08 September - Magazine News
“Survival is insufficient.”
Hey everyone,
Brandon here. I wanted to give you a candid update on the magazine and life behind the scenes.
Progress on the next issue has been a grind lately. If you're a writer or a creative, you know the feeling: the ideas are there, but you feel burnt out, every sentence is a battle, ugh. Working from home, with the constant distractions of daily life (my cats, it turns out, are terrible editors), has been quite the challenge.
Despite that, we're moving forward. The articles on the Belle Isle Library and Core4 are nearly complete, just waiting for a final polish. It's not as fast as I'd like, but that’s life sometimes. I've been reminded recently how much my environment shapes my creativity. The words flow easier when I’m out in the city, writing from a corner of the Rose State library or sitting in the very places I’m writing about. To do the story justice, you need to feel the space. This week, I’m making it a priority to get over to The Floating Bookshop to soak in the atmosphere and find the right words for their feature.
On a personal level, this season has been one of beautiful chaos. I've recently switched my major to Fine Arts in Theatre, started rehearsals for a new play, and even begun the humbling process of learning the Arabic alphabet. It’s a lot to balance with the full-time school schedule that allows me to keep this project going.
While these things can be seen as distractions from the magazine. They're the experiences that fill the creative well. Shoot the Breeze Magazine is about telling the honest stories of people living full, complex, messy lives in Oklahoma City. To do that, I have to be living one, too.
The goal is to keep chipping away, one paragraph at a time. Thank you for your patience and for being part of this community. We're building this thing together, one story at a time.
With Love,
Brandon Tellez
Founder, Shoot the Breeze Magazine
