This bit of self promo brought to you by the fact that I'm alone and on the road. Also maybe revved up by the Texas sun.

Stephen Jenkinson observes that we all die the death of our culture. That is, we die the death our culture gives to us. What culture extols death with as little dying as possible, the getting on with it, the efficiency, the using of death as a medical instrument? #medsky

likewise!

Hang in there! You'll get more sleep eventually. And be able to talk to the offspring about suffocating weight, etc. Which lifts the burden a bit.

(from a father of two, now 16 and 9)

WOW!!

Too bad!

Actually, it’s not over! I’m on the UT campus today and will be speaking at the Undergraduate Writing Center, so I’ll be among writers, talking about process. I’m looking forward to that.

I’m sad it’s over. I was just getting into the swing of things as the jet lag receded…

Fortunately it‘s on to LA for End Well next.

A Bluesky moment: I signed a book for someone who asked if I’m on social media. She was puzzled when I told her Bluesky. “That’s the Democrat one,” her husband said. “When Elon bought X…“ “…and turned it into a terrible place,” I finished. Didn’t go into it further.

I enjoyed hearing @davidbowles.us talk about translations into Spanish, how the default Spanish in the US is a sort of flattened Mexican variety, and how editors wouldn’t let him introduce words from other varieties, even if erased a joke.

I learned a great new first word fact from Olivia Abtahi, who reported that in Iran the baby’s first word is “ab,” or “water.” Also extracted from/imposed on babble by adults.

Also met Romy Goldberg, a Pan South America who should write a book on “Latin American Spanish in 10 words.”

My session, the last regular one of the last day, was packed. I’m sure some of them were baby nerds and death and dying nerds, but a good # were killing time before Matt Mcconaughey, which the festival cannily had at the end end. Doesn’t matter; I love making full rooms laugh.

I like this explanation.

Fair enough!

I get that but we have them in the Netherlands too? So idk