Thank you, Ambi. I’m not sure if I'm an alchemist or just a guy trying to mix ingredients and hoping they don't blow up in my face. But seriously your words mean a lot, especially coming from someone who pulls birds out from their page. If I'm an alchemist, then it's because I've been inspired by the sorcery in your writing. Dios te bendiga también—and may we both keep surprising ourselves with what we conjure up next.
Thank you! I guess all those years of arguing with myself are finally paying off. Glad I could keep you rolling along—next week’s batch is in the oven!
"And maybe that’s the lesson they’re trying to teach me: growth isn’t something to be hunted down. It arrives in its own time." You've bought yourself a bunch of wise buns Kuriakin! Chasing growth all the time makes us vulnerable to the downward spiral of the Tyrant mind. Absolutely amazing this character by the way, with just enough arrogance and self-sufficiency!!😆
Isa, he’d hate that I agree with you about growth arriving on its own time - nothing infuriates him more than patience. As for wise buns, they’ve turned stale, but maybe that’s just the price of wisdom: a little crustiness around the edges. Your comment made me laugh. Thank you for such a lovely note :)
It's funny how these tyrants behave like emotionally unregulated toddlers : they want everything NOW!! That would be very entertaining to see him throw a fit on the floor in his elegant suit right?
Oh he did that already, but he made me promise not to write about it. He said he has a reputation to maintain. But recently, I've been giving him hugs every night and he's so confused right now.
This is beautifully written. Loved the description of the butter, and how your story and mind weaved into a lesson that makes us think. “If you don’t learn something, you’ve failed.” I resonate, but never paused to question it.
Thank you so much Coco! Your words are like hot green tea on a rainy day (insert green tea emoji - didn't work while i was typing this - cue crying emoji) That line about learning and failure is one of those thoughts that had been tugging at me for a while, like butter softening just enough to spread smoothly. It’s comforting to hear it resonated with you, especially as a pause-worthy moment.
Kiriakin - the range of your writing is astonishing. This piece was exquisite in its creativity and the dialog. I’m working on a dialog piece right now and I’m taking some excellent learning from you.
I could have quoted about 20 lines but I chose this one. “But that’s okay. I don’t need to be more than I am right now.”
Thank you so much. your words mean a lot. I’m glad the dialogue landed, especially since I had to act it out to make sure it's natural, and it can feel like such a delicate dance to get it just right. Knowing you're working on a dialog piece makes this all the more special :)
That line you quoted holds a quiet truth I’m still learning to accept myself, so it feels full-circle that it spoke to you too. Wishing you all the best as you bring your own creativity to life. I can’t wait to see where it takes you.
Magical? The last time I hear that word was when someone's trying to sell me a toaster oven. But seriously, thank you Claire, your kindness is a crusty little philosopher in its own right!
Thanks for this, I’m really on a roll now! If ‘The Buns’ ever made it to the store display, it’d be because friends like you made this journey so rewarding. Appreciate the warm words!
Holy cow! This is so incredibly joyful, funny, entertaining, AND insightful. I could not help but smile at every line, and laugh too! Also the point about how a failure to extract meaning from a failure is both perfectionism in disguise as growth mindset (we need to orient our mistakes as having meaning or else they are not allowed) AND a metaphor for learning how to forgive, accept, and move on. Such an incredible story through and through, and I feel lucky to have read it!
That's incredibly kind of you! I was hoping the laughter would at least distract from the fact that I wrote most of it in a state of sheer panic on the way to work wondering if I had locked the house, which I suppose added a bit of urgency to the whole thing. I’m thrilled it resonated with you though! Thank you for reading—I feel equally lucky that someone besides my mom has found it entertaining.
I'm with Amber. This is magically fun, and for someone who professes to be unconcerned with finding meaning, there's a whole lot of it packed into this little piece of Pillsbury theater. : )
Wow! I loved reading every word of this. Thank you. I too lose my buns quite often. Most of the time I cry and berate myself. Maybe next time I will just forgive and let it be.
Thank you, Chantele. Those buns! Always the fugitives, aren’t they? Slipping away like they’ve got somewhere more important to be. Next time, I hope they find asylum in your toaster. I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this. It's uncomfortable to just sit there, but over time it gets easier. I promise. Thank you for taking the time to read and leave such a lovely comment.
Really great piece, and your depiction of the Tyrant makes me both weary of and humored by him. Always constantly nagging and complaining and to what end? Personifying that anxious voice many of us have inside makes it tangible, makes it easier in a way to see it for what it really is.
I did not expect a story about missing bread to have me questioning my own relationship to mistakes. In a large part being human is all about making mistakes—the falling and getting back up. But to your point that, “Growth sneaks up on us, like how our bodies heal while we sleep” (amazing line btw!) there is a lot of value in learning to let the getting back up and the growing come gradually. Excited to read more of what you have to say!
Thanks you A'Daja for reading and leaving such a lovely comment.
Though now the Tyrant’s feeling a little too smug, like he’s finally gotten the recognition he thinks he deserves. You know, he’s the kind of voice that would convince you the bread incident was part of some grand cosmic punishment. Ugh, classic Tyrant.
