charamei | Reading

I am someone who wakes up multiple times throughout the night. I always just flip over and go right back to sleep, but I definitely wake up fairly often. On my first morning of being in Denver, I was sleeping on my friend’s couch when I happened to wake up at seven on the dot. I was pretty comfortable, so I almost didn’t flip over at all, but at the last minute I decided I’d be slightly more comfortable if I flipped. So I did, and in doing so I faced the windows instead of facing the apartment. When I tell you I was beholding the single most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen in my life, trust that I mean it.

Radiant pink and bursting gold, the snowy mountains in the distance, and the sun steadily rising, casting light onto the city before me. It was truly a sight, and I stayed up for fifteen minutes to watch the sunrise unfold and transform, until it was finally over and the magnificent colors subsided. I thought about taking a photo, but I decided I just wanted to experience it in the moment and really soak it in just for myself.

After a glorious start to the morning (and going back to sleep for a while), Alex and I started our day off right with a quick stop at The Sen Tea House to pick up some matcha (we are matcha fiends if you couldn’t tell). The Sen Tea House had so many different options for their matchas in terms of sweetness, flavors, and milks, and they have non-matcha drinks, too, so there’s really a drink for every type of preference.

I almost didn’t even get a matcha because I was so enticed by the coconut Vietnamese coffee, but my friend highly recommended their matcha, so I ended up getting the ube matcha, which is listed on their menu as their most popular item. If you look at their online menu, Alex’s drink isn’t on there because it was like a weekly special or seasonal special, but they got the banana cream matcha. And here they are!

Two plastic 16oz cups, each filled with iced matcha. One has purple ube cream on top and the other has a pale yellow banana cream on top. Both have a huge portion of milk in the bottom of the cup, because this was prior to us mixing our drinks up a bit.

I was very pleased with the generous portion of cream on top, as these were $7.75 each. We obviously mixed these up a little bit more before drinking them, but I wanted to take a picture before mixing because I knew that mixing purple and green together would make a very unappetizing brown/grey color. And it did! But trust, it was delicious. It had tons of sweet ube flavor while still having some earthy matcha flavor, and was super creamy. Alex’s banana one tasted wildly fresh, like not artificial-y banana at all. It tasted so healthy like as if you made a fruit smoothie with a banana in it. It was definitely less sweet than mine, but Alex really enjoyed it. I am definitely glad I picked the ube, I can’t get enough ube in my life.

Later in the day, we were off to a highly anticipated spot called Mecha Noodle Bar.

A large black building with orange lettering on the front that reads

This ramen restaurant is fun, fresh, and casual, but also nice enough that you can come in and sit at the bar with a date and have awesome cocktails. I didn’t know at the time, but Mecha actually has a few other locations, though all the other ones are in the Northeast, predominately Connecticut and Massachusetts. How they got all the way out to Denver, I’m not entirely sure. But I’m glad they did, because Alex and I absolutely loved Mecha.

We were originally here for their Restaurant Week offerings, but it turned out that we were there during their happy hour, as well. We decided to double down and get the Restaurant Week menu and order off the happy hour menu, just to keep things exciting.

But of course, I had to start out with a bev:

A clear, tall, tiki glass with orange liquid and a blue bendy straw.

This is their mango sticky rice cocktail, with cachaça, pandan liqueur, coconut, mango, tea syrup, and lemon. Mango sticky rice is one of my favorite desserts in the world, so this cocktail sounded right up my alley. Whoever made it definitely made it kind of strong, but so much of the delicious tropical flavors really came through and I loved the level of sweetness in this drink. It wasn’t too heavy or too dessert-y. Much like the actual dessert it’s named for. Light and refreshing, with intense mango flavor. This drink was $15, but there was a lot of liquid to work through there, so can’t be too mad.

Here was the pre-fixe menu for only $25:

The pre-fixe menu for Mecha Noodle, listing your choices for your first course, second course, and then listing the one and only option for dessert.

Though I love some good edamame and those green beans sounded downright delish, I opted for the shiitake bao, and Alex got the chicken bao. Here’s mine:

A single bao filled with what appears to be only cucumbers on a red, ornately decorated plate.

If it looks like my bao is 200% cucumber, fear not, I got a better shot of the filling:

A look inside the bao, revealing it's not all cucumber, there's actually mushroom, green onion, and sauce.

As you can see, there is actually mushroom, scallions, hoisin, and Kewpie mayo in there. I really enjoyed this bao. The bun was soft and pillowy, the cucumber was crisp and fresh, and the mushroom was a perfectly acceptable size. Alex really liked their chicken one, too.

Before we dove into our second course, we got our happy hour snacks. Alex got the firecracker wings:

A platter of large, breaded wings alongside a wedge of lime and two sauce containers holding a creamy sauce.

These bad boys do not mess around, with their Sichuan peppercorn, Korean chili, tamarind, and togarashi seasoning alongside their lime leaf ranch. My friend offered a wing to me to try, but these suckers packed a kick. Even with the ranch, I couldn’t manage a second bite. These wings are an absolute powerhouse of flavor, and have definitely earned their name of “firecrackers.” While this platter is usually $16, the happy hour price was only $8.

I went for the spare ribs:

A shallow white bowl full of ribs covered in a dark brown glaze, topped with sesame seeds and fresh greens.

I don’t normally eat ribs in public, as they’re very messy and I dare not risk looking goofy, but when it came to these ribs, I no longer cared. They were so good. Too good. Quite possibly the best ribs I’ve ever had, even. Incredibly tender, luscious, fall-right-off-the-bone ribs with a bold, savory, but slightly sweet, sticky sauce that left me questioning why I haven’t had more ribs in my life. Though these were originally $18, the happy hour price was an unbeatable $9. Under ten dollars for these truly delectable ribs was wild, but I was totally here for it.

Finally, our main courses. With the price of the menu being only $25, I had assumed that the main courses would be mini versions of their actual entrees. Like a half portion of their ramen or something along those lines. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover you get the full portion, which is absolutely wild because a bowl of their noodles costs almost as much as the pre-fixe menu.

Alex got the mala stir-fry:

A big bowl of noodles with peanuts, cilantro, and sauce.

