I may have sat pondering this longer than strictly necessary.

Just to be clear: Brian Kilmeade *did not* endorse euthanizing homeless people. He advocated MURDERING over 700,000 of them.

And on a network that has been *beside itself* over the murder of just one man this week.

Today's therapy covered self-care in the face of our dystopian reality. I say covered like it solved anything. Very much day by day. Ugh.

Thank gawd for books, eh? Still find joy there. 📚

Salacious gossip about one of our greatest writers is keeping me going at the moment. Finally feeling a spark of interest in SOMETHING and I'm pondering an autumn return to the New England homes of several dead writers, including Melville's Arrowhead, with lighthouses and lobster dinners. 🦞📚

There's a program called Dickinson on Apple+, a clever hipster-y take on Emily that has its moments.

ED yelling at HDThoreau "You're a dick!" was one of those moments.

#lyingaround #musingsfromthesofa #rejectproductivity

Taxes done, who knows who's actually getting my payment.

Arrgh.

Glad to have it off my plate but nothing is normal anymore.

Deactivated my X account. I'll just let it go gently into that good night after the 30 days, per policy.

There's more evil than good there these days.

If you've pulled the plug on X, did it feel any better after?

Everything is so damn toxic now.

Who are the five writers who made you?

Virginia Woolf
William Faulkner
Charles Dickens
Lewis Carroll
GG Marquez

I can't remember ever using Discord, yet I have an account already ... 🤔

@mookse.bsky.social Hi Paul and Trevor! I'm on Discord trying to figure out how to find y'all. I tried Mookse and Gripes but maybe it's actually under your individual names? I'm there under my first and last names: Lisa Guidarini. 📚

Got my answer. Buying a copy on general principle.

Wait, they weren't asking him to review the book but, instead, not to review it? I need to Google this.

I'm really starting to question the point of being on social media anymore if it enrages me more than it does anything else.

I'm still on the bird site though I don't visit often. I joined in 2009. At one time it was fantastic with great interaction.

Now it depresses me.

Films 2025
#9
L'été dernier/Last Summer
NR
2023-France
Drama
Director: Catherine Breillat

Curling up to read @rebeccaromney.com 's lovely new book about the women writers who shaped Austen's writing. Delicious!

It's the perfect complement to my Austen 250 in 2025 re-read of all the novels. My Facebook group finished S&S, headed into P&P starting tomorrow.

Films 2025
#9
The Neon Bible
UR
1995-U.S.
Drama
Director: Terence Davies

Haha I guess I'm not surprised!

I was just thinking today a book about Queequeg would be fascinating. Ahab too, of course, but Queequeg would be amazing. If Jon is pondering a next topic!

Can't blame me for trying. 🙂

I'm also donating to a few of the organizations, since they are in the crosshairs. Not huge amounts but it's something.

Since Elongated Muskrat loves emails so much I've been signing him up for every newsletter I can find focused on "woke" topics he seems fascinated by.

If they have a space for free text I explain he's a whiny little bitch who loves email.

Let's show him some love: hr@opm.gov

Thinking about planning a return trip to Scotland next year, staying on one of the islands. I'm not too interested in touring, just beachcombing, writing, reading, cooking ... Bliss.

I've traveled there extensively but always looking for recommendations. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Oooh thank you! This is a definite gap in my knowledge base. I'll be placing an order through an indie bookshop.

I'm looking for a few "grab and never let go" reads to fill in gaps. Mystery, fantasy, some sci-fi but nothing terribly technical, if that's a thing! I'm not great at huge casts of characters, like in Game of Thrones. I read War and Peace and loved it, sure, but selectively ignored some characters.

Genre fans: what are the compulsively readable books you recommend, the huge or series books that absolutely grip and keep you flipping pages? I don't read much genre fiction as it's defined but I remember how quickly I blew through The Stand in my teens. I've read other stuff but that stands out.

How are you liking the Colette bio? It's been on the periphery of my reading interests for a while.

I know I've promoted a specific book/author a lot when my auto fill remembers it. All the press Percival Everett's 'James' is getting allows me to slide in a rec for @jonclinch.com 's 'Finn.'

I liked and respect James but I was blown away by Finn, so much so I haven't stopped evangelizing for it.

Poptarts and ice cream are part of my mental health rest cure.

Thank goodness for Instacart ...

Aside from grapes, my entire order is pretty well nutritionally bankrupt. That's next week Lisa's problem.

Texting with the ex about our son's upcoming wedding, talking about the venue for the rehearsal dinner. I fumbled the phone and hit one of those gif auto replies that said "love you," but thankfully it didn't auto send ...

Imagining his face if it had 😳 We'll have been divorced a decade in June.