This is huge. Go, Mai, go!

Wow. This whole thread. I prefer my news reported, written & edited by actual humans, thank you

Haven’t done one of these lately, but this popped in to my head today. Today’s Silly Pangram: TINLADY. A female counterpart to the more famous Tinman.

How a 13-year-old discovered a possible Japanese wolf specimen A new paper by Hinako Komori and two academics says a specimen she found could be one of two Japanese wolves kept at Ueno Zoo in the late 19th century.

Simultaneously charming, fascinating, and sad.

How a 13-year-old discovered a possible Japanese wolf specimen

Another victim of Cesar Chavez breaks their silence: ​​‘My body remembers’ Jennifer Andrea Porras, now 53, says they were sexually abused by the union leader as a teen

Another heartbreaking story. Yet the strength in this survivor's account of what happened & how they've moved forward in life is awe-inspiring.

A Visit to Our Meanest Relative Can Only End in Tears - Electric Literature “Nuts” by Katie Schorr, recommended by Halimah Marcus for Electric Literature

I couldn't look away from this riveting, brutally honest story about family ties & tensions & old hurts at @electricliterature.com. "Nuts" by Katie Schorr. And now I'm craving a bagel with cream cheese, which sucks because I'm both gluten- and lactose-intolerant.

California Dems wanted a smaller field for governor. Mission accomplished | Opinion Party leadership for weeks has been pressuring candidates behind in the polls to drop out. The problem all along was at the top.

"Instead of a pollster, the party should have hired a detective. If Swalwell’s supporters spread themselves so far and wide that Republican candidates Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton garner the most votes in June, the Democrats will only have themselves to blame."

Seriously.

1485: Scheduling the Bone Scan by Katie Farris Podcast Episode · The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily · April 2 · 6m

I happened to listen to this marvelous poem by Katie Farris while waiting for a DEXA scan that will tell me how the osteoporosis has progressed (or not).

This was really good. Would love to read the whole novel

Thanks for this. I just called to confirm my claim, which I submitted in October. Everything *seemed* to be in order

My Parents Were Both Dying. Then I Found Out I Had Cancer Amanda Peet writes, “I admire people who can sit with uncertainty in matters of life and death. I’m not one of them. I suck at mindfulness.”

Moving & candid essay by Amanda Peet in @newyorker.com

“I admire people who can sit with uncertainty in matters of life and death. I’m not one of them. I suck at mindfulness. I run scenarios, even for minor matters that are not exactly my business and hard to predict…”

Yep. Same

Today’s Silly Pangram: LENTPITY, n., the compassion (or show of compassion) non-Catholics feel for Catholics for their deprivations during the season of Lent.

“It’s just for a few more weeks,” Naomi said to her friend Donna, voice full of lentpity. Then added, “But wow, this brownie is so good!”

Today’s Silly Pangram: ABITUARY, n., a very short obituary.

“Unmourned by all but his most deluded followers, the tyrant died,” read the abituary.

#NYTSpellingBee

Also today’s real pangram very apt for the day when 4th-year med school students nationwide learn where they’ll be doing their residencies post-graduation. Congratulations to everyone who landed somewhere to complete their training!

Today’s Silly Pangram: CHEATMADE, adj., of a piece of ostensibly creative work that was actually produced by a machine.

“Her debut novel, which reportedly garnered a six-figure advance, turned out to be an AI-generated cheatmade pastiche of other people’s work.”

In the Mood for Love and Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence

Maybe we should stop naming things after people. Maybe we should be especially careful about naming things after men.

Today’s Silly Pangram: MONEYHOG.

“The moneyhogs fleeing California over a one-time billionaire tax have elicited almost no sympathy from the general public.”

Same!

Today’s Silly Pangram: FLUBODE, a house in which a contagious illness is spreading among household members.

“No, no, no,” the harried mom of three coughing children said when her mother offered to come & help. “Keep away from our flubode.”

#NYTSpellingBee

Seeking a Second Passport For some Americans, citizenship in a country their ancestors fled is now an insurance plan.

A fascinating read by friend & former colleague @laurenmarkham.bsky.social about Americans seeking secondary citizenships for their kids. Curious about whether there’s a comparable move among Asian-Americans.

Seeking a Second Passport at @newyorker.com

Today’s Silly Pangram: EXCLINGING, an unhealthy or lingering attachment to a former lover or partner.

“Enough with the exclinging,” her friend said.

“I’m not!”

“You still send him birthday cards.”

“I’m just being nice.”

“And Christmas presents.”

“….”

#NYTSpellingBee

Just saw "Sirāt." A group of Europeans drives recklessly around the Moroccan desert, with predictably terrible results. Impressive cinematography, but I just wanted it to end a good 45 minutes before it did.

Today’s Missing Pangram: TROCHAIC. Come on, New York Times. This is less obscure than one of the pangrams you did accept today.

I challenged ChatGPT to a writing competition. Could it actually replace me? In week two of Rhik Samadder’s diary, our resident AI skeptic put his reputation on the line

This dude needs better writer friends. "Every writer I know is in despair at the prospect being replaced by AI. Many of them say they never use it on principle; I know all of them do."

Today’s Silly Pangram: LOWTEND, adj., requiring little attention or upkeep; low maintenance.

“She appreciated her partner’s genial, lowtend personality, although she sometimes wished he talked more.”

Today’s Silly Pangram: NORMCRAT, a ruler who behaves like a relatively normal person and/or respects conventional legal & political norms.

“The people’s hunger for a normcrat led to record turnout at the midterm polls.”

Today’s Silly Pangram: BIDUALLY, adverb, quadruply; in a four-fold way.

Yeah, I’m not impressed with this one either.

Today’s Silly Pangram: AXIOTONIC, n., a consoling truth, or adj., of something both true & reassuring.

#NYTSpellingBee

Cover of VQR Ghost Stories issue. Moody image of shoreline with what appears to be curtain or waterfall falling from sky.

First page of my story, “Snowlight.” Opens with lines, “Not an uncommon winter tale. It goes different ways but always starts the same…”

Illustration by Wesley Allsbrook, of barefoot woman walking through snow, wearing loose white clothes. Long black hair streams behind her. Fir trees in background

Stopped by the @vqr.bsky.social table at #AWP & picked up a copy of their latest issue, Ghosts, which includes a very very short story of mine, “Snowlight.” Lovely illustration by Wesley Allsbrook. Thanks, VQR!