desk – Girly Juice

All the Hardware & Software I Use for Blogging, Journalism, Podcasting & Music

July 25, 2022November 21, 2022Kate Sloan

I get questions sometimes about the equipment I use to do the various things I do, so I thought I’d compile it all in one big master post!

General hardware

My computer is a 2022 M2 MacBook Air. I added more storage space and RAM than the base model offers, so it can keep up with the most taxing tasks I do (usually video or audio editing).
When I’m at my desk, my MacBook is hooked up to my 24-inch ViewSonic monitor, which I got because it’s one of the only ones that can connect to a MacBook and charge it at the same time, through just one cable.
When at my desk, I switch back and forth between an Apple Magic Keyboard (a gift from my spouse) and a pink and white typewriter-style KnewKey keyboard. The Apple one is quiet and minimalist, and thus good for everyday work, but sometimes I need the dopamine-boosting clicky-keys sound of the KnewKey to get me through difficult tasks.
I use an Apple Magic Trackpad (also a gift from my spouse). Have never really been able to go back to using a mouse after getting used to a trackpad.
I mostly use my iPad mini 5 for leisure activities (Netflix, Instapaper, etc.) but it’s also what I work on when my chronic pain is flaring up too badly for me to sit at a desk, or when I want to work in a location where bringing a laptop would be inconvenient.
My phone is an iPhone 12 Pro. It has a great camera; I take most of my photos and videos on it.
For Zoom calls and such, I have a Logitech C920S webcam affixed to my monitor.
When I read, either for pleasure or for research, I’m usually doing it on my Kindle Paperwhite. I love that it’s waterproof, because I read in the bath a fair bit, and I also love its highlighting and note-taking features.
I have a HomePod mini next to my bed which I use to control music and lighting with my voice, among other things. it’s especially convenient on days when chronic pain and fatigue are making it difficult for me to do things myself.

Podcasting & music equipment

My main mic is a Shure MV7 on a Gator boom arm. I’ve got a YouShares shock mount and a basic pop filter on it as well.
Previously I have used a Blue Snowball and then a Blue Yeti for podcasting. They sound decent and I would recommend them for people who are just starting out with podcasting and don’t want to spend a ton.
For mobile recordings – including when I’m staying with my spouse and when I’m in too much pain to sit at my desk – I use a Zoom H2n.
My headphones are bright blue Cowin E7s and were bought for me by a fan of mine who is a headphones fetishist. I love how comfortable and cute they are.
When at my desk, I plug mics and some instruments into a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface. Mine is a bit beat-up-looking because I bought it secondhand on eBay for about $70, but it works great.
I have several ukuleles. The cheap ones I learned to play on, and wrote a lot of songs on in high school, are a green one by Beaver Creek, a purple sparkly one by Mahalo and a baritone one by Mahalo. More recently, I’ve acquired some nicer ukes:
- an Epiphone Les Paul acoustic-electric, which I bought in a music store in New York City while on a family trip in 2014,
- a custom-made electric baritone by Australian company Honni Music, which for some reason only cost $300 including shipping from Australia and probably gives me more delight than any other instrument I own,
- a Fender acoustic-electric tenor ukulele designed by Dhani Harrison, which is likely the nicest/fanciest instrument I own,
- a Ranch acoustic concert ukulele that my spouse kindly bought me so I’d have one to play when I’m staying with them,
- a black Yamaha guitalele which was also a gift from my spouse, and
- a black carbon fiber Enya Nova mini soprano uke, which I keep near my bed for easy access when ideas strike.
I also have an acoustic guitar but it’s at my parents’ house and I pretty much never play it these days because I don’t have the finger strength anymore.
For practicing and performing, I sometimes plug my ukes into a Marshall MS-2R micro-amp. It is the tiniest amp I’ve ever seen, but produces enough sound for my purposes. Bought this one secondhand from a guy on Kijiji. I don’t have any particular need to get a larger/louder amp at the moment, but might someday.
My apartment is unfortunately not big enough (or soundproof enough) for a proper piano, so I use a 61-key Casio CTK-3500 digital piano instead, with a Donner sustain pedal. I bought the piano secondhand from someone on Facebook Marketplace.
For making drum beats, inputting simple chords into a mix, and occasional on-the-go songwriting, I use a Novation Launchkey Mini. With the right adapters, it can be plugged into my computer, my iPad and even my iPhone, so it’s super convenient for making music while traveling.

