I may have gone a little too far with exfoliating yesterday. This morning, I woke up with my skin feeling like it was on fire. It wasn’t just a mild irritation—it was a constant burning sensation that followed me throughout the day. I kept reaching for my cooling gel, applying it again and again, hoping for relief. It made me laugh at myself a little—how something meant to make me feel better ended up being the biggest discomfort of the day. Lesson learned: not every “new product” is meant for me.

Work began with coffee, but not the kind I usually enjoy. I miscalculated the amount of milk left in the pan, and what I ended up with was a cup of very strong, bitter coffee. I don’t mind strong coffee, but I usually save it for days when I know I’ll need extra energy. Today, it came unplanned. The caffeine kept me going, but it also threw off my rhythm—I completely missed lunch. Hours slipped by, and it wasn’t until the room started getting dark that I realized I hadn’t eaten.

After finally grabbing something to eat, I wrapped up my work and signed off. That’s when the best part of the day began—time with my art projects. There’s something deeply satisfying about sitting down with my stationery supplies, sketching, coloring, and creating. I love that I’m actually using the supplies I’ve collected over the years instead of just letting them sit untouched. Each pen, brush, and sheet of paper feels like it’s finally serving its purpose. My hope is that by the end of the year, I’ll have used up a significant portion of them, each piece tied to a memory of quiet evenings like this.

Today wasn’t perfect—burning skin, bitter coffee, and a missed meal—but it ended with creativity, and that’s what I’ll carry forward.