Great culture can save lives. Literally.

Amazing letter in today’s @thetimes.com about Tom Stoppard

An orc with a mace, named Boughs of Holly, takes a swing at a jester in a mask called The Halls.

I fully support the Dungeons & Dragons holiday season welcome post.

The Roundworld Year for 2026 shall be known as 🥁🥁🥁 The Year of the Curious Squid. 🌊

#Discworld #discworldofficial #terrypratchett

First playthrough I was Sereda Aeducan, and so I 100% chose Harrowmont and said some exceptionally rude things to Bhelen as I drop-kicked him out into the Deep Roads. Then I found out that Bhelen is actually a better monarch than Harrowmont, and chose him in later playthroughs. But grudgingly!

I highly recommend any of La Tienda's sampler boxes (www.tienda.com/gifts/samplers), especially Five Flavors of Spain!

B, but also very definitely D, and she was proud of it.

Genres in order:

--Fantasy and time travel, deconstructing the hero
--Historical fiction about nuns in 1950s Britain
--MG historical fantasy about Gullah children in the 1960s
--Urban fantasy, also deconstructing the hero
--Historical queer mystery set in CA in the 1950s
--YA fantasy, bonus romance

Deep breath, sticking to recent reads:

--The Everlasting by @alixeharrow.bsky.social!
--In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden!
--Root Magic by @edenroyce.bsky.social!
--Slayers of Old by @jimchines.com!
--Mirage City by @levacrosen.bsky.social!
--Steel & Spellfire by @lauraeweymouth.bsky.social!

I just finished @alixeharrow.bsky.social's The Everlasting, which is fantasy and a study of the power and effect of Story.

And I am a quarter through In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden, about a group of Benedictine nuns in the 1950s, and the life and culture and faith are fascinating to me.

I think we can safely say that the Leavitt's brother called ICE on his ex, the mother of his child, and I have to say: I have no desire to respect, find common ground or share the country with these monsters.

In the absence of David Lynch, I'll accept Soderbergh for this job, and trust the semi-benevolent overlord to keep him in line.

I make a damn good strawberry-rhubarb pie if I do say so myself. If I'm picking from offered pies, I will usually go for apple, cherry, or key lime as long as it's not mutagen-green.

One of my former retail coworkers scheduled a meeting with my new boss (attorney) and we were both surprised and pleased to see each other. She retained my boss almost immediately, because "once I saw Grey was with you, I knew I was meeting with the right person".

We're each of us alone, to be sure. What can you do but hold your hand out in the dark?

Pie crust was made last night, pie will be assembled and baked this evening, ingredients for Family Recipe Soda Bread that spouse will be baking today are all acquired, and we have hoagie fixings for a fast dinner after all the baking.

I am not even *looking* at a grocery store until Friday.

a man in a suit and tie is asking why he is on netflix Alt: A man in a natty suit and tie (Ted Danson as Charles Nieuwendyck in "A Man on the Inside") is asking why he is the PI's first choice.

You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?

It might take a little time, but I trust him

Today’s xkcd made me cry.

In a good way.

xkcd.com/3172/

A grey and white cat sleeps blissfully on someone's lap, one white leg stretched across the human's chest in the foreground.

A grey and white cat with a pink nose wearing a blue bow tie sits on the top of a cat playset, looking at the camera with a friendly, slightly confused expression.

Four years ago today, we had to say goodbye to my best guy Hector. He loved everyone and everything, and I know whatever life he's on, he's still loving it. I miss you so much, buddy.

The year my husband brined the turkey and made homemade cranberry dressing while I made two kinds of cookies, we hauled everything down to my MiL, roasted the turkey and helped w/other sides. My SiL arrived, looked at the spread, and said "Where's pie? It's not *really* Thanksgiving without pie."

It will forever be a tie between the Brontes and Nemesis. Today, Nemesis wins out.

www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id...

A friend of a friend reached out and said she was looking for a legal assistant with a memory for names and details, a grasp of the English language, and willing to be blunt to people when needed. I said "I've been in retail for years, PLEASE let me be blunt." 14 years and the firm is going strong!

And then there was me. Starship: "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", Sting: "Fields of Gold", and "In Your Eyes". Subtle I was not.

Including "In Your Eyes", especially if you knew they'd seen "Say Anything", was essentially a proposal.

My constituency (myself, my spouse, and two cats) co-sign!

Mama cat Porsche (right), a brown tabby cat with big splashes of white, with her “mini me” daughter Mercedes.

Young grey tabby cat Bentley with his brown tabby sister Ferrari.

Mercedes, a young brown tabby cat with big splashes of white fur.

Ferrari, a cute and round young brown tabby cat.

It’s hard to believe but the Auto Club family— mama Porsche & her now 7-month old kittens Ferrari, Mercedes, and Bentley— have had no applications. Not one for any of them. They’ve been growing up together in foster care, shy at first & needing a quiet home. Elkton, MD Apply crits4cats.petfinder.com

New season of Man on the Inside! With GARY COLE and MARY STEENBURGEN and ANDREW STRATHAIRN. And a scene between two characters that had me leaning towards the TV chanting "kiss Kiss KISS". All this in only the first episode!

“Oh did I see you posting A.I? Instant unfollow Are you trying to argue with me about it? Instant block” There is a small cartoon portrait of myself, a round-faced Asian guy with round glasses and short hair, saying, “I’m just not that patient.”

UwU

He's a jerk, and that was an incredibly mean card. You *can* do something about your possible hearing loss--schedule a hearing check and talk about hearing aids (it runs in my family too). Then you'll be able to hear his shocked cries of 'it was just a joke!' when you say you're filing for divorce.

To the reader whose first fantasy-reading experience was getting mocked by romantasy fans for asking about sources for fae/faeries--you are welcome in this genre. Come talk to me about sexy fae, creepy fae, cute fae, terrifying fae. It's so fascinating, there's so much to discover, and I have recs!