Received this postcard today from Chateaubriant, France. It shows Salvador Dali artwork from the cover of “Minotaure” Magazine; No. 8, 1936. #postcrossing #salvadordali

Going to movies used to be a big part of my life. I saw dozens every year. But I stopped when Covid hit; I’ve only seen about 3 movies in the theater since then, and I don’t pay attention to what films are coming out anymore. And I haven’t missed it at all.

Received this postcard from Switzerland today, showing a small cave near Appenzell; very close to where Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein meet. #postcrossing

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (17/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (16/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (15/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (14/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (13/17)

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (12/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (11/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (10/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

When you can’t convince the local historical society to put up a commemorative plaque. (This is right down the block from my house.) #milwaukee

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (9/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (8/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (7/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (6/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (5/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (4/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (3/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (2/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Best books I read in 2025, not counting rereads. (1/17) #booksky #books #bookchallenge

Received this postcard from the Czech Republic; showing a cave in the Moravian karst region. The cave isn’t named on the card, but the sender says it’s not a cave open to the general public. #postcrossing

Received this postcard from China: #postcrossing

Started putting my legs in my pants. Then realized it was my shirt. Put my shirt on, started putting my legs in my pants. Then realized I had them backwards. So it’s gonna be on of THOSE days, is it?

From “Marry the Sea”, one of the stories in “Exit Zero” by Marie-Helene Bertino: #booksky

Received this lovely postcard from China today. #postcrossing

Received this card today from a German in Munich; the first card they’ve ever sent through #postcrossing . It’s a 3-D relief map of Europe; on very stiff, sturdy stock; with mountains raised higher than lowlands. I’ve never received a card like it before; glad it wasn’t damaged in the mail!

Abraham Verghese, in “My Own Country”, describes a woman he knew in Johnson City, Tennessee, in the 1980s. She’s not wrong! #booksky

In “My Own Country”, Abraham Verghese recounts moving to the Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee to practice medicine: #booksky

From Jack Kent’s “Sketchy People: Year4”. A book of sketches of people he sees out and about in various places.

From “The Autobiography of Malcolm X”: #booksky

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 20/20

The main character of “Spring Flowers, Spring Frost” by Ismail Kadare is having a conversation with his girlfriend, who’s telling him all the latest news: #booksky

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 19/20

Received from Japan today: this postcard of the Great Torii of Itsukushima Shrine (a World Heritage Site), as seen from the sea. Itsukushima is an island near Hiroshima. #postcrossing

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 18/20

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 17/20

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 16/20

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 15/20

Kenyan artist Thandiwe Muriu’s photographic portraits cloaking models in patterned fabric #WomensArt

A local Milwaukee mural, at Bronzeville Center for the Arts:

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 14/20

I’m from Milwaukee. We had Socialist mayors for large parts of the early 20th century. They were damned good, and made Milwaukee a model for cleanly-run public services. (Which have been steadily, slowly eroding in recent decades.) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewer_s...

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 13/20

A few characters in Charles DeLint’s “Someplace to be Flying” have this discussion about changing the world. Note that they’ve identified one of the chief purposes of reading and writing fiction. Not the only purpose; just one of them. #booksky

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 12/20

Received this postcard today through Postcrossing: a cartoon rendition of Seoul, from a South Korean political science student. #postcrossing

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 11/20

Corrupt people always think everyone else is as corrupt as they are. It’s part of how they justify it: “Everyone else is doing it, why shouldn’t I?” And if they’re caught, and you try to hold them accountable, their anger is real. “Why am I the one getting singled out?”

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers. #booksky #books #bookchallenge 10/20