June 2023, Goodbye Summer Blues

Writing

I don’t have much to report in terms of writing. Well, no new projects. I’m still working steadily along on my ongoing serials: Last Train Home, The Threads That Weave, and Diary of A Stray Cat. Last month I wrapped up three serials, including Early Adopter. I plan on editing that one later this month and sending it off to an editor. I hope to have a cover for it by August, but I’m also still looking for a cover for Last Train Home. You’ll be the first to know.

And speaking of Last Train Home, the first book (first two seasons) is fully edited. Other than a cover, it just needs to be formatted. The formatting is one of my favorite parts.

Aside from that, I am toying with the idea of moving Last Train Home’s wiki to Obsidian, which is more flexible and even allows me to add a toggle for dark mode! If not that, then I’d share my digital notes, but that might be more of a perk for Ream subscribers. I need to build it first, of course, and that’s a lesser priority at the moment.

Life

I actually have a lot going on in my life. I started HRT on the 3rd, for starters. I went through Folx Health for testosterone gel, which is a bit expensive, but worth it. I don’t have to worry about transphobic pharmacists, for starters. They ship my prescription right to my home, which also saves me the trouble of commuting.

I’m on a lower dose and don’t plan to be on T for longer than a year or two, and I’m already noticing some desired effects. My mental health and productivity. has been better Top surgery is something I’d like to get done in the future, but I can’t really afford the procedure right now or take time for recovery. That may change when my career takes off in the future.

Which takes me to another topic: school! I got accepted into community college for sterile processing technician courses. It’s in demand and the pay is really good in our area. I chose that field because it’s something more in line with my personality. It’s solitary, repetitive, and requires attention to detail. It’s the kind of job I can easily see myself doing, especially while listening to podcasts or audiobooks. Plus I get to learn cool medical terms and tools. This may or may not inspire my writing, we’ll see.

And when I’m not writing, gaming, or studying, I’m also exploring Reddit alternatives. Even if they reverse their decision with the API fees (it’s a real shit show for devs), I might spend less time on Reddit. I’ve been on and off for years and don’t engage much. I’m more of a lurker. There are a few obscure communities worth hanging onto, but that’s it.

As for alternatives, I’ve been checking out Beehaw, Raddle, and Squabbles. I’m not set on one yet, but I plan to drop at least one and focus on the other two. It really depends on the communities and moderation.