A few weeks ago I started running again. It wasn't a considered act. There was no schedule or structure or master plan. One day I just went out for a run, and then the next day I did it again, and again, and after that I missed some days here and there but basically I just kept running a little each day.

But only a little. For the first several days ( Read more... )

The Sahara has come to Mallorca on a big brown wind, coursing up from the south laden with dust from the desert. All those fabled Mediterranean colours are muted in the haze and the sun's disk is dull silver on a colourless sky. It's beautiful but it's vaguely unearthly.

So my sister and I and the podenco dog went walkies, rising at five in the ( Read more... )

I don't plan on getting into politics much, and I no longer pay any attention to quotes from Donald Trump because I assume they're moronic, deceitful and/or insane. But when Donald J. Trump himself ostensibly emails me then I guess I've been dragged into it. Someone used my email address when signing up for the Donald Trump 2020 mailing list, so ( Read more... )

I have deactivated my Twitter account. I might reactivate it long enough to temporarily post a link to this post to explain why and where I've gone, but otherwise this absence is probably final. After going on and off it a few times, I have concluded to my satisfaction that Twitter is inherently and irremediably socially and intellectually ( Read more... )

A note for Thalian on why Aki and I can't come to visit him and Rapante:

Okay. Three months ago my life got taken over by a certain exuberant and clumsy squeaky hairball.

This means that I can't travel by train any more. Squeaky Thing is a big, powerful dog, and she's one year old and absolutely full of energy. There's no way she can spend six ( Read more... )

I'm looking for someone in Europe who'd like to come to stay with me in Zurich, effective immediately, all expenses paid, ideally for two weeks, in return for taking care of a very sweet and fairly low-maintenance dog during the day ( Read more... )

I have a dog in my life again. Well. Nearly. I'm working on it. I'm on my way ( Read more... )

Dear Mischa ( Read more... )

I have a demon who, from time to time, whispers in my left ear with dark seductive suggestions of death and self-destruction. On my right shoulder I have an angel who, in response to the murmurs of the deceiver, calmly murmurs, "Do not maim the hearts of those who love you." Yesterday they had a tough argument, much to the painful discomfort of ( Read more... )

Dear Mischa ( Read more... )