Bring the Fall

I have been a bit lax with my writing lately, but I’m feeling inspired. The chill returns to the sunny blue sky, orange steeps upon the leaves, and the need to stay warm welcomes me back with open arms. I love fall. I love sweaters, flannel, corduroy, and denim. Getting dressed when the weather is crisp.

These are my favorite outfits, I’ve worn recently, using pieces I have sewn, thrifted, or upcycled. The only piece I bought new is the overalls, because I failed to make my own.

I’ve been getting into whimsy-goth style, like Practical Magic. I’ve been layering with sheer, with knit, and with textures. I’ve been drawn to brighter colors for the darker months. I’m trying to find the joy, before the year ends, and find a better way to end this challenging 2025.

So now that I have sat with my thoughts for months, finding my way out of the woods with my crafts, I am going to get chatty again!

I think what is bringing me the most excitement right now is kpop. Karma has been a wonderland. Chaeyoung of Twice’s solo release was Black Keys perfection. Nmixx new Blue Valentine era is thrilling, Red Velvet-esque, and the most exciting sryling I have seen from a girl group other than Twice in 2025. Taeyong is coming back from the military in December and I am beyond ready for punchy NCT to be back. It’s been 18 months of change and sadness since he left, we need the NEO king back. I’m also impatiently waiting for fellow NCT’s Yuta to release his full album at the end of October.

In other things, Mia is doing well and we are so bonded. It’s everything I hoped for! I’m excited for Saskie & Co’s second book to be released – Saskie Knits. I’d like to get my hands on both of her books. The Great British Bakeoff is back, and that has made for a lovely few weeks. I’m learning new crochet stitches, such as the waffle stitch and granny stitch. I can identify single crochet, half-double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet stitches. I have also mastered using my yarn swift and ball winder!

I am faltering on my language learning, with a steep decline in practice sessions since June. But I have begun to hear the difference between Korean and Japanese. Even being able to identify a YouTube AI mishap where a kpop song had English subtitles with kanji appearing instead of hangul. By reading the Japanese, I concluded they did not match. I can also tell the difference in speech patterns between Korean and Japanese, identifying key grammar structures. So, I guess, if nothing else happens this year with my language learning, it is marinating up there and I am retaining it.

There have been some really trying personal things going on behind the scenes, that although I probably share too much on here, I can’t discuss. But I can say I have never felt more like I have been drowning than this year. As we head into fall though, I think the source of the stress is healing and I am grateful to be moving towards peace.

My last bit of good news is that I got a rebounder! Also known as a miniature trampoline for cardio. It is a blast. I can’t wait to get healthier and hold less tension in my body.

What exciting things are on your horizon?

My Winter Soundtrack 2024

Strategy – Twice

Typewriter cadence of chewing sounds on romaine lettuce – Mia, the bunny

Jamboree! – game narrator, Mario Party Jamboree

Pages turning – Kyle reading Seed Catalogs

Falling Up – Stray Kids

The Valley Comes Alive – Stardew Valley

Whirring of a small motor – Kitchen Aid Mixer

Silence blanketing the air – A night of steady snowfall

Large Hop – Mia, leaping into her hay pan

Wowie! – Luigi, Mario Party Jamboree

Sprinkles shaken from their jar – Cookie-decorating

Hallucination – I.N.

The opening of a bag – Mia’s treats

Scissors gliding through paper – the act of wrapping presents

Night – Stray Kids

Well, there’s your problem! – Adam and Jaime, Mythbusters

Departures TV Show Opening Soundtrack

ABCD – Nayeon

Shock and disgust – My mom sprinkled cumin on her Swedish Tea Ring Pastry dough instead of cinnamon

A metal shovel scraping a concrete sidewalk – my neighbor shoveling early on Christmas Eve morning

Hairdresser Reacts – Brad Mondo

Paper rustling – Ricola Cough Drops

Glug Glug – Pouring my facial toner into my hand

A Plastic Lid opening – Fluffernutter Marshmallow fluff

Walkin’ on Water – Stray Kids

A smug Snowboy – Animal Crossing New Horizons

Oh No! – Toad, Mario Party Jamboree

Explosions – Mythbusters

Oh Fuuuudge! – Ralphie, A Christmas Story

Jimmy Carr’s laugh – Big Fat Quiz Show

My Late Summer 2024 Soundtrack

The Godfather Theme – Armstrong’s Customer Service Waiting Music

Rhythm of the wind – ceiling fans

Iced Coffee – Red Velvet

Calling to one another – Nubian Goats

Small rumbles – the espresso maker

Jjam – Stray Kids

A metallic clink – my rings

wooshing – the air conditioner

Cosmic – Red Velvet

howling – three small dogs

fireworks – my neighbor

Imagination – Spyair

soft crackles – wood wick candle

Rob Dyrdek, Steelo, and Chanel banter – Ridiculousness

Chill K*ll – Red Velvet

NE Knits Podcast

Duke’s singing – a baby camel

Slash – Stray Kids for Deadpool and Wolverine

Greenback Boogie – Suits Theme Song

The Feels – Twice

Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez talking – Only Murders in Building

