The first week

What I read this week and how far I got on my short story.

Hi everyone!

This week I was able to read everyday like I had planned. A couple days I had to double up on certain topics —two short stories or poems in a day— because I missed them, buy I made it to a week of reading 1 poem, 1 short story, and 1 article/essay each day.

Here is my current list as of 12/2/2025:

Short Stories:

1. The Sniper by Liam O’ Flaherty

2. The Aged Mother by Matsuo Basho

3. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

4. The Ones who walk away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin

5. Girl by Jamaica Kincaid

6. Jasmine’s Brows and Cuts by Rachel Lachmansingh

7. The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde

Poetry:

1. For My People by Margaret Walker

2. My Father Gave Me a Gift by Mikeas Sánchez

3. The Bear and The Salmon by Julian Talamantez Brolaski

4. It Was the Animals By Natalie Diaz

5. The Old Pond by Matsuo Basho

6. Rain Poem by Manny Loley

7. Winter by Megan Fernandes

Articles/Essays:

1. Sloth selfies are feeding a booming wildlife trafficking trade by Fernanda Wenzel

2. Impacts of colonization on dingoes are ‘written in their bones,’ new research finds by Kylie M. Cairns, Matthew Crowther, Mike Letnic, and Melanie Fillios

3. BREAKING NEWS out of Washington state: Bonaventure will pay $7 million to improve services at 10 long-term care facilities in WA by Julia Yarbough

4. Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world by Sirin Kale and Lucy Osborne

5. New Zealand says it’s going to eradicate feral cats by Jack Guy

6. Officials invest millions to battle highly invasive species wreaking havoc on Florida Everglades: ‘They have a voracious appetite’ by Robert Crow

7. Life insurers soon won’t be able to discriminate against you based on your genes by Jane Tiller

As for my short story, well I didn’t finish by the end of the week. Which I’m trying to be ok with! I had a good idea and a fun time, but it didn’t come together in 7 days. So to move forward I will set it aside for now and start a new writing piece for the week. I have an idea for an article, so if everything works out I will share it right here on Substack.

Here’s a hint on the topic:

Crickets.