Alyssa Kulesa

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Poems, notes and deep(er) dives

The full collection of my musings in different forms to match your mood. Things I noticed and thought were worth mentioning.

Lately

  • Note

    Is the box really there?

    Look, I hate being boxed in. Walking through the catacombs in Paris? No thank you. Entering an elevator with more people than you’d be comfortable getting stuck with? Also, no. Like I’ve said before, boxes have a tendency to make…

  • Note

    On Restlessness

    Sometimes we feel restless because we need to take a deep breath and remind ourselves that everything is well and truly fine. But sometimes we’re restless because we need to rest less.  If you’ve been ignoring some creative urge, it’s…

  • Note

    On letting the pen do the talking

    Sometimes when I feel off, I pick up a (red) pen and start moving my hand without any rhyme or reason. Whenever I do this, there’s inevitably a moment when I feel like an insane person as I wait for…

  • Deep(er) dive

    When knowledge distorts your clarity

    It’s midnight here in Spain, and I’m headed to Chicago in 6 hours to kick off the wedding week! Today I’m spicing up your inbox with 10 quick thoughts on intellect, creativity, and originality. I’m planning to turn these 10 points into a cohesive piece centered around the impact of regurgitated content all over the internet (but it needs to…

  • Deep(er) dive

    Shaking it Up Like a Snowglobe

    I feel a little bit nervous as I let my fingertips brush over my pink keyboard for the first time in what feels like eternity. Anyone who teaches about “building an email list” will tell you A) not to ghost…

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NOW WRITING

A novel that picks up right where the rom com usually ends.

They meet, they date, they fight, they make up, then it’s all happily ever right? My novel picks up right in the messy middle of happily ever after.

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TOPICS

Worth mentioning

12

days of insights, inspiration and instigation

12 quick reads to leave you inspired. Pick a day.

Day 1

My birthday gift to myself, vanilla cake 🍰, and a grand experiment

Everything

Newest first

Show me: everything deep(er) dives notes poems

  • Deep(er) dive

    Flowers at the Airport

    I flew to Chicago Wednesday morning to meet the floral team we chose for our wedding. Our florist, Nichole, who I’m convinced turns a single stemmed rose into a wand and then proceeds to make magic out of green foam blocks…

  • Deep(er) dive

    What Spanx Can Teach Us About Living Authentically

    You are not Spanx. This may seem obvious, but nonetheless, countless people walk around acting as if they are. Spanx are meant to keep it all in. They’re a magical smoother of the situation that is the cellulite on most…

  • Deep(er) dive

    Snow, taskmasters, and subconscious sabotage

    “Will it ever stop snowing?”  Part question and part plea to the weather gods, this phrase popped into my head no less than 15 times yesterday. While some people thoroughly enjoy the “Do we live in Russia?” aesthetic, I prefer…

  • Deep(er) dive

    Planes, trains, and [moving to] Spain

    “I’m not moving again for five years!” These are the kinds of words you utter and then instantly regret. Normally. The depth of certainty held within them pretty much guarantees the opposite will come true. But boy, am I glad…

  • Deep(er) dive

    The weird question that popped into my head

    “Do you see a tree, or do you see a reflection of yourself?” This question hit my mind right before sitting down to write you. So now I’m asking you, reader. And before you ask, no, I’m not on drugs. I’m…

  • Deep(er) dive

    Female spy shows steal my attention

    Stressors and distractions flood our worlds—the inner and the outer. Give me a show like Alias, Covert Affairs, or, more recently, Killing Eve, and I can be easily distracted for hours, but at what cost? What we tune into shapes…

  • Deep(er) dive

    The critic, the creator, and the consumer walk into a bar

    “Oh my gosh! I love this!” I squealed as I took the third to last bite of our 10-course tasting menu.  The squeal-worthy final treat was a gluten-free lemon poppyseed something or other, not quite a cookie or a cracker.…

  • Deep(er) dive

    The Status Quo is Overrated

    But damn it, it sure is attractive at times because fitting in feels better than standing out in the cold alone. To fit in or not to fit in is an age-old question of the creative human spirit and one…

  • Deep(er) dive

    Coffee, conflict, and connection

    Tension in relationships can be a real day-ruiner if left unchecked. However, it can also be an eye-opener, especially if we know how to go from rupture to repair without it taking forever.  I’m all about saving tears, time, and trust. Conflict…