Oh. Hi!
I typically don't expect visitors in these latitudes of the World-Wide-Web, but now that you're here, come in! I'll fix us a strong cup of green tea.
How did I get here?
Well, it certainly wasn't because "I always wanted to write." I recently rediscovered a self-assessment test I took in high school, and one of the items was: "I like expressing myself creatively (e.g., through writing, painting, making music)." I answered the item by ticking the box "strongly disagree." Honestly, I was never one of those people who slipped out of the womb with pen and parchment in their hands. In fact, I didn't discover writing until I was wading knee-deep through my master's degree in product development. But what do you know? It was also the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I was questioning all the life choices I ever made, so I burned all bridges and bought a one-way ticket to Portugal.
Life's funny like that.
So, here I am today, trying to build a full-fledged writing career. By the way, when I started writing online, I used the pen name Leo Sharp. Mostly because I feared what other people would think of my writing. Today, I still cringe at most things I write. But that's okay. I learned that I can embrace the cringe and that the harshest critic of my writing will always remain a rather strange person: myself.
"So, what's your favorite...?"
I really struggle with "What's your favorite X" type of questions, so I thought I'd simply compile a list of things I've been enjoying a lot.
Novels. The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro), To Paradise (Hanya Yanagihara), Siddhartha (Hermann Hesse).
Movies. Aftersun, Past Lives, Perfect Days, Call Me By Your Name.
Music. May Ninth (Khruangbin), HGU (Loyle Carner), Myth (Beach House), Leaves (Robohands), Undantag (Dina Ögon).
YouTube. The School of Life, Makari Espe, Nathaniel Drew, Matt D'Avella.
Other things that fascinate me but that I rarely write about
Yoga. One of the best ways I've ever found to use my body. One day, I'd love to attend a teacher training.
Specialty coffee. I live with two housemates who are also obsessed with specialty coffee, which is why things escalate sometimes. We often have ten different types of coffee beans on deck, and we always experiment with new recipes, ratios, and brewers. Deepening my understanding of great coffee has perpetually brought me great satisfaction.
Meditation. The twenty minutes I meditate each morning is the only time I'm somewhat present and open. For the rest of the day, I'm anxious and get distracted by shiny things, bright screens, and coffee.
Long-distance hiking. There's nothing like the feeling of living out of a backpack that you can carry for dozens of miles each day. I've done long-distance hikes in the Alps, in the Scottish Highlands, and on the Camino de Santiago.
Cooking and baking. Ottolenghi and Meera Sodha. Need I say more?
Playing the piano. This is an end in itself. I rarely learn a new song or try to improve my technique, and I usually play the same pieces over and over again. Mostly Ludovico Einaudi. Sometimes Chopin. Sometimes Debussy.
