Posted in Make & Muse

Creating Just for Me

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I want to start painting again. I do paint sometimes, but I’m not very good, and that usually makes me stop. I tend to think of painting and drawing as talent-based, even though I know they’re really a mix of talent and skill—and skill takes work.

I was recently thinking about Ed Sheeran on The Graham Norton Show, showing how rough he sounded when he was younger compared to now. What changed wasn’t just ability—it was passion and persistence. He cared enough to keep improving. I think that’s where I struggle. I’m good at starting things, but not so great at sticking with them. That’s not exactly new—I’ve been saying the same thing since I started this blog in 2019.

I don’t want to be a famous painter. I just want a hobby that’s mine, something I can get better at and enjoy. I’m great at baking and pretty good at writing, but even those don’t always feel like hobbies. Baking is more of a stress outlet, and writing can start to feel like work—especially when I think about the countless stories I’ve started and never finished.

As a small step toward that softer kind of life I’ve been wanting, I actually signed up for a painting event in Long Beach soon. It feels a little out of my comfort zone, but in a good way—like I’m letting myself try something without needing to be good at it right away. Maybe that’s the point this time: to show up, take it slow, and just enjoy creating something that’s only for me.

Posted in Lifestyle

Caught in the Scroll

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Daily writing prompt
How do you use social media?

I think I use social media pretty similarly to a lot of people my age. Most of the time, I find myself scrolling and watching what everyone else is posting instead of actually creating anything myself. It’s easy to fall into that habit because there’s always something new to look at—whether it’s videos, photos, or updates from other people. Before I know it, I’ve spent way more time consuming content than I originally intended.

I do enjoy seeing what others are doing and keeping up with trends, but sometimes it makes me realize that I’m more of a viewer than a creator. I’ll have ideas for things I could post, but I don’t always follow through with them. Instead, I just keep scrolling. I think social media can be a great space for creativity and self-expression, but for me, it often turns into more passive entertainment than active participation.

Overall, I’d say I use social media mostly to relax and pass time, even though I know I could probably get more out of it if I put more effort into making my own content instead of just watching everyone else.

Posted in Bun AppƩtit

Fennel-y Back in the Kitchen

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I love cooking. Not casually—deeply, stubbornly, with a kind of affection that usually involves a whisk in one hand and a grocery list that makes no practical sense. But lately? Cooking and I haven’t exactly been in sync. I think about it constantly, romanticize it even, but somehow don’t end up doing it as much as I want. It’s like craving a perfect croissant and never actually stepping into the bakery.

And then something shifted.

I watched a Julia Child documentary, and it all came rushing back.

That joy. That playfulness. That completely unselfconscious love of food.

She didn’t just cook—she celebrated. She made it feel alive, a little messy, a little imperfect, and entirely worth it. Watching her felt like opening a window I didn’t realize I’d shut somewhere along the way.

I grew up on her PBS shows. I remember being completely captivated—not just by what she made, but by how she made it feel. Like an adventure. Like something you got to do, not something you had to check off a list. When she passed away, I cried real, actual tears. It felt like losing a piece of something warm and joyful.

And then there’s Julie & Julia. I saw it in theaters and walked out equal parts inspired and starving. It’s still one of my favorite movies, and honestly, probably a big reason I ever wanted to start blogging in the first place. There’s something irresistible about the idea of cooking your way through recipes—one imperfect, beautiful attempt at a time.

Lately, I’ve been missing that version of myself. The one who got excited about trying something new just for the sake of it. The one who didn’t overthink every step. The one who just… cooked.

But I don’t think she’s gone. I think she’s just been a little buried under busy weeks and takeout menus.

Every year, I add ā€œtry 20 new recipesā€ to my New Year bingo card. It’s become a quiet little tradition. This year, I’m six recipes in. Six small wins. Six moments where I chose curiosity over convenience.

