"Joy" by Stuart Kestenbaum The asters shake from stem to flower waiting for the monarchs to alight. Every butterfly knows that the end is different from the beginning and that it is always a part of a longer story, in which we are always transformed... www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/152784...

Between the news, a colonoscopy, & having to deal with family of origin dysfunctionalism, this whole week has been rather miserable. It's time to check out of it all & find joy. May you find your good book, yummy chow, a furry friend (or a human friend) & a restful weekend nap. Rinse & Repeat.

."Sara" was tying grapevines trellis wires so that, as the new shoots grow, they won't droop down to the ground. She was in high spirits yesterday because—thanks to her UFW contract at Scheid Vineyards —she will be getting today, Good Friday, off as a paid holiday. #WeFeedYou

you may not like it but this is what peak performance looks like

"From out there on the moon, international politics look so petty. You want to grab a politician by the scruff of the neck and drag him a quarter of a million miles out and say, ‘Look at that, you son of a bitch." ― Edgar Mitchell

“All authors are using AI now” Not true! I prefer the torturous, brambly path through procrastination to get myself to the page. My house would not be as clean as it is otherwise. #writingcommunity

Excellent essay around AI. Process is everything. ergosphere.blog/posts/the-ma...

Dear Arizonans: Please check your voter registration at the link below. I’m so happy I did because apparently mine was purged. There are several elections approaching and one of the deadlines to register is 4/20/26! azmvdnow.gov/drivers/vote...

Watching "A Room with a View" while my library still has the Kanopy service (ending in May due to budget constraints). Oof. When Cecil attempts to kiss Lucy. Daniel Day Lewis is marvelously awful. Gorgeous film.

Nonprofits in El Paso, long a destination for migrants, pivoted to help lawyers and families track down Minnesotans sent to Camp East Montana during Operation Metro Surge. Written by Shubhanjana Das

Nothing makes me put in a library request faster than book-banning nonsense.

The world's biggest "DUH!"

This is officially the single WORST administration for Veterans in American history.

I keep writing posts and deleting them. I can tell I'm in the revision phase of writing. Enjoy this one, I'll probably delete it soon in order to rewrite it 55 more times. #writingcommunity

"The muscles of writing are...powerful: determination, attention, curiosity, a passionate heart." ~ Natalie Goldberg

My fellow writers might not want to hear this, but AI is a useful tool for certain aspects of the craft, like for instance when you’re engaged in the process of being a talentless shitbag hack who is too lazy to do any fucking writing.

Yesterday, the US DOJ filed a lawsuit against Minnesota for including trans athletes in our high school sports. Let me be clear: I will continue to stand up to the Trump administration and do everything in my power to stop them from bullying vulnerable children in Minnesota.

Transgender rights = human rights. In many countries around the world, the rights of trans people are under attack. This International Transgender Day of Visibility, we continue to work for a world where all people can enjoy their rights fully.

I've heard about 2 serious cases of elderly people being scammed recently. Even my mom, who is fairly tech savvy, gets confused by phishing emails (fortunately still asks me before clicking). Check on your neighbors, loved ones - give them some basic training. seniorsite.org/resource/how...

Er stärkt sich schon mal am All-you-can-eat-Buffet. 😂

Per usual, John Scalzi nails the discussion around "politics in writing". As George Orwell says "all art is propaganda". To live in denial of that is to be buffeted by unseen forces - to not be cognizant of one's own values and beliefs.

"Jesus" is an irrigator in the carrots in the Kern County area. "It is very hard work. I need to set up the irrigation system to cover the areas that are dry. I get very wet doing this. I also get tired walking in the fields to make sure all the plants are watered." #WeFeedYou

These scumbags just keep doing this shit. Malignant poxes on the whole country. Always with a smirk. Backpfeifengesicht. apnews.com/article/tran...

Reading colonoscopy prep. The only reason I'm going through with this humiliating, gross process is that I would be ashamed if I had something that could have been treated, but decided to put it off because I was too self-conscious. I owe my family that much. They owe me ice cream & sympathy.

I don’t think we should go back to “normal,” even if we could. We should build towards something better.

Psst - don't forget that you can take 40% off audiobooks in our playlist featuring stories by trans, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary authors with code TRR26 😍 Ends tomorrow! Link to the playlist ⏬

After spending days at writing events, I needed to crawl back in my cave for some longed-for solitude, to be with my own writing, and to remember why I started writing at all. This did the trick. Just a lovely read. www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/Dinner...

