notebook / @tww

Kirby is officially eight weeks old. To celebrate, he had a banner morning of full-tilt puppy: accidents, unpleasant encounters with his sisters, etc etc (Dear Kirby: The Morkie’s tail is not, I repeat, NOT, a chew toy…), full-tilt being made even more so by his having actually slept for the majority of the night. Who woulda thought: snoozing much more restful than whining.

Side note: yesterday’s plan was a debacle. We are carrying on as we have done.

First car ride since the homecoming inbound this afternoon. In-laws / in-lawn, let the games begin.

I don’t have much experience with this feeling, but in the couple of days that Kirby’s been in my life, I’ve felt the happiest I’ve felt in recent memory. Just going to enjoy it.

New dog-child status update: While The Morkie and Kirby are bonding, an intense study of Cold War-era diplomacy may be needed to broker a detente between The Island of The Jorkie and Kirby that lasts beyond a few seconds. Regardless, we’re making progress.

Update: Finished Wallace Stroby’s HEAVEN’S A LIE: a taut, relentless yarn bursting with unforgettable characters. A must-read.

Better night than last night: at least I slept and, when awakened by Kirby’s cry-piss whines, managed, this time, to go back to sleep after another multitude of unproductive trip to the midnight out-of-doors.

Managed to stop Kirby’s whining by sleeping in the dog-children’s room with them (and yes, they have their own room, my old office) on our dearly departed best good boy’s couch. Relieved that I’ve done yoga for more than a decade: can contort and extricate myself from otherwise uncomfortable and unnatural sleeping positions.

Though my back is anything but happy with me.

Most likely solution: until Kirby gets used to the crate, we’ll get him a smaller one and keep it in our bedroom for nighttime. When I leave for the day’s run, I’ll put him in the big crate in the dog-children’s room. Two birds, one stone, potential for a large miss but equal potential for best impact.

Routine returning to normal, slowly but surely - a new rhythm on its way to discovery.

Your morning Kirby.

New unit launched at Interior to investigate cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people, via Ohio Capital Journal.

A 900-Page Pre-Pantone Guide to Color from 1692: A Complete High-Resolution Digital Scan, via Open Culture.

Endocrinologist Charged After Bomb-Making Supplies Found, via Medscape.

A Chart Chronicles the Colors of Mister Rogers’ Cardigans from 1969 to 2001 | Colossal, via Colossal.

Researchers Develop Free Software That Can Create Japanese Wood Joinery, via Spoon & Tamago.

Marvel releases a full hourlong Zemo dancing video, via Polygon.

EarBliss, 08apr2021: THE ONE AND THE OTHER, by Lara Solnicki.

It has arrived and it is beautiful.

First night with Kirby is done; like I said a little bit ago, I may have slept two hours, but he’s doing just fine, thanks for asking. 0430 play session with his sisters who have, for the most part, accepted him. The Morkie, especially, seems to be fully immersed in her big sister role - except when Kirby decided that her wagging tail was a chew toy. Other than that lapse in judgment, Kirby’s already proving himself to be a remarkably intelligent tot, having already learned basic commands.

Begrudging acceptance that my work times will be shot to hell for the next few months, though I suspect that the days' new rhythm will be found sooner rather than later.

Refilled the long-acting insulin prescription: and thus my streaming subscription to life continues. The day awaits - crate time during the day’s run will be interesting but, again, that rhythm will come sooner rather than later.

I may have slept two hours, but Kirby’s doing just fine on his first morning.

To steal from DC, circa 1971, KIRBY IS HERE! Introducing Kirby, the newest addition to our family… Everyone, this is Kirby; Kirby, everyone.

And today’s the day…

Not only for the debut of The Ground Loop – in which I attempt to answer a frequently asked question I’ve never been asked on a weekly basis – but for balance to be restored to our household. There were three, then there were two, and today, there will again be three – and there will be pictures. The room is set, accoutrements and accessories prepared.

And all that’s left is to wait. And read. And to run. And then…

I kinda love that this is what my Twitter profile timeline looks like right now…

New, at Parenthetical Recluse: debuting my weekly mini-podcast, The Ground Loop, in which I attempt to answer a frequently asked question I’ve never been asked. This week: Why are you doing this to yourself and to us?

Picking up The Morkie and The Jorkie from their haircuts in an hour; the quiet has been eerie. Tomorrow, though, any quiet vanishes: there will (once again) be three…

Quiet this morning… too quiet: The Morkie and The Jorkie are at the groomers, having the shag shorn; my shag remains – I used the plague as an excuse to grow my hair long again. Side benefit: now that I can pull said hair back, I don’t have to wear a hat when I run. Pleasant change.

Organizing notes, processing the captures, capturing the processes. I’ve pretty much decided that I won’t be doing longer-form weekly essays at Parenthetical Recluse: they’re not that interesting for me to write and, while I’m a bit reticent to have a writing website without (much) writing on it, it’s a chance for me to grow that space with things I actually do care about writing. More interested right now in fiction, the newsletter, these little dashed-off bits, and the two pods. Things might change next month when the busy-busy of this month ends, but I’m not so sure. Of course, all of this could change by Sunday – but I’m leaning towards full-throttle on the above interests.

The Ground Loop launches tomorrow will arrive on non-TSL Wednesdays: recorded the first ep in one go yesterday and had a good time, but I want to do a little edit later this afternoon. Digging the condenser mic. Back to work.

First episode of new mini-pod recorded (FWIW, this was my first time working with a condenser mic; I get the love). Releasing Weds.

In which a morning delivery makes for a grand start to the week.

Happy Monday: Easter has been endured; carb and small talk quota is more than filled. Here I am. Good morning.

Three episodes in and I haven’t decided if I like THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER. While I enjoy parts of it, it’s just not gelling for me – a problem, given that we’ve crossed the halfway point. While I can’t deny that it’s solid entertainment, it’s also nowhere near the “something special” of its Disney+ predecessor, WANDAVISION (which, if I’m not mistaken, had COVID not happened, would have been the second show in the Disney+ rollout while FALCON & WINTER would have been first; the switch may have set the bar too high for F&WS).

Continued nips and tucks and addtions at Parenthetical Recluse: added the new mini/micropodcast, The Ground Loop, and its inverted cover art to the Projects page – planning to launch on Wednesday – and made a new Socialized Recluse page so I have separate pages/summaries for The Ground Loop (TGLPod) and The Socialized Recluse (TSLPod). Hopefully the nips and the tucks are nearing their end; it’s been a month-long process.

UPS package arrival, a pre-release copy from Hachette, sometime today. Very excited to read this one. On with the day.

Sunday, or, that afternoon in which one tries to sneak past as another attempts something really stupid.