Analog hardware

I use Moleskine notebooks for almost all the analog writing I do. I’ve been journaling in large ruled hardcover Moleskines since I was in high school (there are dozens of filled ones on my shelves!). For workaday note-taking, like during interviews or while testing toys, I use large ruled Moleskine volants because they can take a beating and fit easily into almost every bag I own.
I keep a bullet journal on my desk which functions as my weekly planner, habit tracker and analog to-do list, among other things. It’s a bright yellow hardcover Leuchtturm1917 notebook with dotted pages. I keep it standing upright in a Raymay Kenko adjustable book stand.
In my bullet journal, I use Color Luxe gel pens and Zebra Mildliners.
For journaling and most of my everyday scribbling, I use Retro 51 Tornado pens, which I love so much that I got one tattooed on me.
Also tattooed on me: a Blackwing pencil, specifically the limited-edition pink and blue Exquisite Corpse pencil. I have a bunch of different Blackwings and use them for messy, editing-heavy work that lends itself moreso to pencils than to pens, like writing songs or transcribing the chords of other people’s songs.
I have a walnut iPad stand from Yohann which is very design-y and beautiful. I put my iPad in it when I’m working in bed (or watching porn in bed, tbh!).

Software

This blog runs on WordPress.
I do most of my other writing in Google Docs.
I keep track of my income and business expenses in Google Sheets.
The Notes app that comes built-in on Apple devices is my best friend, and I use it for the bulk of my digital note-taking and for keeping track of my life overall. It’s where I make my daily to-do list as well.
I used Scrivener to write both of my books. It’s the best software for longform projects that I’m aware of.
For podcasting, I record in Audacity and edit in Adobe Audition. No particular reason for these choices other than that I know them well/have been using them for a long time (they taught us Audition in journalism school and I used Audacity for my first podcast, when I was 12).
Depending on who I’m talking to, I usually do online video or audio calls with either Zoom or FaceTime.
When interviewing people on Zoom or similar, either for a podcast or for an article, I record audio with Piezo.
When interviewing someone over the phone, I use TapeACall Pro. It’s a bit convoluted and unreliable, though, so I’d like to find a better solution someday.
For making rough demo recordings while writing songs, I use Voice Record Pro. This is also how I capture any random melodic ideas that come to me while I’m out and about.
During the songwriting process, I often use the Rhymezone, Dictionary.com and Ukulele Tuner apps.
I use Descript for automated interview transcriptions when I can’t be bothered (or don’t have time) to transcribe them myself. It is a weirdly complicated and difficult-to-understand app but I know how to do the basic things I need to do in it, so it’s fine.
I save and read articles in Instapaper. I save and read book highlights in Readwise.
The Dildorks is hosted on Simplecast.
I record and produce music in GarageBand and then edit videos in iMovie.
I listen to tunes on Apple Music all day long.

My New Work-From-Home Setup, Part 2: My Desk

June 24, 2021June 23, 2021Kate Sloan

Writers can debate endlessly about whether the space where you choose to work, and the tools you use to do that work, actually matter. Some writers can throw their laptop in a tote bag and take it to a café, or the library, or a random picnic table in the park, and create masterworks; others need their perfectly-appointed desk with just the right mood lighting, soundtrack, and assortment of artisanal pencils if they’re going to produce their best work.

I can go either way, but that’s partly because I’ve rarely had an actually-functional workspace in my life. A blend of depression, body pain, and chronic disorganization has often led me to clutter up desks and tables with useless tchotchkes and accumulated trash, choosing instead to work in bed or (in pre-pandemic times) at cafés and bars. I always wanted to have a more settled, organized workspace, but rarely got my shit together enough to actually make it happen.

Earlier this year, for my birthday, a few different friends and family members very generously got me gift cards aimed at helping me update my workspace, because I’d mentioned wishing I could do that. Wanting to put their gifts to good use, I started brainstorming what I wanted and needed to make my vintage, worse-for-wear wooden desk into an oasis of creativity. Here are some of the things I bought to spruce the place up…

• Since one of my main issues was constantly having too many random objects all over my desk, I decided storage was a top priority. My desk has two built-in drawers, one of which I use for weed stuff + incense and the other of which I use to store logistical necessities like Scotch tape, loose change, and my passport – but everything else needed a place to go. So I bought an assortment of stackable wooden drawers from Kirigen, and a matching monitor riser that also has a couple of drawers in it. These have already made a HUGE difference for me. Some of the stuff I store in these drawers: pens, pencils, extra batteries, extra pairs of glasses, documents, cards/letters/notes, notepads and notebooks, index cards, spare sets of earbuds, cheques I need to cash, and an occasional snack.