Wide, flat rice noodles, topped with a cumin-Sichuan-peanut sauce, actual peanuts, and cilantro, with spicy brisket lurking just beneath the surface. This dish was also way too spicy for me, but Alex absolutely loved it. I did think the rice noodles were interesting, at least, plus the fresh cilantro is always a plus.

I was a little basic and got the shoyu paitan:

A big red bowl full of ramen. A big chunk of chicken, noodles, corn, scallions, soft boiled egg, and seaweed.

I really love black garlic, especially in ramen, so that’s what led me to pick this chicken ramen. It came with half a soft-boiled egg, some nori, scallions, bamboo, and I added the corn. I am always in the mood for ramen, and this ramen definitely delivered on curbing my ramen craving. I wouldn’t say it was a life-changing bowl of noodles, but it was pretty good and I have no real complaints about it. I liked the egg.

After acquiring many boxes, it was time for dessert:

Two mason jars full of purple pudding and topped with a vanilla wafer.

Oh my god, more ube! I was thrilled to see this beautiful purple pudding concoction. This was “Bonnie’s Banana Pudding,” with ube, vanilla pudding, bananas, and vanilla wafers. I know the mason jars don’t look like very big vessels, but this was absolutely a generous portion size. Like it took some serious work to get through these jars of pudding, but every bite was amazing. The ube flavor worked wonderfully with the vanilla, and the banana wasn’t artificial tasting at all. It was like we were drinking our matchas from that morning all over again!

The pudding was so creamy and had a great mouthfeel, and I almost felt sad when my spoon finally scraped the glass bottom of the jar. I could eat this dessert pretty much every single day.

For one cocktail, two restaurant week menus, a platter of wings and a platter of ribs, we were looking at a cool and breezy $82 before tip. What a steal. I was thoroughly impressed with their happy hour options, plus how good everything was (even if two of the dishes were too spicy for me). Not to mention our waitress was extremely friendly and attentive!

Mecha Noodle Bar really exceeded my expectations and was a great time, I highly recommend checking them out.

After heading back to Alex’s apartment and hanging with some of their apartment friends and checking out a little event happening in the lobby, we went back out to get some drinks to end the night. We walked down the street to Barcelona Wine Bar, an upscale tapas restaurant with tons of wines, beers, and some unique cocktails.

We sat at the bar, which was a beautiful marble with nice, dim lighting that made the place feel elevated yet somewhat cozy. The first drink I chose was actually one of their mocktails, but I asked for a spirit of the bartender’s choice in it. This is the “Tea Time”:

A coupe glass filled with a dark pink liquid with a lighter pink foam on top, plus a mint leaf resting on top. The glass sits atop a black and white marble bar top.

Earl grey tea, blueberry shrub, salted honey syrup, aquafaba, and mint. Plus gin! This drink is so pretty, I absolutely love the color and the stark contrast of the mint leaf on top. The aquafaba made for an excellent foam on top of the drink, as well. I adore earl grey as a flavor, as well as blueberry, and unsurprisingly this drink did not disappoint. I think gin was the perfect addition to this fruity yet sophisticated beverage. Specifically a more botanical gin versus a dry gin. I know what kind of gin I’m about and it sure isn’t Tanqueray.

For my second cocktail, I got yet another mocktail… with a spirit added! This is the “Bees & Bays”:

A wine glass filled with pale yellow liquid and ice, with a bay leaf on top.

That lovely salted honey syrup makes its return alongside lime, cardamom bitters, sparkling water, and is topped with a torched bay leaf. Oh, and gin. This cocktail was so light and refreshing, with simple flavors of honey, citrus, and the lovely feeling of bubbles. I loved how cold it was from all the ice.

Though Alex and I were definitely full from our time at Mecha Noodle, we knew we had to at least try some charcuterie:

A small wooden board with three chunks of cheese, some jam, and some cured meat.

We both knew we wanted drunken goat on the board for sure, but our other picks came to mind much slower. We ended up getting tetilla, a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese, and a third cheese I don’t remember. I know, I know, I had one job! But at least I remembered that the meat is speck! Or… was it serrano? No, no, definitely speck. Probably. And don’t ask me about the jam.

For my final beverage of the evening before walking the couple blocks back to Alex’s apartment, we have the Gin & Jus:

A short glass with pale yellow liquid and ice.

Gin, lime, pink peppercorn, ginger, and green grape. I like all of those things! They were good together. I think I didn’t taste this one as much as I did the previous two. I did like it, though.

Alex had a glass of Moscato, so I didn’t bother taking a picture. I’m very sorry to anyone who wanted to see a glass of white wine.

When we got back, we called it an early night (not too early) so we would feel rested and ready to go for my third day. Stick around to see what whacky beverages I consume next!

Have you been to any of Mecha Noodle Bar’s locations before? Do you like ube? How do you feel about gin? Let me know in the comments, and have a great day!

-AMS

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/09/dilly-dallying-in-denver-day-2/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=60059

scalziwhatever_feed

Posted by Athena Scalzi

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/08/the-big-idea-corry-l-lee-3/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=60032

Endings are called endings because things end there… but then what? What goes on beyond “the end”? Corry L. Lee is thinking about that very thought, and in this Big Idea for Imbue the Sky, offers some insight.

CORRY L. LEE:

The end of many stories is the Big Bad’s defeat. But is that really the end? If, say, someone had killed Hitler before WWII, would everything have been fine? What about his cronies, his generals, everyone invested in the fascist machine?

In Imbue the Sky, I wanted to explore what happens after the resistance succeeds. The dictator’s dead (hurray!)… but, left behind, is a power vacuum and loads of oppressive systems. In the Bourshkanya Trilogy, the (now-dead) Supreme General has two likely heirs: his sadistic eldest son, groomed for the role and supported by the brutal State police; and his more reasonable daughter, a mage and politician struggling with the State’s “might makes right” mentality. Then there’s the resistance, scrappy and small, with radical ideas of power to the people.

Add in our heroes who, together, assassinated the “unkillable” Supreme General, but now find themselves on opposing sides of a three-way civil war.

Through outlines and early drafts, I worked out the civil war’s progression and how I wanted it to end. But time and again, something wasn’t working. The problem was one of scope.