Fizzing – Mt. Dew from the fountain

Sunflower – Red Velvet

From the Start – Laufey

Two for Tea – Armstrong’s Customer Service Waiting Music

Sounds of Baseball – MLB Network

Cannons – Civil War Re-enactors in town

My Pace – Stray Kids

Slam – my old cantankerous mailbox

Bluetooth pairing sounds – my wireless headphones

Twilight – Stray Kids

Knocking sound – Kyle emptying used espresso grounds from the thingy (a technical term)

VMA commerical featuring the song Hot to Go

Olympic coverage – Paris 2024

#23 – Soundtrack of Life, My Mood Boost

BOOMBAYAH – Blackpink

Sugar Rush Ride – TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Blue Hour – TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Wonderland – ATEEZ

Maknae on Top – I.N. feat. Bang Chan & Changbin)

The Real (Heung Ver.) – ATEEZ

Not Shy – ITZY

THAT THAT – Psy feat. Suga of BTS

Sticker – NCT 127

DNA – BTS

Feel Special – TWICE

Thunderous – Stray Kids

Whistle – Blackpink

God’s Menu – Stray Kids

Pirate King – ATEEZ

Fancy – TWICE

Dynamite – BTS

ANTIFRAGILE – LE SSERAFIM

Back Door – Stray Kids

Faster – NCT 127

9 And Three Quarters (Run Away) – TOMORROW X TOGETHER

Kick It – NCT 127

Next Level – aespa

Case 143 – Stray Kids

Butter – BTS

Spicy – aespa

#10 – K-Pop, Fashion and Working Out

How did I find K-pop? Simple. It found me. And I am so glad it did!

Last January, I needed a change so we bought an exercise bike. I hoped it would help me get through the cabin fever of winter that dragged me into a mood of malaise and would get me to finally shape up. My twenties had been so rough on my metabolism and the person I saw in the mirror was not what I wanted to see. I saw this girl was worn down by the stress of the last six years, wound up with tension in her muscles, and angry by how these emotions seemed bottled with no release. I needed to move my body like I used to in college. You know when you can see you are unhappy with your posture? It was like my body was afraid to stand up straight in case I got knocked down. It’s a weird place to be because the only way to make it better is to work on it, but when life pulls you away from healthy habits you lose those familiar patterns and get lost.

In need of a dose of joyful movement and a good burn, I did a quick search for a fun workout on Youtube. I found this channel called Emi Wong and thought, sure I’ll give this Blackpink workout a try. I had heard Kill This Love before and knew how hyped up the music is, plus it was a 4-minute workout – no big deal. Oh my, this was euphoric. The music, the quick pace. I was sold on this whole “working out” thing everyone in the world seems jazzed about. This led me down a pretty pumped rabbit trail of Fancy by Twice and Dynamite by BTS. These workouts were so joyful! I hadn’t heard music like this before. It gave me “The Feels” pun intended, for the y2k groups my friends and I would learn the choreography for when we were in elementary school. I was so happy and needed to live in this bubble so I gave riding the bike a try while listening to the music videos.

Then my mind was blown. I saw Fruits Magazine, Totally Spies, and dream fashion combos on the K-pop idols, both men and women! It was pretty much love at first site. As I obsessed over the fashion I rode the bike with an inspired commitment I hadn’t seen of myself before. The tempo pushed me further and further until it was a highlight of my routine. A year later, I love working out. I’ve moved beyond the K-pop 4-minute workouts to Emi Wong’s longer videos, I love how much stronger and healthier I feel from my muscles to my mind. Now I listen to K-pop pretty much every day, if I’m not listening to worship music it’s K-pop. The music has inspired both my own style combos and what I dream of sewing and the bands give me such energy while I’m sewing or writing, like right now I’m listening to Stray Kids.

So what’s my point other than sharing something that is dear to my heart? Exercise is not universal, and the approach that most people take might be why it seems overwhelming. Like, if I have to go to a gym, I’m not going to do it. I don’t want the expense, the commute to the location, or having to work out in front of others. I’m a pretty shy person and I’d rather move my body in the privacy of my own home. It has helped me get into my own rhythm and regime according to my goals not what a trainer is pushing me into. I’m not surprised that my hook into working out was somehow a fashion lure. It’s what I’m interested in. I hope you can find what inspires you so we can all get some healthy movement in today. But don’t be concerned I’m not a 5-am routine kind of girl, and I’m not going to ever do the “lifestyle inspiration” thing. This is just my unexpected love story with exercise and K-pop.

My K-pop Favorites for High Energy

  • Stray Kids
  • NCT 127
  • Red Velvet
  • BTS
  • Twice
  • Aespa
  • HyunA (& Dawn)
  • Ateez
  • Itzy
  • Blackpink
  • PSY & Suga
  • TXT

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

Up ↑