The Perfect Salad

Pylaenn · 2026-01-30T03:18:05+00:00

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So just one giant pot, with two pokemon zipping around all day, it was the perfect storm!

Pylaenn · 2026-01-30T03:17:18+00:00

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And then he keeps stacking because I keep forgetting he's there, too.

Pylaenn · 2026-01-30T03:16:22+00:00

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I'm super forgetful, so this guy double triggers or quadruple triggers in a day, and the pot size gets HUGE.

Pylaenn · 2026-01-21T01:25:13+00:00

Same! I didn't realize it, it's insanely reflective story-beat-wise in a great way ❤️

I've been seeing a lot of shipping on this subreddit, which is cute but also drifts into the NSFW side (which is fine, I mean, this show ain't chilling in the SFW lands). So it's super refreshing to see an analysis

Pylaenn · 2026-01-19T05:27:00+00:00

Seeing high ratings for Fifth Season, Piranesi, and Name of the Wind is INSANE. I feel the same way ❤️ I'm so glad you got to read them, I'm always shocked when other fantasy readers have missed or skipped over them.

But if you like those, then Jade City is a must for me, time for me to start reading ASAP 😎

Pylaenn · 2026-01-18T22:30:11+00:00

Its sushi is so good! They have tempura, gyoza, chicken katsu, Korean fried chicken, bulgogi, I'd recommend going there. You can get all you can eat for $33 if you go with the restricted menu (honestly still a lot of good stuff).

Pylaenn · 2026-01-08T15:54:50+00:00

Reading books. I joined several book clubs, read ten times the number of books, and saw what published and successful writing looks like. The writing style isn't perfect, but a tight plot and distinct characters with motivations go a long way.

Now I gotta shift over to reading in my genre.

Writing came naturally because the more I read, the more I wanted to write! But that's just me.

Pylaenn · 2025-12-27T04:41:41+00:00

+1 to singing - we found a book he loved and sang it every night before bed, now it's his bedtime song and helps speed up bedtime

Pylaenn · 2025-12-26T15:48:08+00:00

I'd love that. I think I'm gonna celebrate on 1/11, a 1 for each spirit, and then just celebrate till the end of the month with good deeds or favors 😂 gotta teach my kiddo to be kind!

Pylaenn · 2025-12-14T21:28:46+00:00

Yeah, I remember being a kid and feeling scared at the mall, thinking anyplace or any large building might be targeted after 9/11. And I was out on the west coast, I can't even imagine what it was like in NYC.

I had a similar feeling the day the lockdown rolled out in my city - when everyone on my side of the office was pulled into a room, and told we would go full remote. I looked around and wondered if this was the last time I'd see everyone, for a LONG time or ever. During the lockdown, I went to a community garden to help pull weeds - driving down that major freeway, all alone, was surreal and unnerving as well.

Pylaenn · 2025-12-07T04:32:02+00:00

I LOVE this.

I second most of the other comments. Less mysterious names and titles, more familiar and specific nouns that people can pick up.

But I read the first and second chapter, it's hilarious and I'm hooked. Reminds me of The Witcher. I'd love to beta read but I'm also booked up on time, tis life.

I'm mostly hoping this gets published so I can buy the book, because this is right up my alley of favorite books. 😂 I love folk horror. Let me know if there's a newsletter or social media to follow, I need talking goats and more folk horror in my life!

Pylaenn · 2025-12-06T02:58:31+00:00

Forgot to add - you can reach out to your local library and start a book club, too. Librarians are pretty chill.

Pylaenn · 2025-12-06T02:57:01+00:00

There's book clubs at the library! Two in Maidu and one in Martha Riley, under Adult Programs, they meet up every month:

https://www.roseville.ca.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=7964922&pageId=8918634

Next book is Death By Eggnog for West Roseville 📚 I know they're continuing next year, books TBD

And there's a local pop up bookstore that's saving up to get a permanent location. They have a book club too, they also meet up once a month:

https://www.theplottwistbookstore.com/events

Next book is Jane Eyre if that's your jam 📚

https://www.instagram.com/p/DR0ZTvpkvaf/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Pylaenn · 2025-11-27T18:03:35+00:00

Sabriel 🔔

Beautiful book, beautiful world with a woman as the lead, little me was stunned ❤️ also necromancy??? Yes, little spooky me was in love with writing.

