For today‘s #ranttime here are a couple stories that may have gone under the radar:
1. University of Virginia President resigns under pressure from the federal government because of “DEI” compliance. Note that UVa is a PUBLIC university.
2. Applicants for federal jobs will be asked to submit answers to essay questions. As a #longtimefed I can tell you this is stupid in addition to being troubling.
Links in comments.

I‘m still quietly cleaning up and cleaning out my book shelves. All while also acquiring new books! I think that‘s called reshaping?

Anyway, this weekend I made a chunk of progress. On Saturday I visited Second Story Books and got a dose of reality about selling books to them, so one went straight to the LFL. ⬇️

On Sunday I donated several RS issues to a special ed teacher for collages, and I‘ve read a few more.
#monthlymagazineblitz

Clean calendar page
Holidays, pretty picture
To start a new month

#haikuhive #haikuaday

Happy #CanadaDay to those who celebrate!

One thing I miss from my office is the annual international student luncheon. So much good food!

#JulyJazz

Likewise, I‘m amazed that it‘s the end of June already. How was the month? It was HOT.🥵

But I managed. And time moves on…
#mentalhealthmonday

June turned out to be a reasonably good month for reading after all. I had my doubts a few times! Starter Villain was my favorite, though there were some other contenders.

I finished Cocaine Blues in the wee hours of the morning and enjoyed it. Entertaining and compelling, while also addressing some serious issues that unfortunately persist today.

#wrapup

I saw this on Facebook a while ago and gave the first answer 😎 but I could do one or the other.

Ten-minute TED talk
About hot men of Middle
Earth … or tartan noir

I could possibly also do one about TNR but I might get too emotional.

#haikuaday #haikuhive

Tonight‘s #hyggehourreadathon selection.

The tagged book explains clearly the importance of including diverse perspectives, and how that is being accomplished in certain spaces. #sundayfunday

The other day I went to the bank for some cash, and a spider landed on my arm. 😮

Just minding my own
A spider landed on me
I screamed like a girl

#haikuaday #haikuhive

I‘ve been blocked! I guess I should be flattered? I wrote a #haikuaday about it.

Friendly reminder:
You can mute tags you don‘t like
No need to block me

In this case, the tags to mute are #ranttime & #longtimefed and I‘ll try to keep the blatant political “stuff” contained to those. I have to say, though, that blocking is the “nuclear” option, when unfollowing serves the same purpose.

I explained my rationale before. I‘ll still speak my mind.

1. Fun time at SA Cosby Q&A
2. Book club social meeting that inadvertently corresponded with a Mullet Mayhem contest
3. I love lemonade but cherry limeade is pretty good too
4. Congratulations to the OKC Thunder
5. Road paving on the main drag is finally done
#5joysfriday

Before Kili there was Annie. On this day in 2012 we had to make the heartbreaking decision to let her go. She was 22 years old and had lived a good long life. Like most cats, she loved boxes.

Our dear sweet Annie
Calico diva hobbit princess
You were a good cat

#haikuhive #haikuaday

That‘s more like it! 55/100 including some all time favorites.
1. Barbie
2. The Blues Brothers
3. Inside Out

Survey link: https://www.listchallenges.com/biggest-summer-movies-by-gross-1975-2024

#TLT

I have a dilemma this morning…

Muffin or pizza
These are my breakfast choices
I just can‘t decide

#haikuhive #haikuaday

As a #longtimefed I know that the Defense Department was created/consolidated in 1949. The name change had nothing to do with political correctness. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/25/trump-war-department-def...

In the spirit of #haikuaday I wrote this for yesterday‘s journaling prompt, about my favorite summer drink.

Tart yellow citrus
Base for the best summer drink
Ever: lemonade

Later today I‘ll raise a glass to the #haikuhive 🍋

Oh, I am sorely tempered to rant today, but instead I‘ll join the #haikuhive with this observation from my walk in the neighborhood a few weeks ago. Please let me know whom to tag.

Old Black man sits on
His porch and eats ice cream from
A bowl in his lap

I‘m coping by going through email, getting stuff done, and filing things away.

