Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, inspiration, Thoughts on March 12, 2025| 2 Comments »
A great warhorse comes upon a tiny sparrow lying on its back with its feet in the air, eyes squinched tightly shut. The horse asks what it’s doing.
“I’m trying to help hold back the darkness,” replied the sparrow.
The horse roars with laughter. “That’s pathetic. What do you weigh, about an ounce?”
And the sparrow replies, “Well, one does what one can.”
— fable, recounted by Anne Lamott
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Posted in Other, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, history, infectious disease 101, memories, public health, Thoughts on March 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Measles Is One Of The Most Contagious Diseases On Earth
Measles infection can result in severe and sometimes permanent complications including pneumonia, lung damage, brain damage, and death.
But unlike some infectious diseases, measles has a safe, effective vaccine that can protect us from infection.
We, the general public, can control measles outbreaks.
… [this bit’s for the grandparental units out there; stay healthy, folks!]
The first live measles virus vaccines—which are more effective—were available in 1969.
So anyone born between 1957–1968 may not have sufficient antibodies to avoid infection. Consult your doctor about immunization.
Many of our parents, grandparents, and other waybacks lived through a lot of difficult things: two world wars, the Great Depression, Spanish Influenza, polio, smallpox, or life before basic standards of health and safety, for example. (Coincidentally, today is also the anniversary of the declaration of the Covid pandemic. Because history may not repeat itself, but it does rhyme.)
If you’re fortunate enough to still have relatives who lived through those times, consider asking them what it was like, and who they lost.
You might hear some interesting stories.
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Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, AI, creativity, technology, Thoughts on March 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »
One thing that often happens when writers talk about writing is a discussion of the creative voice. Separate from the critical voice, the creative voice has been described as “a two-year old who just wants to play.”* It is key to writing.
Problems occur when that urge to play is shut down by the critical voice. That is the side of your mind that is trying to keep your child self from running out into the street without looking both ways, from getting baked** in public, from forgetting your homework, or otherwise making mistakes.
The critical voice is very little help when it comes to getting words on the page. It is pretty good, however, at keeping you from being run over and/or caught making up cases in legal filings. Just, you know, for example.
Bad ChatGPT, bad!
It occurs to me that in some ways, AI is that two-year old running around, trying to give you answers without thinking too hard about whether or not they are the right answers.
It needs a parental figure.
Am I thinking of a caretaker program that follows the AI around like a nanny, keeping it from sticking its finger in a light socket and cleaning up after it?
Yes, yes I am. (Fun story idea idea, too, my inner two-year old must be on the job.)
And hey, we’re already teaching AI mindfulness, why not this?
* I’m sure lots of people have said some version of this but I’m thinking specifically of Dean Wesley Smith.
** I meant to type “naked” but this works too.
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Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, free fiction, speculative fiction, Writers on March 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Oh hey, I think I missed sharing this collection of free stories from Reactor Magazine. I haven’t read all of these but Reactor tends to have very high-quality fiction, and all for free free free! Check it out, browse, and enjoy.
Some of the Best from Reactor: 2024 Edition!
The 2024 edition of Some of the Best From Reactor is out today! This bundle features just some of our favorites from the thirty-five original stories published on Reactor in the past year.
Of course, you can always read the selected stories—and all other Reactor stories—for free whenever you’d like! To make it even easier to catch up, we’ve gathered all our stories from 2024 in one convenient post.
Because life’s too short to read bad stories.
“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”
― Philip Pullman
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Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, animals, humor, ugh work on March 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »
This week has been a little nuts, work wise, and I’m missing the time and energy to write. I was working on a draft for today’s post but it’s not ready, so here’s a helping of fun animal news:
“I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful.”
— Bob Hope
Hope the week is treating you well!
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Posted in Other, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, goals, inspiration, Thoughts, values on March 5, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”
— Michelangelo
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Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, creativity, inspiration, living, Thoughts on March 3, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“The whole point is to live life and be—to use all the colors in the crayon box.”
— RuPaul
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Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, quotes, Thoughts on March 2, 2025| Leave a Comment »
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
— Charles Dickens
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Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, must do on February 28, 2025| Leave a Comment »
Apologies, but I don’t have much time to chat today. The taxes, they are calling me!
What one has to do usually can be done.
— Eleanor Roosevelt
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Posted in Other, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, #damntasty, perfect for me, Thoughts on February 25, 2025| Leave a Comment »
There are some things in life that are just perfect.
It might be a book, or a movie or a volcanic beach under the hot afternoon sun. Or it might be a salad.
Mr Man and I recently went to Montreal with a friend, and stopped off at a little roadside cafe* for lunch. I checked out the menu and perused the glass display case, and there it was.
A pretty pottery bowl filled with a squash, greens, and cranberry salad. The bright orange squash was the perfect blend of soft but not squishy, sweet but substantive. The tender greens brought a hint of bitterness mellowed by a creamy lemon dressing and the bright red of candied cranberries sprinkled throughout.
I had some with lunch, and then went back to the counter.
“That was amazing,” I said. “Two more, please. I have to take some home with me.”
Maybe this wouldn’t have been the perfect salad for you, dear reader, just as my perfect book or movie or afternoon may not be the same as yours. That’s fine.
The news is often dark, but when you can, take a moment to look around you. There is always light. Use it to find your way.
However you connect to what’s good in the world, try do as much of that as you can. What’s important is to realize when you have found a thing that is perfect for you, and to revel in its magic.
Me? I’m off to have lunch.
* Mr Man just gave me the name of the restaurant: the Bravo Bistro Grill & Traiteur.
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