when the cdc didn't care and the federal government attacked them, remember that taco bell stood with the people

The Democratic presidential debates need to have spring loaded traps underneath each candidate and any time one of them says "we need to move on" or "I'm focused on the future, not the past" they should be immediately launched through the roof of the auditorium.

Okay. Officially my fave character in Widow’s Bay. Because that’s how you handle that situation.

Did not expect this from the Church of Wales, but I am glad for this courage.

Hank Fancybook. I feel like this guy appeared in League of Their Own.

As spouse said this morning, "Poor air quality warning, record-breaking heat, and a diarrhea outbreak directly caused by the current government. I sure love living in the future."

9 or 10. I told my parents I wanted an arkenstone (non-capitalized! I wasn't greedy!) for Christmas.

In my bachelorette days, I lived off pastaroni, ricearoni, canned soup, and frozen dinners. Cooking with actual ingredients was a weekend thing, because fresh veggies and actual meat cost more than a box of noodles/rice and sodium. I imagine the same holds true today regardless of gender.

It's the most basic of litmus tests you're being asked to do nothing to not buy a book or a game or a piece of merch to live your life exactly the same way you did before that thing became available for purchase if NOTHING is too big an ask, you can't be counted on when it's time to do SOMEthing

HoF was the dwarven noble, she was 100% fine until Hespith started muttering. Inquisitor was a Carta dwarf, and the entirety of the Descent gave her the heebie-jeebies. Juniper Hawke has nightmares about Bethany dying red-veined and red-eyed. Enasal Thorn said "Cool! More darkspawn to kill!"

Good journey, Mr. Neill. I hope the afterlife has your ideal balance of pigs and dinosaurs.

Oh no I need one.

I own Charles deLint novels, all of which I purchased for $20 or less, with cover art and/or interior art by Thomas Canty, Charles Vess, and Brian and Wendy Froud. And he's decided to charge $60+ for a book with an AI cover? I am saddened.

Michael Fanone's take on Lindsey Graham is one of the most powerful I've read:

Today is a great reminder for everyone: Keep living. Keep living to see the days where you've outlived them. 👏👏

"Lindsey Graham lived his life as a pilot fish, a parasitic sucker fish hovering about larger predators. He was a sidekick and the hollowest of hollow men." open.substack.com/pub/stevesch...

Lessons from My Mother, Jane Yolen www.slj.com/story/Lesson...

My husband planned our trips to Ireland in 2018 and Scotland in 2025, and they were amazing trips, but it wore him out and he admitted that he was basically tired of the trip before it began. Next year's travel is planned entirely by professionals, and all he has to do is look forward to it.

In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden is a multi-year saga about a group of cloistered Benedictine nuns in the 1950s, and I was leaning back chortling "Throw more shade, sister!" These ladies got more jabs in than in most contemporary novels.

Tsugi’s littermates are currently up for adoption through Free to Live in OK, if you too need some kitten chaos in your life! They are not listed on the website yet but just mention their name in your app! The tortie is Slapdash and the mini panther is Chicken Scratch! They are both sweet as can be!

It has been criminally underreported but Kelsey Pfendler has just rowed solo across the Pacific Ocean from the US coast to Hawaii in record time. A 2,400-mile unsupported journey in 43 days, 17 hours, and 55 minutes. Notably beating the Men’s record by 9 whole days.

JUST LOOK AT THIS PUP

To the person in or near my development who decided to set off a dozen leftover fireworks at 11:00pm last night after spouse and I went to bed at 10:30pm: I WILL FIND YOU.

All 5 of the Breakfast Club kittens are available to adopt, in pairs or singles, they’re all extremely social, outgoing, brave & playful. -Eggs Benedict, br tabby boy w/white stripe -Cinnamon Bun, br tabby tuxie boy -Pancake, grey tabby girl -Omelette, grey tabby girl white feet -Coffee, void girl

Hans and Franz are two adorable, sweet bonded brothers who are SUCH excellent cuddlers. If you’ve always wanted a pair to entertain each other when they aren’t entertaining you, they are your guys! 100% pure sugar— bonus, if you love Grandma Sunflower, these are her last grandsons ever.

