I don’t usually write sentimental posts, but hey! It’s what’s coming out of my heart right now. Maybe it’ll go unnoticed or unappreciated (and yeah, that might sting a little), but if I don’t post it, I’ll never know what people think.

It’s kind of like my paintings, sometimes I think they’re meh, or like my weird deep dives into religion, paganism, and the occult. But then, I remember that there are others out there who get it too, who are curious, and who just want to connect. So here’s to bringing those people together.

So, this all started while I was walking my dog and humming “Grapes of Wrath” by Weezer. That moment sealed the deal, I had to write this. The song captures so well that strange peace of reading. There’s this feeling of getting totally lost in books, in Mrs. Dalloway, in Moby Dick... and in that thirst for the deep.

Looking back, my reading journey has been wild. Jurassic Park blew my mind and I even painted my pets as dinosaurs, hehe. Later came my (still ongoing) obsession with The Wheel of Time: totally epic. And the heart-wrenching "The Hallmarked Man"... among many others! I just love reading. Give me a good book, and I’ll disappear into it (well, maybe not any book, but a good one!).

Isabel Allende said it perfectly:

“La lectura es como mirar a través de varias ventanas que se abren a un paisaje infinito. Para mí, la vida sin leer sería como estar en prisión, sería como si mi espíritu estuviera en una camisa de fuerza. La vida sería un lugar oscuro y estrecho.”

And I feel that deeply. I’m so grateful to have found a place where I can talk about books with people who have read them too and may appreciate them just as much as I do. When I think of all the stories I’ve read, it never feels like enough and sometimes my brain feels like it’s melting from too much reading. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So yeah, maybe it’s cheesy, but that’s okay. I’m happy to be here, sharing another year with you guys. Let’s keep reading, writing, and lighting up this place, because Allende’s right: life really would be such a dark place without books.

See you later, alligator 🐊📚💛