to it meaningfully. I did Yoga with Adriene regularly (meaning more than half the days of a given month) so I am going to continue with that. I do believe honestly that regular stretching is a key component of not feeling like shit every day.
For 2026: Get the weight off so I can finally go to the doctor for a checkup (I haven't been to a doctor in 11 years. They're going to tell me to lose the weight, tell me I have high cholesterol and diabetes and who knows what else.). And I want to be able to run (read: jog, I don't actually RUN) the full Turkey Trot. That I can commit to as a goal. But the real goal is not the weight but to eat in freedom which means getting my binging under control and making better choices.
Personal: God, I survived so much this year. The boys' father losing his job when USAID was closed and working himself day and night to get 2 years of private funding. Saying goodbye to okapi car (which still HURTS). The leaks and the roof collapsing.
BUT
I got a job! When I think about how daunting the prospect of anything else is (like losing the weight) the counter logic I use is BUT YOU GOT A JOB! I never thought ANYONE would hire me. I'm so fucking useless on paper, and mostly in reality, too, but nevertheless I have a job. So that was a miracle. And it has changed my life completely. For the better.
For 2026: Plan the Okapi invasion (my UK trip). I'm thinking it'll probably happen in spring 2027 but I want it booked and planned by the end of 2026. My sister may be going with me! Taking care of old people who have lost their mobility and have so many limitations has made me realize I need to get serious with this bucket list and 221B Baker Street is #1 place in the entire world I want to see before I die. So I am thinking I am going to take 10-20% more hours a month (I don't want to overwhelm myself or cramp the logistics of two busy boys) to help save money for it.
My sister got me the gorgeous Botancia tarot deck (which I was first introduced to on DW during 3 weeks 4 dreamwidth: https://www.beehivebooks.com/products/botanica) so I want to get more familiar with that. I don't really see myself as a fortune teller but rather think of them as tools for reflection and introspection and creativity in some cases.
I had a conversation with the boys' father today and we are not moving this year. He has done some research and there aren't any cheaper places in our area so we've sticking with the devil we know for now.
Of course, I want to save money over all because the price of things is going up but that isn't a very specific goal. I have a goal for weekly grocery spending but it's a serious stretch goal at the moment.
Spiritual: I don't usually talk about my spiritual life here because I don't want to offend anyone but I've been meditating every morning for the past 23 years so I am finally ready to add an evening meditation to my routine. The bedtime routine I have now is serious shit. But my ego is definitely going to put up a fight (multiple fights) but I hope to establish a healthier bedtime routine by the end of the year.
So 2025 was a tough year (BUT I HAVE A JOB!). I want 2026 to be about devotion, kindness, patience and perseverance, and mindfulness.
Hope everyone is/has rung out the new year in whatever way suits you!
Word count for 2025: 260,487
For 2026: My only writing goals are to 1. finish my Rear Window AU on 13 Jun 2026 and 2. to do at least one fill for 2026 Spook Me.
Reading: 72 books, which is up 13 from last year. I finished
kingstoken's bingo and I got one line of garonne's bingo.For 2026: I want to finish the Rebus series (I have the last two from the library already checked out) and finish my All of Agatha in January 2027. My main goal, however, it to keep a simple reading log, which will include the basic info about the book and one sentence of my opinion/observation of it. I feel like I read things (or more often listen to audiobooks) and I don't recall anything. So I want to be a bit (not as much as many people, but more than I do now which is nothing) more mindful.
Crafting: I did crafty Xmas gifts for 3 friends. Also 20 Xmas cards!
For 2026: My only goal is to be more mindful/one-pointed when I craft so I can enjoy the process of creating. And a resolution to keep the collaging out of my planner to reduce the bulk. I stopped using my planner by the autumn because it got too bulky because of the collage layers so collaging is going in journals for that purpose and the planner will have the occasional sticker.
Health & Fitness: I don't want to dwell too much on weight in case it's triggering for anyone but I put on weight this year. And I was disappointed in my performance at the Turkey Trot. I did try pickleball, and I like it, but I only have so many hours on the day. I would like to have a resolution about pickleball, but I just can't see myself committing to it meaningfully. I did Yoga with Adriene regularly (meaning more than half the days of a given month) so I am going to continue with that. I do believe honestly that regular stretching is a key component of not feeling like shit every day.
For 2026: Get the weight off so I can finally go to the doctor for a checkup (I haven't been to a doctor in 11 years. They're going to tell me to lose the weight, tell me I have high cholesterol and diabetes and who knows what else.). And I want to be able to run (read: jog, I don't actually RUN) the full Turkey Trot. That I can commit to as a goal. But the real goal is not the weight but to eat in freedom which means getting my binging under control and making better choices.
Personal: God, I survived so much this year. The boys' father losing his job when USAID was closed and working himself day and night to get 2 years of private funding. Saying goodbye to okapi car (which still HURTS). The leaks and the roof collapsing.
BUT
I got a job! When I think about how daunting the prospect of anything else is (like losing the weight) the counter logic I use is BUT YOU GOT A JOB! I never thought ANYONE would hire me. I'm so fucking useless on paper, and mostly in reality, too, but nevertheless I have a job. So that was a miracle. And it has changed my life completely. For the better.
For 2026: Plan the Okapi invasion (my UK trip). I'm thinking it'll probably happen in spring 2027 but I want it booked and planned by the end of 2026. My sister may be going with me! Taking care of old people who have lost their mobility and have so many limitations has made me realize I need to get serious with this bucket list and 221B Baker Street is #1 place in the entire world I want to see before I die. So I am thinking I am going to take 10-20% more hours a month (I don't want to overwhelm myself or cramp the logistics of two busy boys) to help save money for it.
My sister got me the gorgeous Botancia tarot deck (which I was first introduced to on DW during 3 weeks 4 dreamwidth: https://www.beehivebooks.com/products/botanica) so I want to get more familiar with that. I don't really see myself as a fortune teller but rather think of them as tools for reflection and introspection and creativity in some cases.
I had a conversation with the boys' father today and we are not moving this year. He has done some research and there aren't any cheaper places in our area so we've sticking with the devil we know for now.
Of course, I want to save money over all because the price of things is going up but that isn't a very specific goal. I have a goal for weekly grocery spending but it's a serious stretch goal at the moment.
Spiritual: I don't usually talk about my spiritual life here because I don't want to offend anyone but I've been meditating every morning for the past 23 years so I am finally ready to add an evening meditation to my routine. The bedtime routine I have now is serious shit. But my ego is definitely going to put up a fight (multiple fights) but I hope to establish a healthier bedtime routine by the end of the year.
So 2025 was a tough year (BUT I HAVE A JOB!). I want 2026 to be about devotion, kindness, patience and perseverance, and mindfulness.
Hope everyone is/has rung out the new year in whatever way suits you!