In honor of #ErnestHemingway, born OTD in 1899, here is an article I wrote about one of his most quoted, most misunderstood pieces of #writing advice. aarubin.wordpress.com/2025/06/27/h... #hemingway #literature

A phrase, a page, an omelette, the soil, a season, a car, a new leaf, a dial…and yes, a bicycle…slowly, quickly, widely or narrowly. Our ride does not take place on a flat, straight road or trail. The #vss365 #prompt for July 21, 2026 is #turn.

Changing of the guard – Light turns to emerald shadow I too begin to shine (My 📸) #vss365 #turn #haiku

It was one of those pivotal moments where the fate of the world hung in the balance. The universe could tip one way, and, for a brief moment, those who were paying attention enough to recognize it could actually influence the outcome one way or the other. #vss365

With #TheOdyssey back in the zeitgeist thanks to the opening of #ChristopherNolan's movie this weekend, I spend my weekly #blog post analyzing #Homer's signature literary technique. #writingcommunity #writingadvice

[On this day, July 20, in 1969 CE…] Our First Steps our stellar journey… we began with a small step only now resumed (See the image for the sequence.) Haiku sequence by & © 2026 Alan Vincent Michaels 📷 NASA • Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin #HumanitysFuture #Apollo11 #MoonLanding #ManOnTheMoon

In honor of the anniversary of the #apollo11 #moonlanding, which happened otd in 1969, here is an early English edition of #JulesVerne’s From The Earth to the Moon, some #buckrogers toys, and various science fiction and fact magazines which are all on view at the Cradle of Aviation Museum.

Everyone is using this as an argument for the Oxford comma, and while I am, in most cases, a strong advocate for the Oxford comma, honestly, I’m. More likely to read the book if the supposedly unintentional meaning of the sentence were, indeed, accurate. Sounds like an awesome book, tbh.

...half of the party was three quarters of the way to being all the way drunk. #wip #amwriting

I wrote a joke that’s really good, but I’m not going to tell it to you out of fear the god will think it’s too funny and turn me into a microphone or something.

I came up with an Hephaestus joke, but it was lame.

The sound of death swiftly approaching: momentum mori. #vss365

Sound behind silence Listen to the universe The dark matter’s thrum #ScifaikuSaturday

I think I saw an ark carrying two of every species float by my car this morning.

The sound of death swiftly approaching: momentum mori. #vss365

#vss365 #patient

"Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life." - Hermann Hesse 🎨 Julia Tar

We all search for a sign that we are making progress and that we are building to something perhaps better than now. With gratitude, I’m feeling it this week as your host. The #vss365 #prompt for July 18, 2026 is #momentum.

GRAVEDIGGER There is no ancient gentlemen but gard’ners, ditchers, and grave-makers. They hold up Adam’s profession. OTHER Was he a gentleman? GRAVEDIGGER He was the first that ever bore arms. Hamlet, 5.1.27-35 #bookwormsat

I’m traveling on Friday, so here’s the #ScifaikuSaturday #prompt for 18 July 2026: 🧏‍♀️ 👂 🙉 🎧 #LISTEN Let’s see your best #SciFaiku! 🚀👽🛸🖊️👍 #AmWriting #BlueSkyPoetry #Haiku #MicroPoem #PoetsOfBlueSky #Poetry #PoetryCommunity #SciFi #SFF #WritingPrompts 🎨 See image alt text

‘The world is a looking glass, and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face.’ ~ William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair. This #BookWormSat marks the birthdate of William Makepeace Thackeray with portraits of society in literature. Do join us tomorrow.

Tonight, I saw a different movie than the rest of you. Sure #TheOdyssey came out today, but it’s not like it’s going to be spoiled for me if I wait a few days, or even till next weekend to see it. OTOH, how many times do you get to see #BruceLee in #EnterTheDragon on the big screen?

With #TheOdyssey back in the zeitgeist thanks to the opening of #ChristopherNolan's movie this weekend, I spend my weekly #blog post analyzing #Homer's signature literary technique. #writingcommunity #writingadvice

There aren’t supposed to be any headwinds in space, but that’s what it felt like, impeding its progress even at full impulse power. There was no other ship in the system, at least none we could detect. Despite curiosity, I pulled hard to the left and warped out of there. #vss365

When do the headwinds end I turn and turn and turn again Yet they're always in my face Every straight and every bend It's not fortitude I lack But please let the wind be at my back #vss365 #headwind #poetry

I departed from my body From my earthly host To fly around the universe As an immortal ghost But the more that a do travel The more that I do roam I find myself a’longing for My corporeal home For it’s hard to feel most anything Devoid of flesh and bone #vss365

A. A. Rubin's Monthly Newsletter: Free #Fiction, #kickstarter preview, #craft corner, and two facts you probably didn't know about #dragons. #writingcommunity #readingcommunity mailchi.mp/3acf000c490a...