Most fantasy series, The Bourshkanya Trilogy included, grow in scope from one book to the next. This series began with intimate character, relationship, and magic growth inside the physical confines of a travelling circus (Book 1, Weave the Lightning), grew to working undercover for the resistance within the fascist state’s magical military (Book 2, The Storm’s Betrayal), before becoming nation-spanning in Book 3 (Imbue the Sky) with its civil war. Romances and friendships have shattered, and hundreds of kilometers separate our protagonists.

The spark in the first two books came from the personal struggles, the push-and-pull of relationships, the tug between characters who cared deeply but wanted different things. How could I hold onto that heart while landing a satisfying ending with revolutionary scope?

I will claim that my answer to this is my Big Idea but, in reality, it was my Big Struggle.

To figure it out, I returned to the core of my original story: two people on different sides of the fascist state. The question of how a person frees themself from fascism fascinated me when I started drafting this series, and it has only become more relevant. In the real world, political rhetoric has become more polarized and aggressive, overflowing with intolerance and hate.

And I wondered: how do we come back from hatred? Can we make mistakes and still be good? How many of our actions are shaped by our environment, and how can we turn toward forgiveness, understanding, and hope?

With this, Imbue the Sky’s Big Idea began to gel. The core of this story was not its battles or its epic magic (though those would remain, because fight scenes!!!). The heart of this story was characters fighting back toward their best selves—while raising arms against injustice. For some, the fight became about holding onto their light in the face of war’s brutality. For others, it involved realizing how their choices had broken relationships and figuring out how to (try and) mend them. Still others needed to soften their staunch convictions and accept that decisions are not always clear-cut; that sometimes, only by embracing an uncomfortable gray middle ground, can we nurture true growth.

In these questions, I found the end of the series. Not the culmination of the civil war’s battles (though that, too). Not (just) the weaving together of disparate aspects of the magic system into one explosive finale. But the weaving together of lives.

The relationships at the end of this series have all shifted dramatically. Not all mistakes can be walked back, not all burned bridges rebuilt. But by looking critically at our choices and the paths they’ve started us down, by being vulnerable and admitting our mistakes, we have a chance to shift the course of history.

It takes great strength to face your fears and reach for hope; to risk pain and be vulnerable; to risk failure and strive for a better world. In Imbue the Sky, the personal is political. The story doesn’t end when the dictator dies. In a way, it’s only the beginning.

Imbue the Sky: Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Bookshop|Powell’s|Solaris Books

Author socials: Website|Instagram|Facebook

Read an excerpt.

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/08/the-big-idea-corry-l-lee-3/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=60032

senmut

Since I definitely dragged us down a less happy path, I'm going to invite a question here:

Regardless of creator intent, what CANON had a positive, lasting impression on how you shape the world around you?

(context was some unsavory authors came up)
Answers can be from ANY STYLE OF FICTIONAL MEDIA, though so far I am getting a lot of Books in my discord discussion.

My own may seem simplistic, and maybe childish, but Anna Sewell's Black Beauty had me questioning the social strata ALL AROUND me from a very young age, in the Deep South.

lilly_c posting in

writethisfanfic

Sorry I missed yesterday, I had to go back to work to cover.

How is the writing going?

Poll #34454

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 4

View Respondents

Today I

View Answers

wrote
2 (50.0%)

edited
1 (25.0%)

posted
2 (50.0%)

sent to beta
0 (0.0%)

researched
0 (0.0%)

planned
3 (75.0%)

had a cheeky break
1 (25.0%)

dealt with life
1 (25.0%)

Discussion: Do you ever write when you're at work?

egs_comic_feed

https://www.egscomics.com/comic/falsekings-123

New comic!
Today's News:

- The two conclusions being reached earlier

- The hypothesis being reached earlier

For the record, Ellen isn't coming up with these on the spot. These are things she's been told. What she's doing is organizing them into arguments.

(Which is still an impressive thing to do on the spot like that.)

LOGIC!

Upon realizing I was confused about the distinctions between inductive and abductive reasoning, editing this page turned into a speed run to learn about philosophical reasoning.

Napoleon and space aliens got involved.

The cause of my confusion turned out to be this: Not everyone acknowledges abductive reasoning.

There are plenty of videos that treat deductive and inductive reasoning as a dichotomy. It took me a while to realize that, and it affected how I interpreted what I was hearing. The line between inductive and abductive reasoning started to blur, and I wondered why abductive reasoning was even a thing.

So I read a paper by Charles Sanders Peirce from 1878.

Titled Deductions, Inductions, and Hypotheses (and read by me in a collection called The Essential Peirce, Volume 1), it argued for the necessity of hypotheses and how they differed from induction (it read like an early case for what would become known as abductive reasoning).

It also claimed that Napoleon existing was a hypothesis.

Numberless documents and monuments refer to a conqueror called Napoleon Bonaparte. Though we have not seen the man, yet we cannot explain what we have seen, namely, all these documents and monuments, without supposing that he really existed. Hypothesis again.

And I wasn't kidding about space aliens. From later in the paper:

Now, the facts which serve as grounds for our belief in the historic reality of Napoleon are not by any means necessarily the only kind of facts which are explained by his existence. It may be that, at the time of his career, events were being recorded in some way not now dreamed of, that some ingenious creature on a neighboring planet was photographing the earth, and that these pictures on a sufficiently large scale may some time come into our possession, or that some mirror upon a distant star will, when the light reaches it, reflect the whole story back to earth.

I’ll say this for the Napoleon examples: I will never forget them.

ANYWAY! I felt significantly less confused after I read that, and I changed Ellen's induction example. My earlier confusion had, in fact, resulted in the original actually being abductive reasoning.

Hooray for reading and hypothetical Napoleon being photographed by aliens!

https://www.egscomics.com/comic/falsekings-123

scalziwhatever_feed

Posted by Athena Scalzi

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/07/dilly-dallying-in-denver-day-1/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59994

Last month, I went out to Colorado to visit one of my besties from college (Alex) for their birthday. I was out there for a week, and three of those days were spent in Denver, where they were kind enough to host me in their lovely apartment. In those three days, we explored so many different amazing restaurants, cafes, the botanical gardens, and even went into Boulder. I’d like to share the details of my trip with y’all, so buckle in because we are flying first class to Denver, baby!