But you’re right, seeing him for what he is does take the edge off, like realizing the scary shadow in the corner is just a coat rack.
Also, glad the piece made you think about mistakes - I mean, they’re pretty much what we’re all here for, right? Can’t wait to read more of your stuff too!
My resident tyrant sounds eerily similar to yours. Perhaps they’re in cahoots, part of a club of tyrants who exchange notes on how to be menacing and keep us ever improving but never quite acceptable.
Gut wrenchingly relatable, heart achingly raw with a generous sprinkle of healing humour. Reading this piece was the perfect way to begin the week, thank you ✨
A club? That explains his 12pm meeting on the calendar - so he’s been getting tips from your Tyrant. I bet they’re in some dive bar in my head, swapping stories about the best ways to ruin a day.
Glad the humor landed - makes it a bit easier to deal with his constant nonsense. Thanks for reading and for saying such nice things. Probably a little late - but here’s hoping your week’s only chaotic in the fun ways ✨✨✨
Freaking brilliant! And as someone with ADHD, I understand the loss/misplacement of your buns. 😄 My mother often told us as kids that we would lose our heads if they weren't attached to our bodies. Thank you for sharing this - it was just the permission I needed. ⚘️💙💚🦋
Michelle, your mother and mine must have shared notes. Mine would’ve added something about me managing to misplace my own shadow, which I now took as a compliment. Maybe there’s a club for us where we’re perpetually losing things but gaining perspective. Thanks for making me laugh and feel a little less alone in the chaos! You always do.
Michelle, The Lost Shadows Club sounds like my kind of place. I love the John Muir motto, though I’d probably wander into the forest and forget why I went in the first place. Maybe our first meeting can be a scavenger hunt for everything we’ve already lost. Thanks for turning the chaos into something I’d happily join.
Kuriakin, you are an alchemist of emotion, fact, growth, humor??? How you do that with words on a screen? Dios te bendiga.
Thank you, Ambi. I’m not sure if I'm an alchemist or just a guy trying to mix ingredients and hoping they don't blow up in my face. But seriously your words mean a lot, especially coming from someone who pulls birds out from their page. If I'm an alchemist, then it's because I've been inspired by the sorcery in your writing. Dios te bendiga también—and may we both keep surprising ourselves with what we conjure up next.
This is perfectly put!
Echoing Amber and Rick's Pillsbury theater comments here.
You have a way with dialogue that made a challenging topic grip me from beginning to end. I'm now looking forward to next week's essay!
Thank you! I guess all those years of arguing with myself are finally paying off. Glad I could keep you rolling along—next week’s batch is in the oven!
"And maybe that’s the lesson they’re trying to teach me: growth isn’t something to be hunted down. It arrives in its own time." You've bought yourself a bunch of wise buns Kuriakin! Chasing growth all the time makes us vulnerable to the downward spiral of the Tyrant mind. Absolutely amazing this character by the way, with just enough arrogance and self-sufficiency!!😆
Isa, he’d hate that I agree with you about growth arriving on its own time - nothing infuriates him more than patience. As for wise buns, they’ve turned stale, but maybe that’s just the price of wisdom: a little crustiness around the edges. Your comment made me laugh. Thank you for such a lovely note :)
It's funny how these tyrants behave like emotionally unregulated toddlers : they want everything NOW!! That would be very entertaining to see him throw a fit on the floor in his elegant suit right?
Oh he did that already, but he made me promise not to write about it. He said he has a reputation to maintain. But recently, I've been giving him hugs every night and he's so confused right now.
This is beautifully written. Loved the description of the butter, and how your story and mind weaved into a lesson that makes us think. “If you don’t learn something, you’ve failed.” I resonate, but never paused to question it.
Thank you so much Coco! Your words are like hot green tea on a rainy day (insert green tea emoji - didn't work while i was typing this - cue crying emoji) That line about learning and failure is one of those thoughts that had been tugging at me for a while, like butter softening just enough to spread smoothly. It’s comforting to hear it resonated with you, especially as a pause-worthy moment.
Kiriakin - the range of your writing is astonishing. This piece was exquisite in its creativity and the dialog. I’m working on a dialog piece right now and I’m taking some excellent learning from you.
I could have quoted about 20 lines but I chose this one. “But that’s okay. I don’t need to be more than I am right now.”
🙏🙏
Thank you so much. your words mean a lot. I’m glad the dialogue landed, especially since I had to act it out to make sure it's natural, and it can feel like such a delicate dance to get it just right. Knowing you're working on a dialog piece makes this all the more special :)
That line you quoted holds a quiet truth I’m still learning to accept myself, so it feels full-circle that it spoke to you too. Wishing you all the best as you bring your own creativity to life. I can’t wait to see where it takes you.
This was magical! Best thing I’ve read all day
Magical? The last time I hear that word was when someone's trying to sell me a toaster oven. But seriously, thank you Claire, your kindness is a crusty little philosopher in its own right!
Love that your wisdom is so popular it took two months to find this! MAGICAL 🪄
Just like the buns, I work in mysterious ways. But unlike the buns, I always, though it might take a while, find my way back.