• Buying my new monitor was a JOURNEY! I wanted a specific 24″ ViewSonic monitor (the VX2485-MHU model) because the Wirecutter had recommended it as one of the best budget monitors they’d tried, and because it has a USB-C port, allowing me to connect my MacBook Air to the display and charge it with just one cable. I ordered a pre-owned one from an online seller, but it got lost in the mail somehow, so they refunded me. Then I saw a new version of the same monitor on a semi-sketchy retail site and asked Staples if they could price-match it, which they agreed to do. But 2 weeks after I’d already placed my order through Staples, they told me the monitor was actually out of stock, and cancelled my order. So I ordered it from yet another store, and it finally arrived. I’m glad I managed to acquire this one – it looks pretty damn good for being a $300 monitor, and fits nicely in the space allotted for it.

• One of the bulkiest items on my desk, pre-makeover, was my Day-Light SAD lamp. It was a must-have for my depression, especially in the winter, but I’d had that particular model since 2007 (!!) and knew there were some less cumbersome options on the market now. I arranged to give my old lamp away to someone from a local mental health support group who needed one, and then bought this new one, the Day-Light Sky. It takes up way less desk space, and I love that its angle is adjustable. I currently have it sitting atop a small stack of hardcover notebooks, to give the computer monitor enough space to fit neatly underneath.

• I told you about this keyboard when I showed you my working-from-bed setup. Still loving it! It’s the Logitech K380. I adore its sweet pink hue, softly clicky-clacky keys, and ability to swap between up to 3 different devices as needed, so I can move from my computer on the desk to my iPad in bed with ease.

• My mouse is the Logitech M720, which is also great. I’m considering switching to an Apple Magic Trackpad, though, because after years of using a trackpad instead of a mouse, I find them much more intuitive now. But this mouse is lovely, as far as mice go.

• My spouse bought me a beautiful vintage pink Brother typewriter as a gift after we watched the movie California Typewriter together. It’s mostly a decorative item because I lack the hand strength required to really hammer out any substantial pieces of writing on it – plus I worry about annoying my roommate with the loud typing – but I love having it displayed on my desk. It’s such a gorgeous symbol of my writerly ambitions and achievements, and I enjoy occasionally banging out a poem or two on its snappy black keys.

• A while ago, my friend Thomas sent me a spinning desk toy called a Mezmoglobe, and that’s sitting underneath my monitor riser where I can periodically spin it and admire its gleaming prettiness throughout the day.

• While it isn’t new, I do want to mention that my coaster was a gift from Penny, who is an incredible photographer and used to make these adorable sex toy photo coasters. This one features a picture of the NobEssence Romp, easily the prettiest butt plug I’ve ever owned. I use it every day for water, coffee, cocktails, or whatever else I happen to be drinking while I write.

Things I’d still like to acquire for my setup:

• A webcam. I used to just use my laptop’s built-in webcam for Zoom calls, video podcast recordings, etc. but that’s less convenient now that I keep it tucked under my monitor riser. I’m hoping to pick up a Logitech C920S on the Wirecutter’s recommendation. It’ll sit nicely on top of my monitor and make all my video calls and livestreams look way better.

• A better system for getting my microphone and headphones out of the way when I’m not using them – like maybe a boom arm.

• A better desk chair. Right now I’m still using the blue faux-leather one my dad bought me for about $50 at Staples when I was in university, and it’s really seen better days. I’m considering getting an Albin task chair from Wayfair. It’s surprisingly hard to find an armless chair that’s slim enough for the space under my desk, ergonomic enough for my chronically achy body, and costs less than a zillion dollars!

What workspace essentials are you loving lately?

Monthly Faves: Tidy Desks & Morose Masterworks

May 31, 2021May 31, 2021Kate Sloan

I had quite a dramatic and exhausting month, but a lot of wonderful stuff happened too! Here are some of my fave things from May.

Media

• Easily the best thing I watched this month was Bo Burnham’s new Netflix special Inside, which he wrote, performed, shot, and edited himself in his apartment over more than a year during the pandemic. It’s a biting and often hilarious meditation on pandemic life, the internet, depression, anxiety, and the complicated relationship performers have with their audiences. Bo has always been a delightful songwriter but this special contains the best, snappiest, darkest, and most sophisticated songwriting he’s done his whole career. Just watch it!

