A quick July check-in

Let's circle back and sync up.

Welcome to So Relatable, a newsletter for creative folks who want to make things that matter. To support my creative work, buy my zines! ✨

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I took an unintentional break from this space—my last issue was back in May, oops! The beauty of a personal newsletter is that when you disappear for a few weeks, few people actually notice. There aren’t any KPIs to hit, there’s no pipeline to drive, hardly anyone even unsubscribes! There’s only me, sitting on the other side of the screen, thinking about writing something to you and then thinking better of it, and doing something else instead.

So what have I been doing? Let’s see…

I’ve been consumed by work, but not in a good way. It’s been a rough few weeks for reasons I shouldn’t elaborate on too much right now, because I am a True Professional. But the whole work-life balance thing I usually pride myself on has been distinctly out of balance. I’m hoping to remedy that moving forward! Actually sending a newsletter, even a scattershot, catch-up one like this, is a good first step.

I’ve been slowly working on my new zine, which has been “almost finished” for about 4 weeks. Is it just me, or does the last 10% of a project always takes the longest? The initial bust of enthusiasm you felt at the beginning has worn off, and you’ve finished enough of the project to realize that it will not, in fact, live up to the vision you had in your head. The trick is to let go of the idea and appreciate the reality, which is easy to say and hard to do. So I’ll say it, and then I’ll do it: new zine dropping next Sunday, July 13! There’s nothing we love more than a deadline!

Still in pieces, but most of them are complete!

I’ve been trying to pass the lead climbing test at the fancy gym in Raleigh. I have gone lead climbing outdoors multiple times. I have caught Nathan on a big fall. I have led 5.7 routes, some of them nearly 100 feet tall. And yet when I’m being tested in a gym and someone is asking me very simple and reasonable questions, it’s like I’ve never seen a rope in my life. Yesterday I almost passed, but skipped a clip near the top and was automatically failed for my error. We’re going to try again in a few weeks. Fourth time’s a charm?

I’ve been taking Hugo on many adventures as a form of exposure therapy. Our little deranged rescue dog has come a long way in the last six months and we’ve been taking him pretty much everywhere we go. In the past, he would have shrieked like a banshee or bucked wildly out of fear or excitement. (Often both.) Now we can tell he’s having feelings, but he mostly controls them. He’s been to multiple breweries, a few restaurants, a disc golf course, our friends’ backyard, and the hardware store, in addition a weekly drop-in at doggie daycare. The thing about a puppy, even a deranged one, is that seeing the world through their eyes makes every familiar experience feel new. Is this what it’s like to be a parent?!

Recovering with a cold drink after disc golf.

That pretty much catches you up on the last two months. I hope to write here more regularly moving forward. In addition to a new zine, I have some fun trips coming up, my birthday is right around the corner (a national holiday, as you know), my friend’s campaign for City Council is ramping up, I’m reading a lot of good books and eating a lot of good food, I’m trying to balance self-preservation with political action, and I’m looking for ways to use art and writing to examine the world and stay connected to you. Thanks for being here—truly, you’re a gift.

And now, a little flashback to previous Julys…

• July 2024: We saw The Flaming Lips and it was transcendent.

• July 2023: How to have 155 ideas in 31 days.

• July 2022: My brief foray into advice columnist.

• July 2021: Why quitting can be a good thing. I stand by this!

• July 2020: I’ve been taking social media breaks for a long time, lol.

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👋 About Me: I’m Chrissy Hennessey, an enthusiastic snacker and native New Yorker living in coastal North Carolina, where I stayed after earning my MFA. My writing has appeared in a decent number of journals, I’ve received fellowships to some fancy residencies, and I’ve written three unpublished novels. This newsletter is a passion project I started in 2019 as a way to connect with artists and writers, share my creative journey, and build a community. Thank you for being here!