Oh, IRS. One day, years from now, but one day, I will never have to deal with you again. And I will do a little jig of happiness on that day. The smallest of things annoy me, apparently, but auto generated notices that gaslight me is definitely up there today.

Just @ me next time! *eyes bloated Kobo*

Fun realization: Yup, I have very little tolerance for belligerent hot-take humans who refuse to have any grace when told they are mistaken. And I can handily block them out of my sight. *deep sigh*

If you happen to be looking for some queer lit, here's a thread of recommendations I put together for a friend.

This thread is important. Laying out what's happening in Minnesota (& throughout the country) from the perspective of an immigration lawyer in the thick of it. We're well past rule of law. I don't know how trust can be rebuilt once this system is destroyed.

It is not too much to ask for your primary care physician to remember that if their patient (me) has a total hysterectomy, that patient will not: 1) have a menstrual cycle 2) need birth control Fired. With prejudice. New appointment made with new provider at a different location.

Age verification? Dark, bitter response: my school teachers & classmates raided the local thrift stores for trenchcoats shortly after the Columbine shooting happened to protest the attempt to ban trenchcoats in school. Upside: turning up on campus en mass in trenchcoats did stop our local ban.

I got to see Taming of the Shrew performed live at the Globe Theater in London. Yes, it was amazing, and will live in my mind forever.

Last day for this awesome looking short story anthology on Kickstarter! They've met their goal, so the book is happening! www.kickstarter.com/projects/kok...

Caught the beginning of the folk hour on KBCS today and it had a most impressive anti-ICE theme going. This new song, in fine folk singing protest satire tradition, is really sticking with me. Jesse Welles, "JoinICE" jessewellesworld.com/song/join-ice/

Just finished with a little online workshop about inclusive French language. Very useful start and also some frustration/sadness that acceptance and progress in use are not further than they are, but I'll take the wins we've got so far. I am definitely going to be cramming French to reach fluid.

What's up?, asks BlueSky. Me, with far too much pattern matching and reading the news: youtu.be/urglg3WimHA?...

Fun fact: One of my teenage special interests was nuclear safety regulations. I don't think there's a whistle loud enough for this: www.npr.org/2025/12/17/n...

Well, this nailed it.

Plotting regular reading aloud. I'm not usually a fan of shorter writing for solo reading but full books/novels are rough to commit to for reading aloud. Stumbled across this Kickstarter anthology. It looks fascinating & intense, perfect for shorter form! www.kickstarter.com/projects/kok...

I think Imperial March with souzas or kazoos (extra portable), could be a nice warning soundtrack for ICE. 😁

I am reminded, these days, so often, of the French film, "La Haine", and the parable that brackets its narrative:

If you're feeling worn out & defeated, but you have a small bit of money available to donate, check out this donation directory for Minnesota. You can browse by cause (pets, food, medical, etc.), & throw a couple bucks in. Many drops make a river. Spread the word. (Keep yourself afloat first.)

For @earthforestskye.bsky.social

Hey, BlueSky! I know the times are tough. If you're looking for somewhere to throw a few supportive bucks to an awesome someone, Kari could use the help! High heating bill & a burst pipe repair ain't cheap. 🫂

Got a procedure done today after work. Thought it'd be easy peasy & be fine for work tomorrow. 3 stitches in a very delicate place that makes me swear every time I sit down... My job is seated... At a front desk in healthcare. Welp, guess that ain't happening. Bugger.

Share a photograph of mountains that you've taken.

An excellent thread about Minneapolis & ICE. We ARE working against. The system is rigged, AND it's still worth struggling against it. May other cities (including my own) take notes & do some preparations ahead of the next surges. [And, fuckall, this situation is terrible.]

Dusk/twilight walk in the dog park/nature reserve.

Man, today was rough. Doc appointment with some hard pivots to swallow, new med added, and then a BUNCH of cPTSD triggers all in a row. Plus the unfortunately now inevitable covert fat-shaming. Trying to gameplan my way to a different routine but also pissed off that insurance calls SO MANY shots.

Buddy from the West Coast!

Home with a migraine. Construction outside the window doesn't help. Sun is too bright. Have too much to do & not enough brain to do it with, hmph.

