October Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy Halloween! Or, the last day of Halloween, if like me, that’s how you celebrate.
Writer, Editor, and Rabbit Enthusiast
Hello and welcome! My name is Michael Z. Zaki.
I believe that storytelling is a cornerstone of culture. The stories we tell about ourselves, our culture, and other cultures have such a deep impact on how people live their lives. We all tell stories, and to me, it is an honor to tell stories publicly and for a living.
I have been writing for the internet for over a decade. I write about culture, mental health, philosophy, media, and of course, rabbits.
My goal with non-fiction is to generate understanding, curiosity, and reflection. It is also to convey information in a way that is natural, feels comfortable, and tells the story impactfully.
The greatest compliments I have received have been to the effect of: "You articulated something I couldn't find words for," or "Your writing helped me understand something important". The most rewarding part of writing is making other people feel less alone or helping them understand experiences they hadn't considered.
I hope you enjoy exploring my work here, and I would love to hear from you!
Say hello at: michael@michaelzzaki.com
Recent Posts
September Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy Autumn!!
August Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy almost fall!August is a strange month, and this one passed at a very confusing rate. It felt so short, but events from the beginning of the month feel so far away.
The Narrative of Real Life
Recently, I’ve wondered how to continue to engage with my life as a narrative in a healthier way.
Giving "the classics" another chance
It took multiple months, but I finished Anna Karenina last January.I read at least four books simultaneously. Primarily I read it before sleep, and it felt like a dream about 1800s Russia, which I knew nothing about. My primary surprise about it was how funny and relatable it was.
Giving "the classics" another chance
It took multiple months, but I finished Anna Karenina last January.I read at least four books simultaneously. Primarily I read it before sleep, and it felt like a dream about 1800s Russia, which I knew nothing about. My primary surprise about it was how funny and relatable it was.
July Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy almost August! It’s been an enjoyable summer for me. Mainly because I have a window AC in the main part of my apartment this year. I’ve noticed when I have air conditioning at home, I have a great summer because I can hide and pretend it’s not hot.
June (and Pride Month!) Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy Pride Month!
Reading I Who Have Never Known Men
I recently read I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (1995, for context). I’m going to describe the plot overall and in some detail, so I’ll say don’t read this if you don’t want spoilers. I do recommend the book—it was interesting and a very fast read, due to being both short and written in a way that made the pages fly by. I think that’s impressive, because there is a lot of interiority which often makes a book slower paced. It has a really sad premise, though, so check out content...
Reading I Who Have Never Known Men
I recently read I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (1995, for context). I’m going to describe the plot overall and in some detail, so I’ll say don’t read this if you don’t want spoilers. I do recommend the book—it was interesting and a very fast read, due to being both short and written in a way that made the pages fly by. I think that’s impressive, because there is a lot of interiority which often makes a book slower paced. It has a really sad premise, though, so check out content...
May Newsletter from Michael Z
May has been pleasant, though I can’t remember why. Something about the word, and the weather. It’s been a very social and busy month, which is fantastic, because after my last newsletter I promptly got sick and was isolating for two weeks.
Services - Maxx Yamasaki
I provided text copy for this client's services webpage. View webpage via this link.
April Newsletter from Michael Z
My second ever newsletter was about Springtime and how excited I was about it. Living in the Pacific Northwest has been a perfect climate for me.
March Newsletter from Michael Z
It’s March! I have committed to it being spring. It hasn’t actually been warm most days, but it has still felt springy. Some flowers are blooming, and a lot of birds are back. They are demanding bird seed, which is fair since we have a bird feeder.I started feeding crows this week too, and it’s amazing.
When I lived by the lake
For three years, I lived in a house with friends a few blocks from a huge lake. I could see the lake from huge living room windows, and it was beautiful. Because the lake was at the bottom of a hill, and my house was at the top, I did not go down to the water very often. It was often painful to hike back up, and I am an anxious person who often tries to over-conserve energy on top of what I actually need to conserve.The whole time, I kept thinking I would regret not taking more advantage of how...
Why housekeeping talk is so hard
As a person who enjoys clutter, hates dirt, was barely raised, enjoys cleaning, and has sometimes severe fatigue and pain that limit my ability to do any of the things I want to be doing, I have had a hard time communicating with housemates about cleaning and tidiness. I have also seen friends go through the same thing—not able to communicate effectively with the people they live with, feeling frustrated, misunderstood, and unhappy at home.I think part of why this happens is that there is usuall...
Michael Z's February Newsletter
I hope you’re having a good mid-late winter! I am almost keeping up with my goal to have small social gatherings each month.
Michael Z's January Newsletter
Hello lovely readers! I’d love to hear how you rang in 2025. This year I was able to go to a NYE party and co-host a few friends/family for New Year’s Day Japanese lunch on January 1st with my partner. This is the second New Year’s day since we’ve lived together, and I felt more involved this year in preparing, which was very lovely.
Michael Z's December Newsletter
Approaching the finish line of the year!
Taking it personally
I’ve been working on not taking it personally when I hear things that aren’t aimed at me personally. The other day I was listening to a podcast, and the people on it were addressing a listener question about wanting their partner to change living habits before they live together. In answering this, they mentioned that some people live in an unsafely dirty environment and that it’s reasonable to want that to change, but short of that, people also just live differently from each other and it’s some...
Michael Z's November Newsletter
We got through November! One month left of the year.
A friend who inspires me
I am subscribed to a wonderful Substack called “Whimsical Writing with Wake.” Wake is a friend I met once in person then many times on the internet over the past six or so years. I’m so grateful we met, then connected on Facebook in the time you could so easily connect with all the cool people you met (I’ve since brought myself to make the effort to ask for people’s contact info). Wake writes daily writing prompts, sending them weekly as a list, then daily they send their response to the prompt...
Michael Z's October Newsletter
October has been an eventful month! I turned 33. I quit my job. AND October brought the first full week of being engaged!!! I made us rings and we kissed our first engaged kiss on the beach! t’s been a huge moment of change, a big wave of rediscovering myself, trusting loved ones, and looking at a beautiful future (with my betrothed).
Michael Z's September Newsletter
I’m home alone for a few weeks (cry) and so it’s been boys’ night for a while. The boys being me and the rabbits.
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