Speaking of @jortsthecat.bsky.social & Stardew Valley, I continue to love how the mod for Jorts & Jean blends in so perfectly with the existing game. One of the NPCs is named Pam, and with the mod she...yes, you guessed it...she buttered Jorts.

#amwriting #notmansfieldpark

I started watching the French police procedural Astrid. I *really* like the main characters, but there's one element I'm ambivalent about. One episode had characters named Denis Nedry and Alain Grant, another had Dana Barrett, Pierre Venkman, and Ray Stan. Amusing, yes, but also distracting.

Wow, the University of Washington's Psych 201 class does *not* play go fuckin Huskies Nazi UW students fuck off

I'm going through harder than usual depressive episode. (I've booked an extra session with my therapist today.) One spot of joy: I play Stardew Valley and I discovered a mod that adds @jortsthecat.bsky.social as characters. I love that Jean is organizing a union for the Joja Mart employees.

We hang with all the cool kids. If you want to follow us on your fav social app, get our show on your fav podcatcher, support our Patreon, or get lost in our archives of shows, you can do so via our skiffylinks page! Do with this knowledge what you will... skiffyandfanty.com/s...

Is it just me, or does JD Vance look like a gerbil?

The book people need to absolutely read is The AI Con by @emilymbender.bsky.social and @alexhanna.bsky.social. Complete review in my column. 2/2

I hate to do this but... This has been a very expensive summer for me, including multiple car repairs. Most recently, my cat needed surgery. I've started a GoFundMe to help pay for her medical expenses, and I'd be so grateful if you could share this link: www.gofundme.com/f/support-bi...

My new Genre Grapevine features a deep dive into the contract concerns surrounding Must Read Magazines, the new owner of Asimov's, Analog, and F&SF. I include specific contract details and negotiating info. Plus as usual, a ton of other genre news and info. www.patreon.com/posts/133579...

#Booksky Looking for a good escape or, perhaps, some paths of resistance? We got ‘em both and our books are on sale at Smashwords right now! www.smashwords.com/profile/view...

I dreamed I went on a date, and they treated me with kindness, gentleness, and affection. It was a lovely dream.

Recovery from surgery continues to go well. I drove to the pharmacy & to grocery store (curbside pickup, small bags). I didn't have brunch with my son, because I wasn't ready for a 45 minute drive. As for the surgery itself--it corrected a couple issues and the results are beyond what I hoped for.

Today is Canada Day

Recovery from surgery is going well. I will attempt to drive today, and if that goes well, I can pick up prescriptions from the pharmacy. And if *that* goes well, I might try to meet up with my son for brunch on Monday. (It's a thing we do.)

I had minor surgery on Monday. Recovery is going well, but there's a reason they told me to give myself at least a week of taking things extra, extra easy. No driving. No lifting heavy objects (this includes Theo the cat, who weighs 14lb). The cats love that I'm taking so many naps.

I'm officially stuck with #NotMansfieldPark. I have 34K I love, but every attempt to write the next chapter ends in frustration. Also boredom. But! I have an idea! I shall skip the middle (for now) and write scenes from the final third of the story. Will report back on how this goes. #writing

If you stop thinking that Germany's response to anything Israel is about Holocaust guilt and instead about rewriting German history, you'd understand German politics better. 🧵

I am begging for a Hollywood movie or TV writer to make something that features realistic 'artificial intelligence'

It’s been a while but I’d like to recommend 2 of my books for Pride Month. A Study in Honor won the Lambda Literary Award in 2019 for Best Lesbian Mystery; its sequel, The Hound of Justice, was a finalist the following year. Watson. Holmes. A 2nd US Civil War. Near future political thriller.

gentleman, gentleman, please, there's no need for this! you are both in the epstein files.

Son returns home from Türkiye today. His flight lands in two hours, which means he soon faces the joys of security checks. Nothing compared to what his Iranian-American friend faces ALL THE TIME, but still. Scary times, folks. (Trip was, in fact, to attend his friend's wedding in Istanbul.)

The only official Murderbot merchandise is here on Worldbuilders, which is a non-profit that raises money for charity: worldbuildersmarket.com/search?q=mar...

