Don't bring a knife to a gunfight. Bring a knife to a vault containing many wheels of cheese in a brutalized postapocalyptic society where knives are only a legend. You are now Knifebringer, Divider of the Cheese. Raise your knife and rule the clans.

Just held some serious close range extended eye contact with the coyote who has recently claimed our front yard as his turf. The dog, whose walk has been delayed, was not so impressed.

Preordered my kid a copy a few months ago and it arrived yesterday. Felt like a boss.

It’s time to cheer on the fish. Here’s a guide to a New England spring spectacle, the herring run. - The Boston Globe From late March through May, millions of river herring make a beeline for New England, entering rivers and brooks from the ocean and fighting their way upriver to get it on in freshwater ponds and lak...

Because we need stuff like this right now, I wrote about several places in Massachusetts where you can watch thousands of fish swimming upstream for their springtime orgies over the next few weeks.
www.bostonglobe.com/2026/04/17/l...

aka "rock you like a hurricane"

Obviously there have been many much bigger and more important problems and events in the past year but losing access to BBC Sounds remains among the most annoying in my day-to-day.

What, doesn’t your street have a coyote escort for every car coming and going, too?

Wow, I know writers are trying to shake up the usual "bit of reading then Q&A" approach to events but that's a bold approach. Makes me wonder about the people at your events, too.

Osprey by John Lister-Kaye In this new book the writer John Lister-Kaye reflects on the lives of ospreys which nest at his home on the Scottish Highlands, and the wildlife which surrounds them.

I look forward to reading this new monograph from the always excellent @littletollerbooks.bsky.social about one of my favorite birds. (I hold out hope that someday my own osprey manuscript might be a book, too.)

So many times

apologies to the neighbors startled this morning by me yelling to drive off the coyote my dopey dog just tried to pick a fight with on our walk

The sidewalks are temporarily torn up for a long stretch of the main road on the peninsula where I live, leaving rutted, rocky dirt paths full of obstacles, and one guy in full on mountain bike gear is riding back and forth making the most of it.

From a distance I thought a cool midcentury modern chair was on the sidewalk for trash day but then I got closer and

This bit just seems rude

Well I suppose if you wanted to downsize

Where to start with: Muriel Spark From an extraordinary debut inspired by a real-life breakdown to a creepy masterpiece, here’s a guide to the Scottish novelist’s works

What a way to end publication day! For the Guardian, I’ve written a piece on navigating the weird and wonderful word of Muriel Spark.

Read it, and do give my book a read, too.

LIKE A CAT LOVES A BIRD: THE NINE LIVES OF MURIEL SPARK is out right now! 🐈‍⬛

www.theguardian.com/books/2026/a...

Porch season is upon us, friends

This round goes to you, sword

But shall this crazed old man be tamely suffered to drag a whole ship’s company down to doom with him?

South Dakota Review 100% real handmade literature

hello. I am now the editor of South Dakota Review, a bonus job that came with my job. people keep asking me about "submitting" (huh) "poems" (hmm) but I only want to read about the weather.

southdakotareview.wordpress.com

Jesus got up one day a little later than usual. He had been dreaming so deep there was nothing left in his head. What was it? A nightmare, dead bodies walking all around him, eyes rolled back, skin falling off. But he wasn't afraid of that. It was a beautiful day. How 'bout some coffee? Don't mind if I do. Take a little ride on my donkey, I love that donkey. Hell, I love everybody.

My traditional Easter reading, from James Tate.

The Slocan Ramblers ft Brad Kolodner /// Tippin' Back the Corn YouTube video by The Slocan Ramblers

There's work I could be doing for a jump on the week but on the other working out how to play this tune is more fun

Brainstorming my gameshow idea Damn That Song in which contestants bid with how long they’ll risk listening to a guaranteed ear worm.

It's time to repost this Easter masterpiece

A guy just stopped me on my way into the train station and asked, “Santa, can I finally get that bike I’ve been asking for for the last thirty years?” so I guess you could say I have aged into a certain look.

It's a little surprising how often I catch myself thinking about Skara Brae Buddo, but then again not so surprising at all because have you seen how cool Buddo is?

Introduced this to my students in class today!

"Thank you for that reading. This is more of a review from my neighbor than a question..."

If only she'd told you last week you could have passed it along

I don't have a great many regrets in life but one is not keeping the little PLU code sticker from every piece of fruit I've ever eaten.