I'm reading some draft stuff for a thing right now and I keep thinking about how strict genre expectations ruin perfectly good storytelling. Not the major genre conventions (HEA/HFN for Romance, a puzzle to be solved for Mystery, personal/social/global stakes/peril for Thriller, etc.). 1/?

For those following along in my holiday baking adventures, the rugelach are done. Walnut raisin. Forgot the apricot jam, but as with all baking, it's a bit of random toss of what actually occurs. Interestingly, on FB memories, the same two years ago on this day. Now back to novel revision in 10.

The beauty of living in the Midwest is that you can attend an incredible poetry reading, get two dozen cranberry mincemeat tarts, and one cherry jam turnover with the leftover dough, all done by 8pm. The poetry was so good!

My fav thing reading is when I say how did they do this? The best thing.

Despite and perhaps because of my food processor fluffing flour all over me and the floor, the resulting cranberry mincemeat tarts came out well. (I added more flour, used a pastry cutter, then my hands because I have no time for pastry cutters.) Follow me for more adventures in Christmas baking.

Graven images.

Why can't beaten metal jewelry be a thing again?? I want to see hammer strikes on bracelets, and necklaces. Metal molded like that. Also now I guess I've got to visit Wales.

I started rereading WH after seeing the trailer, also started baking cc cookies for the holidays. Then I saw this beautiful thing! 💯 Now as I read, it's earworming me, and I think this is the energy going into the holidays!

My fav of the bunch.

These are the best I've ever seen, even when we lived in Winnipeg.

Iowa auroras ftw!!

Auroras, baby. Night lens, no filter.

In even better memories, this was the erasure poem from the poetry club I taught in the elementary school I worked at 9 years ago. The kids picked their fav words, and erased. Also when dabbing was the thing to do. Do kids still dab?

In non Disney trauma, the tomato plants presumed dead, that we put in the garage, to deal with later, have little tiny tomatoes on them. We should get warmer weather in a few days, so maybe we'll put them back outside. 🍅

My student loan was 13.75% in 1984 for a 10 year loan. It was Canada and it wasn't a massive amount, but if you are making 4-5 bucks an hour, it was a stretch to pay some months.

I think Patti Smith's new book, Bread of Angels, might be the best memoir I've ever read. Saw her 2 yrs ago in NYC. This book is an angel dreaming, singing, and living poetry. Hauntingly sad but joy throughout. Read it!! Next up King Congo Powers' Some New Kind of Kick. Saw him with The Cramps.

What isn't written in is as important as what is. This is such a great post. Last Napowrimo, someone said they saw the other side about my month's worth, and it filled with with joy and worry. What did they see?? I meant it gone, but nope, there it was. The shadow imprint remains sometimes.

In the 80s, when we lived in Ann Arbor, reading her work made me feel like I could trust the world a little more than I did. I didn't know how true the Gaia hypothesis was, didn't matter, a welcoming idea, as I gardened our four organic plots. A nice convergence of thinking, feeling, and doing.

After watching Frankenstein, I've decided Elordi’s was a really great rendition, subtler than I expected, and didn't look like him at all. Didn't roar as much as Victor, who emoted, let's say. Parenting gone wrong, front and center. Visually gorgeous. Haven't read the book in a while, will soon.

Were you published on Paragraph Planet during October ? Or missed someone who was? The archive is now live, so all thirty one 75-word #stories are here. Feel free to share: paragraphplanet.com/oct25archive.php

Doing an Alias rewatch. If they ever do a reboot, Ilona Maher has to play Sydney Bristow's daughter.

Seraphim, really. Eyes are on us. Also I can look up forever.

Check your birthdate in settings here. Mine was listed as the date I made the account. Who knows what I'll see now.

Feeling this quote today: “That is God... A shout in the street.”

I never knew I'd share my pizza making lore, but there it is. I forgot to mention, add sugar if you remember. Kneading isn't that important since you want a pretty wet situation. I make pizza a lot, like a lot. Weather is a factor which can mess up the dough, drying it out. Magic you know.

IT IS TIME FOR BLUESKY RECIPE POSTING do you have a cheap, healthy, low-cost recipe? post it here! or quote tweet this post. or dunk on me for something I don't care just post easy meals that people can make right now.

And event people on campuses, bring sandwich bags to your events to give away extra food to students at the event or wandering about after.

Gorgeous. And how cute? My morning imaginings on the matter. They were his pets that would waddle around following him through the palace. He wore the bracelet in honour of them. Even brought the pets on some of his expeditions. Factual MMV. 🦆🦆

Good lord. No matter who women choose to be, or are, someone's going to trash their parade. Loved when Jennifer Laurence was fully her wacky self, which now she regrets. I don't remember if she ever used it against anyone, so whatever. Live large in a world that makes you small.

Watching A House of Dynamite on Netflix. I want to know if House of and The Night Agent are in the same universe, (I know they're not) because that would be a wild thing. Also you get a good hammering heart workout with A House of Dynamite. Remembering The Day After because same vibes.

And pie, there should be pie. You can make pumpkin pie out of any pumpkin if you puree and drain the pulp enough. Pie.

I likely miscounted, with 182 words in the first sentence. Got my work cutout for me. Can't wait!

In my short story (that no one wants LOL), they are assholes, behave accordingly, and people love that about them. I think it's funny, alas. I really should get back to revising it.

All of these tbh.

Currently watching Richard Silken read his stroke poems. Holy filled with all things that are good. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XLa...

Interesting, lots of these responses that are unhinged in left field now perhaps, were taught as fact back when I was in college.

In better news, my local-ish Barnes and Noble have expanded their literary mag collection so I can see more in print in the moment beyond Poetry and IDEK. Midnight Mind Magazine, which I didn't know about, and Bennington Review, both which I bought.

The day has turned. (I'm keeping the window reflection, because Patti Smith, like the sun, has brightened my day :-)

John Carpenter's Saw.

So so so nice to receive a book with font that isn't microscopic. I gasped I tell you! @stanchionbooks.bsky.social and @writesloud.bsky.social 👏

30 years ago I had a cat who looked exactly like this one. 🥲

Absolute flash to the past. Where where you in '05? www.firesides.ca/bestpoets.htm

Because of the heat we've been having, the okra plant is now taller than me, and the tomatoes are having a strong comeback. I don't think the oregano was oregano, it has no smell or flavor yet the flowers are accurate to what I searched. Gardening, you will always be surprised by what comes.

This is beautiful.

Can't wait!!

Peaceful hike today.

Wow, you can feel every single line.

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