It is also one of my favorite books of all time, and I cry every time I read it. "If you love books enough, books will love you back."

We're one week away from The Dragon Has Some Complaints flying into the world! And just a week away from my first real book tour. NYC, Pennsylvania, Delaware, D.C., and Baltimore! I shall see you soon!

😅 HoF--Here for the romance, the meaningful eye contact. Still has the pressed rose. Hawke--Likely to bounce enthusiastically off the bed and laugh as she clambers back up. Inq.--Gonna make you make a noise first. Rook--She throws herself into happiness and pleasure because it could end any minute.

Our very favorite B&B, which closed in 2023, has apparently reopened under new ownership! And while they've changed some things, the pictures on the website seem to indicate they know their market and we (cozy Ren Faire nerds) would be welcome back. I look forward to being back there in October!

Happy birthday to Bill Watterson, the creator of Calvin and Hobbes! Born on July 5, 1958.

But if we don’t write Fantasy, what will happen to the verb “stride”?

400 masked cowardly Patriot Front bros walking through D.C. once, then fleeing ain’t shit, peeps. They are a tiny fetid drop in the American bucket. Remember Minneapolis at -20F. We are bigger, braver, and stronger. By a mile.

A reminder that as you see photos of those Patriot Front douchebags today, they are marching on a holiday because none of them have anywhere else to be. None of them have friends or family who want them around on a holiday. No one is missing them today. They're already with their only friends.

If you’re also melting somewhere out there, consider this your daily dose of fan-powered emotional support. And don’t forget to stay hydrated. Happy Caturday 😽🤍

As usual, Henry gets it.

THREE MANUL KITTENS IN KORKEASAARI ZOO yle.fi/a/74-20234631

We have gone outside for dinner ingredients for the next two days (so we don't have to go outside again possibly until Sunday) and sweet merciful Helios the sun is indeed a lazer.

As a paralegal who worked three blocks away from this very prestigious firm's office for a while... W.T.F. And also:

Appreciate this, @catsofyore.bsky.social! Sales at our shop have been SO slow this season, so any interest would be hugely helpful to our fully artistic household! Here are the shop cats of Torch & Arrow! All of our accessories are 1-of-a-kind (save for our Dr. Who lanyards)! torchandarrow.etsy.com

My mom still tells the story of when she was 5 and her sister was 6, her sister walked up with a hammer and said "Hey, let's see what happens if I hit you over the head with a hammer." And she said sure, because it was the 1950s. (no lasting damage done, just a lot of crying and some stitches.)

Trump: It's not working! Why don't they love the fair? How do I make the crowds cheer? Oracle of DC: If you test your strength against the heat with a very long speech, the nation will celebrate harder than they ever have. They will party in the streets. No one will ever forget the night.

To paraphrase @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social, Widow's Bay is currently 40% of my personality, another 40% is still being occupied by Heated Rivalry, 10% lingers in The Pitt, and the remaining 10% is living for Vampire Lestat gifs.

If anyone needs something sweet and funny to read, jump on this!

If buying isn’t ownership, piracy isn’t theft

Every time I start worrying that my college Hotmail address looks unprofessional, we get a contact with 2-3 pot jokes squeezed into one AOL address, so I feel better now.

Happy 100th, Mel Brooks.

Hit the B&N preorder sale hard this time around--I'll be getting new Freya Marske in September, new @buehlmeister.bsky.social and Lyndsay Faye in October, new Glen Cook in November, and new @joeposnanski.com next year. Things to look forward to!

On March 26, 2026, during a debate on violence against women in Germany’s Bundestag, left-wing MP Kathrin Gebel was repeatedly interrupted by AfD MP Martin Reichardt. She responded: “Mr. Reichardt, the clitoris has 3,000 nerve endings, and you’re still more sensitive. That’s quite an achievement.”