A few years ago I bought a couple portable chargers, and I recently got a recall notification. Thank you, CPSC! After about an hour of going around in circles to file a replacement request, I‘m ready to brave the heat and go to the community center where I can walk laps in the gym.

#mentalhealthmonday

It was a great Q&A in DC Friday. He talked about his love of reading at an early age, the teachers who encouraged him, and plans for adaptations of some of his books…among other things.

I‘ve read a couple chapters and know the meaning of the title. We‘re at dinner, basketball is on TV, and I‘ve got the book in front of me. #hyggehourreadathon

I‘d read mysteries. There‘s a lot of room for a variety of stories, settings, characters, etc. #sundayfunday

1. Repair café at the library fixed my mother‘s lamp.
2. My BuJo stickers from Etsy arrived.
3. Good food this week: curry chicken, sushi, loaded hotdog at the ballpark.
4. Deep cleaned the bathroom. Not a joy at the time but the result is.
5. Nationals finally won a game after eleven losses in a row.
#5joysfriday

I picked up this book from the LFL a while ago, forgot about it, found it again during a bookcase cleanout, and read it in the midst of cleaning the bathroom. Cute illustrations, interesting twists on known stories, and several tales of trickery.

This is apparently part of a series, but I‘m skeptical that the author‘s name is really hole in one. 😆

Yeah, my score isn‘t much better as we move forward in time, but here are three out of the 6/100 that I read.
1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
2. So Long a Letter
3. Fear of Flying
#TLT

1. We used to play this word game that was kinda like Scrabble but one word at a time. I don‘t remember what it was called. Outside, my friends and I would make up elaborate scenarios and act them out then judge our acting.

2. I saw The Sound of Music with my family when I was pretty young, and I‘ve loved it ever since then.

#wondrouswednesday

Someone posted this in the local free cycle group and I thought it was funny. Wheatgrass + moringa + kale

Harbinder has moved to London for a promotion, and her first major case involves an MP who‘s murdered at a school reunion. While the ending is a little too tidy, I found this a satisfying installment in the series. I read book 2 out of order and then went back to the first book. Now I‘m ready for the next. #serieslove2025

I had a hard time settling on a book for tonight‘s #hyggehourreadathon because neither of the ones I‘m currently reading was hitting me right. So I picked up something from my shelf and was reading it while waiting for my husband to get home. When he got home, he said let‘s go out for dinner!

I grabbed the tagged book from my library haul that‘s still in the car. However, between eating and chatting and watching baseball I haven‘t opened it yet!

Since I featured Molly Weasley on Mother‘s Day, it only makes sense to feature Arthur Weasley on Father‘s Day. He particularly shows his paternal energy in Order of the Phoenix. #sundayfunday

Last night‘s game had a rain delay, and we didn‘t get home until 1:30! So today I‘ve been a little discombobulated. I had stuff to do earlier, and then I had an appointment at the repair cafe at the library.

Two volunteers worked persistently troubleshooting the issues with an old lamp that had been my mother‘s. I‘d used it every day when I was WFH, but eventually the switch failed. They replaced it at no cost and fixed other parts.
#chatterday

1. My sister and I had an interesting conversation with a ballpark acquaintance about various books and other things, in which he declared his love of Russian literature.
2. Amazing French Open men‘s final.
3. Thanks to prompting from @TheSpineView I went to the bookstore and preordered the upcoming Ann Cleeves book.
4. Dark Winds on Netflix.
5. Large #libraryhaul and a pedicure on the same day.
#5joysfriday

Another week of books I‘ve never heard of, books on my TBR, and books by authors I‘ve read but not that book. Here are the 3/100 that I‘ve read. 😮
1. Things Fall Apart (very sad)
2. To Kill a Mockingbird ❤️
3. The Leopard (read in school but I couldn‘t tell you one thing about it) #TLT

Survey link: https://www.listchallenges.com/1001-books-you-must-read-before-you-die-list6

One of my issues with reading challenges is that the list usually changes before the metaphorical ink is dry. For example, I ended up reading The Spy Coast early, so I replaced it with Road Fever which was rec‘d by a friend after I made the list. There was some cursing involved in making the original collage, so I‘m not updating it! #14books14weeks

Anyway, this was a little dated but informative and interesting (once they finally hit the road).

