25 Days Of Manga (Or, Looks Like I’m Joining A Thing)

Note: The banner image that’s been chosen for the feature is the official 25 Days of Manga banner. I do not own this image, nor do I claim any ownership of it. Instead, I encourage you to go and support the official Twitter, and maybe -after reading this post- consider joining in either (or both) Instagram and Twitter.


The middle of November is always a hard time for me. The sun comes up later, sets earlier, and is generally not as bright as even a month ago. The skies are cloudy, rain comes more frequently, and in general, the colors of autumn begin to fade into the drab shades of a wet Winter.

This year is no exception, though that might also be an understatement. With the on-going American COVID pandemic -and rising numbers- I’ve felt increasingly anxious about going out to the shops, even when it’s necessary. It’s compounded my anxiety into a tight knot that sits heavy in my stomach, even as I work.

On top of that, my struggles with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) are starting to make themselves known as the the holiday cheer start to become a bit less bright. I can already feel how hard mornings are: getting out of bed is becoming physically hard. My sleep cycle is complete off. I get tired far earlier and have fewer usable hours than before.

Basically, SAD is really starting to affect my life in a way that’s incredibly unhelpful.

So this year, since my holly isn’t so jolly, I’ve decided that I’ll be doing something to assist: joining the 25 Days of Manga read-a-thon.

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(A Late) September 2020 Mid-Month Check-In.

Hey there, dear reader. How are you holding up? How has your September been?

More and more, I feel like that’s the best question to ask: how are you holding up feels like the tone for the rest of this year. In many ways, I often want to ask, “How are you surviving?” but that feels strangely dire. So instead I’ll ask, “How are you holding up? How are you thriving, even right now?”

I intended to write this before Summer gave it’s last gasp, but today, September 22 – and suitably, on the Autumn Equinox- it’s a rainy day: the skies are grey, the rain is pounding on the tin roof over the patio, I’ve got a cup of tea, and it’s cold enough for me to double up on fleece blankets.

Essentially, it’s my kind of day.

Still, it’s never too late to talk about how thing have been. So… let’s see how the final month of Summer went for me.

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