I accidentally spent an hour this morning learning Orthic shorthand, and boy does studying orthographies scratch an itch in my brain like nothing else

If a tree falls in my backyard (and crushes our swing set), but no one's around to hear it, does it make a sound?

I'm sorry but asking if I'd be the savior of the broken, the beaten, and the damned is just too much pressure. I just wanted to enjoy the parade, dad

We're talking about Janelle Monáe's Dirty Computer in my American Studies class today, and I'm kind of excited about it! It's a gen ed class, so at this point we're completely focused on how cultural narratives of Americanness promote ideas of belonging and exclusion. Should be interesting!

I know I'm super late to the party, but I've been listening to The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones on my long commute, and it's honestly incredible

I don't seem to be vibing with my classes this semester as well as I did last year. One of my students told me on Monday that the class is tedious, and that landed surprisingly hard. Luckily I have my dread over my dissertation to distract from all the other dreads.

My kid is home sick from school today, and I'd much rather hang out with her all day, but apparently I have to work?

Yesterday marked 20 years since Katrina, and for a long time after the storm, I dreamt each night of packing, of evacuating, of rain and thunder and floods. I fled to my girlfriend's roommate's boyfriend's mom's house in Jackson MS, and 20 years later, I can still feel the wind on my face

My kid goes back to school next week, so today we're at a big bouncy thing at the mall, and boy is my age showing

Today I am reading newspapers from the 1920s about the Okeechobee Hurricane. That storm is central to Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, and I'm really enjoying putting my chapter together but I also deeply dread what my committee will say about it

Every few hours, I take a break from working on my dissertation to force everyone in the house to play 5-Minute Dungeon with me, and it is so very fun

Took a break yesterday from working on my dissertation to go to Cave Comics in Newtown, and check out this weird Archie comic I found

Nisi Shawl is one of my favorite writers, a queer elder & a BIPOC icon. I hate that the state of publishing is such that the book of their dreams would struggle to find a home, but I love that we as a community can come together to make it happen!! Give/boost as you're able? 🙏 gofund.me/3a52097a

I forgot my electric toothbrush and have to use a manual one Remind me, do we still brush in a circular motion? Octagonal? Trapezoidal? Has the shape changed at all in the last few years?

As a bonus action, I use Second Wind and regain hit points equal to 1d10 plus my Editor level, which allows me to work for several more hours

Filled out a form today that ended, "Final thoughts?" and it occurred to me that one day I really will have a final thought, and that's sad to think about

I guess they finally built a better mousetrap

Came home from Readercon yesterday feeling inspired by all of the interesting conversations I had over the weekend. Got some great ideas about how to grow Haven Spec, and I'm determined to find time to work on my own fiction now

Headed to Readercon this afternoon and omg there's still so much to do before I go, but I can't wait to see all those lovely folks I only get to see once a year! Here's my schedule if anybody is interested :)

Working on Haven Spec holds today, although I feel the whispers of a dozen other projects calling my name

I started watching El Eternauta last night, and it's so good. I accidentally stayed up way too late watching the first three episodes. It's like a good book I couldn't put down.

Our ✨July 2025 Issue✨ is now free to read online! Find it here: www.havenspec.com/issue-twenty Or get the PDF and EPUB: ko-fi.com/s/b837a91596

I truly believed, with every fiber of my being, that today was Wednesday. I did my Wednesday work on a Tuesday and mere anarchy was loosed upon the world. I'm still not convinced today isn't secretly Wednesday.

Editing a magazine is an extraordinary amount of work. But also (usually) an extraordinary amount of fun too

Today I'm having a marvelous time offering short fiction critiques to our Kickstarter backers. And who knows? I might even venture outdoors today and experience the sunshine.

Got laid off this morning from my side gig because of university budget cuts. On the plus side, that means more time for my million other projects

How weird it is to share an obituary with my own name. How weird these last few weeks and months have been. How weird it is we die. RIP dad. www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/c...

I'm sitting next to a man on the plane who seems to be made exclusively out of elbows. An anatomical marvel

Dropped everything to come home to New Orleans because my dad isn't doing so well, but on the plus side, it looks like I'll meet my sister for the first time since I was a little kid

After a truly hellish few weeks, I am back to working on Haven Spec. At this point, everyone who knows me knows that I am perpetually running late, and that's mostly because of the extreme anxiety I feel interacting with people on a day to day basis, but at least this time I have a good excuse

I've decided last-minute to go to Seattle for Worldcon this year. If 10 Things I Hate About You has taught me anything, it's that the city is full of angsty teens making oblique references to Shakespeare. I just hope I get invited to Bogey Lowenstein's party

On the train to NYC for a spontaneous museum visit. I really need to get into the city more often!

I am teaching an interactive narrative course this semester, and the students all have to write their own interactive narratives on twine. I am continually blown away by how dedicated and talented they are. I like to complain about my undergrads, but also I kind of love them?

I have not checked off everything on my to-do list, but my brain is mush, so let's start fresh in the morning, shall we? Also, it's 3 am and I briefly thought I heard people talking outside, and I have to hide under the covers now

Today, I'm making my students listen to Bright Eyes and talk about poetry, which are two of my favorite things

Today is my 40th birthday, but instead of lamenting about how old I am, I'm making a list of things I'm proud of. In no particular order: Finally working towards my PhD (lifelong dream) Haven Spec Magazine (I've learned so much, y'all) My grapevines and garden generally My kid (a never-ending joy)

Nothing like a trip to the emergency room to start our day. Ice is slippery, y'all

The good news is that my exams are finally finished and I passed! The even better news is that now I can return to working on @havenspec.bsky.social stuff!

I am the absolute king of getting an email, writing out a reply, and then deleting it. Do they expect a reply? Will I be bothering them if I reply? Is it rude if I don't reply? The rules for these things are completely opaque to me!

I watched Leave the World Behind again tonight, and it is so good. I don't think I've seen a movie in years that has given me as much to think about

I think PEBKAC would be a cool name for a DnD character. Which is just another way of saying that my essay isn't going great. 15 more hours! I believe!

Haven Spec Magazine's Kickstarter is now live! Our goal is to raise $4500, and we cannot do it without you, so please subscribe, pick up some swag or a critique, and spread the word! www.kickstarter.com/projects/hav...

I'm writing my second qualifying exam today. At least ten more pages in the next 24 hours, and I'm feeling a little underprepared. I might have picked the wrong day to launch Haven Spec's 2025 Kickstarter, but it couldn't be helped!

Every online test, screener, and diagnostic I've ever taken has indicated a strong probability that I am autistic, but getting an official diagnosis sounds both terrifying and difficult I have always been good at playing pretend, and masking is just another version of that

One of the ways that White settler society tries to claim Indigeneity for itself is through mascots. Team names like the "Kansas City Chiefs" are problematic for a whole bunch of reasons

12 hours later, and I have written 10 pages. My brain is melting.

Got confimed for 2 major surgeries this week. I will need funds & soon, but I was fired when I was diagnosed with cancer & my only income now is writing. I hate to ask because I know we're all struggling, but I'd appreciate any donation. Thank you & please share. www.gofundme.com/f/help-r-s-a...

My first comp exam starts in a few minutes. I have to write 10-15 pages in 24 hours on a topic related to my research, but I don't get the topic until the start of the test. Then next week I have to do another one, and then another after that. But at least I plan to write about some cool books!

So much snow at my mom's house in New Orleans. More than in my whole lifetime

And for my next trick: Watch as I squeeze a week's worth of work into the next several hours