Today the high was 90˚F, and the heat index was 91˚F. And summer is over. Oh, I know. Not technically. But for me summer has always begun on June 1st and ended on after August 31st, dates which roughly corresponded to the ending and beginning of the school year, respectively. Yeah, we got a lot more summer back then. I pity kids these days. But yeah, what I consider summer is over. I hardly left the house. I managed to proof and edit "Tall Bodies" for Bradbury Weather this morning, and I did some paleo' stuff, and I think we have the cover art for both Bradbury Weather and Living a Boy's Adventure Tale nailed down...finally. Now, I need to egt to work on the two pieces I intend to write for Sirenia Digest 200. Bad depression today, and anxiety, and panic, and anger. Bouts of what we used to call existential shock , but I see these days it's called existential crisis . My world no longer exists, and soon even less of it will has survived, and my world defines me. Without it, I am, at best, a ghost. I am all but a wisp. A bad memory that a this world of self-rightous outrage and xenophobia, which only wants chaos and dissolution, is trying to forget. Today on Facebook I wrote two things (the second pertains specifically to Facebook): 1. I do not "MENTOR" anyone, ever, and I certainly would not do it for free. I mean, throw me a thousand dollars a week, maybe. It would be dishonest, but I'd take your money. But since no one wants to pay that (it would be stupid of you to do so), please don't ask, and then I do not have to say no. You do not need a mentor to be a writer. You need to understand grammar, read (everything in every field, not just literature), write constantly, have actual life experiences, see that your stories get seen, and never stop working to be a better writer. That's it. Period. It is a myth that people can be taught to be good writers. It's possible they can be taught to be less wretched writers, but that's different. 2. As of today, I am removing from my FL anyone who is a) an outspoken member of the far Right and B) anyone who is an outspoken member of the far Left. I will only know that you are if you say something revealing this. But I have no time for either camp. I see you as both equally toxic. Your politics have wrecked my life and my future, and I have no fucks left to give. And... I'm getting a strange flurry of requests for blurbs. I've said no to all the requests so far. And I'm not likely to say yes, but...it would increase your chances if you and/or your agent didn't give some sales pitch about how queer or weird or unconventional or whatever the characters are. If I blurb a book, it won't be because the characters appeal to my own predilection to write the outré; it will be because the book is well written. Yeah, sorry. Shitty mood. But what the fuck can you expect? Here's the Big Cartel shop , because even assholes need to eat. Later Tater Beans, Aunt Beast 1:48 p.m.