It's time to get ready for ALL HALLOW'S READ!

What's All Hallow's Read, you ask? It's giving away books along with the candy - or any number of other ways to celebrate reading along with Hallowe'en. Let Neil Gaiman explain it!

I've been doing this for 4 or 5 years now, and it's wonderful. The kids really love getting books - I think some of my veteran trick-or-treaters have been spreading the word because every year I get a few more than the previous year.

I get most of my AHR books from the Friends of the Omaha Public Library's book sale that goes on all year. I've written an Instructable on how to prep the books for The Big Night.

Celebrate All Hallow's Read! Scare your friends! 💀 👾 👽 🎃

Today's cancer checkup

Passed it with an "A" again! That's two years down. Next appt: August 2018!
😺

Heather Heyer is an American hero.

But she should never have had to be. I think a statue of that brave young woman should replace every goddamned Confederate statue in the country.

It occurs to me, for someone who claims to hate losers so much, The Orange Ass has certainly picked a couple of global-level historical losers to side with. 

The Liberal Redneck says it a lot better than I ever could.

*needle scratch*

Er, well, no. I decided against NaNoWriMo since the last post.

I find myself having a hard time committing to anything that's going to require that kind of dedication, these days.

So, No NaNo. The world will survive this loss.

I wish I could just get over you

Yeah, so, NaNoWriMo has hooked me again. Fortunately, they've adopted more flexible "rules" for Camp NaNoWriMo, in that I can go back to the most recent November novel attempt and work on that; it no longer has to be a brand-new work. So, That ol' 24 Spaces keeps bugging me like crazy, so here I go: July will be 31 days of Camp NaNoWriMo insanity. Well - not quite. This time I've pledged to work on the piece at least 1 hour per day, on average.

So I need to collect the sunscreen, s'mores ingredients, flip flops and lemonade, and get ready to CAMP!

It's been a long drought.

I haven't been doing much worth posting, and I'm still fighting the depression (and winning, but slowly), though the situation in American politics today has not helped that process. In fact I expend probably more energy than I realize fuming and worrying about that.

I just came across a terrific pick-me-up. Last year, Warren Buffett wrote a letter to Bill and Melinda Gates, urging them to publish a kind of update to their philanthropic activities. Read Mr. Buffett's letter, then read and view their response. Then come back here because I have a question.

Buffett's letter.

The Gates's response.

That's really something isn't it? Wow. Everybody should read/view it. Heartening!

Look at all they are doing, all the good and how it ramifies, multiplies, spreads geographically and through generations, benefit upon benefit, lifting entire societies out of poverty, disease, and ignorance. Providing the world with generations of healthy, educated young people who will continue lifting their families, communities, and countries even higher.

Now look at what Trump and the Republicans are doing. They've been rabid dogs, tearing down every good and humane thing that we have worked so hard and long to build. Health care, education, infrastructure, science, equality, international aid, diplomatic relationships - everything.

My question is, why haven't these assholes been charged with crimes against humanity? The impacts of their greed, viciousness, bigotry, sexism, racism, and hatred will also ramify through generations and geography across the world. People have already died, literally because of their actions and policies, and they have barely started. If that isn't crimes against humanity, what is?

I've just got one question:

WTF IS WRONG WITH "MATCHY-MATCHY"???

I don't understand why all the hate for clothes and accessories whose colors or patterns match or at least harmonize. 

Yep, you're right, I'm not into fashion. For decades I've figured if I can get an outfit together where my socks match or at least coordinate somehow with my shirt/sweater/pants/skirt, I'm home free! Some snotty chemistry tech (a male!) made a snide comment about how my socks always match my shirt - that was um. well. like. 1987? or so? So it's a venerable tradition of mine.

I think people should STFU about "matchy-matchy." It's just another way to be a snob and put other people down.

That's my fashion manifesto. I don't have a picture or anything to go with it. 

All of these inspire and move me but it's Malala that brings the tears. They tried to blow out her brains and look at her. 

Our enemies are stupid and small. They don't have a chance.

When a dolt provides his nemesis with a great campaign slogan

From Tumblr:

sashayed:

“She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”

(via scarlettohairdye)

Interlude?

So the roof is re-shingled and it looks great. But there are several other projects the contractor is supposed to do, but I haven't heard a word since the roofers finished last Tuesday. I'm not worried. We're also waiting to find out if the insurance company is going to foot the bill for a LARGE project that became obviously necessary once they'd got the old shingles off - there were three layers instead of just the one.

So I wait. There is still some material, and a wheelbarrow and a ladder, here, so I assume they'll be back when all the ducks have got in line.

Mood-wise, the third antidepressant seems to be doing its job. I'm feeling more like me than I have for a year. And I'm resuming some of my grown-up habits I was secretly proud of developing before the black dog bit me. My spirits are much better, even though my country's agony under the putsch harrows me daily.  I do what I can to help resist. I wish I could do more. But my year's inactivity has taken its toll on my very body - I'm going to have to build up my muscle strength gradually because I'm weaker now, and have very little stamina. And there's an ever-growing list of home projects I need to address; so much piled up while I was depressed, I can't believe it. Ah well, I'll plug along and do the best I can.

I am so glad the black dog went away!

Big doins here today

At 9 the roofers showed up. So, a few days of this constant racket from all over the roof will keep us company. I don't watch them because it makes me nervous. There's at least an inch of 3 day old snow everywhere.

O'Keefe flat-out hates it of course. Every once in awhile a particular bit of noise scares her and she galvanizes into a geriatric half-crouch on the hassock where she's napping against my leg. It takes her a minute or so to settle down and go back to sleep. So many monsters attacking her house!

Turns out I had a lot more roof damage than I'd thought in the May 11th hailstorm.

The morning after. You can't really see it in the photo but there were still 1" hailstones *everywhere* and of course, the trees' new leaves just got pulverized. Looked like a giant had strewn green confetti over everything.

All those years of homeowner's insurance is paying off now, big-time.

Only we, the people, can stop this.

It's so much worse and it's happening so much faster than even I imagined. I'm watching my country go from a flawed, but functional democracy, to a totalitarian state. For the first time in my life, I'm deeply afraid.

Good-bye, Old World

Hello whatever the hell it is that's showing up as of tomorrow afternoon.

Keep your friends close.

Keep your enemies closer.