little joys and little sorrows #17

reflecting on september; devouring literature, a trip to oxford, modding my 2ds, when can we wear tights again, my favourite read of 2025, new job fears

hello quiet readers, it’s that time again. september is drawing to a close, the air officially has that unmistakable chilly bite and all the jumpers in our closets are just itching to come out. a new season is upon us, so what better time to reflect on this month and remember what brought us joy before we finally settle into our cosy selves.

september is the cloud that slowly pulls itself across the sky to reveal the unsettlingly beautiful glowing orb in the night sky. autumn is the train slowly pulling into the station and it is just about to make its final halt. the clocks haven’t changed yet but you can already see it in the air, the days are a little darker, the night seems to creep up on us a little quicker, the sun is lazy to rise, and i’ve found myself lighting a few candles in those quiet hours between 5 and 7 am again. although i love feeling the almost unbearable sting of the summer heat on my cheek, there will always be something mystical about september.

okay, let’s get into the lists.

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little joys

• cosy season always ignites the reader in me and the flame is particularly hot this year as i’ve read about five books this month

• and speaking of books, welcome to the hyunam-dong bookshop by hwang bo-reum is officially one of my top reads of 2025, five stars, it’s absolutely stunning and i’m so happy it was one of our quiet readers who recommended it to me <3

• and that feeling of finishing a book that you absolutely loved and know will stay with you for a very long time. i can’t recommend the above enough, especially as we move into autumn

• appreciating long-term friendships as i celebrated friend’s birthday who i’ve known since we were literally three/four years old and watching her grow into the person she is today— stunning, kind, with a heart of actual gold—what a joy

• taking a trip to oxford with my mum, our favourite city, and spending quality time with her and having so much fun that once again we forgot to take any pictures of us at all

• reading stories, writing stories, thinking about stories and plot points and character traits and describing moments that seem to stretch on forever and describing the look in someone’s eye and atmospheres and metaphors and rewrites—the joys of being immersed in literature are in full force this season

• this hasn’t happened yet, but i’m so excited to see the leaves turn yellow and orange, how even more beautiful nature is about to become, take walks and gaze up at all those firey colours, breathe in crisp, fresh air, it’s all right around the corner

• modding my nintendo 2ds xl has kept me very busy over the past couple of days, i’ve been obsessed with that thing lately. i love being swept away by a hobby like this (also v open to cosy ds/3ds game recommendations!)

• the lovely hours-long conversation i had with a friend who i haven’t spoken to in years! bring back long phone calls like our mums used to do with their friends on the house phone

• the joy of slowly swapping out my wardrobe, replacing crop tops and light trousers with fuzzy fleeces and long cotton skirts

• quitting my job quite spontaneously and being so worried i would regret it but the weight that has been lifted from me is no mistake. making big decisions for yourself and knowing it’s the right one is one of the best feelings

• playing around with tech and switching back to my smartphone after using this for a couple of months and feeling like i just got a new phone (the screen is so big!) up next: a phone with a physical qwerty keyboard

• also noticing that i really did use my phone less when i had my f22 pro and it has carried on as i switched back to my smartphone

little sorrows

• absolutely dying to wear a pair of tights but the weather can’t quite make up its mind just yet

• starting a new job and all the fears that come along with that

• the insanely cute mug i bought (pictured below) leaks, like water pours from the bottom of it like a funnel, but it seems to hold water when my tea cools down? it’s obviously faulty but it’s so cute i don’t want to return it

• rune factory 4, one game i really want to try, for some reason does not want to download on my 2ds :(

cosy season preparations (2025)

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thank you for reading today’s post. feel free to jot down some of your own little joys and sorrows in the comments as your self-reflection practice for the month if you feel comfortable.

i’ll be back again on friday for paid subscribers for a little ode to autumn. if you don’t want to miss that and other subscriber-only posts, as well as the seasonal quiet list series, consider upgrading your subscription today <3