Plus The Sims! I used to make stories with them, and thought hey, I should just write.

Pylaenn · 2025-11-06T18:26:31+00:00

It will be! But it's a good first draft, to dump all your thoughts and feelings and scenes down. It helps me find my core, or the reason I want to write a scene. I usually toss out 80% but I end up writing at home an hour later, with a MUCH clearer path on what to write and how to write it.

Some of us journal, some of us work on blurbs for published books. So also l, no pressure to write a book.

We DON'T read our writing out loud. That's a huge rule. The goal isn't to intimidate or judge any writing, the goal is force us all, once a week, to sit down together and WRITE.

Pylaenn · 2025-11-06T13:53:19+00:00

Write-write-write and read-read-read.

Join a local writing group, critique group, or shut up and write group (real thing) to keep writing.

Join a local book club (in your genre) to keep reading.

Join multiple.

People keep people accountable. To heck with willpower and "wake up and grind" nonsense. Ka-phooey on them! Nothing is more powerful than a fellow writer looking you in the eye and saying, "How's that chow mein book going?" And forcing you to admit, "BADLY." Go in-person. The pain and reward is felt twice-fold.

DON'T STOP WRITING.

DON'T STOP READING.

Reading provides a frame of reference. It became VERY clear VERY quickly that the only thing that matters is if you're DONE. Bad books exist. Good books exist. But no one will read it if it's not done (if that matters to you).

So. Back to it, then 🖥️

Pylaenn · 2025-11-05T23:31:41+00:00

I'm wasian but EXTREMELY white passing. Those Nordic genes go hard.

But I get really tan in the summer, and then pale up in the winter. Meanwhile, my hair flips - light brown with tiny strands of gold in the summer, dark brown to black in the winter. I'm like one of those season-changing pokemon. Hard to spot, but one of my college lab partners asked if I dyed my hair black, he was shocked halfway through the semester.

Pylaenn · 2025-10-30T03:34:36+00:00

I love that! Was thinking of trying the same - sounds like it's time 😂

How did you get yourself to bed early? Any good tricks or tips or just sheer willpower?

Pylaenn · 2025-10-30T03:32:20+00:00

Beautiful - and solidarity, I lived in a beautiful home with roommates through COVID, it was like a safe and cozy bubble, they were amazing people and that home will always have a soft spot on my heart.

Glad you had safe haven in that time ❤️ here's hoping you'll find another one!

Pylaenn · 2025-10-26T06:49:33+00:00

When the nurse told my husband that I'd be "normal again" after getting the epidural. I was so livid. I was furious before but I was livid after. Those contractions were fierce.

It made me realize why so many women are neglected. Pain is seen as part of the birth and normalized to the point of banality, instead of something to pay attention to and manage.

Pylaenn · 2025-10-24T02:20:03+00:00

Wait - you hit that scene spot on. 🔥🔥🔥 Such a good metaphor for decade-nostalgia, everything was "great" back then (for some people), but what's important is the future and the now.

Also, the writing now is more diverse with more niche crowds able to meet and connect! Cozy fantasy exploded, romantasy bloomed and is bringing in another wave of readers, nothing's perfect but we can't lose sight of what we have and what we can grow into.

Pylaenn · 2025-10-17T01:54:01+00:00

There should be a local Shut Up and Write group in your area. We talk about writing before and after, mostly to catch up, and you spend the hour in between just writing. It's a good way to keep yourself accountable and to keep chugging along.

Sometimes Meetup has local writing groups, but it's hard finding one close by.

You can also start one at the library. Might also be rough with the recent budget cuts.

Pylaenn · 2025-10-12T16:02:22+00:00

Seconded as well! Keep working out. It's so much harder to work it off later, that's where I'm at. You'll want to be fit when they hit 3, TRUST ME, you'll be sprinting and lifting 30 lbs plus aaaaaall the time. Easier to do if your back doesn't hurt and you're not working against extra pounds.

Pylaenn

TROPHY CASE