Morning, CoSo. 💫

Out for a run, then revisions time. This is my last weekend before the full work schedule starts anew, so I have to make it count.

Are you working on a personal project? Writing? Music? Knitting? Answering the mysterious call to build an Ark?

If so, what's your biggest challenge with it right now?

Conking out after a high-euphoria day - on my end, at least. But I see a lot of folks had a really rough one. Life sucks like that, doesn't it? One person's good day is often also another's worst.

So I just wanted to thank folks here for being present for so many low days among us. It makes such a difference.

And for those having a low day? Please be kind to yourselves. We have so little control over so much - but we can try not to be hard on ourselves for moving through hard times at all. 💙

WOW. @WordsmithFL, I'm just starting on CBS Ghosts in earnest, and the sheer sense of impunity for our US couple is baked into the script is some fascinating ways.

In the BBC version, when the plague pit's discovered, the couple accepts the need for archaeological experts without much fuss. It's history! But in the CBS version... the couple's on board with desecrating a historical site like *that*, if it cuts down on reno time. 🤦‍♀️

The audiences for these two versions are very different! 😬

😊 An hour ago, I was *just* about to post this, but then my 16-year-old nephew called with big questions about writing an essay for school (always tricky, because there's the way that's best for proper analysis, and... the way the teacher wants it done for easier grading 🙃).

So now, after being a decent aunt, I can post this properly.

DRAFT FINISHED, BABY!

Still have to reread it before I send it to my beta reader, but that'll happen this weekend. Barring major disaster, we're almost ready! 🎉

The #Trekkies might enjoy this one:

There's some ongoing pettiness between Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga in For All Mankind, which now seems to have established that Voyager doesn't exist in its alt-2003. By the sounds of things in the latest episode, there was TOS, TNG and DS9 (or for purist alt-history nerds, TOS, TAS, and Phase II), but VOY is out.

Talk about carrying a grudge. 😅

@nblumengarten @WordsmithFL

(The grudge, for others:)
https://www.lcarscom.net/rdm1000118/

After this novel is finished and sent out, I'm deep-cleaning the fridge and turning it back on. It adds a bit to my monthly utilities, but we're going back to living large soon! 👌🏻

#LifeGoals #Adulting #AmWriting

OH DEAR. THIS POST WAS SET TO SELF-DETONATE 💣 💥 🔥

Ą̷͇̀l̵̩̓̕l̸̩͘ ̸̭̪̈́ť̷̝̍̆h̶̡̛̰̯̏͌a̷͕̞͋̂t̵̩͙͑̈́͝'̵̛̍́ͅͅş̴̬̱͝ ̷̗̊͠l̵͚̕͠ē̸̻͓̐͝f̷̧͙̀̑͝t̶͓̓͊̚ ̶̜̱̓͌́a̴͉͊r̶̡̩͛̀é̵̦̞͕ ̶̮̾ṫ̷̡͈̍ḧ̸̛͍́̊e̴̫̅ş̶̥̰̓e̴̟̪͌͂̇ ̷̞̅͊̚h̷̰͕͈͂e̶̡̹̜̚ŗ̸̗͈̾̇e̴̩̍͐ ̷̪͉̩̀a̵̡̱̐͑͝s̴͎͖̈́h̸͈͌́͜e̴͕̝̐̌ś̶͓̆ͅ.̵̩̉ ̵̱͊͑̀

BACK TO WRITING NOW.

TWO MORE CHAPTERS TO GO! 🎉

WHEW.

You folks left a glorious volley of very kind messages.

Thanks for a beautiful run of well-wishing.

I hope we *all* have better years ahead. 🤗🕊️

After spending so much time poring over The Peloponnesian War and related regional histories and literature, here's a quick old man joke, as befits my increasing age:

What did the affronted Athenian say to the playwright who tripped over and tore his robes at the theatre?

"Euripedes?! Eumenides!"

😁

I'm here all week.

(Walkies now, and then the final two chapters!)

Getting close to the finish line now. After, I'll still need to do a full reread, but my biggest challenge was bringing us to two revelations: 1) my "Thucydides" telling the story of a war as if it had been started by "great nations"... only to realize that another principle sparked it all along (as per real history), & 2) a lone crew trying to protect its better nature in that war of "great nations"--only to learn how hard it is to keep nationalist urges at bay.

I *think* I've pulled it off. 🤞

🤗 Will respond to everyone's beautiful messages later. Still trying to get cracking on today's writing goals, but thank you for the beautiful pop-up notifications.

Hope you're all having a wonderful day, and not doomscrolling *too* much. Until this eve! 🤗

Okay, friends.

Have a lovely one.

Today's newsletter is free to read. It reflects on the dangers of worrying about how you might look while doing good works in the world. We have a long, judgmental tradition that many have weaponized, by accusing people of "boasting" if they talk publicly about how they show up in their communities.

It's bad counsel, which causes us to censor conversations that we sorely need more of, to truly heal ourselves and the world.

#Humanism

https://open.substack.com/pub/mlclark/p/good-worldly-practice-starts-at-home

:) I hope you folks really enjoy tomorrow's newsletter. You were all a huge part of making the perspective-shift possible.

It was a busy lunch service, so my whole treat took longer than expected, but it was so nice to support a franchise dedicated to uplifting women in its employment mandate and benefits package.

Usually I get myself a new book, too, but this year I'll hold off until *mine* is done, and I'm all caught up on paid writing tasks to boot.

And of course, the real gift is tomorrow, when my next year officially starts with a couple weeks of self-repair and home-cleaning. 🙂

Back to writing now. #AllGood

Even after all my time here, I still haven't tried every fruit. But today I added feijoa to my list! A subtly tart, earthy fruit, a bit grainy in the pulp but packed with nutrients, seen as helpful for cardiovascular, skin, and digestive health, and... the namesake of the term "guayabo", aka "hungover": possibly because after drinking you might reach for this, or more literally... probably from the idea of someone so drunk they passed out under these or similar trees. 😁
#TheMoreYouKnow #Colombia