Mary Sturgeon
@enchantressofnumbers.com
Runs a (back on hiatus indefinitely) makerspace for femme and queer people. Podcasts sometimes. Wrote some sci fi books many years ago and is now, after successfully raising two lovely humans, working up to writing again.
We had no car and not enough money for a tree one year, so I convinced my children that we would just make a paper tree. We worked all day on it. Meanwhile, their Dad managed to get a hold of a few dollars, took the bus to the tree lot and carried the tree for miles on his back to surprise us!
#WriteStuff Q6: Let’s use those holidays to our advantage. What’s one wacky holiday moment from your past that would make a killer scene in your WIP or a knockout flash “fiction”?
a cat is laying in a christmas gift box with the caption i am the family holiday drama
Alt: a cat is laying in a christmas gift box with the caption i am the family holiday drama
media.tenor.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:37 AM
We had no car and not enough money for a tree one year, so I convinced my children that we would just make a paper tree. We worked all day on it. Meanwhile, their Dad managed to get a hold of a few dollars, took the bus to the tree lot and carried the tree for miles on his back to surprise us!
The idea that you have to travel to make core memories is ridiculous. One of my kids' most beloved and meaningful childhood memories involved the three of us, crawling into a giant blanket fort to do their schoolwork while eating Halloween candy together. Love is what they remember. (And candy)
I’m gonna need influencers to stop opining on core memories.
“You only make core memories on vacation, so if you’re a poor, your kids aren’t making them,” can go SOAL (step on a Lego).
“You only make core memories on vacation, so if you’re a poor, your kids aren’t making them,” can go SOAL (step on a Lego).
December 2, 2025 at 5:12 PM
The idea that you have to travel to make core memories is ridiculous. One of my kids' most beloved and meaningful childhood memories involved the three of us, crawling into a giant blanket fort to do their schoolwork while eating Halloween candy together. Love is what they remember. (And candy)
For whatever weird reason, Bean with Bacon has long been my comfort food. Last night, I pulled out a bunch of ingredients and made my own Bean w/ Bacon soup, and I'm happy to report that I would never go back, even if there wasn't some nasty shit in Campbells. It is so much better and not that hard.
CAMPBELLS AINT NEVER GON SEE ME AGAIN. I CAN MAKE MY OWN SOUP BITCH
November 25, 2025 at 3:20 PM
For whatever weird reason, Bean with Bacon has long been my comfort food. Last night, I pulled out a bunch of ingredients and made my own Bean w/ Bacon soup, and I'm happy to report that I would never go back, even if there wasn't some nasty shit in Campbells. It is so much better and not that hard.
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
How am I supposed to be rested, centered, and working on my best self AND carrying this flamethrower at the same time.
November 19, 2025 at 7:43 PM
How am I supposed to be rested, centered, and working on my best self AND carrying this flamethrower at the same time.
You *could* ask ChatGPT, but that will never match the feeling of sending a random question about space physics at 9am to the person in your world who understands these things best and happens to be your 20 year old daughter.
I'm just saying.
I'm just saying.
November 18, 2025 at 5:10 PM
You *could* ask ChatGPT, but that will never match the feeling of sending a random question about space physics at 9am to the person in your world who understands these things best and happens to be your 20 year old daughter.
I'm just saying.
I'm just saying.
In nicer conversation, we're planning a "handmade holiday" this year (my kids are 20 and 22) where we just hang out and make stuff together, which is pretty wonderful (and affordable since I have tons of maker supplies already on hand!)
November 10, 2025 at 10:52 PM
In nicer conversation, we're planning a "handmade holiday" this year (my kids are 20 and 22) where we just hang out and make stuff together, which is pretty wonderful (and affordable since I have tons of maker supplies already on hand!)
This is so bizarre. Who is out there spending more than usual this year? I just pulled my family together to tell them that our holiday spending this year will need to be $0. I'd love to believe it's just me and that people around me are flush with holiday cash, but I just don't see it.
November 10, 2025 at 10:48 PM
This is so bizarre. Who is out there spending more than usual this year? I just pulled my family together to tell them that our holiday spending this year will need to be $0. I'd love to believe it's just me and that people around me are flush with holiday cash, but I just don't see it.
In my day job, I teach how to run a better construction project. Over 8 weeks, we teach several software tools.
This cohort, every. single. tool. we use has failed to work in some significant way, mostly Microsoft, all related in some way to the addition of AI. Tell me again how this is working.
This cohort, every. single. tool. we use has failed to work in some significant way, mostly Microsoft, all related in some way to the addition of AI. Tell me again how this is working.