And right now, I’m especially fixated on this one recipe: https://motherwouldknow.com/alice-waters-shaved-fennel-salad-html/

Yes, it’s technically Alice Waters’, but I only know about it because she shared it with Julia Child—which somehow makes it feel like part of that same magical lineage. And for whatever reason, I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s simple, fresh, a little elegant without trying too hard. Exactly the kind of thing that reminds me why I fell in love with cooking in the first place.

Maybe that’s all I need. Not a perfect schedule or a dream kitchen or hours of free time. Just a little spark. A little curiosity. A willingness to try.

And maybe make a mess along the way.

I think she’d approve. And honestly? That feels like enough.

Posted in Lifestyle

Hello April

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Okay so—hi, hello, welcome back to the chaotic sitcom that is my life. It’s April 19th. THE 19TH. And somehow this month has already packed the emotional equivalent of, like, six Novembers and a tax season.

Also, quick side note: this was *supposed* to be the month I wrote every single day. Like, ā€œnew month, new me, consistent, thriving, journaling queenā€ energy. And yet… here we are. Seventeen days in and I’m just now checking in like a student who forgot the assignment existed. So that’s going great. Love the follow-through. Truly inspiring stuff.

First plot twist: apparently my body has decided to start a side quest into ✨prediabetes✨. Love that for me. I’ve been trying—truly, gold star effort—eating healthier, making better choices, adding fruit like I’m starring in my own wellness rebrand… only to find out that maybe I’ve been a little *too* enthusiastic with the fruit bowl. Who knew trying to be healthy could backfire like that? Not me, a fool, standing in the kitchen with a banana like it betrayed me personally.

Meanwhile, work has me feeling like the human version of a ā€œmiscellaneousā€ drawer. You know, the one with batteries, a random key, and three pens that don’t work? Yeah. That’s me. I’m the filler person. Need someone to plug a gap? That’s me. Need someone to shift plans last minute? Also me. And it’s getting…old. Like, how am I supposed to plan my own life when my schedule is basically written in pencil by someone else?

And then, because the universe said ā€œlet’s really commit to the bit,ā€ I’m officially giving up on school. Again. But this time it feels different—like, capital-D Done. Not dramatic, just…real. I didn’t pay the acceptance fee in time (turns out money is required for that, rude), and between everything else going on, it just wasn’t happening.

Which brings me to the final plot twist: my dog is pregnant. Yes. We are expecting. I am not emotionally prepared, financially thriving, or logistically organized—but we *are* expecting. So if anyone has ever dreamed of owning a German Shepherd puppy… hi, hello, this is your moment. Please come get one. Or five.

So yeah. It’s been a month. And we’re only halfway through. At this point I’m just holding on, eating my slightly controversial fruit, and waiting to see what the rest of April has planned—preferably something calm, but honestly I wouldn’t bet on it.

Posted in Lifestyle

Luna ā€œLoonyā€ Lovegood

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If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?

I would choose Luna Lovegood from theĀ Harry PotterĀ series—specifically the version of her that lives in the books. There’s something about Luna on the page that feels quieter, deeper, and more real to me than what we see on screen. She isn’t just ā€œquirkyā€ for the sake of it—she’s someone who has learned to be unapologetically herself in a world that doesn’t always understand her.

Growing up, I related to that more than I could explain at the time. I was a weird kid. Not in a fun, attention-grabbing way, but in the kind of way that makes it hard to connect with people. Making friends didn’t come easily to me, and there were moments when I felt like a loner—like I was somehow outside of everything everyone else seemed to be a part of. Sometimes that feeling turned into thinking I was a loser, even if I didn’t fully believe it deep down.

She’s teased, overlooked, and underestimated, yet she never reshapes herself to fit in. She doesn’t chase approval or try to hide the things that make her different. Instead, she moves through the world with this quiet confidence, as if she understands something others don’t—that being different isn’t something to fix.

In middle school, when I was getting picked on, I didn’t have that kind of confidence. I think that’s part of why Luna stood out to me so much. She represented a version of strength I hadn’t learned yet. Not loud or confrontational, but steady and unshaken. By the time high school came around, things got better for me, but that earlier version of myself still connects with her deeply.

