• Goddamnit, Donut!

    August 9, 2026 / 2 Comments

    I know I’ve been rather quiet of late.

    I could easily blame the news. Between covering the wars and natural disasters and political fuckery, things have been busy. I could blame the summer, which all of you know is my least favorite season (migraines and sweating and bugs, oh my!). Both scenarios accurately explain my absence from this blogging space. But, there is a third reason.

    I’ve joined a cult.

    Dungeon Crawler CarlThe cult of “Dungeon Crawler Carl.”

    It’s M’s fault, of course. He listened to the first book in Matt Dinniman’s LitRPG series and was so impressed by the story and the vocal talents of Jeff Hays that he encouraged me to join too.

    “You probably won’t like Carl, at first,” he said. “But give it a chance.”

    I did. Soon I was also trapped in a post-apocalyptic world with Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, forced to battle monsters on an intergalactic reality TV show where survival is not guaranteed.

    So far, I’ve read the first four books in this funny, fierce and horrifying fantasy series, all on Audible. M’s picked up a handful of the books on Kindle and we’re thinking about contacting a local independent bookstore to put in an order for the first eight books in hardcover. Yes, we love “Dungeon Crawler Carl” and we’re not alone. The series has sold over 14 million copies.

    When we’re not reading them individually, M and I discuss the books. We sprinkle the catchphrases into our conversations:

    * New Achievement! Reward?
    * Hi Zev!
    * Mongo is appalled!
    * You will not break me.
    * Now get on out there and kill, kill, kill!

    And like good cultists, we do our best to convert others.

    What do you have to lose? This is a bad timeline. Let’s join forces and read for a while, then regroup and change the world. The powers that be have no idea what’s coming.

    As Princess Donut says: “Viva La Revolucion, Carl!”

  • Vegetable gardening

    Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst

    May 14, 2026 / No Comments

    As I begin to plant my garden, I’m focusing on three key areas:

    1) Plants for the pollinators

    2) Flowers for me, particularly night blooming ones

    3) Fruit, veg and herbs

    This last category is of particular importance in 2026 as the U.S. war on Iran continues, food and gas prices soar, tariffs affect access to affordable goods/services and supply chains break down. Throw in a lack of security in my field — complete with the possibility of layoffs on the horizon — and it just makes sense to prepare for the future by growing some of our own food.

    Much of my garden will be started from seed, as that is the most affordable way to plant in bulk. But, I do hope to make at least one trip to the local nursery for items that require extra time and warmer weather in order to bear edibles. Needs must when you live in New England. Although the weather forecasters say temperatures will reach the upper 80s next week, this week we’re dealing with rain storms and nightly freeze warnings.

    So what crops do I plan to grow? I’m focusing on foods that we like to eat: blueberries, carrots, celery, garlic, lettuce, onions, peppers, potatoes, raspberries, shallots, spinach, strawberries and tomatoes. For herbs, I’m aiming to grow apple mint, basil, cat mint, chocolate mint, cilantro (for M), ginger, lavender, oregano, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, sage and a couple of different varieties of thyme. If I can find the right space, and a little bit of courage, I might plant a sincere pumpkin patch. And for the girls, lots and lots of catnip.

    If you’re interested in learning more about how to plant survival crops, I highly recommend checking out GrowVeg on YouTube.

  • Street musician, playing the guitar on subway station of Manhattan, USA — Photo by Sopotniccy

    Music to my ears

    March 14, 2026 / No Comments

    One of the things I miss about living in New York City is walking through the subway and hearing music.

    I could be in a terrible mood, or hot and sweaty from the scorching summer temps, and that music would ensorcel me.

    Upon hearing those tantilizing notes, I’d walk straight for the busker and just stand there until the song ended. Sometimes I would be alone, listening intently while the crowds hustled down to their trains or up to the city streets. Other times, I’d be joined by fellow music lovers, who silently agreed that stopping to appreciate someone’s talent was worth a few extra minutes of time.

    To show my gratitude, I would smile and applaud the performer at the end of the song. Whenever possible, I’d also leave a little coin. Then, I’d head toward my destination, carrying their music in my heart.

  • Old cassette tape with headphones and walkman

    The world is turning upside down

    January 18, 2026 / No Comments

    Like millions of other people, M and I are in the middle of watching the final season of “Stranger Things.” We’re halfway through, and so far, it’s freakin’ fantastic. In addition to the likeable characters and the action-packed story, we’re also enjoying all of the callbacks to other cultural touchstones (“Back to the Future,” “The Great Escape,” “The Talisman,” etc.).

    It probably helps that we grew up with these stories, so the Easter eggs — whether blatant or subtle — were instantly recognizable.

    Anyway, I shall not spoil this wonderful show for anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure of seeing it yet. If this is you, definitely start at the beginning. Also know that I’m a bit envious; there’s nothing like savoring a story for the first time.

    For those of you who’ve been watching all along, I offer my Top 5 saving songs:

    1. “Mad About You” by Sting

    2. “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel

    3. “Comptine d’un autre été, l’après-midi” by Yann Tiersen

    4. “Classical Gas” by Eric Clapton

    5. “Joy in Repetition” by Prince

    What are your songs?