November 6, 2025 at 4:59 PM
In my day job, I teach how to run a better construction project. Over 8 weeks, we teach several software tools.
This cohort, every. single. tool. we use has failed to work in some significant way, mostly Microsoft, all related in some way to the addition of AI. Tell me again how this is working.
This cohort, every. single. tool. we use has failed to work in some significant way, mostly Microsoft, all related in some way to the addition of AI. Tell me again how this is working.
The three fold law is going to be *brutal* here.
November 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
The three fold law is going to be *brutal* here.
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
October 9, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I don't know what's going on with the mod team here at Bluesky, but I don't have time for that kind of drama. I'm moving over to Mastodon.
When I first created my Mastoton account, I couldn't find much of anyone over there, but now most of the people I follow are there! Hope to see you there!
When I first created my Mastoton account, I couldn't find much of anyone over there, but now most of the people I follow are there! Hope to see you there!
October 7, 2025 at 2:16 AM
I don't know what's going on with the mod team here at Bluesky, but I don't have time for that kind of drama. I'm moving over to Mastodon.
When I first created my Mastoton account, I couldn't find much of anyone over there, but now most of the people I follow are there! Hope to see you there!
When I first created my Mastoton account, I couldn't find much of anyone over there, but now most of the people I follow are there! Hope to see you there!
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
normal person: i just want a place to hang out with my friends
tech weirdo: and shitheads
np: no just my friends
tw: but what about hearing alternative views on race and gender?
np: we just want to hang out and goof around
tw: so where do the shitheads fit in then
np: no shitheads
tw: not following
tech weirdo: and shitheads
np: no just my friends
tw: but what about hearing alternative views on race and gender?
np: we just want to hang out and goof around
tw: so where do the shitheads fit in then
np: no shitheads
tw: not following
October 6, 2025 at 12:02 PM
normal person: i just want a place to hang out with my friends
tech weirdo: and shitheads
np: no just my friends
tw: but what about hearing alternative views on race and gender?
np: we just want to hang out and goof around
tw: so where do the shitheads fit in then
np: no shitheads
tw: not following
tech weirdo: and shitheads
np: no just my friends
tw: but what about hearing alternative views on race and gender?
np: we just want to hang out and goof around
tw: so where do the shitheads fit in then
np: no shitheads
tw: not following
Link
What if we all just post the word Link over and over again repost it and like then until even the normies are bothered?
October 6, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Link
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
Anyone here on UpScrolled? I just heard about it and it sounds amazing. I just joined. If you're on there or also want to check it out, my handle on there is @/Blackheart
upscrolled.com/en/
upscrolled.com/en/
UpScrolled — your voice amplified!
Discover, connect, and share freely on a social media with transparent algorithms — no shadow bans, no silent suppression.
upscrolled.com
October 3, 2025 at 3:50 AM
Anyone here on UpScrolled? I just heard about it and it sounds amazing. I just joined. If you're on there or also want to check it out, my handle on there is @/Blackheart
upscrolled.com/en/
upscrolled.com/en/
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
I *firmly believe* that autism was *selected* in nature, due to there being a benefit in having people in your tribe that see the world differently, and approach problems in a different way, than one that was full of people who all operated similarly. Autistic people improve their communities.
September 23, 2025 at 8:43 PM
I *firmly believe* that autism was *selected* in nature, due to there being a benefit in having people in your tribe that see the world differently, and approach problems in a different way, than one that was full of people who all operated similarly. Autistic people improve their communities.
Also building a stupidly complex Halloween costume. I allow myself to check social media 2x per day - when I'm tempted to Doomscroll, I work on my costume instead.
We'll see if I can keep it up, but building a costume and gaining digital escape velocity has been vastly improving my mental health!
We'll see if I can keep it up, but building a costume and gaining digital escape velocity has been vastly improving my mental health!
September 21, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Also building a stupidly complex Halloween costume. I allow myself to check social media 2x per day - when I'm tempted to Doomscroll, I work on my costume instead.
We'll see if I can keep it up, but building a costume and gaining digital escape velocity has been vastly improving my mental health!
We'll see if I can keep it up, but building a costume and gaining digital escape velocity has been vastly improving my mental health!
Spending all weekend setting up an old laptop as a media server, so I can put all my media into streaming format and cancel all the services (not just Disney+ and Hulu, which I just canceled)
Also switching to Linux to escape all the AI bullshit. A lot of work, but it feels productive and good.
Also switching to Linux to escape all the AI bullshit. A lot of work, but it feels productive and good.