If I could be Luna, it wouldn’t just be about being in a magical world. It would be about having that level of self-acceptance from the start—the ability to exist as I am without constantly questioning whether I belong. Luna reminds me that belonging doesn’t always come from fitting in; sometimes it comes from finding the people who see you clearly and choosing to see yourself the same way.

Posted in Lifestyle

Easy Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake for Easter

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This Easter, I’m keeping things simple, cozy, and a little citrusy.

No over-the-top baking marathon. No stress. Just one soft, sunshine-filled cake that feels like spring showed up in dessert form. Something light, something sweet, something that tastes like opening the windows and letting fresh air into the kitchen.

So this year, I’m making aĀ lemon blueberry Bundt cake — the kind that feels like it belongs on a pastel plate next to a cup of coffee and a quiet Easter afternoon.

It’s easy, which is honestly the whole point. Easter doesn’t need to be complicated to be special. Sometimes it’s just about making something warm, sharing it with people you love, and letting the day feel gentle.

What you’ll need:

  • 1 package lemon cake mix
  • 3 oz instant lemon pudding mix
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 4 eggs
  • 6 oz blueberries (fresh or frozen)

For the glaze:

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water or lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

How I’m making it:

Preheat the oven to 350° and generously grease a large Bundt pan (this part is important because nobody wants a broken Easter cake).

In a big bowl, whisk together the lemon cake mix and lemon pudding mix. Add the water, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and eggs, then mix everything until smooth. Gently fold in the blueberries so they don’t burst and turn the whole cake purple.

Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few soft crumbs.

Let it cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then flip it onto a cooling rack and let it rest completely.

For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, water (or lemon juice if you want it extra bright), and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle it over the cooled cake and let it set for about 10 minutes before slicing.

That’s it.

A soft, lemony, blueberry-filled Easter cake that doesn’t try too hard but still feels special. The kind of dessert that sits quietly on the table while everyone talks, laughs, and maybe sneaks an extra slice when no one is looking.

Sometimes Easter isn’t about doing the most.

Sometimes it’s just about making something sweet and letting the day be soft.

Posted in Lifestyle

Nothing Happened… But Everything Feels Different

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Not the post I intend to post today but I got news today.

Not good news.
Not bad news.
Just… news.

The kind that sits in your chest and refuses to tell you how you’re supposed to feel about it.

I think that’s what makes it so hard. If it were good, I’d celebrate. If it were bad, I’d grieve. But this lives in the uncomfortable middle — the quiet gray area where nothing is clearly right or wrong, and yet everything suddenly feels different.

And it came at the worst possible time.

Life already feels fragile, like I’m barely holding everything together with sticky notes and deep breaths, and then this news shows up and gently knocks on the door like it belongs here. Like it’s allowed to rearrange everything without asking if I’m ready.

I didn’t plan for it.
I didn’t prepare for it.
And I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do with it.

That’s the strange thing about news that isn’t good or bad — it still changes things. It still asks you to think about your future in ways you weren’t expecting. It still sits quietly in the back of your mind while you’re trying to go about your day like nothing happened.

But something did happen.

Even if no one else can see it.

Right now I’m just sitting with it, letting myself feel confused and a little overwhelmed and unsure. Not rushing to decide anything. Not forcing meaning onto it. Just letting it exist in the messy middle of my life.

Because sometimes news is just news.

And sometimes that’s enough to shake everything.

Posted in Lifestyle

April 1st: No Pranks, Just Pages

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Listen. I know what day it is.

I know the internet is out here duct-taping googly eyes onto everything and calling it content. I know someone, somewhere, has already announced they’re quitting their job to become a professional cloud watcher (honestly… tempting). And I KNOW you might be side-eyeing anything posted today like, ā€œhmm… but is it real though?ā€

So let me say this as plainly—and as un-prankishly—as possible:

This is not an April Fools’ joke.

Your girl is doing the 30-day writing challenge. For real. On purpose. With intention. And probably snacks.

