I've been working on two specific books, Plot Perfect and Save the Cat! Writes a Novel, and doing the exercises from them to plot a novella. I've been combining that with the Brandon Sanderson lectures on YouTube. It's been like putting myself through a writing class! I'll be writing that novella next month. Right now, I'm dealing with two submission calls and getting my AO3 chapter done for the month as well. Aralise is still at the top of my mind and I'm using all my newfound knowledge to determine why my first draft didn't work and how to fix it. I have a queer writing group today and a trans writing group tomorrow, so that will be pushing me to a new level as well.
My girlfriend and I went and saw the Backrooms. I realized part of the wonder of storytelling is gone now because I saw the exact mechanics of the plot and how they constructed it. The movie was fine, not like amazing but not mediocre. The sound and set design were wonderful! The writing was a little stiff but got more fluid. The plot really got awesome in the second half. It felt like a standard A24 film where I have to watch an hour of slow dread before I start getting a payoff.
I also went to my first Pride. I've been out for a decade as a transgender woman but I've always been sort of anxious about mass shootings so I didn't go to Pride. I did this year because I have so many more friends and it was wonder. I got to see a side show and I got a lesbian flag. I also did a lot of important networking and now my union is talking to my minister and the queer employee group on campus.