I flew first class out of Cincinnati through Delta, and every time I fly through Cincinnati, I always try to stop and have a drink and a snack at Vino Volo. I love Vino Volo and if an airport has one, I’m there. I’ve been to the one in Minneapolis, the one in D.C., and I think one in California, maybe their Sacramento location? Anyways, Vino Volo is an airport-exclusive wine bar that has offerings like a charcuterie plate, soups, salads, flatbreads, just some light bites to go along with your wine, beer, or cocktail. So even though it was 10am and my flight was about to board, you know I had to get a little caffeine in me with an espresso martini.

An espresso martini sitting on top of a black cocktail napkin, which sits atop a stainless steel counter/bar. The martini is the color of black coffee with a little bit of the white foam on top, and two espresso beans.

I had a very short layover in Minneapolis, and made it into Denver at about 2pm. I took the train all the way to my friend’s apartment which is literally directly across from the train tracks, and our awesome reunion began. Also, I’ve never taken a train by myself before, I have only had friends in New York help me with the subway, a friend in Portland come with me on the bus system, and friends in Norway help me with the bus while I was very drunk, so public transportation isn’t my forte. It took me so long to figure out where the train was, how to get there, what ticket to buy, and what train to get on. I literally did not know what I was doing but I just hopped on one and hoped it was going the way I needed it to, and it did!

While I was visiting, it was Restaurant Week in Denver. If you’re unfamiliar with it, Restaurant Week (in any given city that participates) is where tons of restaurants in the city will offer a special, pre-fixe menu exclusive to the week, and usually offer it at a hell of a steal. The restaurants participating can offer their menus at four prices, $25, $35, $45, or $55 dollars. This gives people who maybe can’t splurge on a Michelin-star meal a chance to try multiple items for a fraction of the cost.

In our efforts to be culinarily and financially savvy, we also tried to hit specific happy hours. So our first meal in Denver was at Uchi, with an early reservation time of 4 o’clock so we could check out their happy hour menu.

A shot of the outside sign of Uchi, which is a black sign with white letters that read

Uchi is over in the RiNo district, so it’s super close to Denver proper. Uchi is founded by James Beard Award winning chef Tyson Cole, and actually has multiple locations across the US. It is upscale, chic, and incredibly inviting with its warm wood and atmospheric lighting. The servers are friendly, the drinks are delish, and the food is truly next level.

Here’s the happy hour menu:

A single sheet of paper listing the happy hour offerings, and stating that happy hour is from 4-6 every day.

Alex and I knew right off the bat that we wanted to do the omakase. A nine-course tasting menu of chef’s choices. What could be better?

And of course, we needed a fun bevy to go with our meal:

The drink menu! Featuring signature cocktails, mocktails, wine, and beer.

I got a sake that was on the happy hour menu called “Hoyo Sawayaka Summer Breeze” and they brought it to me in an overfilled tasting glass that (intentionally) spilled out into a wooden box that the glass resided in. They said that the overpour is a traditional symbol to represent hospitality and appreciation for the guest. I was told I could pour the glass out into the box and drink out of the box, but I decided to just drink out of the glass and then the box. I wanted the experience but didn’t want all of my drink to be out of the box.

The Summer Breeze sake was quite good! It was a little bit drier than I expected, but it was very light and crisp. I’m glad I tried it.

Alex got the Nikko mocktail, which you will see in a photo further on. Non-alcoholic amaretto, coconut milk, raspberry, and pineapple. This was a deliciously creamy drink that wasn’t overly sweet, but had such a nice tropical flavor to it.

Finally, our first course came:

Four oysters on the half shell, over a small bowl of pebbled ice.

Raw oysters on the half shell! This presentation was beautiful, and two oysters for each of us was the perfect start. These oysters were so fresh, not fishy at all, and made even more fresh by the microgreens on top. Served cold and fresh, just how I like ’em. The oysters are normally five dollars a piece, so this being the first course of a $60 nine course meal was already a good sign.

Up next were these tuna temaki with avocado. Now you can see our bevs, too!

A wooden board with the tuna temaki and dipping sauce on them. Also in the shot is Alex's mocktail, light pink and in a short glass with lots of ice and a pineapple frond. You can also see my sake in the glass/wooden box!

I love a temaki, it’s like sushi in a different font! The simple combo of tuna and avocado with rice and seaweed is a certified classic, absolutely nothing wrong here.

For our third course, we got tempura fried Japanese pumpkin:

Two pieces of tempura fried Japanese pumpkin served on an ovular plate with a dish of dipping sauce.

I truly love tempura fried anything and I especially love when it’s pumpkin. It’s so similar to a sweet potato with it’s slightly sweet and earthy flavor. The tempura on the outside was so perfectly crispy, my friend and I agreed it was delightfully crunchy.

This next course was extra special, because it was actually a birthday gift from the kitchen for my friend:

A beautifully presented dish of bright orange ocean trout, yellow butternut squash puree, dark red beet chips, bright and fresh micro greens on top, all served on a beautiful grey stoneware dish. My friend is holding up the happy birthday sign the restaurant made for her, it is a red fish made of paper with a little star with eyes that says happy birthday!

First, can we appreciate how cute the little happy birthday sign is? Alex kept the paper fish as a keepsake. Anyways, what we have here is raw ocean trout atop a butternut squash puree, topped with beet chips, apple, and microgreens. This was so good. The ocean trout was tender and had a beautiful, non-fishy flavor, the butternut squash puree was a wonderful accompaniment and its smooth texture contrasted the crunchy beet chips and crisp apple perfectly.

Also, who else is loving the dishware here? This plate is excellent.

Back to our regularly scheduled omakase, we have what I’d consider to be the most beautiful dish of the evening:

Four absolutely fat pieces of tuna in ponzu, sitting atop mandarin orange slices, and topped with roe and microgreens. Served in a beautiful small stoneware bowl.

I can’t remember if this was bluefin tuna or yellowtail tuna, but it was definitely tuna and it was dressed with ponzu. The mandarin orange slices accompanying it had all of the white parts removed by hand to avoid that bitter pith flavor, and it is topped with roe (I can’t remember what kind!) and microgreens.