1. Thanks for the reminder! I need to pre-order the tagged book. It‘s scheduled for publication in October, just in time for my sister‘s birthday.
2. I don‘t usually have my act together enough to pre-order, but when I do it‘s probably part of a series. #two4tuesday

PSA for East Coast USA Littens. My sister and I are going to the one in DC. #camplitsy

I almost bailed, and I almost threw it across the room, but I finished it. Not sure what I read. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Today my heart is…guarded. On one hand, the news is horrible, and the situation in LA is yet another issue of disagreement in the household. On the other hand, I was born in California, so if they secede perhaps I could apply for birthright citizenship? #mentalhealthmonday

It was a long day, and I just might fall asleep on the couch in front of the RV.

The game started late because of the rain, but I had the tagged book to read. I also read some in the car during actual #hyggehourreadathon while I waited for my husband.

During the game my sister and I had a bookish conversation with a ridiculously smart acquaintance of ours, and he talked about his love of Russian literature (!) among other things.

John Copenhaver is an author who keeps hovering just below the surface on my TBR list. His books sound interesting. #sundayfunday

1. Our favorite restaurant opened a new branch at the racetrack.
2. We went to Ocean City. This is the view from our friend‘s condo.
3. A vendor that I liked at the farmers market last summer is back this year, just under a different name.
4. Nationals Night Out. The game was lousy, but I loved the company and atmosphere.
5. “Alien vs Predator” 🍿
#5joysfriday

This ballgame is getting out of hand, so I might as well do the quiz! 🤣

It‘s another collection comprised mostly of never heard of it, on my TBR, or I read another book by the author. #TLT

However, if you broke up the LOTR trilogy into its component books and counted the rereads, I‘d have a higher score than 5/100. 😎

Here are the rest.
1. Cry, the Beloved Country
2. Dr. Zhivago
3. The Talented Mr. Ripley
4. The Last Temptation of Christ

First of all, that cover! The librarian who checked out my book haul went 😻and said she was looking forward to reading it too.

It reminds me of the movie RED for the novice thrown into a crazy situation vibe, with a strong side of H2G2 for the (foul mouthed) dolphins. Fast paced, very readable, and not subtle commentary on extreme wealth. The author is also a good follow on social media.

“In a dog eat dog world…be a cat.”

#authoramonth

1. Give everyone as much grace as you can, including yourself.
2. 😎💃🏽🩵
3. The tagged book is hilarious!
#wondrouswednesday

1. There have been some interesting answers to this question. For my part, I think it‘s possible for a book to define a generation, a Strong Sense of Time, if you will, but keeping in mind that no decade or generation is any one thing. That being said…
2. With the caveat that I haven‘t read it * I suggest the tagged book for the 1980s. The rise of investment bankers and various derivatives, etc. etc.
#two4tuesday on Wednesday

Yesterday, once we seemed to clear the weather and traffic, I remembered I had this book on my phone from Libby. Good choice for a road trip!

It‘s also a good choice for #hyggehourreadathon because there‘s something very cozy to me about armchair travel.

My husband made chicken cordon bleu for dinner, and it was delicious! Now I‘m settled in with my book and the Yankees-Dodgers on TV. Trying very hard to ignore the news.

Next up in the Harbinder Kaur series #sundayfunday

I‘m not sure what all happened this month that I only finished four books, but in any case the tagged book was my favorite. #wrapup

We‘re on a little road trip. It‘s perhaps ill advised in light of the weather, but we were both getting kinda stir crazy. Am I reading in the car? Of course not. Just playing with my phone and hoping the traffic calms down soon. #chatterday

1. Tagged book from the free cycle group.
2. I mended the loose seam on my tote bag.
3. Violas!
4. The return of farmers market season.
5. TACOs & gumbo #5joysfriday

I‘m beginning to see a pattern here! A few books I‘ve read, some on my TBR, some I‘ve never even heard of the author, and some I‘ve read other books by the authors but not the ones on the list. These are the whopping 4/100 that I‘ve read. #TLT
1. The Hobbit
2. The Little Prince
3. Rebecca
4. Miss Lonelyhearts

Survey link: https://www.listchallenges.com/1001-books-you-must-read-before-you-die-list4