Small but significant midnight walk, just far enough to catch a snowflake on my tongue and then make my retreat to four cats, one glass of smreka, and a sweetly sleeping husband. I'm going to channel as much of the spirit of @hookland.bsky.social here in Pittsburgh as possible this year.

In requiem for MTV, the song that forever changed me, a nobody girl from Pittsfield, Maine. m.youtube.com/watch?v=SOfp...

My plans for the new year include expanding my reputation as a kindly old eccentric and writing more transgressive fiction. It would be ideal if people think of me as witchy, though I have no focused spirituality and won't claim an undeserved title.

How I'm walking out of 2025

I squealed like a little girl about the mail today but how to choose which one to read first?! Thank you Blackwell's and @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social

I study luck and what happens to people who believe they are lucky. This little pin showed up in a box of vintage buttons years ago. It still makes me smile.

I don't drive. I have a bicycle, I have always had a bicycle; I periodically give mine away, end up with another in short order. I rode a handful of times in 15 years, every time narrowly avoided being hit by a car and other bikes, in four separate cities. How can I learn to ride at 58? Seriously 😞

I can't imagine a better statement for the holidays. I think about how Pratchett must have stared into space after having written this section, and yet he finished the book.

Am I disappointed Mark Cuban has given up on UHC? Yes. But I give him credit for personally helping me with an issue I had with CostPlus. I groused about it online, he saw it, reached out and fixed it. I personally think he's too invested in AI and losing creativity to it, but he's a decent guy.

The thing about places like CECOT that gave me an entire novel's worth of content is they tell the inmates they'll never leave over and over. Now just imagine what those inmates would do if offered a chance to leave - but only if they commit an evil act. Desperation is an easy tool.

The last of my Pittsburgh homegrown potatoes made it to the Winter Solstice. Definitely need to plant more next year. Small but delicious.

Following this person's thread: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbJ4...

Some light reading for a sunny day in Pittsburgh, take my mind off the horror of politics for a little while

Going into 2026 like...

Reading a Tom Cox book is what I imagine I'd feel like waking up after I'd been resuscitated.

Tricksy is trying to get my attention, in the middle of a table full of stuff that's trying to get my attention, as I lamely attempt to get listngs onto Buy Nothing and address holiday cards and eat a decent homemade lunch of squash soup with veg sprinkles and popped quinoa

I'm thinking tonight of my friend Rico Africa, gone many years now. He loved to share the awe inspiring last performance of Klaus Nomi, unique in the world, as he sang while dying of AIDS. m.youtube.com/watch?v=TnkV...

December is my lowest point mentally and one of my highest productivity months because distracting myself with projects becomes imperative to make it through. Blue, one of my elderly Siamese adoptees, likes the view.

The romas are starting to wrinkle, the heirlooms look a bit dull, but I'm really happy in general with how well the tomatoes are keeping in the cold cellar. Sungold is the hardiest keeper so far. All these were green when I brought them in.

You will be visited by three spirits

I'm not religious, but I do love a good ritual and I enjoy ones like this best: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuPh...

What looks like a xenomorph egg, has jelly like texture, is covered in slime? This thing... uh, whatever it is? Some people pull Excalibur from the lake. To others is given the Blob of Destiny. Let's talk about the CURSED GUMMI BEAR, bryozoans.

Maybe you just need to be reminded of childhood hockey games tonight, like me. m.youtube.com/watch?v=590h...

You can take the woman away from the coast, but she will forever long for it

Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild: Moose Least weasel Elephant seal Fisher Porcupine

😆😅🤣😀 Let this be the Last Supper under this Regime. @vjaybomb.bsky.social 🏆

My friend made this beautiful southwestern themed veggie side and nobody wanted to cut into it

This cheeky friend has accepted my offering of a gourd for its nest but really hates my front door camera, which I reinstalled this morning before I had my coffee

This is good! This is really good! Read this. Thanks, @dennycarter.bsky.social badfaithtimes.com/they-banned-...

I made a li'l cookbook! *After the Feast* suggests ways to use up leftovers from your big turkey dinners. The PDF is FREE. If you buy a print copy, $2 will support food security initiatives through the Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre. Please spread the word! 🍗 ivacheung.com/2025/09/afte...

I wrote about Johnny Cash. sarahkendzior.substack.com/p/the-empty-...

This week has really been something, and Pope Leo is doing his part

It's upsetting to me to have to give bad feedback. I'm the person who asks to speak to the manager so I can tell them how great their employee is, or how good my overall experience was. But when a product is defective I don't want anyone else to feel my disappointment.

Look who I found on Bluesky - one of my real inspirations as a writer ❤️ if you love surreal and symbolic (and often really funny) works give him a follow.

In 1978 Trump and Epstein were in their early 30s and likely watched Brooke Shields carried on a platter in Pretty Baby.

I read a few of the emails and the deja vu hit me hard; GenX girls, Laura Palmer, Sarah Kendzior sarahkendzior.substack.com/p/the-conflu...

There's really not much better than my sweetheart reading to me, and all the cats agree

I know one business owner who says "those people can barely afford the cheapest groceries, they aren't going to go to my (high end accessories) shop except to rob it." His argument with me if I point out I don't drive and I'm low income is that "I just don't get it." I get it, I assure you, bigot.

Lost my prescription for HRT when I got bumped from Medicaid, so back to hot flashes - the cats love it

It's small, but it's significant - like my vote today

We enjoyed Halloween for a change

This, a hundred times over, was my life until my parents were gone. Don't do this to anyone you care about.

The alt text is wonderful

The weather was perfect for #NoKings today. I love Pittsburgh.

NEW: No Kings is this Saturday, and here are my tips for how to mitigate anxiety in large crowds. Feel free to share! youtu.be/nxpkVk9TGgQ?...

My publisher’s been very patient. I’m not doing everything I said I’d do to promote this book (out in a few weeks) because I’m an organizer in a city under federal attack. My days are full and emotionally exhausting. Any help getting the word out means a lot. It's a book people need right now.

I love reading great research about why people don't do what benefits them - like UBI and other pro-social behaviors. This is a compelling look at why people don't make more vegan choices. It definitely describes a bias I knew about but hadn't applied to food.

Well, here it is at last. I got a diagnosis of autism. I have so many feelings about this; it's not a surprise to anyone I know, I've always been "weird." Now it's time to think about how to adapt to (and also enjoy) the data. One thing is clear: Fuck RFKjr and his creepy, stupid, harmful theories.

I'm taking a break from my neurological evaluation for autism. I am happy-nervous. It takes four hours! Some of the tests are SO HARD. I got distracted by the HVAC and somebody's footsteps and laughter in the hallway and messed one up. But I guess that's why I'm here, right? To learn about me.