• Lately I can’t stop looping queer nonbinary singer/songwriter Ben Hopkins’ album I Held My Breath For a Really Long Time Once. Thematically it’s actually very similar to the Bo Burnham special: it’s about depression, loneliness, compulsive behavior (incl. alcoholism), and desiring attention while simultaneously being terrified of it. The magic trick of this album is that all these sad themes are explored through mostly upbeat, danceable, and sing-along-able guitar-forward music. Some of the lyrics about depression and anxiety are just too damn relatable for me, like these gems: “I don’t know how a normal person relaxes/ How to brush my teeth or how to pay my taxes.” “I don’t know how to pay for therapy/ I imagine if I did, I’d have some clarity.” “What’s the point of tidying when everything’s a mess?”

• Matt and I watched the documentary California Typewriter and I found it so affecting and inspiring that I had to snap up a vintage typewriter of my own almost immediately! This film features a whole bunch of famous people who use and love typewriters, but it was John Mayer’s endorsement of them that caught my attention most: he talked about the ways in which the typewriter’s analog nature can unlock hidden modes of creativity, and I have indeed found that to be true so far.

• I’ve played Pokémon games since I was about 8 years old and definitely know more than the average gamer about Pokémon, but watching Twitch gamer SmallAnt’s streams has taught me so much about strategy nonetheless. The video wherein he beats a whole game without dealing any direct damage is incredibly impressive and made for a great late-night intoxicated watch!

• If you enjoy casual sex, or would like to, Allison Moon’s new-ish book Getting It is a must-read. It’s an informative, compassionate, and non-judgmental guide to all things hookup-related.

Products

• I’m gonna write about this in detail soon, but I’m loving all the things I’ve bought recently to upgrade my desk setup (a monitor, monitor riser, new SAD lamp, keyboard, mouse, and set of wooden drawers). It is really astonishing how much a “tiny life-improvement project” can brighten your outlook.

• I also upgraded the top of my dresser where I keep all my makeup, skincare products, perfumes, and hair accessories. I bought a rotating storage rack for skincare and makeup brushes, some stackable acrylic drawers and organizers for my makeup and false lashes, and an LED-lit makeup mirror so I no longer have to squint at myself in the half-darkness while putting my face on. Hooray, femme organization!

• I’m going hard on scalp care lately and really loving the Aromatica rosemary scalp scrub and La’dor tea tree scalp clinic hair pack. Seems like a lot of folks have been having scalp issues during the pandemic, possibly due to some combination of stress and less frequent showers (hey, no judgment); maybe these products would help you too!

Work & Appearances

• I recently announced the book I’ve been writing for the past couple months: a petite and informative tome for Laurence King Publishing called 200 Words to Help You Talk About Gender & Sexuality. Exciting! (You can still preorder my first book, 101 Kinky Things Even You Can Do – its launch date is a little over 4 months away now!)

• The lovely musical theatre nerds from the Dear Friends podcast invited my friend Brent and I to come answer some advice questions about sex, drugs, and BDSM with them. It was a fun time!

• I was interviewed for Uses This about my work setup. Check it out if you’re curious what hardware and software I use for all my various projects, including this blog!

• In my newsletter this month, I wrote about cuckolding porn, the definition of gender, why typewriters are sexy, and why simultaneous orgasms are overrated.

• For the Andrew Blake blog, I wrote about the usefulness of sex books, vibrators for people with penises, and how to connect with your partner sexually at the end of a long, tiring day.

• On the Dildorks this month, we discussed masochism, public sex, and our current feelings on casual sex.

• On Question Box this month, we chatted with sex educator Dr. Timaree Schmit and burlesque emcee Adam Teterus, actor and storyteller Grace Aki, voice actor Katy Johnson and personal trainer Jordan “Jaxblade” Downs, and kink podcast cohosts Lexi and Gwen. Wow, that’s a lot of awesome people!

Good Causes

• In light of the horrendous news about previously unreported deaths of Indigenous students at Canadian residential schools, please consider donating to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society. The cultural genocide perpetrated against Indigenous people by the Canadian government is unacceptable and it’s time for a reckoning (and, ideally, reparations).

• The M’akola Housing Society helps provide affordable housing to Indigenous people in British Columbia.

• The Black Sex Worker Collective provides education, legal help, and healthcare + housing referrals to Black sex workers. They’re also running a conference soon that looks super interesting.

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