From the people who brought a drowning man water: "A Child, a Child shivers in the cold Let us bring him silver and gold" -lyrics from "Do You Hear What I Hear?"

A mini #BookReview of A Country Doctor's Notebook by Mikhail Bulgakov. ⭐⭐⭐.5 Filled with fascinating & hilarious medical vignettes from a newly-graduated doc assigned to a rural Russian town ≈ the Russian Revolution. Excels when capturing the universal doubt of fresh-faced professionals. #BookSky

The enmity grows.... #NBA

And now, a controversial post: "Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney is one of my favorite Christmas songs.

It's my one-year Bluesky anniversary, and all I got myself was this lousy re-post of my first post on here.

Dear @nba.com, Peacock-exclusive NBA games is a mistake. Letting NBC prop up its streaming platform with your content is profoundly dumb. But what do you care so long as the checks clear, right? Still, allow me to explain, if you care to hear, the kind of fan you're alienating with this policy. 1/

I read the press release on the Phoenix Mercury rebrand. I see what they were going for. Still not a fan. All I'm seeing is a simplified color palette that is easier to slap on merch. And if you think I'm trading in my old Taurasi jersey for *this* logo...nope! mercury.wnba.com/news/phoenix...

This is sad news. Still fondly remember him in a Suns uni in the late 90s. RIP.

As someone who appreciates a good title, I'm here to say "Nighthawks" is a fantastic title.

So many options, but anyone who used to watch Channel 3 (3TV) news in Arizona in the 90s/00s will remember this.

Mini #BookReview of Strange Planet by @nathanwpyle.bsky.social. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amusing book of cartoon strips pokes fun at mankind's habitual absurdity. Perfect for those who've wished to harm the melody machine first thing in the morning or whose preferred orb catching group has disappointed them. #BookSky

Mini #BookReview for End of Watch by @stephenking.bsky.social. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Marvelous end to the Bill Hodges trilogy. Less twisty and a little more predictable than Mr. Mercedes, but this thriller packs the most emotional heft of the 3 books. Explores themes of suicide, cancer, revenge and grief. #BookSky

Every now and then, I find myself wishing for a Lucite toilet. Just throwing that out into the world.

Writing Tip o’ the Day: Just because your character sees something or does something does not mean you have to tell the reader what was seen or done right away. A slow drip of info will pique your reader’s curiosity and keep those pages turning. #WritingCommunity #amwriting #amediting

A mini #BookReview of Finders Keepers by @stephenking.bsky.social. ⭐⭐.5 The second in the Bill Hodges trilogy exists to bridge Mr. Mercedes & End of Watch. Serviceable but uneven with predictable story beats. Temper expectations. The KITCHEN SUPPLIES teasers were legit funny, tho! #Booksky

Writing Tip o' the Day: Sight and sound are the biggies, but there is no sense more closely linked to memory than smell. A well-described, vivid scent will instantly immerse your reader in the scene. Don't ignore this description. #WritingCommunity #amwriting #amediting

A mini #BookReview of Illusions by Richard Bach. (⭐⭐⭐) Light on plot but punches above its weight philosophically. Agree with it or not (you’ll likely do both), this book needs readers with views not ossified by time or habit & strives for readers to consider the world from a new angle. #BookSky

Live look at my editing process: #amediting #WritingCommunity

A mini #BookReview of Mr. Mercedes by @stephenking.bsky.social. (⭐⭐⭐⭐) Cat-and-mouse game played nearly flawlessly. Predictable in places, but the writing kept the pages turning. You'll think twice before making snap judgments — of things and especially of people — again. #booksky

Slightly diminish a band: Twenty Pilots

A mini #BookReview of Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda. (⭐⭐⭐) Twisty tale of a star-crossed relationship. A solid mystery that bows under its own weight late, with once-vital elements suddenly rendered weightless. Still, the character interplay makes it worth a read. #booksky

After two years (give or take), I have finally finished drafting my WIP. The freedom, it burns. 😂 #WritingCommunity #amwriting #done

Recent Phoenix summers... 2020: Most 100 degree days (145) 2023: Most consecutive 110 degree days (31) 2024: Most consecutive 100 degree days (113), Most 110 degree days (70), latest 110 degree day (Oct. 7) 2025: Hottest August day in Phoenix's recorded history (118) Anyone noticing a trend?

I'm old enough to recall when the value menus at fast food places were still a value.

I grew up on these streets.

