the secrets to a good month

everything i read and loved in april, faith's favorites, and daily journal prompts to keep you writing this month

I know the names of almost all of my neighbors’ dogs, even if we haven’t discussed them. Diesel lives next door, Lewis one street over, but I can’t be sure of Juliet, the sweet golden retriever I see in the park. She’ll trot up to me, wagging her tail and letting me scratch behind her silky ears until her owner inevitably calls her back, calling out an unneeded apology in my direction.

Each day, around mid-afternoon, an intense feeling of restlessness creeps in, my brain and body moving at different speeds. Sunlight slants across the dark wood of my floor and beckons me outside, and I know spring is finally here. I take my lunch break later in the afternoon and use the time to wander. I grab ice cream from the little shop down the street and eat it while I walk. I spend afternoons on my balcony, engrossed in my book, music quietly playing out of my phone’s tinny speaker.

Spring feels like a gift, the reward after a lesson in patience. Winter drags on and stifles the warmth and excitement in the minutia of everyday life, but spring comes around, flowers start to bloom, and the days begin to feel right again.

I really loved April, my days were busy and full of the kind of simple happiness that I associate with a routine, the shimmer of spring finds its way into the crevices and infuses each moment with a little something special. I want to bottle up the feeling and drink it, keep it with me for as long as possible. Each moment feels special, the simple walk to the grocery store introduces me to a dog I’ve yet to meet, the smell of a freshly mown lawn is like a drug to me, I was born in late spring, so maybe it’s in my blood to love this weather.

There was so much good in the last month, I spent time with friends and listened to good music. I spent so much time outside. I enjoy the work I’m doing, and I can’t ask for much more. Each day I wake up excited about the possibilities in front of me— a new book, a new neighborhood dog— and I can’t wait to bite into the bounties of spring.

Transparently, this is technically labeled as a post for paid subscribers, but I hate paywalling things. I put the paywall at the very bottom of this post (before the journal prompts) to keep as much content free as possible. This platform is entirely subscriber-supported, and as my friend

ayan artan

so eloquently put it, upgrading your subscription keeps this newsletter free of ads and sponsored content. It also supports independent media and all of that jazz, so if you’re able, consider upgrading to paid.

little moments from april

sarah’s favorites from april

• Paul and I went on a picnic downtown, and it was a perfect spring day. I read Wuthering Heights, we ate baguettes with cheese, prosciutto, and fig spread, and we laid down in the grass and listened to the chatter of people around us

• I read so much, I think I finished 6 books in April, and I loved all of them. I had the privilege of reading an early copy of Thirst Trap by Grainne O’Hare, and I cannot recommend that enough. I’m also working my way through the Booker Prize translated fiction shortlist, and so far I’ve read Perfection by Vincenzo Latronico (translated by Sophie Hughes) and On the Calculation of Volume by Solvej Balle (translated by Barbara J. Haveland). Both were incredible, showstopping, life-changing, and I urge you to check both of them out. (all of my reviews can be found here.)

  • ALSO!!! in case you didn’t know, I have a little virtual book club that I run through Fable. In May, we’re reading On the Calculation of Volume. You can participate with or without Fable app, but if you want to, join in here. I’m also going to be opening a chat in the Substack chat to have a discussion about the book!

• I’ve become a sucker for gingham. It’s such a springy pattern, and I bought two dresses that I already know are going to get me through the summer.

• Andor: A Star Wars Story is currently the best show on TV. I’m a Star Wars fan to my core, so I’ll watch basically anything in the Star Wars universe, but this show is flawless. It has the quality of an HBO drama that just so happens to be set in space. It’s a stunning commentary on the rise of authoritarianism and the fight against it. Please, please, please watch this show, it’s incredible and so timely.

• Lucy Dacus made up most of the soundtrack to my April. I went to her concert in DC (Paul was brought along), and it was one of the best concert experiences. I love her music, but I think she really shines as a writer. Her lyrics are gorgeous, and I would read anything she wrote. Also, I bought a cool hat at her concert.

• SPF!!! I care very much about skincare, and SPF is a mega part of my routine, but now that it’s extra sunny out, I’ve been slathering my face with a sunscreen (i use the Glossier Invisible Shield), SPF tinted moisturizer or skin tint, and SPF chapstick. Protect your skin!

