Caroline

It was a weekend filled with joy, adventure, great food, friends, music, art, and story telling. I’m ready for the week! I hope your well is full and that you all have a good day.

Game night! Betrayal at House on the Hill! The Heroes died. The Traitor, a Demon Lord, won. Sigh.

Mayor Mamdani restores my faith. How does he accomplish so much? I love him so much.

Consistently have 4 D&D tables at our sessions! 1 ongoing campaign and 3 tables for drop-in one-shots. DMed for 7 new people in the month of September! I love giving the opportunity to play for folks who always wanted to- but never got the chance before. I’m brewing spooky stuff for October!

Jesse Welles. The folk song hero of these times. I love Jesse’s songs.

My first exposure to Dolly Parton was “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”, with Burt Reynolds. My second was a music special that aired on a free HBO weekend where she sang “Coat of Many Colors” Loved her.

I f’n hate mosquitoes. That is all.

I remember grimacing every time I died from dysentery in “Oregon Trail”. Now it’s not so funny. 🤷‍♀️

Getting ready for a D&D camping weekend. So excited!! I prepared a level 3 artificer. First time playing artificer. (I’m usually the dm. Don’t get to play as often. So excited!)

I could use a vacation where… my mornings are working in a garden or kayaking, my afternoons are napping/ reading in a hammock, and my evenings are watching M*A*S*H or the West Wing until 1 am.

I was directed to use AI for a work task. And the AI is applying new bullet styles. I can see why asking a computer to make a cup of tea brought down the spaceship’s computer in “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”. 🤣

I have a strong feeling of hope. I can’t point to the direction (global? USA politics? My community? My household?) But something good for decent people is coming. I can feel it.

I love my Wednesday game night. Played Bang! Super fun.

Happy Pride! The local celebration included drag story hour. The books were sweet and inclusive. The families were lovely. I practiced my ASL by watching the interpreters. The exhibitors included many churches, organizations supporting health, and general support. Good energy today. Good day.

We can solve hard problems. But this ~shouldn’t~ be a hard problem. Vote for those who support gun control. No, it won’t stop all violence. But if it stops one shooting- it is worth it.

Heading to Dungeons & Dragons. (3 hours where I forget about work, real life, U.S. politics.) I think I’ll throw a rust monster at the group. And some gnolls to escape from.

I made my sign for March 28.

Dirt therapy. Life is always better on days where I get to play with rocks, dirt, and growing things. If you see dirt under my nails, you know I had a great day.

Yesterday was too much for me. So I went outside. I dug in the dirt. I picked up sticks. I built a fire in my fire pit. I raked the yard. Tired and dirt under my nails. I got a cool drink and my book and sat by the fire. Dirt and campfire therapy. 🔥 What “therapy” works for you?

I like to post about spreading kindness. But today I just need to scream into the void: Trump is a failure. He is only president because he is a liar and a cheat; a con artist. I am furious/sad/confused how this rapist nazi got people to support him. Even after he’s gone, how do we fix this?

Ohmygosh look what I got free from the curb for my D&D groups! The other DMs at the bookstore are gonna love this! And it was a good session tonight ~ I had 8 people at my table!

That’s enough scrolling. Go find a book. Or a puzzle. Or colored pencils and paper. Relax those shoulders. Take some deep belly breaths. Be kind to yourself.

No joke: I got angry hate mail today for writing an obituary of a Black woman scientist—because the person felt she did didn’t deserve the recognition. Which just makes me want to share it again: www.nature.com/articles/d41...

It is easy to get overwhelmed by the incredible cruelty and stupidity of trumps administration and maga followers. It is good to peacefully protest. And to vote. And make your voice heard. It is also easy, if you think about it, to protect your spirit. Do what you need to recharge your battery.

I believe Mamdani’s point could be applied in each of our efforts. This isn’t limited to governing work. I’m inspired by Mamdani’s words and actions.

How are you protecting your mental health? I’m limiting my news intake and social media use. Spending more time reading, listening to music, and practicing sign language. Might pull out a jigsaw puzzle. :)

Excellent D&D session! The party brought a dishonest fundraiser to justice! They talked with townspeople, talked with a squirrel, bought a disguise, scaled a wall to break into her room, forged tickets to the event, and caught her sneaking out. For 3 hours I didn’t think about this world at all.

Get yer teddy bear and put the news aside.

I’m tired of days getting shorter. I’m looking forward to the Winter solstice in about 35 days (northern hemisphere).

Heh. This one made my coffee come out my nose. Needed the laugh.

GM/DMs love it when players know their abilities and how their spells work. And when they play in character and add to the world.

The current project. Wooden house. Gets painted every 5-7 years. Going with a brighter yellow. Because I need ‘brighter!’

We, in the US, are indeed in a Cold Civil War. I am stunned that that I’m not numb yet. I’m angry, sad, scared, and flabbergasted. Yet life goes on. I will go to work. Pay bills. Choose a project for the weekend. Go to church. And watch the Steelers. Yet war goes on. www.bbc.com/news/article...

I hope you add adventure and whimsy to your day. (Step away from doom scrolling…that is enough news. Go outside. Find a book. Discover a new music artist.)

After not being on a bike for years, rode 6 miles yesterday and 6 miles today. My bottom is not saddle-ready. My bottom is sore. I’m reminded of this Calvin & Hobbes strip:

I wonder if Donald has seen the holocaust museum. NBC news headline from Aug 18, 2025. “Trump says the Smithsonian focuses too much on ‘how bad slavery was’. It isn’t too much. It is clear we need more education on how bad slavery was.

I hate mosquitoes. Deep down burning hate with all the rage that is in me. That is all.

Hey. It’s ok. Put down the phone/laptop. Pull out the book you’ve been meaning to get back to. Or call that friend. Or go for a walk.

Ditching Paramount? May I suggest supporting PBS?

Shout out to all the people who donate money to PBS. An annual gift of $60 gets you access to all the shows via Passport. If you have a few extra dollars, now is the time to support your local station.

Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/b... What a "gift" the day before my birthday! WHAT THE FLYING F*CK???!!! "...purely a financial decision" my ass! This CAN NOT stand!

I’ve been in the mountains for the past 3 days. No internet service. The news is … a lot. I need to carve time in each day for prayers/ mindfulness/ meditation. I’m seeking tips on how to successfully include that time.

A quietly powerful moment. Morning light through colored glass. Air is cool and fresh. Kneeling. The taste of bread lingering. The smell of port. The Body and Blood. I hear my friend’s sweet voice “the blood of Christ, the cup of salvation”, again, and again. Surrounded by faces I cherish. Peace.

It’s okay if you didn’t …(finish the laundry. sort the mail. reply to emails. …) We’re all doing the best we can. Go drink a glass of water. Stretch up high. Take two slow big belly breaths. Now you’re ready. Go do one thing.

Struggling with finding the balance of staying informed & actions that make a difference —against— personal health, chores, and fun. It angers me that we have to put this much time and energy into fighting for democracy. Ugh.

Ohmygosh we played ‘Nomic’ at game night tonight. So much fun!! Do you know this game? Excellent with 3 people to large group. Just need a whiteboard or paper and pens. The full rules of Nomic: legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/writ...

“God is reaching out to you [to] find[] the ways that we may be able to do something with our own lives to serve others. “And in that service to others we may find that coming together in friendship, building up community, we too can find true meaning in our lives.” www.osvnews.com/full-text-ad...