February has been hectic, hence the late newsletter. But here are a few posts I’ve been working on if you haven’t had the chance to check them out yet. I’ve also been working on my Essays and Fiction substack where I post, you guessed it, some essays and fiction, but also some poetry as well. I’ve attached a recent poem of mine below. Feel free to subscribe to that Substack as well if you’re interested x
Guide to Cairns: Best Matcha Latte
I never realized how difficult it would be to find a matcha latte in Cairns. I found that even when I’ve Google mapped matcha lattes in the area, many of the cafes no longer serve them or there aren’t very many options to choose from. I’ve been hunting these matcha lattes down and here are a couple that I’ve enjoyed so far:
Author Aesthetic: Zelda Fitzgerald
I just finished reading Bits of Paradise, a collection of short stories by F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. I've always admired F. Scott, but because Zelda doesn't have much writing that has been published, she kind of sat on the back burner for me. It was both interesting and sad to read the footnotes after the byline of Zelda's short stories where it noted that for her work to get published, the byline had to read F. Scott's name or for both of their names to be credited. It wasn't until the 1930s that some of her work was credited to her completely. This makes me think about how successful of a writer she would be today when women can take full credit for their work.
She had a deep desire to develop a talent that was entirely her own. There are many rumors about her mental health and whether or not she was misdiagnosed. Because of her rebellious spirit and unconventional ideas, it was taken as a sign of mental illness rather than as an indication of an artistic genius.
Further reading:
Behind the Myths of Scott and Zelda’s Epic Romance
To mention F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald is to invoke the 1920s, the Jazz Age, romance, and outrageous early success, with all its attendant perils. The names Scott and Zelda can summon taxis at dusk, conjure gleaming hotel lobbies and smoky speakeasies, flappers, yellow phaetons, white suits, large tips, expatriates, and nostalgia for the Lost Generation. And even though they are my grandparents, I can’t fail to mention that Scott’s alcoholism and Zelda’s madness are a powerful part of the myth.
A Poem:
Seashells
by Bonita Kowalski
in a sense it's innocence saving seashells in my pocket kept the best ones in a locket leaving love notes in a trace and seashells to decorate We watch as the waves wash them away. in a sense it's innocence kept the prettiest ones for me instead of left out for the sea