A Year to Zine

Hadass420

Jan 2

I planned to write a new year's resolutions post, but plans are meant to blow up in your face, and now we're two days into 2023 and I posted nothing.

Not that I have any resolutions to speak of. I thought it'll come to me as I'm writing this. See if it works...

There's the December 2022 MoZiPro zine that I still didn't finish, and the 2023 PMS Mess catalog that I still didn't update. I'll continue it the next time I'll get to use my zine room, hopefully this Thursday morning. But that's not a resolution. That's just something I need to do that I'm just procrastinating on... so maybe it is a resolution after all.

I used to be so productive a few years back. For 2019, I had a huge list of resolutions to get through, and at the end of that year, I wrote a review post about how I managed to get everything done. That included a separate list of zine-related resolutions, which I also managed to get through, almost to the end.

These days, I don't really find myself with too much to do outside of my routine. Go to work, pick up my kid, go to courses, go to the pool, house chores, weekend, repeat... and that's it. My to-do lists never change. My husband and I don't go out much. Finding a sitter is hard. Staying awake long enough to enjoy our date is harder. Doing anything at all during winter is hardest. It sucks that the new year starts just when winter gets its sadistic momentum into high gear. I know for a fact that if the weather was warmer and more manageable, I'd be far more inspired and motivated to try some new things. Step out of my comfort zone and explore the unconventional. And if I'm feeling particularly brave, explore the unknown as well.

But alas. Winter got its nails into the air, slicing it with ripping winds. It got its fangs into the sun, sucking it dry of any warmth. And got its grip around my neck, choking the inspiration and motivation right the fuck out of me.

But I do have my zine room. And aside from all the wonderful zine and music stuff it features, it also has a space heater. That's an important feature when my fingers need to work as well as the myotonia will let them, and if it's cold as fuck, my fingers refuse to function. At all. So, yeah, space heater is on, and I can get some shit done even in winter 2023. All I know is that any list I make needs to be pretty open-ended so that if I don't get the shit done, I won't be so hard on myself. Stress is definitely not something I want to add to my list this year.

So this list is more of a zine-related to-do list rather than a resolutions list.

Trades: I've seriously had it with this lack of zines to read. I need to get out of my state of paralyzing shyness and offer some damn trades. I don't even remember the last time I had a new zine to read and it pisses me off.
The Daily H: I want to make a new issue of my newsletter. I enjoyed making it so much in November and went branching out in all directions with ideas about what to write about next. I'm trying to pace myself because I don't want to end up making two dozen fucking newsletters a year, because burnout is real and it happens to me when I get too excited about something and allow it to consume me like a glorious blaze. But yes, I will make another issue once I decide it's safe. Maybe I'll also design a flyer for it.
International Zine Month: This past year, the list came a little late and it upset me quite a bit. I even started making my own list of activities for the month, when finally, the list was published. I think that this year, I simply won't wait for it and actually make my own list. I'll use activities from previous years' lists and include my own spin on things. Should be interesting!
ZineWriMo: Silver Nyx tends to come up with the neatest ideas for activities, so in this case, I won't make my own list. But I do find myself tweaking it a little bit anyway so it can fit my schedule. I wonder what will be in the list for this year.
MoZiPro December 2022 zine: Fuck it, I'll add it to the list just so I can have a couple more things to cross off.
Update my catalog for 2023.
Ko-Fi shop: I'll eventually have to update my Ko-Fi shop accordingly.
Ko-Fi shop flyer: I want to design a new flyer for my Ko-Fi shop. Maybe I'll use some computer programs this time.
Zine/Bake ideas notebook: Brainstorm for ideas about zines a bit more often than twice a year.
Hebrew typewriter: I promised to buy one for my kid once she learns how to write. She's getting there so I should start looking for one. It might enrich her zine-making experience.