So tiresome - people arguing about that manfluencer streamer are ridiculous. Misogynists of all flavors are not progressives anyone should be caping for. Stop looking for leaders and be in community with people who share your values. Dudes going to bat for this piker are showing their whole asses.

Got into a conversation about making friends as adults. Here's the deal with that: You have to be more intentional than you were as a child or a student. You have to show up to events, ask questions, and remember shit (so you can reference it next time). It's something you build.

I've made people nervous enough around me that before they say "I asked ChatGPT", they know that they'd better be able to tell me some other source for the information. Make your people nervous about spewing robot info at you.

"When you start working, everybody is in your studio——your friends, enemies, the art world, your own ideas——are all there. But as you continue painting, they start leaving, one by one, and you are left completely alone. Then, if you're lucky, even you leave." ~ John Cage

I just realized @claytoonz.bsky.social is the reason that I can never see the president talking without thinking his mouth looks like a butthole. Never a better nor truer characterization.

I spent a childhood sneaking books that were "inappropriate". Nothing could have convinced me more than saying "you can't read that". Between the internet, used bookstores & libraries, these incurious doofus book-banners are going to have a job on their hands. Read, write, rebel - and teach others.

How much of state legislation is GOP whackadoodlism? If your legislatures are passing legislation renaming countries (looking at you TN) and not doing jack shit for their constituents, it might be time to get on the horn. 5calls.org

Lucy Spraggan's song "Balance" is full of gentle reminders for those of us who fall down on self-care regularly. youtu.be/aHAtGj_-Exo?...

Anxiety dreams last night included going camping with only a tent - no pegs, no sleeping bag, and a camping partner who is super pissed at me. Also, someone named Mr. Shemanski asking me for $25 that I did not have. Repeatedly. I am not ready for anything today. Real life anxiety.

Working on some submissions today. It's important to read publication guidelines for a lot of reasons. Today, I veered away from a publication because the guideline page had typos. Sounds petty, but can I trust that my work will be presented in its best light, if their work isn't? #writingcommunity

I realized that I no longer experience Imposter Syndrome after reading this lovely book. Not because of the book, but because I'm a chronic underachiever. Likely capable of more, but just don't. I'd better look for that book next. quarto.com/books/978183...

I just saw a negative book review from some moldy sock that said "Language is not interpreted...it is only understood or it is not." This has to be a person who has lived in a world where everything is supposed to be for them, of them, about them. It was easy to visualize who they were.

The squirrel I've been feeding for 3 years has now started to train the other yard critters to come to the door. I'll be disappointed if birds don't start landing on me while I'm out for a walk.

Has The Atlantic always been such a farm of shitty takes? Same with the NYT, Time, CNN, and WaPo too. I can't tell if I've just become more radical over time or if the degradation is as bad as I think it is. My reference bibliographies from grade school term papers are absolute garbage now.

It's been a day already, but just saw my first 2026 book purchase suggestion to my public library was just approved. I'm taking wins where I can get them. @ziibiing.com's Boarding Schools and the Indigenous Story. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/744961...

Woke up in an uncharacteristically cheery, energetic mood and then realized I have to go to a funeral later today. A few hours of work should course-correct into a suitably somber frame of mind. Let the clouds gather.

Having a meta-experience of attempting to read a newsletter about why writers don't need to have newsletters, but it's for paid subscribers. The answer is "no". I neither need to produce a newsletter nor apparently to read this particular one. My newsletter budget is maxed out. I'm infomaxxed.

Disassociating, compartmentalizing, meditating, overeating, running, writing, crying, spitting out profane social media posts, yelling at my reps, boycotting, protesting, donating, and coming up with new insulting names for members of this administration. And a shit ton of inertia.

I love the smell of existential dread in the morning. If by "love" I mean a tired sort of loathing.

"I stopped feeling like there were things I was 'supposed' to write about. I gave the stories and characters permission to do what they needed." The First Book: Carrie R. Moore discusses the publication of her collection, Make Your Way Home (@tinhouse.bsky.social). ➡️ buff.ly/03AYXpG

Was so excited to air out the house on this strange warm day in March. Then the neighbor decided to do a 3-hour marathon with his leaf blower. I am bitter.

My peeps! Have never regretted my votes for either one of them, regardless of the role.