@rachelhandler.bsky.social this is a balm to my soul

say it with me now: N I C E

Things my writing students have said lately that give me pause: "I liked that false herring..." "It reminded me of that movie The Lovely Bones..." "The Nightmare Before Christmas, directed by Tim Burton..."

Been feeling way too many feelings and just realized the cause isn't a greater depth in my existential well, I've just been drinking too much caffeine

Grady Hendrix might be the best Writer of Titles who ever lived.

"Because we are the party that supports States' Righ--" "Oh, wait--" Trump Administration Considers Halting Congestion Pricing www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/n...

This is about a week late (I don't do anything in a timely manner these days), but wanted to shout out Jules Feiffer, who was a wonderful mentor and friend. He let me help with the watercolors, told me so many wonderful stories. He will be missed.

The Bulwer-Lytton Awards for Worst Opening Paragraph went out and, man, I totally disagree. This opener is hilarious.

If there's one niche superpower I possess, it's that I can always spell "onomatopoeia" correctly on the first try.

I feel like someone ought to write a children's book telling kids it's okay to give up sometimes.

they’re dating

Something that doesn't get shouted out as much about NYRB is the awesome colorful inner covers (which usually match the color of the typeface on the title). They always make me smile.

This morning I am living the content life of an 80-yr-old woman: My hair is washed but I'm waiting for it to set, I've got my newspaper crossword, I'm munching on plain yogurt, the Boston Pops' rendition of American in Paris is playing on the turntable, and the cat has finally settled on my lap.

LeVar is always the correct choice. www.npr.org/2023/10/13/1...

I fail to see how this is at all helpful www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/b...

RIP, Louise Gluck.

We are still assessing the financial damage caused by Amazon closing its magazine subscription program. We know we've lost hundreds of subscribers in the process. If you were one of them, or were thinking of subscribing, here are your options: clarkesworldmagazine.com/subscribe/

I sense that Wes Anderson is going through a Brecht phase. (not a dig)

Is it weird to read Flaubert's Parrot before reading any Flaubert?

Preparing a lecture, and looking for some source material... does anyone have any good examples of deliberate Lacunae in literature? Obv there's "The Lacuna" by Barbara Kingsolver, and I think there's a strong case that Frankenstein has deliberate holes in the text, but there's got to be others...

Make of this what you will

There's a trailer now for "All of Us Strangers" and it looks so goooooood... Andrew Haigh fans unite! (Haigh-heads?) variety.com/2023/film/tr...

The ending of the movie is already an explanation of the movie’s ending.

If a spider winked would it do it like this ;:::) or like this :;::) or like this ::;:) or like this :::;) or like this ;;::) or like this ;;;:) or like this ;;;;) or like this :;;;) or like this ::;;) or like this :;;:) or like this ;::;) or like this ;;:;) or like this ;:;;) or

I, too, strive for capacious syntactical edifices.

It's typically unsuccessful writers who angrily opine about the "rules" of writing. Successful writers know that there are no rules and every author, project, and process is different.

Asked my students to list any classic/older books they'd read, and a student shouted out "The Alchemist"

Weeded the garden. Discovered poison ivy. Now I've washed my arms up to the elbow in dish soap, and am waiting to see if I'm the kind of person who reacts to poison ivy.

My husband mentioned that I was amazing while we waited for take-out and the server took him at his word. 😊

A round friend from 19th century Japan. collections.lacma.org/node/188351

Particularly love @thelincoln.bsky.social's latest substack for observing that surrealism is now the foundation of Super Bowl ads: countercraft.substack.com/p/fear-of-th...

Book blurbs are important because there are a few people whose names I see blurbing certain books and it tells me I for sure would not like to read the book.

"Johns Hopkins leaders say three key steps powered their demographic change: the elimination of “legacy” preferences ... a massive increase in financial aid for families in need; and more extensive recruiting in places where the university is not well known." www.washingtonpost.com/education/20...

Me getting saucy with me Sontag teaching notes

Viva la Mexico! Mexico latest country where government is considering passing new laws to criminalise environmental destruction: amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theg...

“There is a certain mode of reading connected to a tradition of colonial practices in which every book by any Black writer appears as sociol-ogy. Then all of that book's explorations, its meanings, and its ambitions lodge in a place called identity.” — Christina Sharpe, Ordinary Notes

First day of fall semester. The highs: my student brought me cookies. The lows: MY TA and I got lost trying to find the new building where they'd moved our class. Ran late. The second high: the students stood and applauded when we finally found it.

From Susan Sontag. When I was an actor, I got sent on a lot of auditions for "sympathetic though also incredulous girl friend."

HERE IS A BONUS BLOWDRIED COW BUT THIS ONE IS A BABY. YOU HAVE EARNED IT AS A TIMELINE CLEANSER AFTER EVERYTHING THATS BEEN GOING ON

There's a little girl on the subway with a rainbow polka dot slicker, a striped yellow umbrella, yellow crocs, and blue socks pulled to her knees embroidered with hard candies. And if somebody doesn't write a book where this girl careens around the UES solving mysteries, I don't know what I'll do.

A relative just tried to save my soul for the umpteenth time. I like Deism... when is Deism gonna get cool again?

I don't appreciate this irony.

“O, raisin not the knead!” - Lear, requesting a plain bagel

Been living on a tight budget lately, which means I've become a total homebody, but it also means I've learned how to froth milk at home. So good morning to you all!

Hey guys, my ‘Āina needs your help during these tough times. 🙏🏾 Please Reskeet.

Instagram is advertising Harry Winston to me... I know I should be creeped out by ad algorithms but mostly I'm flattered that they think I'm that fancy

Critiquing student work is better with a martini

Still saving up for proper turntable furniture, but regardless, this is my favorite corner in the whole house.