This is an almost shockingly wise essay. I'm glad I've finally read it.

You're cordially invited to spend An Evening with Stanchion. Please save the date, time & location for this special AWP offsite reading, open mic pitch party & celebration at the stunning Black-owned bookstore, record shop & community space @vinylnpages.bsky.social. Wednesday Mar 4th 8pm

Raking leaves on December 21st here in New England. Better late than never, I suppose.

the 4yo just said that uppercase letters are grown-ups and lowercase letters are babies

Coke admitted they had to generate 70,000 video clips for their latest Christmas slopvertising BY MY CALCS: - 4x the CO2 impact of a normal ad project - 1 day of 2-5 medium hospitals - 1 month of 250 households - 44 years of continuous Netflix viewing futurism.com/artificial-i...

NEW: Without USAID funding to help buy food for refugees, the World Food Program rushed to prioritize families based on need, determining that only half the population would get food. Refugees learned which half they were in from a number stamped on the back of their ration card.

Burying my head in student portfolios and trying to pretend for a few hours that 2025 hasn't been the absolute worst. (I feel like I may have posted something similar in 2024.)

One set of final grades has been submitted! Bring on the "why did I get a ____" emails that I will ignore for at least a few days as I grade my other class!

Did I freeze on this morning's run? Yes. Did I also use that run to finally figure out the ending to a dang flash story that has been haunting me for months? Yes.

We're so close to a true Psycho day this year, which would be apt considering *waves wildly at the world*

Final office hours of the semester. Two students have stopped by, which feels like a record!

Honestly, I'm kind of surprised this administration isn't sending everything out in Comic Sans.

Once again reminded that the sight of bears can unlock extra energy in an otherwise exhausted runner.

If you dig the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, you can bid on a VERY special item for their annual fundraiser: Four writing prompts composed just for you, received over the course of 2026, each handwritten on an index card, accompanied by a doodle of a monster. new.biddingowl.com/item/monster...

One of my student tutors came in today dressed up for an interview. "Yeah, I look like a real nerd today," he said. Then I realized that I was wearing almost the same outfit.

Do young people see the song title "You Can Call Me Al" and think it's a tune about artificial intelligence?

Last week of classes. Snow forecasted for tomorrow. Hold on tight.

Teaching class right before everyone leaves for Thanksgiving break is enough to make some people change professions, but I have suffered enough literary rejection to weather the ennui without batting an eye.

Planes, trains, and automobiles? In this economy?

Big thanks to @south85journal.bsky.social for this nomination!

My hometown public library has this incredible gargoyle downspout, and I think its existence helps explain the kind of reader and writer I turned into.

Got to love when a rejection hits the inbox while you're meeting with your writing group.

“You dig too deep. Always. That’s the problem. You care like a chump. If only you could take a nap. If only this life allowed detectives to stop detecting now and again.” @woodardwriter.bsky.social in @tinymolecules.bsky.social www.tinymolecules.com/issues/twent...

Chopped up a bunch of firewood and still have all ten fingers and toes. With the way life has played out lately, I'm considering this a big win.

Today I woke up missing my dad immensely. This "grief comes in waves" thing is rough.

Now that FLESH has won the Booker Prize, let's reshare my review from earlier this year at On the Seawall.

Connecticut friends!!! 🥰🥰🥰

This is your friendly reminder that Obamacare isn’t just the exchanges! It’s a set of laws that force insurance companies to actually. You know, insure people!! You can read my full graphic explainer here: aubreyhirsch.substack.com/p/it-could-b...

Here's an invitation to take a trip through the new Nov/Dec edition of On The Seawall ... beginning with our feature on poems from STUDY OF SORROWS: TRANSLATIONS by Shangyang Fang @coppercanyonpress.bsky.social / ronslate.com

[Spelled coupon wrong 4 times writing this (How?!?)] 25% off a bunch of our books from now until year end using code SBP25 smallbeerpress.com/not-a-journa... indiepubs.com/collections/...

28 pieces of writing spanning the first 5 years of Stanchion and including 5 new pieces from the likes of @toddedillard.bsky.social @jmgatford.bsky.social & @fbereaud.bsky.social. Cover art & photograph by me. Help celebrate reputable indie lit & keep this good thing going for 5 more years. 🖤🤍❤️

“You care like a chump.” This wonderful gem by @woodardwriter.bsky.social in @tinymolecules.bsky.social.🔥

Mixed within a stack of sympathy cards was a birthday card from my mother-in-law that I initially thought was an odd choice for a sympathy card. It gave me a laugh.

Happy to be nominated for this year's Best Microfiction anthology by the fine folks at @south85journal.bsky.social: www.south85journal.com/2025/11/nomi...

A @bestmicrofiction.bsky.social nomination landed in my inbox! Don't want to ruin any journal announcements by naming names quite yet, but I am very happy.

For my birthday this year, I arranged for everyone in the U.S. to receive an extra hour of sleep. You're welcome.

One more share of my latest story at @tinymolecules.bsky.social:

For the weekend readers!

This small but mighty story by @woodardwriter.bsky.social is a great read, especially for a dark and stormy Halloween day!

One more share of my latest story at @tinymolecules.bsky.social:

‘You can’t remember where you were on the night of the tenth.’ What an original piece from @woodardwriter.bsky.social in the new issue of @tinymolecules.bsky.social - brilliant! 🕵️‍♂️ www.tinymolecules.com/issues/twent...

One ray of sunshine: I have a new little story in the latest issue of @tinymolecules.bsky.social. My thanks to @sdobbie.bsky.social for accepting it. This piece began at a weeklong @bendinggenres.bsky.social retreat many moons ago: www.tinymolecules.com/issues/twent...

"Like the phrase I have something to tell you, it loosens stones when dropped from great heights" Wonderful detective-noir edge to this gem from @woodardwriter.bsky.social @tinymolecules.bsky.social. Character layered with story layered with moments of truth: www.tinymolecules.com/issues/twent...

One ray of sunshine: I have a new little story in the latest issue of @tinymolecules.bsky.social. My thanks to @sdobbie.bsky.social for accepting it. This piece began at a weeklong @bendinggenres.bsky.social retreat many moons ago: www.tinymolecules.com/issues/twent...

Our Autumn Issue is here. 11 spooky stories to chill your bones. Read, enjoy, and share widely! www.tinymolecules.com/issues/twent...

After 18 months of slow decline, my dad's body finally gave in on Sunday and he died. Not that anyone here knew him, but I thought I'd share his obituary. I will miss him very much. www.varnumfuneralhome.com/obituaries/j...

[Albert Bernard "Stiff Figures" Feldstein, a writer, artist, and editor at Educational/Entertaining Comics, was born 100 years ago today.]

In brighter news, the "trinkets and treasures" Little Free Library my wife set up is a big hit with the neighborhood littles.

This dude has no plans to ever leave the White House.

What a lovely day to gather outside with a few thousand new friends.