If I actually just sat down and started my newsletter when the thought occurred to me, they’d be sent much more frequently AND (more importantly) without so many wasted brain waves spent on avoidance.

Seen at the Des Moines Art Center: "a charming dialogue between two gay, abstract artists across time".

My husband's iPhone 12 mini has become my "install the latest beta" device. Liquid Glass in the iOS 27 dev beta is still Liquid Glass (i.e., unusable to me), even with "More Tinted". But with "Reduce Transparency" reenabled and "Reduce Motion", I think I could use iOS 27.

I knew Apple didn't mean very much to me any more, but the way this company that makes products I once loved and used to learn and be creative now pushes something so anti-learning and anti-creativity and anti-human is one of the worst things I have to process.

Oh no. I made the mistake of tuning into the Apple WWDC keynote and Tim is giving serious General Conference intonation to his prepared speech. Not quite Monson-level, but pretty close.

Three weeks ago I learned I would have a new role starting 1 July. In the time since, I’m feeling better about the change (it’s grass of the same color, just different grass). But the “don’t start early, keep doing your same job, but be ready to run!” is sure antiproductive.

I went back and added hand quilting to the Bonus Mini, and I'm much happier with it now. The hand quilting is with the same 28wt white thread that I used to longarm the mini. benmillett.net/blog/proud-w...

I have a new collection of quilts available this month at Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design. Blog post about the quilts: benmillett.net/blog/plans-w...

I finished the throw version of this, finally! benmillett.net/blog/proud-w...

Honestly, the thought of even opening a browser tab where I was already logged in was too much. But there are some things to share, ahead of a newsletter this month.

“Joy is the flag flown high from the castle of my heart” thank you @benmillett.net

Uninstalling until work calms down. My group had 40% reduction with restructuring ahead of the company splitting into two companies later this year. I’m still employed, in a new role in a new group, but I can’t handle work news, national news, local news, quilt projects, and so on and so forth.

I think I’ll sleep better tonight after having watched this. So comforting.

“Wuthering Heights” is not Wuthering Heights, but also is exactly what you get when you read Wuthering Heights.

I’m off to lunch at the art Center because I need a break from the shit news coming down at work.

How did we get to a point where people think it’s okay to be high when watching a movie or a play (or anything else) in public? Unless you’re going to pay for everyone else’s tickets, gtfo. Do that shit at home where you’ll only annoy your pet.

I find it moderately hilarious that the working title for this quilt collection is "Plans within plans within plans" and the only plan that didn't change was the patchwork of the quilt tops.

A deer approached at the stoplight intersection, as if on cue, for Yves Tumor's part of Rosalia's 'Berghain' that was playing in my car. Fortunately for all, there was no sign of any blood.

I know nothing about Ken Russell’s The Devils, other than people are super stoked about a 4K restoration. After only seeing these stills? I now know I have been deprived.

All the discourse in my corner of Bsky was not that fashion wasn’t art. I saw no one arguing that. Rather, the critique was of Bezos’s involvement, which doesn’t come up at all in this thread.

"Great vessels: unremarkable". Wait, are they great? Or are they unremarkable?

Congrats to the Tony Awards page on being absolutely unclear between awards and nominees.

Previously known: Corteva Agriscience is splitting to two companies in October. The Crop Protection part is retaining the original name. The Seeds part is awaiting a new name. Now known: the new Seeds company name will be… Vylor, bringing together "VYing for opportunity" and "built with vaLOR".

“Zero f**ks given” - bumper sticker on a car of someone who apparently does have one fuck to give because they’re using a bumper sticker with asterisks and not the actual word

I appreciate that Lowe’s is playing Madison Beer’s Bittersweet.

Did you know you can just say “I’m not doing any more” and you don’t have to do more?

I found the #MotherMary scene of Imogen asking Mother Mary how she deals with all the attention to be equally uncomfortable and reassuring, with all the gesturing and posturing not answering the question.

This current project has me all over the place. I’m solid on the patchwork. I just can’t get settled on the quilting; I like nothing that I’ve done, by machine or by hand.

It’s been decades since I’ve seen this. I need to watch this more. It’s so dumb! But I laughed, I cried, I cheered.

I’m going to be really trying to apply this in the next few months as I get some commitments wrapped up.

I firmly believe there is too much available on streaming platforms and elsewhere. And I am grateful that the specific things I want to watch again are available in some way (still in the theater, on streaming, on disc).

This rosé is incredible. "Bright, elegant, and endlessly drinkable" is an understatement. Rosé's my preferred wine and this made me despise all the other rosés I've had. This six-pack is discounted only through tomorrow. www.andrewmurrayvineyards.com/product/2025...

I went and watched it again tonight. Just a beautiful film.

I was not going to listen to this all the time… but it’s been a while. Everybody has an obsession. This black suit fits like a glove. All of my darkness feels like light. I’ve never felt like this before. Your name was in my mouth, gave me eternal hunger. music.apple.com/us/album/mot...

In hindsight, I shouldn't be preordering things (Clicks Communicator, Build Awesome, a whole slew of vinyls). My brain isn't performing at optimal levels right now as it is. It does not appreciate the extra burden of actively not thinking about those things.

I'm really excited about the potential for this.

I really appreciate how reasonable tickets are for @beatricepirate.bsky.social’s Quebec tour stops. 40 USD? I’ll take two please. (Yes, it’s for next February, but the remaining QC shows for 2026 are similarly priced and don’t work for our schedule.)

Thank you USPS for sending my package from its destination city to a completely different city in the state just so you don’t deliver a day early.

This week’s second rise (same amount of time) put it over the top so I could add the lid. Hoping it’ll still be good.

Surfacing for all interested.

Why was everyone at that propaganda event pregnant? (And where is the block list for all the attendees? Pretty sure I’ve already got them blocked, but want to be sure.)

“When you’ve never tasted wine, never tasted limoncello, hate life, hate good things, hate yourself, and hate any of the guests you offer this to. Il Tramonto Limoncello Spritz: you’ll be disgusted.”

It’s really good that “What Dreams Are Made Of (mine)” is not available digitally or this would definitely be me. (Thank you Em Woods for this rent-free gem.)

It’s (mine).

If I didn't know better, my For You and Discover feeds would have me believe there are maybe a total of 10 gay men on this site.

Pretty sure I won’t read anything quite as amazing today as this article. I offer this quote as a preview:

This is helpful if you don’t know what to put in ALT Text.

It appears that UPS is driving this wine all the way to Iowa. Hopefully there’s something else on the truck, that they aren’t carrying just my six bottles.

Why didn’t they do this BEFORE the Pedro Pascal magazine photos were shared?!

Correct.