This is just what I kneaded. It might not make a lot of dough. But at yeast it makes you the toast of this typing town
If there was a cohort 14, this would be in the store display
Thanks for this, I’m really on a roll now! If ‘The Buns’ ever made it to the store display, it’d be because friends like you made this journey so rewarding. Appreciate the warm words!
Holy cow! This is so incredibly joyful, funny, entertaining, AND insightful. I could not help but smile at every line, and laugh too! Also the point about how a failure to extract meaning from a failure is both perfectionism in disguise as growth mindset (we need to orient our mistakes as having meaning or else they are not allowed) AND a metaphor for learning how to forgive, accept, and move on. Such an incredible story through and through, and I feel lucky to have read it!
That's incredibly kind of you! I was hoping the laughter would at least distract from the fact that I wrote most of it in a state of sheer panic on the way to work wondering if I had locked the house, which I suppose added a bit of urgency to the whole thing. I’m thrilled it resonated with you though! Thank you for reading—I feel equally lucky that someone besides my mom has found it entertaining.
I'm with Amber. This is magically fun, and for someone who professes to be unconcerned with finding meaning, there's a whole lot of it packed into this little piece of Pillsbury theater. : )
My next essay is "The Art of Being a Walking Contradiction: Why Hypocrisy is an Overrated Insult." Stay tuned!
very fun reading you!!! love it!
Carolina, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Hearing that from someone whose work I respect so much is incredibly rewarding.
Wow! I loved reading every word of this. Thank you. I too lose my buns quite often. Most of the time I cry and berate myself. Maybe next time I will just forgive and let it be.
Thank you, Chantele. Those buns! Always the fugitives, aren’t they? Slipping away like they’ve got somewhere more important to be. Next time, I hope they find asylum in your toaster. I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this. It's uncomfortable to just sit there, but over time it gets easier. I promise. Thank you for taking the time to read and leave such a lovely comment.
Epic!! I loved this!!
Melissa, your comment makes me feel like I’ve written the Bohemian Rhapsody of breakfast mishaps. You’re my new favorite hype person. Thank you.
Really great piece, and your depiction of the Tyrant makes me both weary of and humored by him. Always constantly nagging and complaining and to what end? Personifying that anxious voice many of us have inside makes it tangible, makes it easier in a way to see it for what it really is.
I did not expect a story about missing bread to have me questioning my own relationship to mistakes. In a large part being human is all about making mistakes—the falling and getting back up. But to your point that, “Growth sneaks up on us, like how our bodies heal while we sleep” (amazing line btw!) there is a lot of value in learning to let the getting back up and the growing come gradually. Excited to read more of what you have to say!
Thanks you A'Daja for reading and leaving such a lovely comment.
Though now the Tyrant’s feeling a little too smug, like he’s finally gotten the recognition he thinks he deserves. You know, he’s the kind of voice that would convince you the bread incident was part of some grand cosmic punishment. Ugh, classic Tyrant.
But you’re right, seeing him for what he is does take the edge off, like realizing the scary shadow in the corner is just a coat rack.
Also, glad the piece made you think about mistakes - I mean, they’re pretty much what we’re all here for, right? Can’t wait to read more of your stuff too!
Extraordinary piece!
My resident tyrant sounds eerily similar to yours. Perhaps they’re in cahoots, part of a club of tyrants who exchange notes on how to be menacing and keep us ever improving but never quite acceptable.
Gut wrenchingly relatable, heart achingly raw with a generous sprinkle of healing humour. Reading this piece was the perfect way to begin the week, thank you ✨
A club? That explains his 12pm meeting on the calendar - so he’s been getting tips from your Tyrant. I bet they’re in some dive bar in my head, swapping stories about the best ways to ruin a day.
Glad the humor landed - makes it a bit easier to deal with his constant nonsense. Thanks for reading and for saying such nice things. Probably a little late - but here’s hoping your week’s only chaotic in the fun ways ✨✨✨
A mysterious meeting on the calendar between tyrants 🤣
It’s the Anxieties Anonymous
Freaking brilliant! And as someone with ADHD, I understand the loss/misplacement of your buns. 😄 My mother often told us as kids that we would lose our heads if they weren't attached to our bodies. Thank you for sharing this - it was just the permission I needed. ⚘️💙💚🦋
Michelle, your mother and mine must have shared notes. Mine would’ve added something about me managing to misplace my own shadow, which I now took as a compliment. Maybe there’s a club for us where we’re perpetually losing things but gaining perspective. Thanks for making me laugh and feel a little less alone in the chaos! You always do.
Let us call it, The Lost Shadows Club. Our motto can be from John Muir: "And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul."
Michelle, The Lost Shadows Club sounds like my kind of place. I love the John Muir motto, though I’d probably wander into the forest and forget why I went in the first place. Maybe our first meeting can be a scavenger hunt for everything we’ve already lost. Thanks for turning the chaos into something I’d happily join.
Great work, Kuriakin! This fable contains so much wisdom
hey afra, thank you! I’ve been working on this, so it’s nice to hear :)