• My mom told me I never talk about her in here, so hello to my mom (everyone say hi to my mom). We’ve been having a lot of really nice phone calls recently, so this is my public apology for saying in my most recent essay that I need to have a bad call with my mom to get sad and inspired to write.

bonus: this is my may monthly playlist, i add songs to it throughout the month based on what i’m loving and listening to.

favorites from a friend

hey guys!!! it’s me

faith zapata

!!! of faith’s core!! sarah was sweet enough to ask me to be her featured friend for this month’s wrap up to tell you all some things i loved about april. i will not lie and say that this month was perfect by any means — it kinda threw me for a loop in so many different ways and i feel like it lasted for literally 5 years and like i aged that much over the course of just 30 days but nevertheless… we move! i keep saying out loud this week that i wish i had been more whimsical in april so maybe that’ll be my may goal. pretty solid plan if you ask me.

big things this month for me:

• released a NEW SONG!!!! before this i hadn’t put anything out since july (at least for a solo release) so YAY!!!! stream sgna!

• turned in Very Important Papers for grad school that i do not want to think about anymore until i absolutely have to (aka when i get results back. stomach is queasy just thinking about it)

• started my new job!!! i am a k-8 music & creative elective teacher and i love it so far even though i am so so exhausted. i love the kids though and i make them call me ms. faith because please…ms. zapata is my mother! (well. she’s a mrs. technically but still)

aaaand some little things but still fun:

• writing songs again! was in the biggest freaking creative rut when it came to songwriting the past few months but i think the juices are finally flowing. was just talking to sarah about this the other day bc of her recent essay actually but i’m usually only very productive when it comes to specifically songwriting when i am Going Through It. i hope this doesn’t mean i’m sad or something!!!! i don’t feel it but sometimes it’s like under the surface idk!!

• coming up with fun teacher outfits. i always see cute tiktoks of teacher ootds and i have always wanted to be That cool teacher who wears fun cool clothes. hopefully my kiddos think so!

• the new lorde song… and the album announcement… no one speak to me

• blended coffee shakes… i found out how to make the most perfect vanilla protein coffee shake and it is so glorious

• my friends’ band Double Standard’s new ep that came out literally last friday!!!! it’s self-titled and it is so awesome. it’s been on loop. i’m so proud of those guys. i would be their biggest fan even if they weren’t buddies of mine!!! my favorite song on the project is probably “nvr c u again” SOOOOO GOOD

i can’t think of any more things!! so i guess this is goodbye! (for now) (i will inevitably show my face on sarah’s publication again because she is one of my best friends and i love her)

you can subscribe to Faith here and you can stream her incredible wonderful music HERE!!!

journal prompts for your best may

Journaling looks different for everyone. Maybe you try these prompts and use them to create a list, maybe it’s pages of text, but regardless of how you respond to them, journaling is a unique and personal experience. Half of the time I write in my journal, I’m using it as a spot to simplify my thoughts and just get them out; these prompts are springboards to (hopefully!) inspire you. I’m shifting the format from daily prompts to broader general prompts focusing on specific themes, so this month I’m doing fewer prompts, but I’m making them a bit more thought-provoking. I’m really proud of these ones!

I want to give a quick shout-out to

Rachel Allyn

, the founder of Lost and Found Journals! I just started using my journal from her and it’s perfect and so stunning! If you need a new journal, I will happily recommend her brand!

Just a reminder that paid subscribers have access to my discord server to discuss our writing (the link is at the bottom of this) and to foster our own little community! They will also receive an additional monthly post(s) of content I’m working on for a potential essay collection and more intimate, diary-entry-style posts. I already made my paid subscriber spiel, but like I said, I aim to keep this publication as free as possible, and any monetary support positively impacts my ability to keep investing time into this publication. It consistently blows my mind that you see something in my writing worth supporting in that capacity. If paid subscriptions aren’t for you, but you’re still interested in small contributions, I started a Buy Me a Coffee page and linked it below (if you support my writing through it and want access to any paywalled posts, just DM me!)

I’m hopeful that these prompts will inspire your writing. I aim for them to make you have conversations with yourself and, by the end of the month, feel stronger, more confident, and excited about your writing. See you next month!!