Randy Dykhuis 🇺🇲 🇳🇱

It's a warm summer evening here in mid-Michigan & I'm enjoying a quiet respite watching the fireflies blink on & off in my backyard.

In his book, Attia had an agenda. I don't think that was true of Topol. He was very focused on the evidence. Lots of chemistry & biology so be prepared for a fair amount of scientific jargon.

After reading the 1st couple of chapters, I skimmed the rest. If you've read Attia's "Outlive" you pretty much know what to expect here: exercise, sleep enough, eat a plant-based diet & you'll likely live longer. Topol reports the science as it exists today with some guesses about what's coming. 💙📚

This is not a mystery story the way we usually think of them. It is much more a meditation on grief & coping with the sudden death of someone close. With a mystery story sort of wrapped around that. Very "wink-wink-noddish" but very much more than that. 💙📚

A retelling of the war in heaven from "Paradise Lost". Satan & Yahweh are manipulated by another denizen of Heaven, Abdiel, to distrust each other & violence ensues. Told from multiple perspectives, it's a provocative read about loyalty, hubris, & free will. 💙📚🪐

Last book in "The Salvagers" trilogy. It's space opera with a magical twist. White does a good job fleshing out the characters while keeping the action moving. This is not a series to read out of order. Events from previous books are constantly referenced. A good memory helps. **1/2 of ****. 💙📚🪐

A few signs from Lansing, MI. Nice turnout already @more people streaming in. #nokings #50501

I'm sure Agatha is subconsciously learning as she naps on Mark Bittman's "How to cook everything vegetarian". Expecting great things from her in the kitchen. #catnapping #cats

No problem with the packet of spinach seeds. At least I got them going today.

Well this unexpected & a little off-putting. First time ever that I opened a seed packet only to find no seeds. Not even one. Another trip to the garden store is in order. #herbs #garden #planting

Re-read it for the 1st time in about 45 years. It didn't age well. Lots of talk, much of it incomprehensible. In the end, it did move the story forward, but it was slow getting there. Wondering how they'll make a movie out of it. 💙📚🪐

A reimagining of Pinocchio. Here Victor is a real boy & no one else is human. Victor and his mechanized friends must rescue his father from evil automatons. Assorted adventures ensue. I have mixed feelings about the book. Quite imaginative but never really gels. **/****. 💙🪐📚

Newly planted Tulip tree with wood fence on right and grass extending to property line in back. Green building in other side if property line

Newly planted Easter redbud tree with mulch around tree and grass extending to property line in back. Green building in other side if property line

Two new trees in the backyard courtesy of the city of Lansing. Past time to replace lost tree canopy in the city. 🌳 #trees

Very disappointing. 2nd in a trilogy. Loved book 1. This one was just way too long & boring. Vonvalt & Helena journey to Sova only to be led on a merry chase that goes on & on & on. The last 1/3 picks up a bit when Claver, evil to the core, appears then stumbles again. Hope #3 is better. 📚💙🪐

Tabby cat curled up on top of packing boxes next to window.

Agatha will miss the moving boxes after they're gone. #caturday #catnapping

Preliminary injunction granted against dismantling of Institute of Museum and Library Services. Very strongly worded opinion demolishing administration's pitiful defense. ecf.rid.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show...

Book jacket with words "Overshoot: Climate Politics When It's Too Late' by Wim Carton and Andreas Malm. Word are over a picture if a burning forest fire.

A sobering assessment about our chances of limiting global warming to 1.5 or 2.0 degrees C. Everything points to capitalism as culprit. Read this book with "The Price Is Wrong". Both tell the same story. Hard not to despair when confronted with the power of capital. 💙📚 #climate

Judge ‘Inclined’ to Rule Against Institute of Museum and Library Services Shutdown The Institute of Museum and Library Service's entire 75-person staff placed on leave last month.

A win in the ongoing fight to save IMLS from the thugs at DOGE. www.artnews.com/art-news/new...

Of course they did. It's a feature of capitalism. Big tobacco denied the harm they did for decades & big social media is doing it today. It's only with outside pressure that they're brought to heel.

Michigan's statewide ILL system, MeLCat, is threatened because of the illegal & stupid actions to shut down IMLS. 1,000,000 loans per year through MeLCat. Absolutely fabulous service.

So happy to discover one of my very favorite authors @emilymandel.bsky.social on Bluesky.

Same reaction to Slan. Kind of disappointed given tenor of the reviews I read.

Book jacket with the title "The Last Bookstore On Earth" 2 yellow origami flowers among many black ones. One yellow flower is burning.

Liz survives The Storm that claims her family & many, many others and moves into the bookstore she loves. Civilization crumples. Maeve appears. Together they try to build a life. A YA dystopia, not without its faults but an impressive debut by an undergraduate(!) author. **1/2/**** 💙📚🪐

A Top Democratic Official Plots to Take Down Party Incumbents

I would be behind him for only his assertion that there should be a 100% tax after someone earns their 1st billion.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/15/u...

Tabby cat standing on some cleans sheets that need to be folded.

Yes, I'd love to help you fold the laundry. #cats #cathelpers

What are waiting for? Let's play! #kittygames #cats

Good?

Allow me to gush for a sec: I've tried a bunch of ST padcasts but there are only 2 or 3 that I keep coming back to. Yours is one. Glad you're filling the time between new episodes. Looking forward to "Search for Spock". The need of the one....

In all my years of reading SF, have never read any Cherryh. Any recommendations for a good one to start with?

Dread Lord Gavrax wakes up with no memories, including his name. Slowly he pieces his life back together while trying to become someone new. Do our memories make us who we are? Without them can we start over? Interesting premise. **/**** 🪐📚💙