This tuna was so succulent and had a lovely mild flavor, paired with the sweet and juicy mandarin slices and bright ponzu, oh my gosh. This dish was seriously an absolute harmony of flavors, everything worked together so perfectly to create a delectable bite. One of my favorite bites of the evening.

Then we had these crispy rice squares:

A small wooden boarding holding two squares of crispy rice.

If I remember correctly, these were topped with salmon, creme fraiche, and lemon zest. What part of that equation isn’t delicious?! We had yet to have any misses in the dishes.

Next was a course that was cooked fish, much to my surprise. This was their seared walleye:

A small chunk of cooked walleye in a sauce, served in a blue and white bowl.

The walleye was served hot and flaked apart nicely, I do think this was a little bit of a small portion for the two of us to share, but honestly everything else was already such a steal price-wise that a smaller course isn’t the worst thing in the world.

Especially because this next course was HUGE:

A huge slab of pork tonkatsu, fried to a perfect golden brown and topped with apples, served alongside a glossy brown sauce and creamy puree.

This giant pork chop served alongside a truffle soy glaze and apple puree, with granny smiths on top, was truly divine. The truffle flavor in the sauce was prominent but not overwhelming, the apple puree was so smooth and creamy, and the crunchy breading on the outside of the perfectly cooked pork chop was just the right level of golden brown. This was an absolute home run of a dish. And look at that nice bowl!

Finally, it was time for dessert, and as stuffed as we were, we couldn’t wait to dive into this dish:

A shallow white bowl holding ice cream, fried milk balls, chocolate mousse, etc.

Sweet cream gelato, chocolate mousse, and fried milk balls, topped with some sort of cocoa crisp thingy that I can’t even remember! I truly did not know what to expect with fried milk balls, but lordyyy they were so good. Crispy outside, basically sweetened condensed milk on the inside, like a lava cake but with milk. The sweet cream gelato was unbelievably bomb, and this was a showstopper dessert all around.

Oh, also, I ordered a cocktail a couple courses prior to the end, and it never came but I was like, eh that’s okay. But then it ended up being on my bill, so I brought it up to the server and he apologized immediately, took it off my bill and gave me the cocktail on the house!

For sixty dollars a person, this meal was incredible. Fresh flavors, unique combinations, beautiful presentations, good service, and food that I definitely can’t get around Bradford. We loved everything, and this was definitely a great birthday dinner for my friend.

After going back to their apartment and digesting for a bit, we decided we needed a late night matcha, and hit up Milk Tea People just before they closed. Alex highly recommended their matcha to me, so while I did end up getting a strawberry matcha, I couldn’t resist also getting the drink that was truly calling my name: the black sesame jasmine cream.

Three drinks in clear plastic cups, strawberry matcha on the left with layered green and red parts, orange blossom matcha on the right layered with a pale yellow section and a darker green top section, and the black sesame drink in the middle, pale grey and white and creamy.

Alex got the orange blossom matcha on the right there, which was slightly floral and definitely more matcha-y/earthy than some sweeter, creamier matchas end up being. For my strawberry one, it was good but it was much less sweet than I anticipated, with the strawberry portion being more like a tart, fresh strawberry flavor. I actually ended up adding strawberry milk to mine to make it sweeter and creamier.

The black sesame drink was my favorite, though, with very prominent black sesame flavor, nice and sweet, and extra creamy. These drinks were a bit more on the expensive side with each one being nine dollars.

We spent the rest of the evening catching up and spilling tea, and I got plenty of pets in on their cat, Callie:

A stunning smokey grey colored cat with yellow green eyes squinting slightly in the sunlight.

Day one complete and I was definitely beat from traveling, but stay tuned for day two!

Have you been to Denver before? If so, have you been out to Uchi? Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram, and have a great day!

-AMS

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/07/dilly-dallying-in-denver-day-1/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59994

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Posted by John Scalzi

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/06/a-bedazzling-book/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59984

At my event this evening in Upper Arlington, my interlocutor Tom Winegard presented me with this copy of The Shattering Peace, which had been bedazzled by his spouse as a gift to me. This is the first time that I had heard of bibliodazzling, but apparently it’s a thing people do all the time these days. I have to say I don’t mind the effect. The book is now at home in a place of honor on my shelf. I am bemused and bedazzled.

Also, the event itself was a lovely time! Thank you to everyone who came out to see us.

— JS

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/06/a-bedazzling-book/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59984

lilly_c posting in

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How is the writing going today?

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masterghandalf posting in

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Current Location: Challerain Keep
Current Music: The King of the Golden Hall

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https://www.egscomics.com/comic/falsekings-122

New comic!
Today's News:

Oh hey, there's an Eeevil Hope sketchbook today.

I hope you like logical reasoning!

There will be elaboration on what Ellen means next page, and I'll elaborate further in its commentary (WOO! LOGIC AND REASONING! YEAH!).

I first took an interest in types of reasoning when someone dared to point out that Sherlock Holmes rarely, if ever, actually used deductive reasoning. This bold claim seemed to be accurate.

I didn't take a lot of interest in it at first. I mostly thought, "that's neat," and occasionally thought about it. More recently, however, I've been looking a great deal into it! I've seen many videos, looked things up, read a book (GASP!), and I've reached what I consider a deductive conclusion:

There is no universal consensus on what these forms of reasoning mean.

Which, honestly, is fine. They're guidelines for reason, not literal, tangible things. What matters most (unless taking a test in a philosophy or mathematics course) is that they genuinely assist with reasoning.

I'm going to do my best to stick to what makes the most sense to me, and what would make the most sense for the characters in-context. I just also don't think I can "get it right" from everyone's perspective, and I say that on the basis that I've heard so many conflicting perspectives.

—

- Saturday EGSNP

https://www.egscomics.com/comic/falsekings-122

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Posted by Jessica Hagy

https://thisisindexed.com/2026/04/they-are-weary/

https://thisisindexed.com/?p=26263

The post They are weary. appeared first on Indexed.

https://thisisindexed.com/2026/04/they-are-weary/

https://thisisindexed.com/?p=26263

senmut

Just making notes on this reading of Clan of the Cave Bear.

