á↗︎ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░ ░░ ░░ "death is normal ░░ ░░ life is strange" ░░ ▒▒ ▒▒ ▒▒ o<~< ~h_man ▒▒ ▒▒ ▒▒ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 1.26.2026 i had a wonderful time at The Strange Hour! i didn't even have to use a microphone, which was a big plus, and even though i wasn't able to use the projector as i'd planned, my computer put on a great performance for a full house. lots of lovely people came over to chat with me after my talk, and i left feeling relieved and energized (& zonked hard that night). admittedly, i was feeling quite anxious and restless leading up to this as a result of some... let's just say, strange digital miscommunications and manifestations. but as it so often goes, all was well when we got together in person. vā prevails. thank you ira, Keith, & co! ~ not being on Social Media™️ sometimes feels like coming from an exotic, faraway country or planet that some people hear whispers about and sometimes debate whether or not it is a real place. especially being invited to talk or perform at an event where everyone wants to know how to 'find you'. in so many eyes i see the yearning to journey to these rumored, fantastical digital lands - over the garden wall, where fish are special and the environment is wwwild. but, rumor has it, these strange places are not so far as it seems, and the whispers are growing louder as secret passageways see growing foot traffic. maps are being drawn, new tunnels are being built, tools are being passed around, people are gathering, and flowers are growing through the cracks in the pavement. listen closely to the hum. the tune is shifting... perhaps.. 1.9.2026 . __.....__ .'| .-'' '. .| < | / .-''"'-. `. .' |_ | | / /________\ \ .' || | .'''-. | | '--. .-'| |/.'''. \\ .-------------' | | | / | | \ '-.____...---. | | | | | | `. .' | '.'| | | | `''-...... -' | / | '. | '. _..._ __.....__ `'-' '---' '---' .' '. .--./) .-'' '. .| .-,.--. . .-. . /.''\\ / .-''"'-. `. .' |_ | .-. | __ | ' ' || | | |/ /________\ \ _ .' || | | | .:--.'. | | | | \`-' / | | .' |'--. .-'| | | |/ | \ | | | | | /("'` \ .-------------' . | / | | | | '- `" __ | | | | | | \ '---. \ '-.____...---. .'.'| |// | | | | .'.''| | | | | | /'""'.\ `. .' .'.'.-' / | '.'| | / / | |_| | | | || || `''-...... -' .' \_.' | / |_| \ \._,\ '/| | | | \'. __// `'-' `--' `" '--' '--' `'---' .-'''-. ' _ \ . / /` '. \ .'| . | \ ' < | | ' | ' .-,.--. | | \ \ / / | .-. | | | .'''-.`. ` ..' /_ _ | | | | | |/.'''. \ '-...-'`| ' / | | | | | | / | | .' | .' | | | '- | | | | / | / | | | | | | | | `'. | | | | '. | '. ' .'| '/|_| '---' '---' `-' `--' later this month, i'll be onstage at a brunchtime variety show called The Strange Hour talking about life, death, and the afterlife in the digital age. if you're in the Victoria area, come say hi. if you're far away from here, please say hi to someone else in your local area and perhaps ask them a spooky or strange question about death & digitality on my behalf. last year, i kept being invited to speak publicly and it seems like that trend will definitely continue this year. public speaking doesn't come naturally to me at all and i feel like i have to coax my inner hermit out of the cave every time. (microphones are especially awkward for me, and i haven't felt truly comfortable holding one since i spoke at my aunt's celebration of life 15 years ago. but that was pure emotional adrenaline.) that being said, this is a good challenge for me. an important one. the kind of exercise that i can feel building muscle in the right places, despite the hermit's hesitancy. it reminds me of my time at Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co & Redmond Library, when i experienced a massive amount of growth and bountiful community after a dark chapter of isolation, despair, and atrophy. i feel the Mórrígan's call to courage and sovereignty. i suppose this year she'll be riding the Fire Horse. quite the combination... but the snake hasn't fully shed its skin yet. i'm also reminded of that daily ~~