I wasn't going to spend money on books this month. *eyes leaning tower of TBR* But! 65 books by a number of authors I keep meaning to pick up for less than $20 minimum bid?! Yeahno. Not turning that down!

If you need a bit of beauty in your life (and I think we all do), check out this amazing figure skating routine by Amber Glenn.

The horrors persist but so will I. I will use my breath to support others through the horrors. I will comfort those around me. I will Give A Damn. I will love deeply & fiercely & widely. The horrors cannot stop me. When my breath ends, my history with others will live on. Dear horrors: that's all.

Might be a nerdy household when topics include: 1) how miserable are conquistadors, AND how miserable are they? 2) what to rename a wifi network to taunt a hacker & waste their time... Netgear router w/wifi named "Cisco4Ever" Some very silly breadth today.

This headline is sickeningly absurd. And then, I figured it out... It reminds me entirely too starkly of the movie "Water" [Link to IMDB entry for an absurdist farce of a movie with Michael Caine, which tackles British colonialism vs. American capitalist exploitation] m.imdb.com/title/tt0090...

Fuck. Another year, another war the U.S. should have never started. I have hated the military decisions of this country since I was old enough to know (~7 years old). I have no words for the horror & rightful rage directed at my country of birth. It deserves it.

Tonight's one pot dinner win: Heat-n-serve pouch dahl makhani Precooked chicken breast chunks, shredded Half can of coconut milk Good amount of frozen peas & cubed carrots Simmered above until heated through & flavors melded Add: leftover cooked white rice, handful slivered almonds Heat. Enjoy. 🍲

What book &/or document would you swear on to assure your honesty/trustworthiness/commitment? For me, I'd go with R. Buckminster Fuller's "Synergetics".

I think Merriam-Webster is trolling me.

Took the dog out for her morning constitutional. Found poetry on a street post. May 2026 have unexpected beauty & treasure (and be kinder than 2025).

Going into 2026 like

If you still have a LiveJournal account, now is the time to back it up elsewhere (if you haven't already).

After many years of being wistful and ogling options whenever we wandered into antique stores, my partner and I have invested in an heirloom quality pendulum wall clock with chimes. We picked it up today. Haven't hung it yet (our stud finder died, so we need to borrow another one), but so excited!

A matted print that we had acquired years ago, but didn't make the home gallery cut. Solstice gift to a newer work-friend and she was absolutely giddy about it, still mentions it. Joint gift to myself & my partner: we started purchase of a key-wind artisan-made pendulum wall clock with chimes. 😍

BSky-awkward is really its own phenomenon. Impressive, in a way, but also disturbing. I get that socially awkward is A Thing (I'm an autist who runs complex social scripts any time I'm awake), but replying to every post, regardless of topic, demanding people do something completely unrelated? Wth?!

I was brave today & called the clinic that my GP sent a referral to. Confirmed: a) referral arrived & in system; b) surgeon I'm hoping for is part of that clinic & is schedule-able. Found out: they need clarification from my doc. So, a wait while that handshake happens (early Jan, likely). Progress!

The comments are gold. But I also keep wondering... HOW do you not have a very substantial backup for such an infrastructure piece???

Oooo! Creative + mental health workshops to learn drawing birds & plants. 💜

Had my annual PCP visit yesterday. I've lost 15lbs since surgery... no, they did not remove even a full pound of material. Yes, my poor body was holding onto roughly 15lbs worth of inflammation & water weight. *pats own head with sympathy* Related: got a referral for breast reduction! Onward!

Gargoyles Statuary in Seattle. Penzey's Spices Juliàn Rodriguez's artwork

O.m.d. (oh my deities), just finished a binge-read (crammed into available moments to finish in a day) of @nathanburgoine.bsky.social's "Handmade Holidays" & I will now be attempting to cram his back catalog onto the groaning Mount To-Be-Read. www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/...

Thanks to a random post about OceanGate, I went to see if I could find an actual report. If you've ever been curious what an absolutely enraged US Coast Guard report is like in detailing a multi-fatality, preventable, unregistered catastrophe, take a look: media.defense.gov/2025/Aug/05/...

Huzzah, part one of book megashop is complete! Will see about part two another day (that sale goes through the end of the year), for actual physical books. (Part 1 was ebooks.) The tiniest of upsides to having cut my family out of my life: my winter presents budget is now my book budget.