It was purely by coincidence that a little over two years ago I purchased an embroidery pattern—from an online mega store named for a South American river—with the purpose of occupying my hands. In the winter, when darkness comes early and temperatures drop, my partner and I spend many a cozy evening on the couch, wrapped in blankets, cats curled on our laps, streaming our favorite television shows. The problem is, even though I am theoretically sitting staring at one screen, I would often look up to realize that I had missed what was happening because I had actually been compulsively staring at the smaller screen aglow in my hands. The solution? Occupy those hands with another pursuit.

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