Here's a tip for any writer who writes in bed while also tired: Just take a nap. It's headed that way regardless. #WritingCommunity #amwriting

My favorite part of writing a book is reflecting back on the journey when reaching the end, both the journey within the pages and my own. #WritingCommunity #amwriting

Couldn't find one for the current project, but here's one for the previous one. 🤣 #WritingCommunity

If I ever manage to load the bottom rack of my new Bosch dishwasher to maximum efficiency, I deserve a MacArthur Genius Grant on the spot.

Here's another mini #BookReview. Just After Sunset by @stephenking.bsky.social, a collection of 13 short stories. (⭐⭐⭐) My favorite was "N.", which is a mind-bending look at OCD. Also notable: "The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates", "Willa", "The Gingerbread Girl", & "A Very Tight Place".

Deadpoolio finds something deserving of celebration: The Phoenix Mercury and their rapid ascent this season. #PhoenixMercury #Mercury #WNBA

The NBA Draft has grown as bloated as a whale carcass in the June sun. Two days? Six hours? Stop it. I've watched every draft beginning to end since 1999, and this year's was the worst. Just announce the picks. Stop artificially lengthening the show so you can cram more commercials in!

eBay needs to get a handle on its "art card" market. ACEOs are one thing, but when sellers are printing duplicates of already existing cards -- down to company names, logos, print runs, and copyright info(!) -- it's no longer an art card. It's a counterfeit. Buyer beware, everyone.

Pacing and cliffhangers can be tough to nail down. This thread is jam-packed with good tips and tricks to help. #WritingCommunity #amwriting

Seeing all these promos for The Life of Chuck and The Institute, and for once I read the book before the movie/show came out. It's fun, like having insider information. (No spoilers from me, though. 🤐) Now I'm left to worry if the screen versions will live up to the print versions.

Look, I didn't have a clue who Lexi Held was going into preseason. But I'm about to appoint myself president of the Lexi Held Fan Club now. Just a pit bull on defense. #Mercury #PhoenixMercury

The part of me that wants those sentiments to lead to self-reflection & change is in direct conflict with the part of me that increasingly believes we're in a post-shame world.

I hope Panini America is listening because if @mercuryphx.bsky.social rookies Monique Akoa Makani, Lexi Held, and Kathryn Westbeld don't get rookie cards later this year, we riot. Or, you know, something. We'll play it by ear.

Time for another mini #BookReview. Blaze by @stephenking.bsky.social. (⭐⭐⭐) Explores both desperate loneliness and the profound reverberations hinge moments can have on a life. Those familiar with Of Mice and Men will recognize the influence here. Not bad for a “trunk novel,” Stephen! #booksky

It's been 5 games, and the @mercuryphx.bsky.social are already more fun to watch than the @sunsphx.bsky.social were all season.

Occasionally, I'm good for a quip. What I'm not good for is remembering to quote-post rather than reply. 🤦‍♂️

I've said this before, but The Dan Emery Mystery Band is like if Demetri Martin had chosen music. And if there is a person alive who understands both references without looking up either, I'd like to hear from them. 😂

Things I used to be able to do when I was younger... ◾dunk a basketball ◾do all three splits ◾sit without going "ahhh"

Deadpoolio expresses his displeasure with the aesthetics of Suns basketball last season. And does so in under 3,000 words! Come for the analysis, stay for the cheap shot against Michigan State. #PhoenixSuns #Suns

Finally submitted an article I've been hammering on for what feels like months. I'm free!!!!

Anybody else remember the old Internet where visiting a site came with a 30% chance of having some song or sound effect blaring in the background that you couldn’t figure out how to mute? (That percentage jumped to about 96% if visiting a fan site of some sort.)

Here's a word my brain insists means something different than it actually does: MEDIOCRE. The dictionary says: "average, so-so" My brain says: "terrible" (This is also true of the word "middling.") #WritingCommunity #amwriting #amediting

I graduated summa cum laude from college and can't recall more than a handful of things I learned from my courses. Grades stifle curiosity and supplant acquisition of knowledge as the end goal of education. But this will never be fixed because grades are easier to measure than "knowledge."

Another score of 2 on NBA @immaculategrid.com & another data point that suggests 2 is the best I can do without cheating. (I blame Dion Waiters.)

My grandma died today. Pancreatic cancer or thereabouts. Not even 1 1/2 months from diagnosis to the end. This Twenty One Pilots song might not be 1:1 applicable as a tribute, but it's what's in my head. RIP Grandma. Love you.