Clan Fires

Brun (bison)
Ebra

Broud (wooly rhinoceros)
Oga
Brac
Grev

Creb (ursus & roe deer) [dies]
Iza (saiga antelope) [dies]
Ayla (cave lion)
Uba
Durc (wolf)

Grod (brown bear)
Uka
Zoug

Crug
Ika
Borg (boar)
Igra
Dorv [dies]

Droog (aurochs)
Aga
Vorn
Ona (owl)
Groob
Aba

Goov (aurochs)
Ovra (beaver)

In Progress reading notes

There is only a single lean-to.
She only ever calls for/thinks of one person, her mother.
She walked for days before finally collapsing.

My question is: why were they alone, even if there was a man with them she doesn't think of? We know from later books that Others lived near the peninsula, but why was Ayla, her mother, and potentially a mate, all alone out of the sound and sight of a people?

Location wise, despite later books, I would place them as likely part of the Sharamudoi, but she didn't physically match them either.

I swear, the time traveling family makes more sense.
Other than my original theory that Ayla is meant to be a cypher, an insert for modern humanity to observe from, and that is why she has no logical grounding in any culture we see.

A problem with rereading Earth's Children when I try to keep up on hominid discovery and theory, is seeing how vastly underdeveloped Auel made Neanderthal society.

It was the science of the time. She patterned Creb on one of the... Shanidar? Skeletons. But ultimately, her description of them is more accurate to an older evolutionary step by what we know now

Yes, very distracting to read so many animalistic characteristics written into the looks and sounds of the Clan.

The stark gender divide is also distracting, but so plot load bearing. It's not as if we know for certain.

All three of the siblings, Creb & Brun & Iza have herbivore totems. Roe Deer & Bison & Saiga Antelope
Which makes Ayla's Cave Lion, and the use of her as forcible change coming to the clan, even more interesting to me.

And something very interesting to the animal they hunt for the new cave/Broud's manhood hunt? Bison. His father's totem.

Creb was so damn wrong about Broud. And that is the tragedy of this book. BROUD consistently behaved in ways that were very un-Clan, destroying any future they could have made. I actually find it full of despair to realize that he was possessed by such Pride, Wrath, and Uncanny Valley as to bring about the fullness of this story.

Mainly because MANY of the Clan we see deserved so much better.

Creb finding memories of when Clan hunted together, all of the "new" ideas thrown out, Especially Goov's observations on her totem make for an interesting moment. The more I consider the Clan in THIS book versus the Clan in later books, it's easy to think of Brun's clan as being a step back on the chain, and the ones we meet later a step forward from that. Especially the clan man they find in the fourth book, with the different woman.

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Posted by Athena Scalzi

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/05/the-absolute-best-carrot-cake-recipe-to-make-for-easter-or-anytime/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59966

Which dish is more suited for Easter than a carrot cake? None, I say! And lucky for y’all, I have the best recipe for you to try. This recipe is tried and true and absolutely delicious. Many people have said “this is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had!”

This Brown Butter Carrot Cake comes to us from Handle the Heat. It’s surprisingly quick and honestly quite easy, and it’s my go-to carrot cake recipe, even though browning the butter takes some extra time. It’s totally worth it!

I hope you give this recipe a try, and have a happy Easter, or just an awesome Sunday in general.

-AMS

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/05/the-absolute-best-carrot-cake-recipe-to-make-for-easter-or-anytime/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59966

lilly_c posting in

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How is the writing going today?

Poll #34445

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3 (50.0%)

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Discussion: what are you working on this week?

Is anyone able to take at least one week this month? week 2 and week 3 are currently without a host here. Thanks :)

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Posted by Jessica Hagy

https://thisisindexed.com/2026/04/beyond-soylent-green/

https://thisisindexed.com/?p=26260

The post Beyond Soylent Green. appeared first on Indexed.

https://thisisindexed.com/2026/04/beyond-soylent-green/

https://thisisindexed.com/?p=26260

senmut

AO3 Link | The Right Bait: Vierna's Tale (3352 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Vierna Do'Urden, Jarlaxle Baenre, Drizzt Do'Urden, Original Drow Character(s)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
Summary:

A priestess vanished before Do'Urden fell...

The Right Bait: Vierna's Tale

Vierna Do'Urden, saved from the death of her House by her questioning that had brought her to Vhaeraun's closer attention, was still in the process of regaining her abilities — in divine spell-craft.

Her physical capabilities remained sharp, now that Lolth's Sickness had been purged from her for abandoning the Church of her childhood. Jarlaxle saw that now, as she reacted to something she had placed as wrong about him, despite him having adopted the local clothes and the lack of his distinctive hat.

The eye patch was still in place, which clicked for her as she settled back from facing him with her dagger in hand, just off the main thoroughfare with markets and vendor carts.

"Far from your usual grounds?" Vierna questioned, the dagger disappearing once more. Jarlaxle had no doubt that she was more than ready to defend herself even yet, a true tribute to the legacy of the man he was here to converse with her over.

"They're a bit messy right now, what with the chaos of two upper Houses dying in such recent years," he said gamely enough. "I am quite pleased to see you were as smart as the Weapon Master intimated over the years, and got out ahead of time."

She scowled… but was it over the mention of his lost lover, or the other news?

"Oh do settle, priestess," he said, managing to inflect the tone just as Zak always had when referring to her, and then Jarlaxle knew, because the anger was riding high. "After all, he spoke of you quite fondly, up until the night your former Matron took the Tenth position in the city."

It was a calculated risk… and the anger shifted briefly to regret before masking into polite interest only.

"Why are you here? If you'd been sent to fetch me back, this is not the approach your people would have taken," she reasoned.

"I had a chat with Dinin, the night that those who went with Briza and Tsinda Duskrym into the wilds returned — empty handed, and minus both clerics. It seems your wean-son is truly as elusive as the Ghost that sired him.

"And you."

Vierna took a very slow breath, and Jarlaxle wondered just what she thought of the boy, let alone her complicated feelings about Zaknafein.

"And?" she drawled, hinting at impatience with him.

"He purchased his way into my merry little band of mercenaries by retrieving a certain body from your ancestral crypt. Unfortunately for me, I do not currently possess a cleric of high enough standing that I could trust with the small matter of breathing life into that corpse."

