and then I made more paper stars
Floor Time
/flôr tīm/
noun
the 15-60 minute time period spent laying on the floor in the middle of the work day, typically as a relief from the soul-sucking reality of corporate America.
This title may be a deep cut for all of you who aren’t on my side of TikTok (evidently, it’s a lot of you—I have heard that many people who read Floor Time have not heard of the Orange Peel Theory or the Portland ice storm), but a while ago I stumbled upon this girl who, during her week in a mental hospital, spent 12-16 hours a day making paper stars (she may have taken down the original video but if you search “paper stars” on TikTok you’ll see everyone referencing it a la “pov me after watching that girl make paper stars in the mental hospital”).
Her videos brought me back to my origami phase, which wasn’t so much a “phase” as it was a quintessential part of my adolescence. I remember accompanying my mom to work on a handful of occasions, and while she was filing paperwork or meeting with clients, I would sit in her office and fold so many paper cranes. It was something I found therapeutic yet rewarding. Each crane looks just slightly different—slightly flawed even—but leaves you with something whimsical and delightful to admire.
This week has been a big ball of wibbly wobbly emotions. It was Inside Out on steroids. But on Saturday, I went to Pearl River Mart with Eli to buy some supplies for Lunar New Year. The very first thing I saw when we walked in was a rotating collection of origami paper. It set off this crazy nostalgia—they literally have not changed some of the paper patterns since 2003. I bought a pack and then on Sunday, when the wibbly wobbly emotions kicked in, I sat down to make a crane.
Let’s just say it was humbling. My adult fingers are not as nimble as my 8-year-old self’s, so each fold was not as precise. I had to Google the next step midway through because I no longer have the folds memorized. But after two cranes, I nailed it. I even looked up additional patterns to make.
All this week, when I received a frustrating email (often), or started to feel the overwhelmed-ness taking over (daily), I dropped everything, grabbed a paper, and started folding. I was reminded how frequently I relied on origami as a kid to recalibrate in stressful situations. In some ways, I was better at regulating my emotion back then because I turned to analog, screen-less, mindful activities when things felt like too much. It almost seems like a no-brainer now, having done a cursory Google search about the origins of origami: One of it's primary uses was to decorate shrines and temples. It’s a peaceful activity, something I think we all could use in our lives.
So even if origami isn’t your cup of tea, maybe you’ll find your equivalent to help you find calm during the storms. The start of the year is the perfect time to build new routines and pick up new habits, so why not get curious.
Something I Thought of in the Shower
Where does Taylor Swift stay when her boyfriend has to play in places like Buffalo?
Something Pretty
Very random but this interior design website included my studio space in this piece about curating the perfect gallery wall. Shoutout to Gemma O’Brien for making the perfect centerpiece for my space and for creating my most prized piece of art.
Something To Laugh About
Here are this week’s gems:
Speaking of nostalgia, this will definitely set that off.
If you don’t get this, I’m sorry, but there’s literally nothing like this feeling and apparently 2M+ people agree.
This combination of the music (a COVER no less—let Kurt Hummel sing!!) and content is sublime!
This is for the truest of Potter fans—it’s our guy.
Something for Clarice
Hey! This newsletter is free and I intend to keep it that way. That said, if you love it and want to show your appreciation, buy me a coffee :)
By the way…I’m reading this.
Like nearly every book I have by an Asian author / about Asian identity, Biting the Hand was recommended and given to me by my friend Ruby and I am very excited to be starting it this week.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Til’ next time, little birds. Your friend,
Clarice