hi.
it's been a little while, huh?
i've been kinda feeling slow and overwhelmed throughout the past months. waging an inner war about my own workload situation paired with "fun" projects that are supposed to be, ya know, fun. and then some personal life bs getting sprinkled on top like a sad little cherry. i usually tend to say yes to too many things at once because i love being involved in creative stuff and the tech world. but it's tough to say no without feeling like a flake, so i get overcommitted with 3, 4, sometimes 5+ projects happening simultaneously. it's a lot!
together with that, summer hit and things heated up in all sides of my life - work, friends, my personal pondering of existential dread. one of my best friends, Bia, just moved here to Des Moines from Brazil which has been really fun! it's giving me lots of opportunities to explore more of this cute midwest town i still haven't experienced, make new friends, and expand my current friend group. this has been awesome.
...and! because the universe loves testing my ability to be chill, my brutal honesty and lack of midwestern niceties bit me in the *ss a few times over the past few weeks. definitely not something i look forward to when dealing with culture changes and people's varying approaches to communication. but hey, at least i'm keeping it real? that put me in a little funk lately though, I'll admit.
okay, enough whinging from me. let's get to the good stuff...
🐱 Saul
well, now that we past that…
DRAKE AND I GOT A CAT!!!!! Saul was named after Saul Goodman, from the show Breaking Bad.
Saul has always been too big for a kitten, BUT as a maine coon boy, we give him props for that and for being a really really great boy and *coding buddy* as he is always following me around the house and sitting on my lap when i am working :)
a few little tips for those of you thinking of getting a new baby-cat…
vertical space is key for these athletic kitties. i got this massive cat tree and it's basically an indoor jungle gym for my maine coon. he spends hours climbing, scratching, napping in the little cubbies. it keeps him endlessly entertained and lets him live out him tree-dwelling ancestral dreams.
be ready for a little furry radio host in your home. maine coons are extremely vocal with all sorts of chirps, trills and meows. mine narrator describes every activity from jumping off the couch to using the litter box. it's endearing but can get a little overwhelming at 3am when he's yowling about god knows what.
don't be surprised if your maine coon develops some delightfully weird toy obsessions. my boy is utterly entranced by carrots - he bats them around, carries them in his mouth, sleeps cuddling them. maybe he thinks they're his orange plastic offspring? who knows with these wonderfully bizarre felines.
brushing is a must unless you want to accidentally clothe yourself in tufts of fur every time you wear black. their luscious coats need regular grooming to stay detangled and mat-free. i try to make it a bonding ritual by turning on an audiobook.
get. an. enclosed. litter box. these kitties are not dainty with their business and you don't want their potent output wafting through your home. i invested in one that looks like an igloo hut. very ski chalet vibe to contain the odors.
leash training can be super rewarding! maine coons are bighearted adventurers that often enjoy a nice stroll. Saul and i take constitutionals around the block and he gets to experience the great outdoors while i get some fresh air. win-win.
so there you have it! some hard-earned wisdom for prospective maine coon guardians. they're a delightfully quirky breed that will make you laugh and scratch your head on a daily basis. but i wouldn't have it any other way. at least for today.
obsessions of the month
leftover pizza for breakfast
Drake and i are back in pizza master mode lately. we just made a batch of the best homemade pizzas we've ever cooked up. using this cheap little grill we got from Menards, but hey, gotta give it props for working its magic and baking our pies to perfection! my favorite creation was a super thin crust with my homemade dough, tangy italian tomato sauce, pineapple chunks, and crispy pancetta. a.m. pizza is the ultimate breakfast of champions, am i right?
love is blind
nothing beats a cozy cuddly night with your plus one going through some raunchy reality dating drama on netflix, ya know? who else is hate-watching love is blind with me? because good lord, did anyone else want to fight jeremy through the screen or what? i don't condone violence but my man had me feelin' some type of way with his acts lol
sketching
i've been really getting back into sketching ever since building a new devrel portfolio for myself that included my hand-drawn signature and a little self-portrait. a friend from europe saw that and actually sent me this whole dope sketching kit with tons of high-quality sketchbooks (big thanks to my bestie mery, you're the best!). so i've been doodling up a storm lately and am lowkey thinking of starting a sketching store on Shopify soon. maybe do a little video series on X/twitter teaching devs how to build their own creator stores too? we'll see where the pencils take me.
top 3 coolest things i saw online
have y'all seen these adorable little vintage-inspired pixel displays? they're basically tiny info radiators that showcase stuff like calendar events, weather, transit times and custom messages through these retro-looking panels. a very focused, delightful piece of techno-nostalgia for your desk or counter.
ballerinas have been my latest passion. i love how cute they look in all types of outfits and how “clean” they are. simple and elegant! these gorgeous ballerina flats are handmade in venice by the artisans at poesie veneziane. the "eloise" style features has velvet uppers adorned with the brand's signature satin ribbons delicately stitched along the toe box. the slender 5mm heel provides just a touch of height while maintaining that sleek, slipper-like silhouette. constructed with a leather sole and inner lining, the eloise flats marry old-world craftsmanship with modern wearability. whether paired with some skinny jeans or a short/midi flowy dress, they'll lend your look an effortless dose of venetian elegance and flair. the eloises may just become my go-to slip-on staple ;)
Vic Lauren’s "saturday cafe"
one of my fav indie creators, vic, has been doing the most charming home makeover content on instagram. she recently turned her tiny nyc apartment into a chill cafe vibe for the weekends, complete with a snazzy menu board and baked goods from local spots. it's such a pure, joyful form of escapism and self-care. peep the reels HERE if you need a lil' weekend cute idea.
🤫 Some extra things for ya
This was such a great fun read hope you get to post more of these <33
it's been a while, so good to hear from you 💜