OtterB

We got one group of two older kids dressed as monsters or zombies or something. We are the last residence before two houses turned businesses and then a major road. Everyone turns at the previous cross street to stay deeper in the solidly residential part of the neighborhood.

133, 134. Sword Dance, Saffron Alley, (parts of Strong Wine), by AJ Demas. Reread. Alt-ancient Mediterranean m/nb romance with mysteries. Same romance, different mystery in each book. The two MCs are different but fit well together. Challenge is going from “fun fling but it can’t last” to lasting.

I am reviewing a hotel contract for an event for a hobby org. I opened it in Adobe and got a message at the top: This appears to be a long document. Save time by reading a summary using AI Assistant.

Gave me a visceral HELL, NO! The whole point of reviewing a contract is to read every damn word.

A graphic with a light orange background and blue text that reads: "Where and when to pick up food: Tuesdays 12pm — 2 pm No Limits Outreach Ministries 7721 Barlowe Rd, Hyattsville, Maryland 20785 Wednesdays 10 am — 11:30 am So What Else 6116 Executive Blvd, North Bethesda, Maryland 20852 Fridays 11 am — 1 pm United Community 7511 Fordson Rd, Alexandria, Virginia 22306 11 am — 1:30 pm Urban Outreach 5343 C St SE, D.C. 20019 Saturdays 1pm — 2:30 pm LindaBen Foundation 10739 Tucker St, Beltsville, Maryland 20705" The ACLU-DC logo is in the bottom right corner

Starting this week, Capital Area Food Bank is providing free food assistance to furloughed federal workers & contractors struggling to make ends meet because of the government shutdown. Simply show your government work I.D. & stock up on shelf-stable items & fresh produce.

Not urban fantasy, or even fantasy, but tends to be liked by people who like KJ Charles. AJ Demas has some series and some standalones in an alt-ancient Mediterranean. All m/m or m/nb romance. Try Sword Dance. It’s the first of a trilogy; HEA ending not until book 3 but 1st 2 aren’t cliffhangers.

Yeah, I found out from someone else’s post. pleasant surprise.

132. Testimony of Mute Things, Lois McMaster Bujold. New Penric & Desdemona. Earlier in the continuum. Penric is attending on the Princess Archdivine during temple negotiations in a neighboring town. Besides his roles as secretary, court-sorcerer, physician and bodyguard, he helps solve a murder.

Thank you!

If I could, I would send you warmth, rest, and light.

131. A Change of Habit: Leaving Behind My Husband, Career, and Everything I Owned to Become a Nun, Sister Monica Clare. From a dysfunctional Southern family and work in comedy and entertainment marketing, the author gradually responded to God’s call and became an Episcopal nun. Recommended.

130. Dreadful Company, Vivian Shaw. Reread. Second Greta Helsing book. At a conference in Paris, Greta is kidnapped by a coven of very badly behaved vampires. Plus, some unrestrained magic is creating “thin spots” with timeslips and a risk to the fabric of reality.

129. Strange Practice, Vivian Shaw. Reread. First in a series. Dr. Greta Helsing is a doctor in London treating supernatural patients: vampires, ghouls, mummies, weres, etc. She and friends need to solve a mystery of fake monks attacking with weapons specially treated to damage supernaturals.

Oh no!

Notice how it’s always, “the Bible must inform our laws!” until it comes to the +2,000 verses in the Bible that discuss the generous use of wealth and possessions in a way that prioritizes the needs of the poor, this sick, the stranger, the vulnerable, and the oppressed.

When books were being pulled from Iowa classrooms, these teens started an after-school club to read them Three Iowa City West high schoolers founded a book club that reads some of the country's most frequently banned books after a state law removing books with sexual content was signed in 2023. Two years later, many of the books have been reshelved and parts of the law can't be enforced.

Three high schoolers founded a book club that reads some of the country's most frequently banned books after a state law removing books with sexual content was signed in 2023. Two years later, many of the books have been reshelved and parts of the law can't be enforced.

Photo of Twin Peaks actor Kyle MacLachlan running in a vineyard while being chased by a bear. The caption on Kyle MacLachlan reads "Me" The caption on the bear reads "Something I've been putting off for weeks that wouldn't take longer than fifteen minutes to complete"

A memoir.

Me too

I should add, there’s some romance but it’s very secondary and may come in later books, I can’t remember.

Maybe the Dr Greta Helsing novels by Vivian Shaw, beginning with Strange Practice. The main character is a human doctor to supernaturals in London. Several friends/patients are vampires. I don’t often like vampire books but liked these; am not sure what that says about their appeal to a vampire fan.

🎶
I am the very model of a MAGA Major General,
I've information secondhand from sources purely digital,
I know exactly nothing but what LLMs convey to me
In unencrypted late night chats, eschewing all security.
🎶

Yep, I was cautious about Wikipedia for years. It’s not where to stop research. But for a quick overview it can be really helpful, especially in comparison to AI slop. I started a small recurring donation a few months ago.

Pretty well. I am reading Beyond the Snow: The Life and Faith of Elizabeth Goudge by Rawlins, which links episodes from her life to her books, so I may reread several. Adult ones can lean too heavily on Sacrifice for Duty or on gender roles but this one didn’t go there. Overall a fun comfort read.

You are now a magician. A wizard. A sorceress. A witch.

What is your familiar?

A river otter. They have such fun. I need to be reminded to make time for that. Although no doubt it would get annoying.

I am highly amused by the “snake dance of rejection.” Really easy to picture that. I am generally okay with snakes if I know them to be non venomous, but my ID skills aren’t good and I don’t want to get that up close and personal.

128. Linnets and Valerians, Elizabeth Goudge. Reread. Children’s story of two brothers and two sisters living with relatives in England while their army father returns to India. Adventures and education and some level of magic, and helping put right a long-ago wrong in the village.

Oops, thanks, reposted without checking for alt text

127. Sekaran, Rachel Neumeier. New entry in the Tuyo series. Vignettes of Sekaran, crown prince of the Summer Lands. Some revisiting scenes we saw from other povs. Explains more of the political and social structure in the Summer Lands. Lets us see the friendship between Aras & Sekaran from boyhood.

In my mom’s family, pre-revolutionary war, there is an Obadiah.

Emile on sale!