A tiny Case two-bladed peanut knife that I found while LARPing in the woods one day, probably in 1995. I keep it at my desk as one of my fidgets.

Beside defying media too fast
Instead of pushin’ palaces to fall
Put that, put that, put that before all
That this isn’t fortunate at all

I have a huge fuzzy sweater that I wear instead of a coat when I’m cross-country skiing and winter hiking. My mom knitted it for herself before I was born, and it has her name knitted inside the back of the neck. It’s not waterproof, but the fuzzies catch snowflakes and small raindrops and hold them away from my body so that they can freeze or evaporate, while keeping me dry. Combine that with the ease of movement granted by a sweater, and you’ve got a very pleasant cold-weather experience.

This little guy seems friendly, like a Miyazaki steam spirit.

Inktober seems to be losing its lustre; its creator was recently accused of plagarism — but I did it this year anyway, as a distraction from the chaos. I didn’t have enough energy to do big drawings, so I found scraps of watercolor paper and did tiny ink paintings. I also didn’t have enough energy to do them daily, so I batched them a few at a time when I could. Thirteen felt like a good number this year; enough to have fun but not to drive myself bananas with more self-imposed obligations. This year may be my last, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge, and seeing what everyone else comes up with.

First off: Fish. Bluegill are beautiful fish, and underrated. I love them and their cousins the pumpkinseeds, for the beautiful flashes on their cheeks.

The Smacktivist, #365.

Source of the hardest hit I’ve ever received in my life:

N.K. Jemisin, the only three-time-consecutive Best Novel Hugo winner in history.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.