an ode to taurean comforts

its my birthday, so i'll do the most taurus thing ever and sing the praises of my coziest sweater

If you haven’t read Happy Hour yet, check it out from your local library and plan a beach day with your besties; it will put you in the perfect mood for the warmer weather.

I wrote about my love for this novel in my substack post at the end of 2023, and lately, I’ve been eyeing a reread.

This is a book I wish that I wrote, to me it was that perfect. The characters you encounter are truly characters that populate cosmopolitan spaces of an international city. As a lover of beauty and glamour (I’m a taurus), with a shoestring budget, the book made me want to appreciate the vibrant Los Angeles and go out for drinks, even if I can only afford one. Isa, the main character, also reminded me this story is mine to tell.

In February, WritersClubNY hosted Love Hour, a workshop with Marlowe Granados, the author of Happy Hour. I joined in on Zoom while getting ready to be shop girl at Rat Star. Marlowe shared a simple prompt: write a romantic ode to an everyday object, study it closely, and sing its magic to the unknowing eye. This is a task I find to be so incredibly Taurus-coded! We love stuff, we overthink, and Venus rules us, so we’re bound to get teary-eyed over the mundane.

So here’s an ode to my most beloved sweater—

in your comforting embrace,

cool grey, speckled, cable knit, v-neck, tortoise buttons, ribbed hem and cuff.

some will assume you are unremarkable, but discerning souls (vintage lovers, & grandmas, mainly) recognize the beauty you weave into this world

on my weariest days, exhausted before my head even lifts from the pillow, I’ve learned to force myself into the sun

last week, I stumbled down the dingy stairs of my Koreatown 1920s apartment with two Jon’s bags brimming with the detritus of 2020s existence,

cast-off dreams, trivialities, and eggo waffle remnants

amid urban sprawl, still, flowers greet me

pink ones, red ones, yellow ones, they burst forth in between concrete & they are all waving

their velvet petals a reminding ray of spring in this city that, despite all the blue skies, stays grey

grey like you, but the commute smog warms up the tone.

they smiled and hugged me

I smile & fondle your buttons; suddenly, I finally feel peace.

I find so much solace in your familiar caress,

in your cozy confines, I am reminded,

of the simple joys, I pray and pray for another day to enjoy them.

Happy Birthday to ME and all my Taurus kin. I love us.