ALAN LAVENDER @lavenderlens@qoto.org

Just remember #Standuptoracism #RefugeesWelcome

Since launch Jan. 1, my new collection Lilies on the Deathbed of Étaín is the third bestselling #poetry book on the marketplace my publisher uses, over 30 days

I am now crossing every limb to hope it can reach number one, even for a day. It would feel damned amazing.

If you dig #poetry, and want to try something pretty unique, and help it get to no.1:

https://tinyurl.com/ms3jr8sp

It's the 10th bestselling book in 90 too.

#writingcommunity #poetrycommunity #art #writing #literature #poem

Fittingly, 42 years to the day since The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was first broadcast on TV.

I counted them. Feynman’s total publications were about 48 or 49 papers throughout his career. Well, it is still below for most of us yet they are very impactful, launched new areas like nanotechnology and quantum computing. I need to slow down and focus on meaningful work and publications rather than rushing to generate and compile publications.

My friend was showing me his tool shed, and pointed to a ladder.

"That's my stepladder," he said. "I never knew my real ladder."

Good series so far: “The Dalai Lama’s Guide to Happiness” 5-part series on the Ten Percent Happier podcast. https://pca.st/episode/4ba67ff5-2902-4ce7-b35d-c62f9714f6dd #buddhism #DalaiLama #happiness

Please read and share. It’s time we stop talking about “how hard” it all is, and shift the discussion to “how important” it all is.

“Journalists (And Others) Should Leave Twitter. Here’s How They Can Get Started”
by @dangillmor@twitter.com via Techdirt

https://www.techdirt.com/2023/01/04/journalists-and-others-should-leave-twitter-heres-how-they-can-get-started/

The best New Years Eve story is the English town of Scarborough cancelling its fireworks display in order to avoid disturbing a visiting walrus.
#NYE #NewYearsEve

In just a few short hours it will be completely legal to write, distribute, and profit from story about Dracula, Winnie the Pooh, and Sherlock teaming up to fight crime together. What a time to be alive!

A nice view of Clew Bay from Croagh Patrick. A holy site since pagan times.Some believe the older name for the mountain ( Cruachán Aigle) is connected to a pagan harvest deity, the dark god Cromm Crúaich, later known as Crom Dubh. #pagan #holymountain

this goes out to every newly sober alcoholic who made it through their first new year’s without a drink. i remember mine vividly and i’m super proud of you. keep going. it keeps getting better. 🖤🖤

I'm leaning towards informal evening gown.
#HappyNewYearsEve #JoinIn

For the SF Chronicle, I wrote about getting canceled from #twitter (& switching to Mastodon):

It’s an honor to get canceled by Musk, who is welcoming neo-Nazis back to Twitter while banning reporters. Still, it’s admittedly terrifying to see him cross the bright red line of declaring outright war against freedom of the press.

Twitter has become a virtual simulation of authoritarian rule.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/openforum/article/elon-musk-twitter-ban-censorship-17680044.php

@QasimRashid There are literally hundreds of millions of white folk that do want to hear about ways we can reduce all of those bad things. I work with them. We don't need everyone on every issue. It's cool.

But don't aask me "What do you mean Mastodon is not welcoming to Black folk?" And then in the very next breath, say, "Yeah, yeah, I'm sure Black folk are mistreated, but I don't want to hear about it! CW that garbage! It's making me sad!" Just be real, and only say the second part.