You might remember I already announced it (look at me, being consistent *before* the challenge even starts… growth!!), but today felt like the right day to gently (read: aggressively but lovingly) remind you:

I’m showing up. Every day. For 30 days. To write.

Not perfectly.
Not brilliantly.
Not with a feather quill by candlelight while whispering to my muses.

Just… honestly.

Some days might be thoughtful.
Some might be chaotic.
Some might read like I wrote them while emotionally attached to a cup of coffee.

But they will exist.

And that’s kind of the point, isn’t it?

Because if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: we spend so much time waiting to feel ā€œreadyā€ that we forget readiness is a myth invented by procrastination and its close cousin, ✨overthinking✨.

So this month, I’m choosing momentum over magic.

I’m choosing done over perfect.
Messy over missing.
Showing up over showing off.

And if you’ve been sitting on something—writing, creating, dreaming, doodling, whispering ā€œone dayā€ to yourself like it’s a personality trait—consider this your extremely gentle, bunny-approved nudge:

Start.

Not because it’s the perfect time.
Not because you suddenly feel fearless.
But because you’re allowed to begin before you feel ready.

No punchline. No twist ending. No ā€œhaha just kidding.ā€

Just a small, steady commitment:
30 days. 30 pieces. One slightly unhinged but determined human.

If you’re in, I’m cheering for you.
If you’re watching, I’m still cheering for you.
If you’re skeptical because it’s April 1st… honestly? Fair. Respect.

But come back tomorrow.
And the next day.
And the next.

I’ll be here.

No fooling. 🐰

Posted in Lifestyle

The Friend Zone

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There’s this unspoken idea that you’re supposed to become best friends with your friends’ partners. Like it’s all one big, happy, perfectly blended group where everyone clicks effortlessly.

But… that’s not always how it goes.

I tried, genuinely. I reached out, invited her to things, made space for a connection outside of just group settings. And for a while, I kept thinking maybe it just needed time. But it started to feel a little one-sided—like the friendliness only really showed up when he was around, and otherwise it was a bit distant, a bit surface-level.

At one point, when they had broken up, I even sent a message just trying to be respectful of everyone involved. I didn’t want to be in the middle of anything—I just wanted clarity on how to exist in shared spaces without making things uncomfortable for anyone. It came from a good place: caring about both people, separately, and wanting to navigate things thoughtfully.

But looking back, I think that was one of the last times I really tried to bridge that gap.

Now that they’re back together, not much has changed on that front—and weirdly, that’s been clarifying in its own way. Not every connection is meant to turn into a friendship, and that’s okay.

Because the truth is: you don’tĀ haveĀ to be friends with your friends’ partners.

This isn’t some sitcom version of life where everyone ends up inseparable, sharing inside jokes on a couch every night. Sometimes the dynamic is just… different. More casual. More ā€œwe’re friendly because we’re in the same orbit,ā€ and that’s enough.

And honestly, this has been the year I’ve started letting that be enough.

Less overthinking. Less trying to make everything perfectly aligned. Less worrying about who likes what, or how to make every interaction land just right.

I gave it a real shot, and I feel good about that. But I’ve also learned that not every effort needs to be ongoing.

Now when I see her, it’s simple. Polite. Easy. No pressure for it to be anything more than what it naturally is.

And that feels… kind of peaceful, actually.

Posted in Lifestyle

A library

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If you could have something named after you, what would it be?

I want a library named after me. Not in a quiet, humble way, but in a dramatic, history-book, future-field-trip kind of way. Think the Library of Alexandria, but reimagined as the Library of Eryn — a place where stories live forever and people walk in feeling like knowledge is sacred and cozy at the same time.

I want it to be bigger than the New York Public Library, which holds over 50 million items and already feels like a universe of pages. Mine would hold even more: cookbooks, diaries, zines, playlists, handwritten letters, blog posts, and tiny pieces of human life that deserve to be archived.

No dusty silence, just warm lighting, soft couches, and endless shelves of possibility — a monument to curiosity, creativity, and cozy chaos, and that books can build worlds.