I know there's a war going on, and this point is absolutely nonessential, but side note: can we stop with the dangerously thin, heavily surgically altered women? if that's your thing, okay. but acting like that's aspirational? don't we have more to aim for as we age?
Thanks for reading it! (And I hope everyone is feeling better now!)
ICE is now in the small Kansas college town where I live, rolling up in unmarked cars, conducting armed, masked kidnappings of people on sidewalks & in the parking lots of chain stores and fast food restaurants
My daughter has a new story at The Los Angeles Review:
losangelesreview.org/sanctity-by-...
Love seeing this and being in this list! Thanks for sharing this, Hannah!
After decades of the Republican party's incessant shaming and morality policing, all their faux "family values," they are silent as Trump again shares racist content and appears over 30k times in the Epstein files. Tells you everything you need to know.
Every documents release a reminder that many men still view women and girls as objects, there for them to use
Also: we already know this man is a rapist who bragged about assaulting women. What new evidence will it take to change the minds of those still loyal? What more do they need to see?
thanks, Katherine! If you do a book club that ends up being in any way about SAD GROWNUPS and have any interest in sharing questions or anything like that, let me know!
Heartbreakingly sad how many people will say it’s ok for humans to be violently dragged away from their kids and homes, brutalized, even killed, all in the name of nationalism. America, I should never be surprised
if this is what you wanted, if you see these videos and say "this is what I voted for," you're unquestionably a terrible person
❤️❤️❤️
it feels insensitive to post about anything personal during these catastrophically bad times, so forgive me - but sharing my older child's latest fiction at the lovely @psmokejournal.bsky.social
www.peatsmokejournal.com/winter-2026-...
Random but putting it out there that if you need someone for a conference, panel, reading, podcast, etc., I’d be interested! I’ve been consumed by my day job and would love the chance to talk to people about writing 💕
Another war for oil when peaceful and renewable alternatives exist. The path we are on is so bleak.
If he can, in a twelve-hour period, militarily unseat another country's leader, claim control of that country, threaten to similarly take over multiple other countries, all without any Congressional involvement, Congress is dead, its power completely gone.
I’m not big on end-of-year recaps, but endless thanks to @penamerica.bsky.social for making this year unforgettable. (If you’re interested, you can order SAD GROWNUPS for the price of an elaborate coffee www.stillhousepress.org/stillhouse-s...)
My younger kid has some new poems up @maudlinhouse.bsky.social
Ben Patterson - “Poems About Nebraska”
maudlinhouse.net/poems-about-...
Who did it doesn’t really matter - it’s that almost everywhere in America someone so easily could
thanks for reading it!
Paragraph from Denis Johnson’s “car crash while hitchhiking” “it was raining. Gigantic ferns leaned over us. The forest drifted down a hill. I could hear a creek rushing down among rocks. And you, you ridiculous people, you expect me to help you”
The yearly Denis Johnson reread: “and you, you ridiculous people, you expect me to help you.”
A page from Jack Whitten’s journal - November 22, 1978: “Rothko from the grave is blocking me. I must become more aggressive, more bitchy, the attack is to be centered in the nervous system, deep in the heart of America.”
Jack Whitten
Novel writing advice from Joy Williams - Includes “an animal that lives within to give its blessing” among other things
Joy
What is this weird stuck time of life, the year before no kids in the house, the year after doing something I always wanted to do, my parents old, me old or getting there. Stuck but racing. Still the trees at night and the orange moon half eaten by clouds. Still tomorrow.
What a beautiful way to wake up this morning. I’m a curmudgeon about politicians, but this is what leading with love looks like.
If the message is not just dem party business as usual and is instead about how to improve the lives of working people practically and meaningfully, about inclusivity and dignity, delivered with freshness and authenticity, people will show up! Democratic socialism! Mamdani! Yay!
people in a lot of states are about to lose their SNAP benefits. If you are in a position to help with food aid, please do. Donate to a local food pantry, reach out to people you know who are food insecure and share meals, whatever you can do!
All I can think about is the ridiculous cost of this unnecessary work (while there's not enough for education and school lunches etc.)
Landscape w green and yellow grass in the foreground and rangy plants behind and trees in fog behind them. Mainly greens with orange and yellow flowers here and there
Foggy morning drive
all these republicans claiming the private messages of their young republicans don't represent their party's ethos.
look who they elected. look what he's said on the record. look at the policy he's driving each day.
those messages are exactly who they are as a party.
My younger kid, Ben Patterson, has a flash piece up @januaryhouselit.bsky.social! If you like weird little college towns, generalized eccentricity, and birds, I hope you'll read it: januaryhouselit.com/2025/10/13/n...