In order to achieve victory, first you have to conquer yourself. But to conquer yourself, you have to allow yourself to be defeated. Therein lies the mystery, and the secret. #vss365

Writers: Stay calm under fire and keep up the good fight! Two days remain to get your two-fisted tales of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and More into #SciFanSat before submissions close on July 16th at scifansat.com/landing.html! #SFF #AmWritingScifi #AmWritingFantasy #WritingPrompts

A. A. Rubin's Monthly Newsletter: Free #Fiction, #kickstarter preview, #craft corner, and two facts you probably didn't know about #dragons. #writingcommunity #readingcommunity mailchi.mp/3acf000c490a...

True story related to today’s #vss365: when I was about 2, my mother said she was running out of patience, and I said, “if you’re running out of patience, why don’t you go down to Saul’s Store [our local bodega] and buy some.” This was 1980 or 81, so you can imagine the rest of the story.

—Maybe going into private practice was a bad idea. Where are all the patients? —Patience, doc. —Yes, patients. A doctor need patients. —No sir, you need patience. Patience and the patients will come. —Yes, it’s somewhat of a catch-22. —No, it isn’t. —Huh? —Have patience, doc, I’ll explain… #vss365

In honor of #bastilleday, some reflections from trip to #paris last summer. aarubin.wordpress.com/2025/08/08/a...

Matt Damon: How do you like them apples? Voltaire: Candide.

Okay, after much deliberation since about 75% of what I draw has patterns of one kind or another, I have chosen this Wyandotte chicken because I don't think I've reposted it as much as some of the others I was considering and also I just love it #ArtRepostJuly The theme is #pattern!

My daughter Maggie and I both entered the @cshwhalingmuseum Sea Glass Fiction Competition, and, amazingly, we each finished in 2nd in our respective age category. The competition asked for a story based on a specific shard of sea glass (pic2). #writingcommunity #dadlife

Those who walk forgotten paths find forgotten things. Missing time, lost dreams, and the mossy tombs of the old gods who slumber in silence.

He had an animal magnetism. The stray dogs follow him through town, the squirrels eat out of his palm, and bird perch on his shoulder. Even the most standoffish of cats, who would normally shun all human contact sit and purr as he passes, rather than run to hide in the bushes or under cars. #vss365

Hi! Don't forget that Diabolical Plots opens for submissions at midnight tonight (at the location of our server). If you want to know how much there is in your time zone you can visit the submissions page and by the future window it will say how much time is left submissions.diabolicalplots.com

"If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better." -- Anne Lamott

I embraced the darkness, but it didn’t embraced me back, and thus I fell deeper into the abyss. #vss365

Connecting the dots Of the stars’ infinity He traces designs #ScifaikuSaturday

That face she makes that says “you should be writing, when she, in fact, is the one preventing you from writing. #caturday

Wartime #reading poster on view at Poster House in NYC. From a time when America believed that reading was a key element of democracy and freedom. A reminder that #book banners and burners are never on the right side of history.

‘Dost ask me, what this primrose shews, Bepearled thus with morning dews? I must whisper to thy ears, The sweets of love are wash'd with tears…’ ~ Burns This #BookwormSat will explore the literature of native plants from wherever you are. Do join us! 🖼️ John Wainwright

I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; —Joyce Kilmer #bookwormsat

I embraced the darkness, but it didn’t embraced me back, and thus I fell deeper into the abyss. #vss365

Authors: Get ready to put up your dukes and punch it into hyperdrive! Only five days remain to send your manuscripts of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and More into #SciFanSat before submissions close on July 16th at scifansat.com/landing.html! #SFF #AmWritingScifi #AmWritingFantasy #WritingPrompts

A rose by any other name might smell as sweet But t’would not scan nor rhyme And all those metaphors would be obsolete From the change until the end of time #vss365

In honor of Dr. Watson's birthday, I present this newly-found (tongue-in-cheek) account of #SherlockHolmes lesser-known cases. #holmes #sherlock #watson #parody