themeless no. 39

long time no see!

i made this puzzle to help alex test some software (is software even the word for it? don't fact check me on this) and now i'm posting it here so more people can solve it! i hope it's fun and breezy. 

since this wasn't a puzzle built for the blog, this post is more a "proof of life" than anything—i know i keep saying this and have little to show for it, but i'm always trying to find my way back here. with me, the perfect is often the enemy of the done, which prevents me from posting here as often as i would like. i'm still trying to be better about this, and you'll just have to believe me that i'm a lot less insane about it than i used to be. eventually i will get 100% better about it, but in the meantime just know that this blog will never be dead or defunct. 

dribs and drabs:

• the crosstina zine vol. 2 is imminent-ish, for real this time. here's a teaser image. i'm hoping to have it ready by mid-late september.
• the atlantic games hub is now on instagram! i would be honored if you gave us (aka me lol) a follow, and let me know what kind of content you want to see! 
• when i'm not here i do have puzzles elsewhere! i had one at defector in may that i'm really pleased with and would love for you to solve 

anyways, here's a puzzle. alex also made me a solver for the blog that has something we're calling kelsey mode! what does that mean? i guess you'll see! thank you alex! (if you hate it, you can always toggle it off) (i think) (jk you can't!) (you might need to hard refresh for it to work) (check out his patreon while you're at it!)

cheers!

themeless no. 38

some things i've been thinking about (because this is my blog and i can say what i want before i tell you about the crossword i made):

• the interview where alysa liu says, "i love struggling, actually, it makes me feel alive". trying to get on this wavelength, honestly!
• this tweet of perfect photos of the only man i've ever loved, george harrison
• i asked someone if he knew where i could get a chicago common brick, because i've always liked them and wanted one, just to have in my home. he offered me one of his own, and left it on his stoop for me to pick up. it made me so happy, i love it so much.
• i saw nirvanna the band the show the movie—i can't think of the words to describe it but it's really a triumph and has a lot of heart, and you should see it if you can! it's so incredibly cool that we have it because of state-funded art programs.
• midnight sun by zara larsson 
• my horoscope app usually feels like its negging me, but the other day it said "it's weather, not climate" as a version of "this too shall pass" and i was like wow that's good i should write that down
• i had a work trip last month, and we had a long conversation about sincerity & earnestness, and it all boiled down to the whole idea of "don't kill that part of you that's cringe, kill the part that cringes," and i'm trying to work on that.
• i turned 33 last month, which is amazing. i had a perfect day with my favorite person (myself). getting older is great, and i love it, and i have no concept of what 33 is supposed to be or feel like or what i'm supposed to do with it, which is very freeing; it's harder to micromanage yourself into misery in the pursuit of something this way (i hope)! life is harder than ever, but i am also the happiest i've ever been.
• i've been trying to enjoy ordinary days, in which i am present and calm and able to give thanks for ordinary days. 
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anyways, here's a crossword that i made today to distract myself during a hockey game THAT DID NOT GO THE WAY I HAD HOPED. the winter olympics are dead; long live the winter olympics. love you, be safe.