Hunkering down (Mapambo Adornments: Edition 2023:2)
In this edition: hunkering down to process events and two big pieces of news from my little corner of the world
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Why Adornments? Just as the mapmakers of old used to add embellishments around the edges of their maps, I like to think of all the bits in this letter as adornments to the other journeys I’m sharing here. This letter comes out every alternate Sunday, so keep an eye out for it in your Inbox. It is free to read.
Hunkering down - a way to pause and process
Welcome to the second edition of Mapambo Adornments and warm greetings from a flooded, water-logged Isle of Wight. So. Much. Rain!
The plan for this letter was to share some big news from my little corner of the world. The news is still here if you care to continue reading but I cannot ignore the fact that the world feels heavy at the moment.
I feel the pressure to respond to what’s going on in the places where I’m online. What I’ve done instead is to “hunker down”1. This has meant very little social contact and finding ways to cope with and process what it going on. To sit with my internal responses and how I feel.
It has helped to read how others are processing. Anna Brones in particular shared some nuggets of wisdom. She shares Rosie Spinks’ thoughts about the expectations of being online - if we have an online presence, we are expected to share “nuanced opinions about events as they unfold.” In the same piece Anna notes how we can be expected to “embody pitch-perfect emotional responses to each one of those things instantaneously online” (Dahlia Lithwick).
I’ve never been one to express immediate opinions. As a youngster it never felt safe to have my own opinions - I was too busy surviving. Now, at 59 years of age, thankfully I do. But they’re considered and anchored in my values and how I live my life.
My hunkering down means doing art, writing - both of which give me space to let feelings arise, thoughts flow and for them all to settle into my experience.
My hunkering down gives me space to process the expectations and the events themselves. It is my way of “pausing”, so that I can decide how to respond more deeply, beyond my initial acknowledgement and empathy.
I’m guessing that I’m continuing to hunker down this coming week, because it all ain’t processed yet! Do you have a sure fire way to process what is going on? Leave a comment about how you do it.
The emotional rollercoaster of stocking an online shop
Having decided a while back that I wanted an online shop to support any “in real life” work I do, I eventually faced the task of creating a few physical products.
Blimey. I wasn’t prepared for the amount of work it would take or for the emotional obstacles that I’d encounter along the way. I’ve had to deal with procrastination and resistance, imposter syndrome and perfectionism. And to move forward, I’ve spent many hours unpacking why I’ve been feeling these things.
It’s easy to summarise - if only the whole process had been that easy. I desperately need to be seen as a person, an artist and creative. But... I’m also terrified of putting myself out there and feeling vulnerable and out of control. I was finally able to hit the Order button on Friday, knowing that the products wouldn’t be perfect - they would be good enough to make a start.
The new business is called Mappery Moodles2 (visit my new website here). I describe Mappery Moodles as hand-crafted map based products, adventures and stories, brought to you by The Writer, The Doodler and The Mappery Moodler.
With some trepidation The Doodler, The Mappery Moodler part of me can announce that, in the next week or so, I will open my online shop. The current product suite (ooh, that sounds a bit grand!) is mostly connected with the upcoming festive season and end of year, but there are also products that can be used all year round. I’m starting simple by limiting stock numbers and the range of products. My aim is for each of these products is for them to be interactive in some way, and for the customer to be able to make it their own.
How can you support me?
Once I have the physical products, I’ll share them with you. If you’d like to to be on my Mappery Moodles shop mailing list, please sign up here.
If you’ve opened an online shop, do you have any advice / words of support for me?
➡️ If you click on this link, it’ll take you to a 1-minute survey, where you can choose what type and style of maps you’d like to see on wall art, art prints and other products in my shop. More info and instructions at the link. I’m really keen to know what types of maps appeal to you.
A writing challenge
The Writer part of me is planning to do another NaNoWriMo challenge in November (I completed the challenge in 2017 and in 2018). The “official” idea is to write a novel of at least 50000 words in 30 days (about 1667 words a day). I say official because it doesn’t have to be a novel and it doesn’t have to be 50000 words! It just needs to be a body of work. For me, having done it before, this challenge is about 3 things:
Prioritising writing every day
Making the time to write and getting into a routine, making it an ongoing practice
Making a head start on an idea, getting 50000 words together in a draft
I’ve signed up for
’s The November Daily Write-Along, as a way to keep me focussed. Also for myself and other Substackers are doing the challenge, I’m planning to share a note or chat at least once a week where we can support each other through the month. Writing 1667 words every day can feel impossible at times, and giving up happens! If you’re doing the challenge drop me a line so that I can add you to the list of NaNoWriMo Substackers!So these are my big announcements. I’ll soon be starting a newsletter for my online shop, so please sign up for that if you want to hear what new products you can interact with. I’m offering a free gift to everyone who joins the list.
The rest of this letter brings the latest news from my Substack adventures.
Substack collaborations
Last week
and I collaborated on a 100 word story, writing 50 words each. You can read it below.
Something that resonated
A beautiful essay called What Time is Sunrise by
explored our disconnection from our bodies and how being in our bodies can help us be more human by feeling, empathising and connecting.We want to be told what is right instead of feeling and figuring out what is in front of us. In that quest to be “right”—to not have to fail, to not make mistakes, to not sit in the messy part of not knowing—we avoid our intuition, we avoid listening, learning, and making our own connections.
Please share your comments
As writers we need to know that people are reading our work - it's what keeps us writing. There will be those comments that make our day, and those that make us think - all needed! This nudge from Ivy-Rose is a reminder to all of us who read - share that comment!
What’s new on my Substack?
To simplify navigation around my Substack, I’ve created A Map of Mappery! This will be permanently pinned to my Home Page and will hopefully help visitors find what they need to more easily. @Kat River posted a note some while back suggesting that writers do this. I finally got around to doing it. Thanks for the suggestion Kat.
You might’ve missed
And finally, here, all in one place, are the most recent letters, posts and notes from this Mappery space, in case you missed any of them!
Journey One - Curious Questers Road Trip: Story Three, Story Four, Story Five and Story Six
Journey Two - Personal Atlas: Of zines and treasure hunt maps
An invitation to get involved with Collective Mappery
The Parchment and the Spheres - a 100 word collaboration with
I’ve so enjoyed sharing my “adornments” with you. If you’ve enjoyed them (or a particular aspect of them), I’d really love to hear from you (either hit Reply or leave a comment below). If you read via the Substack app, you can also share, like or restack this - all are welcome and appreciated!
By sharing this letter and by referring friends you’ll receive special benefits such as complementary paid subscriptions.
See https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/hunker-down for a definition
This Substack, Of Mappery, is a subset of Mappery Moodles.
Can't wait to get started. Cheering for you and your writing this month!
Here too, rain rain and yet more rain...!!
This is such a beautiful and well laid out post Debs... and so much of what you say and give reference to resonates loudly.
Your website is wonderful also... you have put so much work into all, I’m immediately envious and inspired at the same time..!
I wish you all the luck in the world lovely... you deserve it..! X