Her eyes searched him fiercely over that.

"I have not — yet — attained that proficiency with my new place," she admitted.

"But you will." Jarlaxle smiled at her. "Care to commit to the deed now, or should I fish for another?"

"I do not know that he would even listen to me," Vierna admitted. "As I did not listen to him for far too long, despite his attempts to show me better."

Jarlaxle nodded. "He will listen, if you speak the right words. Do we have a deal?"

Vierna set her jaw and spine in a way that was all the best of Zaknafein and the unlamented Malice in one. "Yes."

"You can send to me, when you feel you have the mastery of the ritual again." He gave her a short bow, mocking in some ways, before turning off to go his own way. He rather doubted it would take her long to rise to the occasion. A decade, at most, if he had to wager on it.

While Vierna had initially been guided to Rilauven, her need for experience had been a factor in sending her to one of Vhaeraun's enclaves above the faerzress line, in a city that held two very different factions of His followers. His belief that her cunning, honed by keeping herself alive in that spider hole for so long despite having a zealot for a sister and a very dangerous Matron would serve Him well was strong.

She proved Him correct, when she managed to have the city powers bring down the head of the rival faction, keeping drow hands clean.

None of them expected the choice to move her there to have personal complications, even with her now able to freely communicate with the mercenaries of Menzoberranzan, to keep Jarlaxle aware of her progress in skill and acquiring the offerings necessary.

Drizzt, a full half decade after settling into the rhythm of life among goodly drow, had gotten to where he was willing to leave his son with Rylla and accompany Shana on her trade runs, finally. The pair of women had adopted them into their household, once Shana realized that Drizzt eagerly wanted to properly parent… and had no idea how. The trader had minded young ones frequently over the decades, always willing to foster without any urge to have one of her own.

Rylla appreciated that approach to family, and accepted it as part of her wife's ways.

This was the first run they had made to Skullport since he began going with them, and Drizzt had found the trip here exhilarating in some ways, using his skills to end threats in the passages of Undermountain.

His trip above, wearing a ring of glamour had not, in any way, prepared him for Skullport. This city was in perpetual shadow, rising up within its cavern, everything from well-buttressed (magical) dwellings to stick-built shanties looking forever on the verge of crumbling apart. There was a distinctly present sense of furtiveness and evil-doing that crackled along Drizzt's senses, but he betrayed none of his distaste for it.

The party of four drow swaggering their way, clothing and weapons gaudy with poor taste and too many coins, caught his attention immediately. He stayed loose and easy in his skin, not even shifting his body language to make the swords more visible.

Behind him, the rest of their people were staying just as relaxed, confident in the youngest fighter to ever hold Rylla to a draw, repeatedly.

"Gotta pay the toll if you want to do the trade," the foremost one said, leering at Drizzt in a way that struck fire along Drizzt's memories of graduation.

"No." Drizzt said the one word casually. When it led to the quartet blustering, he steadily walked toward the first speaker, eyes boring into that one with a promise of danger.

"You think you can bring your goodly little prats in here and not pay for the privilege?" the speaker snapped as his nerves led to a bit of sweat on his brow.

"I do not think it. I know it." Drizzt stopped at what would be easy lunging distance for himself… or them, if they knew how to use the gaudy basket hilt cutlasses.

It wasn't the talker that tried first, playing directly into Drizzt's hands. The clumsy lunge, with a dirk, had Drizzt spin away, catch the back of tunic and breeches in the man's passing, and then redirect his momentum into the other three.

The bullies didn't take the hint that this was no ordinary drow they were trying to intimidate.

Drizzt handed each one a cut across their dominant hand, a barely there poke in the wrist of their off hands, and in two cases, a punch with a hilt to the face.

The four took off running, yelling invectives back at them, but retreating nonetheless.

"Cousin," Shana said with amusement, "you had too much fun doing that."

"We'll need to keep a solid watch, for retaliation, but yes," he answered her unrepentantly.

"Silk Cutter," one of the guards said, facing Vierna with more respect than she'd seen on first arriving here. Something about applying her craft to removing a dangerous target had definitely changed attitudes. "You asked to be told when the Dancers returned to the marketplace."

Vierna nodded to that. "Thank you, Chaurah."

Her use of the woman's name gave her another psychological edge, and the guard actually meant the inclined head her way before going off to her post. That let Vierna go and change into robes that would afford her some protections from the threats outside the Temple, to go learn if the ridiculously good followers of Eilistraee were trading a specific component at less costly a price than most who traded in Waterdeep wanted.

The High Cleric had suggested that they were more fair in dealings with the drow of the Temple… while avoiding Nisstyre's Dragon Hoard company most of the time.

She had her mask on beneath the hood of her cloak, obscuring more of who she was on the off-chance someone of the Dragon Hoard came seeking revenge. They would not, in fact, find that too simple a task to accomplish, she swore in her soul. She had found a mission, in the chance to restore her father to life, and a purpose, in helping the Temple here rise to be the dominant faction for the god she had accepted.

It did not take her long to reach the marketplace, and make out where the Dancers had set their wares. She still found it strange that there were more drow who were soft and kind like her wean-son/little brother had been.

That thought was high in her mind as she came to the stall being run by … Shana. That was the name she had been given for the drow woman that ran trade for the Dancers. It was as she looked over the assembled band, six in total, that her entire world narrowed down to a singular focus, because resting against the wagon behind this stall, keeping it from being open to both alleys, was a young drow fighter with his hair unbound.

Two swords hung from the belt, on either side of the stool he was perched on, and Vierna knew that face like she knew her own.

Only her long experience at never betraying her emotion (despite Drizzt being one who could, sometimes, push her past that) kept her from doing more than flicking her eyes back to the wares on display.

"No storax resin?" she finally asked, forcing her voice to be slightly higher than usual, and mimicking the dialect of Rilauven instead of Menzoberranzan.

"Not this trip, Priestess, but if I know there's a guaranteed sale, we could have it on the next run," Shana said, polite and honest in her words.

"I am running low, and prefer it for the incense I make." Vierna made a considering noise. "Bring a full crock, and I would be willing to trade you a painter's cup of pure ormu powder. I hear your community makes numerous pieces of art."

