One thing Ed does is use my cadence, so it comes across as very natural. It’s kinda like how dogs sniff each other and feel comfortable.

He was right.

Yeah, a good writer will reduce things to this size of a sentence. Now, this requires skill … three random monosyllabic words and a period gets you nowhere. It’s a bit like comedy in that the setup is required for the punchline.

Transit here is terrible. We have some buses that run “every 10 minutes” where you can wait a half-hour for three 803s piled up in a row.

I mean, yeah, he sounds like he’s yelling at clouds, but he brings the receipts.

I’m not sure how Competitive Runner Points Out Failures In Transit System is ableism.

I think we need to rope Alanis Morisette into this.

Shouldn’t “Doric” feature prominently in that case?

I don’t know that I have a book in me yet. Starting up news sources takes more energy than I have. And doing something professionally for nearly three decades makes it slightly more than a hobby.

I have had my dream job, and losing that for political reasons always sucks. But it sounds like you have transferable skills, so that’s at least something. Given the state of the job market, I don’t know how far “something” goes, admittedly.

My ex had an uncle with exactly my voice. Cadence, accent, inflection … it was uncanny.

This was infuriating to me when I started college as a CS major. I dropped out after Intro because they weren’t giving us anything worth remembering.

I had no connection to him, nor do I truly care, but … really? Ferrari in the hed? Holy framing, Batman. A simple “car accident” would have acquitted itself just fine.

This is like the hyperdetailed “get the name of the dog” that a certain generation expected. Fluffy doesn’t matter, and neither does a Ferrari.

I’m going to disagree here. It must have two wheels. I get the reference, but you didn’t nail the landing.

Nah, the crosswalk ones are still worse.

The push to re-physicalize interfaces has even led to an unexpected side gig for Dr. Plotnick, the academic authority on buttons. Companies are tapping her to consult on how to improve their physical controls.

Well played.

It’s safe to say I need income before any wheels can start turning. On the plus side, my non-U.S. passport is a Schengen one, which I believe still gets me into the UK just fine. But CH has gone fully biometric (It’s a good Pass to have), and that requires a trip to Atlanta or renewing my U.S. one and taking care of my Swiss one in Zuerich ahead of moving on to my final destination.

Another great way is to move out of fixed housing. Alright, you assholes, try to find me now!

That’s a terrific metaphor. I’m imagining starting GoT in season 7 and wondering why the fuck it was a cultural touchstone.

It was my first reporting job. Yeah, at 44. And short of a few interviews, I was just rewriting shit.

I’ve been an editor for decades and have had to deal with plagiarism (thankfully, nothing too significant), so as a guardrail, it made sense. Editors approach writing with a far more critical eye than a recent J-school grad.

I’m just so tired of everybody else’s shit.

Hence hanging out on Beehaw!

That’s a large part of the reason I went up there. I’m sick of telling my story to someone new; I just want to skip that step and go back to something I know.

I, uh, can’t imagine another like her. Now, there is, as Yoda likes to say “another.” But she’s in fucking Scotland. She’s likely better for me, but both of my passports are expired.

We were actually engaged for a couple of years, so I’m not saying “random Scottish chick showed up.” We talk most nights if I stay up late enough for it to be morning for her.

Her accent is absolutely delightful. She has demonstrated her ability to go full Glaswegian, but I much prefer it when she’s understandable.