Zine Review: Zines as Therapy

Zines as Therapy
October Stoner
https://www.stonerzines.com/https://www.instagram.com/stonerzines/

Zines as Therapy is a full-colour US-sized half-fold zine about the important and therapeutic role zines can play in someone’s life.

I really appreciated October opening this zine with making it clear that Zines as Therapy isn’t advocating zines as a complete replacement to therapy. Therapy can be an important tool for some people, and having more tools from which to choose is a good thing. Which is also why I love that someone made a zine on this topic.

Zines as Therapy opens with October writing about the importance of zines in sharing lesser known experiences as well as how zines can offer candid perspectives on these experiences. They can be used to share types of therapy (very valuable for those with little or no access to adequate therapy), share tips, as art therapy and more.

October also writes about creating zines as a way to process anger, and that certainly gave me a few zine ideas.

The zine has typed text on light colourful backgrounds, making it easy to read as well as pleasant to look at.

I quite enjoyed this zine. A zine about zines (love) with a therapy focus. What’s not to love? October’s writing style is direct while also adding in perzine/personal content that makes it feel even more relateable.

This is a good zine, and I’d definitely include it as a part of an “Intro to Zines” pack for someone.

What’s Happening? Techmageddon 2020

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfnW34pdjTw&w=560&h=315]

Life doesn’t slow down – especially not this year.

This is a quick update video about what has been happening. I’m currently unable to edit videos, which means pretty much everything except these one-off small vids are on pause until I get a new computer.

These are the days of our lives…

The YouTube Video Situation

So close, and yet so far away.

I wanted to post a little update on the video situation. My computer is now in reasonably decent working order, but it just plain won’t cooperate with my editing software. Specifically the exporting part. A number of things have been suggested and tried, but, all said and done, it’s simply an old computer.

I am working on getting a new set up as well as trying to figure out what to do until that happens. I can only apologise for the delay with things. If it’s not one thing, this year, it’s certainly another. The only thing to do is keep rolling on as best as possible.

Happy Mail Delay

Hello, zine friends. I’m very sorry, but I have to delay Happy Mail for this week. Techmageddon rages on, and my computer won’t stay on long enough to process the video.

I’m going to try to figure out… something.

ZineWriMo 2020 is Coming!

It’s not only here; it’s early!

Well, the prompts list, anyway. Haha.

There’s no Happy Mail Monday today, dear friends, but I used the time to crack on with putting a fresh-as-a-daisy list together for you for 2020’s ZineWriMo.

As always, I want more fun and less stress, so I try to focus on more ‘chill’ things to do while still going for a little firewood for those glorious zine projects. I hope you like the list and consider joining in!

The State of Things

Hello, zine friends!

With all of the things that have been happening recently, I thought it was well past time that I make a ‘taking stock’ post about what’s happening with the various aspects of Sea Green Zines.

The Blog

My goal is to get back to my usual posting schedule at a minimum. I’ll be looking for calls for submissions for the weekends and getting back to regular Thursday and Friday reviews starting next week (bar anything popping up or happening – 2020 has a habit of poking plans, to say the least.

I would like to do more other regular posts as well, but that’s on the back burner for now as I find my feet and try to get back to a place of normalcy.

Reviews

Speaking of reviews, I am definitely behind. I can only apologise to all the wonderful people who have sent me zines for review. As I mentioned above, knock on wood that everything works out so I can get back to my regular Thursday and Friday schedule. I will do my absolute best to do this, I promise.

After all, reviewing zines is how Sea Green Zines got started so many years ago.

Distro

PSA: Always back up your stuff!

This is a message from your fluffy zine enthusiast who only found out afterwards that she could have saved her distro from disappearing into the abyss if only she’d done the right backups in the right places.

Unfortunately, I did not do this, and the distro needs to be rebuilt from the virtual ground up. I have even more awesome distro goodness to share with you, so this is an item high up on the to-do list.

YouTube

The ideal is to bring more to the YT channel than Happy Mail Monday videos. I’m grateful to have had the mail and the energy to at least mostly keep up with HMM, but the podcast, vlogs, and some other secret ideas are definitely on my mind. For the time being HMM will definitely be the most consistent of any video series on the channel.

The Podcast

First of all, thank you to everyone who has been patiently waiting for the next episodes of the podcast and have also been very gentle in letting me know that they’d love to see a new one when I’m able. With everything else I’d like to accomplish, I’m afraid the podcast is lower down on the list. I still have a list of topics I’d like to chat about, but you can always feel free to suggest topics, too.

Zines

*Phenomena 2 & Workaholic 2 – These zines are still happening! The cover art is in the works, and I have some great pieces for both. If you’d like to sneak in with a piece to one or both, please feel free to do so. These definitely won’t be done before the end of the month, so there is still time.

*Dear Anonymous 9 & 10 – I would like to wrap up the DA series by putting out both issues 9 and 10 at the same time, so there is still plenty of room if you would like to submit your work. Love letters, odes to your cat, hatred for oatmeal raisin cookies… Express yourself in DA.

*Missives From Murray Bridge – For the first time in a long time, I am once again working on a Missive. I don’t want to think about how long it’s been since the last one. Please know that if you used to be on the mailing list, you certainly still are. You can always contact me if you’d like to get on the list or if you’ve had a change of address.

*The 24 Hour Zine Thing 3 – I didn’t get to do this during International Zine Month like I would have liked to. However, I love this so much and have had so much encouragement from True Zine Marin that I definitely need to make another one happen this year. Check out my Instagram @seagreenzines because that’s where I put out my calls for page ideas.

Hoppy Burfday!

I’m sure I’m probably breaking the internet in some way by putting up a birthday meme for myself, but what can I say? I actually like birthdays!

I have recorded the Happy Mail Monday video, but friends have convinced me that I shouldn’t be working too hard on my birthday, so the editing will wait until tomorrow.

As always, thank you all for your kindness and understanding. I’m feeling truly positive for the first time in a long time, and it’s due in such a large part to all of you.