á↗︎ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░ ░░ ░░ "death is normal ░░ ░░ life is strange" ░░ ▒▒ ▒▒ ▒▒ o<~< ~h_man ▒▒ ▒▒ ▒▒ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ 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 ~~