23 September - Magazine News
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
Gosh, it feels like this last week just flew by.
Brandon here. I’m getting a late start on this week’s update—it’s Tuesday already—but I’m committed to this weekly practice of reflection and planning. It’s the best way to hold myself accountable and to keep you all in the loop on the real, day-to-day process of bringing Shoot the Breeze Magazine to life.
The week started off rough. The bug bites I got over the weekend really took hold, and I spent a lot of my time itchy and not sleeping well. But you push through. My class load is manageable, homework-wise, which is fortunate because a lot of my energy is going into rehearsals for Alice in Wonderland. On top of that, I learned I was also cast in another play, Almost, Maine, which I’m incredibly excited about. It’s funny, you find yourself in these moments, like writing a cast bio in the third person, and it all feels a bit surreal.
I’ve been making a conscious effort to get out of the apartment more. I’ve noticed that when I’m home too much, I get distracted and don’t work on the things I need to. The school library has become a refuge. I’ll sit and read for a bit—I’m currently hooked on Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune, a really comforting and interesting perspective on death—and I’ve found that reading first really helps put me in the right mindset to write. The goal has been a paragraph or two a day. It’s a small goal, but it’s been mostly effective.
Outside of the creative work, I’m focusing on building a solid routine. I’m proud to say I managed five workouts last week. Getting a good workout in the morning almost always sets the day right. Diet has been dialed in, too—no eating out, lots of chicken and rice, and making sure I’m hydrated. It’s the small, daily disciplines that provide the foundation for everything else.
On the magazine front, progress continues to be slow and steady. I’ve nearly rounded out the Founder’s Note, which is a really personal piece that will lead into this issue’s mental health spotlight. The blurbs for the new Myriad Gardens spread are also coming along well. The next big things to tackle are the updated Factory Obscura article and a new educational piece. I’m leaning away from my initial idea and toward a topic more related to “third spaces” to better fit the welcoming, community-focused theme of this issue.
Since this is a practice in accountability, I want to start laying out my goals for the week ahead.
For the Magazine: My primary goal is to finish the drafts for the Myriad and Founder’s Note articles. The plan is to write another 4-5 paragraphs over the course of the week, which should get those two pieces ready for proofreading.
Personally: I’m aiming for at least four workouts. I also want to continue developing a poster series I’ve been working on for my personal branding. And, of course, keep up with my classes and rehearsals, which includes running through the entire Alice in Wonderland show off-book for the first time on Saturday after a morning at the Farmer’s Market.
It’s a busy season, but it’s a good one. As the writing for this issue starts to wrap up, my mind is already jumping ahead to a potential release in early November, complete with pop-up events and some new merch. There’s a lot to do, but we’re getting it done, one day at a time.
Thanks for following along.
Best,
Brandon Tellez
Founder, Shoot the Breeze Magazine
