the yak occidental

We are nearing the halfway mark on 2020, here are all the books I have read so far this year. So far this year I have read twenty-five books total, twenty-three of them written by women. I have also read  a lot of non-fiction, which is a bit unusual for me.  I have been doing #ReadWomen since 2014! Find out why here . Roughing it in the Bush by Susanna Moodie What it means when a man falls from the sky: Stories by Lesley Nneka Arimah Few Eggs and No Oranges by Vere Hodgson  The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O’Meara Trickster Drift by Eden Robinson Darkly: Black History and America’s Gothic Soul by Leila Taylor The King’s General by Daphne du Maurier  Little Reunions by Eileen Chang Still She Haunts Me by Katie Roiphe Expiation by Elizabeth von Arnim  Electra by Kerry Greenwood  As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto edited by Joan Reard...

Here is a selection of memorable quotes from Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi Painting above: Hip Hip Hooray! An Artists' Party at Skagen by Peter Severin Krøyer I was new to champagne, but as soon as I tasted it, spark after gold spark, I thought, well, there’s magic in this water, no wonder Mia said to wish on it. p. 48 I’ve forgotten her exact words, but here it is as I remember it, except for the parts I’ve added because she told me that each time a story like this one gets retold the new teller should add a little something of their own. p. 228-9 Clara has a good heart, but goodness is independent from gentleness. p.272 No revelation is immediate, not if it's real. I feel that more and more. p.275 You can read more about the Best Of series here .

If you pack a lunch for work, here are some ways you can minimize garbage and support small businesses! Beautiful mug rug from Third Little Pig Studio in Medicine Hat! I work in Vancouver's thriving animation industry. Having spent many a late night at the studio, I’m very familiar with the ‘overtime dinner’ and ‘only-five-minutes-for-lunch’ routine. While this can be a drag in and of itself, the one thing I caught myself fixating on was how wasteful these ‘quick and convenient’ meals can be. This led to thinking of how I could possibly introduce some positive changes to my routine that could reduce this wastefulness. Think about an OT dinner or take out, which might include all or some of the following: Packaging for the meal itself (i.e. a cardboard container or plastic soup bowl) The bag the meal might come in (paper or plastic) Napkins Cutlery/chopsticks (and whatever packaging might be around said cutlery) Condiment packages Individual cups for sauces/dre...

Presented without comment, here is a collection of quotes that I have cheekily categorized as 'women's work'.  All are from books I have read; if you like the sounds of these books you can find out more here . It’s all down to girls, one way or another. Catherynne M. Valente And women did what women had always done when they were left with a farm or a vineyard or a castle to run. They did the best they could. And sometimes they found a better way, by the exercise of desperation and mother-wit. Kerry Greenwood Women are always liked better if we sacrifice ourselves for something bigger—and something bigger always means including men, even though something bigger for men doesn’t usually mean including women. Gloria Steinem Ever notice how muses are always female? Inspiring is women’s work. Catherynne M. Valente I am also glad that I am showing these men that women can hold up their end. The men resent a woman getting any honour in...

Here are some words of wisdom that have inspired me throughout my career. Presented without comment, here is a collection of quotes that inspire me and my work. The vast majority are from books I have read/am currently reading ! It’s not what the world holds for you, it’s what you bring to it. L.M. Montgomery I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel Dr. Maya Angelou Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. Peter Drucker and Warren Bennis  People think of understanding as a state of grace, whereas understanding is an adroitness of the mind reached by effort and self-development. Anaïs Nin Be radically sincere. Be in love with the world because the world is this amazing place, the present and past no less than the future and you live in it and your job is to translate it and rephrase it and turn it on its head so that...

Here are the four main reasons why I use notebooks at work, plus some tips if you are a left-handed writer like me! Call me old-fashioned, but rather than using a work laptop, my phone, or a tablet of sorts like a Surface or iPad, I prefer to jot down my own personal reminders and to-dos by putting pen to paper.  Here’s why this works for me: Quick recall I’ll admit, my short-term memory isn’t always the best, especially when I’m in back to back meetings/reviews/calls/dailies—this is the best way for me to remember key action items  Taking the moment to physically write something down helps me to remember the information clearly and quickly Focus My notebook is just my own communications and thoughts - if I look at my phone to look something up, I might get distracted by incoming emails and messages Organization I personally find it’s faster for me to recall info or action items by flipping back to the page for the day in ques...

I know there are times where I really need to focus/tune everyone else out, and so I turn to music without any lyrics. Here are some of my recommendations for music without (or very minimal) lyrics/vocals. In the animation industry in particular, it’s common for us to work on an open concept workspace. With so many people around us working, having conversations on the floor, helping one another out, a lot of us (including me!) listen to music while working to stay focused.  When I have a moment at my desk, you can almost always find me with headphones on, listening to music. I work way better with music playing, and confess that anything else—podcasts, webisodes, etc are too distracting for me.  While my personal musical tastes run the gamut, I know there are times where I really need to focus/tune everyone else out, and so I turn to music without any lyrics.  Here are some of my recommendations for music without (or very minimal) lyrics/vocals. Remember (...

In 2019 I read forty-two books by women and trans* writers.  2019 was clearly my Daphne du Maurier phase. I also was part of a book club for the first time for part of this year, which meant I read a few more books by cis-men than usual. Why do I #ReadWomen? Find out here . Down Below by Leonora Carrington Good Evening, Mrs. Craven: The Wartime Stories of Mollie Panter-Downes The Future is Blue by Catherine M. Valente Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith  Redder than Blood by Tanith Lee  My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier There are no windows by Norah Hoult A Guide to Being Born: Stories by Ramona Ausubel Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery Something for Everyone: Stories by Lisa Moore Son of a Trickster by Eden Robinson The Merry Spinster: Tales of Everyday Horror by Daniel Ortberg Kilmeny of the Orchard by L.M. Montgomery The Tiger Flu by Larissa Lai War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy Tarot-Inspired Li...