Folks, please don’t post links to unlicensed merchandise in my mentions. I know it’s out there but I can’t do anything about it and I’d rather not see it. The only licensed merch is being sold by Worldbuilders to fund raise for charity. Link below.

Today's chapter of Peter Boag's "Re-Dressing America's Frontier Past" (covered in the Lesbian Historic Motif Project) dives deeply into some case studies of gender-crossing that disrupt simple explanations. alpennia.com/blog/limits-...

Bijou explores. #cats

You know things are bad when your kinda conservative ex-FIL is advising his grandson about the dangers of crossing the border and how he should be using a burner phone.

Finished chapter 10. Finally. Figured out in rough terms what happens in chapter 11 and the start of chapter 12. #writing #notmansfieldpark

So, I think it's time I begin, in detailed specifics, talking about the mess that is Unbound / Boundless as a book publisher, in essence stealing most of a years royalties from me and many other authors, as a result of poor financial decisions, and legal BS. Please read and share this thread.

My son is in Türkiye this week for a friend's wedding. He's having such a great time, and I'm happy for him. And kudos to his boss. My son has no benefits from his job, but his boss is paying him his regular wage for the week.

For Murderbot Eve/Day (depending on when you watch it) I wanted to post a few more photos. #murderbot

My writing is so sporadic. I spent last week dealing with car issues, budget issues, medical scheduling, and refereeing my two cats. But today I achieved 600 words, and if I can motivate myself for another session tonight, I can finish this chapter and reach 35K. #notmansfieldpark #writing

I am having SUCH a difficult time writing. A small part is that I'm approaching a major transition in the plot and I'm having fits with the details. But it's also me falling out of practice with writing, me doubting myself, my writing, and my book.

When someone says it's "silly" to call out incels complaining about loneliness. When they say blaming the patriarchy is both wrong and "lazy," then go on a riff about women having it better because they always get custody, because men always have to pay for dates, (plus more nonsense), then....

Today's modest goals: practice Arabic script*, plant a rose bush, write 250 words. * When I went to Morocco this past January, I knew a few phrases but hadn't properly learned the script. (Luckily I knew enough French to get by.) If/when I go again, I want to be able to speak & read the language.

I haven't worked on my novel in months, but today, I told myself No More Excuses. (I'm facing a transition, & I hate transitions, & transitions are HARD, but I swore I would make some progress, however small.) And I did. Only about 250 words, but hey, baby steps. #writing #notmansfieldpark

Oh, I also have a book out today! bookshop.org/p/books/the-...

Living alone means that I need to figure out how to lift a 40 lb bag of salt pellets and pour the contents into my new water softener without 1) spilling said contents all over the floor, and 2) ripping my back muscles to pieces.

So my therapist and my doctor are of the opinion that I have ADHD. Possibly on the spectrum as well*. I'm waiting for an appointment for a formal diagnosis, but in the mean time, my doctor has prescribed meds for the ADHD. (This would explain SO much.)

And second, I have adopted a second cat. Her name is Bijou and she's a dilute calico. Same age as Theo, though half his size. They spend half their time playing and the other half setting firm boundaries. Today they sniffed noses! #cats

Cat update! Firstly, Theo shows how dignified he can be, lolling on his back in his favorite hammock. #cats

My new cat, Bijou. She’s been pretty shy so far, but today she and Theo played long and hard. I’m glad she’s feeling more at home. #cats

I need Americans to hate this administration the way Kendrick hates Drake so they can actually stand a chance of surviving

Elon Musk is a terrible president.

While I wait for my new Moroccan rug to be delivered, I am making curry with spices I bought in Marrakech. The condo is filled with wonderful scents.

At @file770.bsky.social , I talk about the work of Carrie Vaughn, as it was her birthday yesterday. file770.com/pixel-scroll...

Happy year of the snake to the white women that voted for trump

Random personal news: Heard from the rescue org for that adorable orange cat. We're setting up a video call w/ the foster person. DHL contacted me with a delivery date for my Berber rug. And in the Bigly Unexpected category: the shop owner who sold me that rug is coming by for a short visit.

So. That POS is President again and doing his best to wreck the country (and the rest of the world). I'm doing what I can with contributions and such, but it's not a lot.