Evicting the To-Do List Default in My Brain

Newsletter #52

Examining Why

Sometimes I think about how I think, and in this post which feels different from others, I’ll be taking you on journey through the way my brain works. I think in the end, it shows how my identity and life experiences are embedded in the lens I use when creating, and that reinforces why representation of diverse voices is more critical than ever.

I started the new year with a cluttered mind, lots swirling around in my head. I watched one of Matt Eicheldinger’s reels on Instagram and he shared about a pastor telling him that “in order to hear yourself, you need to listen, and to listen, it needs to be quiet.” So I took that nugget, left my phone at home while walking the dog, and tried to find silence.

What was my core telling me? Well first, I thought it would be a good practice to start doing morning pages (an idea from Julie Cameron’s book THE ARTIST'S WAY) because getting out the chaos would help lead to clarity.

Then I started wondering why the default in my brain is a to-do list.

• Is it only me who seems to have a constant list of tasks in my head that I haven’t yet accomplished?

• Could it be the methodical, organized virgo side of me wanting to make things better and create order?

• Is it genetic or because of the way I always saw my parents working hard, doing something, and not resting much?

And I also realized I very much wanted to kick out that list, give it an eviction notice, insist that it goes away. Easier said than done.

Before doing that, I needed to find out how it got there. As the universe tends to do, after asking those questions, I found an answer in the next couple of days. I received LOUDER THAN THE LIES by Ellie Yang Camp for Christmas and while reading, I found my a-ha!

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This explained so much of an underlying immigrant mindset and clarified even more ways White supremacy holds itself over our race. When I learn things like this, I usually ask myself two questions:

1. How can I take this knowledge and introduce the concept when I teach young students in my classroom?

2. How can I embed this theme in the books that I write?

I suppose this is how all the facets of my world collide: cultural identity, education, writing, teaching, creating, and constant self-improvement. It is because of the integration of these ideas that I strive to help people become more empathetic so they can contribute to a just and inclusive society.

Do you have a guiding mission statement?

2019 Aladdin, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

Book Report: AMY WU AND THE PERFECT BAO

Written by Kat Zhang

Illustrated by Charlene Chua

Amy is one determined girl who aims to make the world’s most perfect bao. It’s not easy. She and her family spend all day preparing the dough, the filling, and the steamer. Her mom, dad, and grandma have perfect techniques, but Amy struggles to get it just right. The book is so relatable to children who try to do something new and experience failure. I love the endearing pet cat that the illustrator Charlene includes throughout the book, plus the bright style of Amy’s grandma. Through both Kat’s clear and simple sentences that pair perfectly with Charlene’s animated artwork that express all of Amy’s emotions, readers will feel all the hard work and triumph of Amy’s bao-making. It ends perfectly with Amy’s family recipe of delicious bao.

Themes: love and acceptance, perseverance, determination

Discussion Ideas:

1. How do Amy’s feelings change throughout this book and what makes her feel that way?

2. What lessons does Amy learn in this story and how can you apply those lessons to your own life?

Mentor Text For:

• story elements and plot

• use of bold print in text

• interpreting illustrations and making inferences

Link to Teacher Resources: Amy Wu Series Discussion Guide

Buy the book!

Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

I love his super close-up of the top of Amy’s head and all the meaning behind those eyes as she’s surrounded by perfect baos held by her mom, dad, and hip grandma.

Weekly Progress Report

This is a section for “stuff I did” that relates to my writing career. I believe in celebrating all wins, big and small alike.

• watched the ALA Youth Media awards

• placed honored books on hold at the library and picked up the first batch (I enjoy doing this because the awards take place a couple weeks before my week-long winter break, which is a great time to read)

• watched half of a webinar replay

• completed Tara Lazar’s Storystorm: 30 story ideas!

• updated my bio (again) for submissions to editors

• attended Vicky Fang’s book launch for AVA LIN, ONE OF A KIND

Local author crew who showed up to celebrate Vicky’s book launch: Lynne Anne Biscay, Kerry Aradhya, me, Anne-Marie Strohman, Christine Evans, Vicky Fang, Darshana Khiani, Misa Sugiura, and Cindy Chang

Sending you courage and grace in all you choose to do,

Susan