Can I just mention briefly how much I HATE that trope of "They're dead now and can pick up a relationship from 50 years ago like it was nothing?" Like... she did LITERALLY NOTHING over the course of the entire rest of her life? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Not even death could cure her taste in men. Truly a tragedy. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

So she found love with Martha? Finally, a happy ending. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

"You never can tell"??????????? Literally everyone in this chat has been screaming throughout the entire film about that guy. Literally everyone but you could tell, lady. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Oh my god the daughter can't remember where the damned mic is. Her voice is getting louder and softer randomly throughout the scene. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

MARTHA: "Hell with it. I've given up on giving this bunch of idiots romantic advice." #TransformationsOfTheGothic

The ultimate conclusion of this film? Mrs. Muir has TERRIBLE taste in men. Living or dead. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Apparently "he was actually married all along" was FINALLY enough. "You see, this isn't the FIRST time something like this has happened..." How long until our children's author becomes a ghost by rather more dramatic means? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Nautical nonsense, and Ghost is out. PEACE! #TransformationsOfTheGothic

You'd think "I really hate the fact that you have a child" would be more of a red flag. Or, you know, a red flag at all. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Our undead friend needs to take that mandatory course on the Canvas... #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Do people actually hear his lines in her voice? Or do they just think she's the most competent voice-actress that ever was? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

This dude needs a pen name and a separate series of books, stat. He's obviously just dying to invent the gawdawful midcentury novel. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

This guy can make asking for someone's pizza order sound like he's propositioning them — because he is, somehow. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

It's a Hat! It's a Chicken! It's haberdashery most fowl! #TransformationsOfTheGothic

I think that was "would you mind being my editor" in gruff seaman. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Ghost jacked their car! The ghost and GTA Gull Cottage. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

I still can't figure out who these people are. Her sisters and her cousins and her uncles and her aunts? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

What a polymath — quoting poetry, designing cottages, somehow managing three simultaneous girlfriends while being outrageously misogynistic... #TransformationsOfTheGothic

DUDE, NO. "I'm a spirit, I'm just going to comment approvingly on how you look while you sleep." #TransformationsOfTheGothic

No, lady, we can totally share a bedroom without it getting weird. I'm a ghost, I'm totally above such things. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

This sea captain has a weirdly Roger Delgado as the Master aesthetic. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Okay, the ghost is LITERALLY gaslighting her? #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Ok, restarting. My wife will be happy — she's been low-key trying to get me to watch this movie for the past thirty-five years, and she'll be back soon, so we'll see more of the movie together. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Oh, we're restarting? Ok. Launching in again in 2m. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

This is not a ghost who believes in slowly building horror. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

Of course, it's just a painting with a spot operator. #TransformationsOfTheGothic

#TransformationsOfTheGothic Very well madam. If you insist this film WILL have a plot.

The Isle in the Silver Sea was an absolutely wonderful, epic romantasy that I really spectacularly failed to ready by 25 March. (It was long enough that other shorter books kept jumping in the way.) Ah, well. @romgothsam.bsky.social

Driving from Hayward, CA to Victoria, BC in my Subaru Solterra has been fascinating. For anyone wondering — you absolutely can drive long-distance in a modern EV. It just requires a different mindset than driving long-distance in an internal-combustion vehicle.

Apologies to many people for sort of falling off the planet in the last month — a mix of poor sleep and poor work-life balance has left me dozing off at key moments. Things seem to be improving, now.

Pick up the nearest book, turn to page 42, and post the second sentence: "If Mr. B. has any counterpart in these later productions, it would be the arrogant General Tilney or the wicked abductor Montoni."

It's hilarious and disturbing how prone AI chatbots are to tell you that your every idea is brilliant and correct. It's the verbal equivalent of that twilight zone episode in which a gangster dies and thinks he's gone to heaven because he immediately gets whatever he wants.

I need to start setting an alarm. I keep meaning to attend Romancing the Gothic talks, which are uniformly fascinating. Unfortunately, the main thing I've learned recently is that I'm very bad at remembering to do things on Saturday mornings.

Best Star Trek crew, wrong answers only.

Bidding a fond farewell to "Falling in Love with Love: A History of Popular Romance," @romgothsam.bsky.social 's wonderful course from last term.

I’m sure “birthright citizenship” tested as a good villainous phrase for white suprematist nutters, but why is anyone else using the term? This is still jus soli citizenship, same as ever. It’s the same 14th amendment we’ve had since the civil war. The Mighty Wurlitzer of the right plays on.

A reminder to all — what’s being tested in the Supreme Court today isn’t “birthright citizenship.” It’s just citizenship. Either the 14th amendment stands or it doesn’t, and if it falls none of us are citizens. Not one.

Not actually helpful like my previous character lists, but I couldn't resist. @romgothsam.bsky.social

Brilliant play. My younger daughter is working as an assistant stage manager. finearts.uvic.ca/theatre/main...

Sitting in a garden in Hotel Oswego in Victora, British Columbia.

Every so often I glance back at the Post and feel good about unsubscribing all over again. One of their current headlines: “In Trump’s Washington, Congress has little power left.” The fact that Republicans are onboard with Trump’s bullshit doesn’t make them powerless, it merely makes them nuts.

Week #7 of @romgothsam.bsky.social 's "Falling in love with love: A History of Popular Romance." All joking aside this was a wonderful book

That would have been a very difficult film to watch at work, but that was an amazing film. #TheLovebirds.

Week 6 of Falling in Love with Love: A History of Popular Romance was Tabitha in Moonlight.

Toronto, not Vancouver. Still, the loons were the best actors in the film. #AtTheMidnightHour

Low altitude Vertigo, apparently. #AtTheMidnightHour

I WAS RIGHT!!!! LEAST PLAUSIBLE PLOT FTW!!!! #AtTheMidnightHour

"I wouldn't shoot you" "WHY NOT???" #AtTheMidnightHour

OK. The two of them sleeping on that couch is officially the least plausible thing in this entire movie. Seriously, I don't care how in love they are, they're waking up with pins and needles in their everything. #AtTheMidnightHour