September 21, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Spending all weekend setting up an old laptop as a media server, so I can put all my media into streaming format and cancel all the services (not just Disney+ and Hulu, which I just canceled)
Also switching to Linux to escape all the AI bullshit. A lot of work, but it feels productive and good.
Also switching to Linux to escape all the AI bullshit. A lot of work, but it feels productive and good.
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
Get it doc!!! Remember this folks when you wanna spout worm brains' anti-science rants...
September 4, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Get it doc!!! Remember this folks when you wanna spout worm brains' anti-science rants...
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
Telling your queer kid they can't be queer doesn't change the queerness. It just means they make community online, turn 18, and you become the abusive relic of their past who refused to love them for who they are.
August 24, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Telling your queer kid they can't be queer doesn't change the queerness. It just means they make community online, turn 18, and you become the abusive relic of their past who refused to love them for who they are.
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
What's this? Our website looks a bit different now!
The landing page has been redesigned to provide you with pertinent info at a glance. Walking directions from Summit as well as a map are now up front, as well as links to our credo, our FAQ, and our registration page.
concurrentseattle.weebly.com
The landing page has been redesigned to provide you with pertinent info at a glance. Walking directions from Summit as well as a map are now up front, as well as links to our credo, our FAQ, and our registration page.
concurrentseattle.weebly.com
CONCURRENT SEATTLE
ConCurrent is a free one-day event intended to be an alternative to WorldCon programming.
concurrentseattle.weebly.com
August 11, 2025 at 3:31 AM
What's this? Our website looks a bit different now!
The landing page has been redesigned to provide you with pertinent info at a glance. Walking directions from Summit as well as a map are now up front, as well as links to our credo, our FAQ, and our registration page.
concurrentseattle.weebly.com
The landing page has been redesigned to provide you with pertinent info at a glance. Walking directions from Summit as well as a map are now up front, as well as links to our credo, our FAQ, and our registration page.
concurrentseattle.weebly.com
I love this take. We all have our personal canon, and it's not just when you started reading SFF, but also events in your world.
Recommendations rarely hit the way you think they will for new readers and a better way to start is to just take them to the library and let them find their own canon.
Recommendations rarely hit the way you think they will for new readers and a better way to start is to just take them to the library and let them find their own canon.
August 11, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I love this take. We all have our personal canon, and it's not just when you started reading SFF, but also events in your world.
Recommendations rarely hit the way you think they will for new readers and a better way to start is to just take them to the library and let them find their own canon.
Recommendations rarely hit the way you think they will for new readers and a better way to start is to just take them to the library and let them find their own canon.
I have finally relented to my partner's insistence that I need to get new glasses as more and more text becomes squiggly lines in the old ones. But I have insisted that I will only go if the doctor promises not to utter the words 'at your age' at any time during the appointment.
#beingreasonable
#beingreasonable
August 6, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I have finally relented to my partner's insistence that I need to get new glasses as more and more text becomes squiggly lines in the old ones. But I have insisted that I will only go if the doctor promises not to utter the words 'at your age' at any time during the appointment.
#beingreasonable
#beingreasonable
We've been hard at work planning this super cool WorldCon Fringe Event! Looking forward to ConCurrent, especially as all our shinies start showing up!
Oh. My. Goodness. Our badge ribbons have arrived. Worldcongoers, if you're coming to ConCurrent, we'll have these beauties awaiting you! And if we have spares after ConCurrent, you can grab one even if you're not registered.
August 6, 2025 at 4:36 AM
We've been hard at work planning this super cool WorldCon Fringe Event! Looking forward to ConCurrent, especially as all our shinies start showing up!
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
Itch and Steam got a bunch of us thinking; we need a catalogue where creative (esp. NSFW & Queer) works are less vulnerable to censorship. A storefront we won't be delisted from. One giving us the autonomy to sell our stuff our way. So we're making Conjured Ink. You can join us. https://conjured.ink
August 2, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Itch and Steam got a bunch of us thinking; we need a catalogue where creative (esp. NSFW & Queer) works are less vulnerable to censorship. A storefront we won't be delisted from. One giving us the autonomy to sell our stuff our way. So we're making Conjured Ink. You can join us. https://conjured.ink
Reposted by Mary Sturgeon
despite everything, i still believe in the potential of humankind to create utopia. but it will require hard work, courage, and above all else extremely deep v-necks that go almost down to the dick
August 1, 2025 at 12:59 AM
despite everything, i still believe in the potential of humankind to create utopia. but it will require hard work, courage, and above all else extremely deep v-necks that go almost down to the dick