500 word flash just fell out. Haven't written for myself in a long time. Ghost ink, that's me. Yet I saw a callout and a story started babbling in my head, so I released it onto a page.

So this is getting sent to aaaaaaalllll the people. Also, @clhellisen.bsky.social - tis fascinating. And affirming.

Hell yeah please vote to save BART and other Bay Area transit this November they are facing an existential funding cliff.

Also makes eating a variety of healthy, delicious food more accessible to many disabled people. Precut veg was a key player in my ability to keep making dinner for my family when my health was at its worst and wearing braces on both arms.

Been very surprised it hasn’t already happened. Not advocating for it, of course. Just… in a country where schools regularly experience horrific violence the public restraint on invasive companies that they actually loath has been remarkable.

In positive news, I finished my first novel of the year, yesterday. Don’t worry, not going to try to sell you it - it is a ghostwriting gig for a narrative, choose your own adventure gaming app. But hey, the project was fun and I get paid.

I’m posting at 2:27am because sometimes your body decides to be an asshole… Okay, mine pretty much always is but usually I remember to take my meds properly so I don’t sleep THIS badly.

Needed a favour for my son that requires about 10 min of time. The person suggested a few dog training lessons (around an hour a pop) would be a fair exchange. So... Looking into other options.

Women have been taking about this since the 80s… (Probably longer, but my first memory was at 2.5 years old, so I can’t recall life before the 80s).

So I sent this info to a friend who immediately downloaded the book, then got a 2nd off audible. So clearly @tkingfisher.com owl info marketing strategy is working. (I don’t think I have ever had someone want to read a book I read solely based on what was written in the acknowledgments before.)

So I was reading my first T. Kingfisher (Snake-Eater, btw) and I was not prepared for the acknowledgement section where I read words: “Tiny sex swing” For “Geriatric elf owl” And my world has now been expanded. (North Carolina Zoo made the swing, apparently.)

So do psychologists, but here we are, allowing AI's to operate as them without a license. And doctors. And lawyers...

My child-free godmother/aunt played a huge role in my life, expanded my horizons, was a life raft, and is the reason I could afford to go to university (loans and scholarships were not enough).

I went to a Catholic uni. Part of the degree requirements was a class on the history and construction of the Bible and a certain amount of religion classes (any religion). Thus, I took a class called What Went Wrong With Vatican II. I think Vance would have loved it yet struggled to pass.

The dogs are such optimists. Run over at the sound of the fridge opening and sit. Doesn’t matter what it is, they want a taste. Had so many carrots. Not their fav. But Loki, the elder, looks at Io as they crunch with sad determination, “This is how you survive the streets.”

Good to know that freedoms are being reclaimed in the United States despite these unprecedented oligarchies of times.

"You do not need to attend a house of worship that does not love you." ~ Maya Williams "Stay away from houses that don't love you." ~ Alex Stead From the @youaregood.bsky.social podcast

Also this. We shouldn’t have to constantly live in fear he might use the A bomb on a whim.

Very surreal to wake up uncertain if 90 million people have been obliterated or not on the anniversary of my father’s death. Thankfully, it appears those 90 million people still exist. Massive relief. But nobody should have had to worry about such an extremely inhumane & ungodly act. Nobody.

I’m listening to Bach right now because that’s what my nervous system can handle in this WTF times. Meanwhile, today is the anniversary of my uncle’s birthday, tomorrow my father’s death, then this weekend it’s my uncle’s death. Yeah, it was already a trick week without nuclear war tossed in.

I cannot write out loud what I will wish upon Mike Johnson if he allows nukes to be unleashed. Because of all the many people who are at fault, it is he who has the most power to stop this heinous crime from hanging over all our heads.

I cracked open the gin. (Look, it’s almost 9pm and I have zero political influence and no Mission Impossible training so not really sure what else to do at this point.)

After being allowed to sniff each cake, Lulu, the over 40 South African pony, ran over to eat her favourite. The winners of best horse cake were delighted. (They had to be very soft cakes as she basically has no teeth.)

Haven't been online much toda–– Aaaaaaand maybe I should have kept it that way. (Bloody hell, things have gotten dark, and they were not that bright and cheery to begin with, either.)

Goodness, one of my YA titles, A Tale of Many Tangents, is available online. Usually the publisher sells direct to big bulk buyers, like libraries. So this is a treat.

Yes, horses want cake (as do other farm animals).

Not to self: Don’t watch Lady Bird on the day both children return to university.

Agreed.

I shared this with our stable's WhatsApp group and now the kiddies are having a cake contest and the eldest pony gets to "choose" who brought the best cake.

Carrot cake, of course.

Family turned on One Battle After Another during dinner and had to walk away as I flamed with rage. Just…don’t even get me started or I will keyboard vomit all over the internet.

If you missed it earlier, here's the cover reveal from The Shape of Monsters, Tor UK. The gothic vibes are perfect I love it all.

Son: Cleared schedule, can come visit after all. Me: Yay. Son: 1,5h away. Me: Yay! Son: *sends photo of key in half* Me: 😳 Son: Locksmith coming! Me: Yay! Son: Locksmith fixed! Me: Yay! Son: SUV just hit my bike while locksmith was finishing programming key. Me: 😳😳😳

That’s a massive bathroom. Or is each floor a bathroom? (Yes, I am referring to where he stored *those* files.)

I’m not listening to someone who played a part in allowing the 2016-2020 regime to escape consequences and regain power.

Why won’t you move back to the US? Because I wouldn’t put Husband through this sort of shit.

Another (arguably even better) shot by the same LA photog, Jill Connelly, posted to her instagram. (Cropped)

Went to the petrol station and they were out of diesel. So. That’s nice.

Making sure my adult children know their visit is appreciated is one of my biggest adult-parenting vows. They are still in uni but they don't have to come home. I refuse, unlike my parents, to use any school funding as control. I send photos of their rooms looking clean and beds made. 1/

I remember when "woke" was going too far for not wanting to promote certain books and now the US is banning books just on MAGA's feeling and vibe.

Why I find the "just get an EV" / "use public transport" / "I don't own a car so this war doesn't impact me" posts so annoying. This war is causing a scarcity in many products, including fertiliser and helium. And needing to eat and needing medical care are issues that can impact anyone.

THE SECRET I HAVE BEEN (BADLY) SITTING ON IS NO LONGER A SECRET Tor UK have bought the print rights for my Audible Originals The Shape of Monsters and A Million Points of Light! www.thebookseller.com/rights/tor-s...

Sometimes you just need some news to make you smile.

Strange Horizons - Special Interview: Panashe Chigumadzi By Geoff Ryman strangehorizons.com/wordpress/no...

As it should be.

If you spot ICE agents at an airport in the coming days, I want to hear from you. Reach me via Signal at marisakabas.04

I’m going to go read for the next 20 min or so because this made me feel so sad. And sure, it is not uplifting to see but given what hellish events are populating the global timeline, my dismay is slightly out of whack.

Grew up in the southern Oregon coast and lack of snow pack was the stuff of nightmares. It’s horrific for wildlife, drinking water and food security. Because if farmers can’t do their job it becomes harder and less affordable to eat.

Gives perspective to a bad day at work. www.bbc.com/news/videos/...

This is what I have never understood about Fox-ification of media. Yeah, there are billionaires that can afford to tank a newspaper or social media platform. But if anyone needs it to make money? How? Pissed off the user base & the people you are now catering for don’t want to leave Fox. 1/2