"If you look at me..."

I hope you're having a restful weekend! Today, I'd like to share a little teaser of the next POALOF comic episode!! This takes place a few minutes after Héloïse and Marianne have their *intense* exchange of words, giving us this legendary line: "If you look at me, who do I look at?"

Stay tuned! :D One more important announcement: archival quality prints and coasters are now available at the shop! "Wonders of the Sea" Coaster - buy it here

All prints have been upgraded to high-quality hemp paper, thus they will never fade or yellow. Not only does hemp paper have a light and defined texture, it's also eco-friendly and sustainably sourced! Matted prints are also available for that classic, elegant and ready-to-frame look. "Wonders of the Sea" Art Print" - buy it here

Talk to you again soon! Much love, Rose

February 19 is World Pangolin Day

Today, I'm excited to share that February 19 is World Pangolin Day!

In the world, there are eight known species of pangolins. They can be found in Asia and Africa, particularly in tropical rainforests or grassy savannahs, where their diet consists of termites and ants. Pangolins are shy; when they are feeling distressed or sense a predator nearby, they curl up into a tight ball, protected by their tough scales. These scales are made of keratin, a type of protein that can also be found in our nails and hair!

Unfortunately, there are people who are misled to believe that pangolin scales have medicinal properties. This has already been debunked by scientists; however, pangolins are still being poached at a large scale, and even being served as delicacies in certain parts of Asia and Africa. I believe that animals are important in the ecosystem and that they help maintain its balance. Pangolins have a vital role as well - by burrowing for food, they help control pest populations. According to Save Pangolins.org, an adult pangolin can consume about 70 million insects per year!

According to a passage in a book called "Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation" (featured in Science Direct), by this digging process pangolins also help maintain soil health by exposing it to oxygen (called "aeration") and regulate organic matter. Although indirectly, these are huge benefits that we receive -- and for free! For more information on how you can help save our gentle, scaly friends, visit Save Pangolins.org! Let's help save the pangolins! Much love, Rose

Sources:

Why the Little Known Pangolin is so Critical to Our Ecosystem (nikela.org)

About Pangolins - Save Pangolins

The role of pangolins in ecosystems - ScienceDirect

For further reading:

Pangolins: Science, Society and Conservation. Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier (2020)

Yes, you deserve some R&R and tea

One of my close friends just told me, "Dang girl, you're busy!"

She's not wrong XD but it reminded me of what I also need to tell myself: You did a great job this week, and you deserve some R&R! 🎉 With all the stuff that we have to do, we sometimes forget to praise ourselves, don't you think?

Today, I'd like to share some easy and simple things that I do to relax after work, and I hope you find them useful! :)

About this mug: it was given to me (as a birthday or Christmas present? I forgot lol). First, a little background about my work: doing art is my main thing, and doing it full-time is the dream! ✨ In the meantime, I also work as a tutor during the day (my main job) and as an online English teacher (side gig), for most of my income. So yes, my schedule can be quite hectic and stressful. Here are some ways that help me de-stress: 1) Having a warm cup of tea after work! I bought a box of Ito En matcha tea at Long's (luckily there's a coupon!), and it's super good. Awww yeees, dat aroma! 🍵 (If I'm lucky and/or feeling rich, I also grab a chocolate cookie. Err we don't have any right now but it's ok 😂)

OR a croissant for a fancy shmancy afternoon teatime! Hon hon hon! Btw I'm making some stickers! 2) A close friend of mine recommends meditating for at least 10 minutes, and from my experience, doing that consistently really helps. I had to restart though, due to my busy schedule. After not having done it in a while, I noticed that the back of my neck and shoulders feel tight. As for the practice itself, there are a lot of free videos on Youtube -- the one that I use is a guided meditation from there. Find one that you feel most comfortable with. You do you. :)

Have a restful weekend! Much love, Rose P.S. If you enjoyed this post, share it with a loved one who needs some r&r through these buttons below!