Shana did some conversions, and then settled to haggle, treating the Masked God's cleric as she would any other customer. Vierna wondered at that on one level. No adherent of Lloth would ever do business with a 'heretic' after all. She had to work at maintaining the vocal pretense, and a careful look toward her brother indicated that he was… apparently… remaining at rest while the other four kept watch.

When she had finished her deal, with the resin slated to come to her the next trading trip down in three months, Vierna made herself walk away, pondering just how to approach the fact her brother was in the same city as she was.

Drizzt waited several long minutes before moving to just behind Shana.

"Did you know her?"

"No. Last trip here we heard rumor that the temple had gotten a priestess, but we hadn't verified." Shana kept her voice at the same level his was.

"I'll be away; please stay close to the wagon and no one wander off," Drizzt said, in that tone of protective concern he was far too young to have mastered. The other fighters nodded at him, and Shana didn't say anything else, before he vanished into the city. Even being unfamiliar with the layout, he could calculate where the best pathways were, having been told the rough placement of Vhaeraun's temple in regards to the marketplace.

He stepped out on the walkway ahead of the priestess several blocks from the temple itself.

She stopped, hood up, robes masking her body, and that mask hiding her face.

"Sister."

"How?!" she demanded, having been certain she had cloaked her voice well enough.

"Height, way you move, the ease of using both hands as you touched the merchandise, and the pronunciation of certain words."

"I was trying for Rilauven's dialect," she grumbled, but she did take a step toward him.

He did not flinch or move.

"Drizzt."

"Vierna."

He tipped his chin up after he said her name, and she reached up to take the mask off, slipping it into a secure pocket. They stood that way a long moment before he sighed.

"At least you're with the reasonable half of His people here, from all the tales I've heard. But I am very curious, and the streets are no place to talk. Given I humiliated the others, I do not want to be far from the wagon. If I come in two weeks, will you be willing to meet with me under truce at the place they call the Dimmed Lantern?"

"I would almost return with you to that stall to talk now, but I too have humiliated the Dragon Hoard recently," Vierna admitted. "Two weeks, my wean-son, my brother… son of our father."

His chest felt tight to hear her admit the truth of their ties, and he inclined his head, stepping aside so she could pass. She paused in his space, hands finding his to squeeze tightly.

"Keep yourself alive, little brother!" she said fiercely.

"It is what I excel in," he promised her, squeezing back, before they parted, so many questions hanging between them that would have to wait for the next time.

Vierna entered the Dimmed Lantern without any guards, her mask put away, even her hood down from her robes. She made eye contact with her little brother by the staircase, having just been standing there, waiting.

At least her informants had been prompt, if he was being that obtrusive still.

She joined him, and in silence, they went up the stairs, both having had too many days and nights to think about what should be shared now that each knew the other was still alive.

In the room, with the door shut and locked, Vierna didn't hesitate to just reach for and pull Drizzt into her arms, despite his initial resistance. He did relax, though, and that settled her nerves further.

"The leader of Bregan D'aerthe said you eluded the Matron's attempt to find you, but I was already gone from the House by then," she said at last, pulling back, holding onto his shoulders to study him. "You look well, and those clothes are surface-made, but well-worn. Is that how you escaped? Going above so young?"

He half-smiled, shaking his head, then drew her with him to the couch.

"I was still in the wilds, when Briza led a party to find me," he said. "They baited me… and I killed her, the cleric with her, some of the soldiers. After that, I had reason to turn to Blingdenstone, and eventually, with their aid, I did go above."

Baited. What kind of baiting would have made Drizzt turn so violent? She knew there was more, but did not press.

"I grew sick of the attrition," Vierna said, lacing her fingers with his, "as the two Houses warred for so long. I had begun to question, that night you left, because it hurt to not have the Weapon Master there, or to know how you fared when I had seen you were injured in that confrontation."

His eyes sparked for the memory, but he stayed silent, letting her continue.

"My questions found answers from Vhaeraun… and I crafted my disappearance not long after, so He could help me reach His people before the illness of that Spider Bitch abandoning me could make it impossible to travel. A small enclave in Mantol-Derith, who passed me along their routes to Rilauven."

"The city under the Neverwinter Wood," Drizzt said. "I know a cleric from there, among Eilistraee's people."

"Not yours?" Vierna questioned, curious, and concerned, because being godless was sometimes a difficult thing.

He shook his head. "I will aid Her people, but I only live among them for necessity, at this point. I prefer the freedom of the surface."

He was still so very strange.

She would chase down 'necessity' in a moment, as he obviously had freedom of movement, so he wasn't enslaved.

"The leader of Bregan D'aerthe found me there," she continued. "He'd suborned Dinin, giving him freedom to live in the mercenaries for one small task." Vierna met Drizzt's eyes then. "He has Father's body. I accepted the posting here to learn faster, become stronger, so that I may perform the resurrection. I am not yet… there. But I will get there."

Drizzt's eyes had blown wide open, then narrowed… and finally accepted this as fact. "If he has the body, is he planning on producing the diamonds needed?"

"I am not leaving it to his vagaries," she told him firmly.

"Then I will bring you what treasure they insist I keep, from my forays into Undermountain and the ruins above that I keep finding when I scout for them."

Unasked. He just… unasked! Offered her a faster way to accrue the material cost!

"You could come here to stay, my word that you would be left alone by the others, and aid me more directly?" Vierna probed, wanting him closer, wanting to forge an actual bond with this man she had cared for and nurtured.

"No." He shook his head, and his free hand came up to her cheek to gentle the refusal. "I cannot leave the ones I aid now, not for some time, not at length."

"Why?" she demanded, her heart pricked with anger and sadness alike at his answer.

He shifted, then let go entirely of her to rise and pace the room a bit.

"The other cleric was the woman from graduation," he said at last, his back to her. "The bait was the son she bore."

Vierna rose, and went to press along his back, as understanding clicked into place. He'd been so badly wounded in his attitude after that night, and she'd never understood why.

"You're certain the boy is yours, I take it?"

"Two handed, questions everything, could hear the call of Eilistraee his whole life, something I'd been blocked from by Her… he is very much my son, and starting to favor our father in his jawline.

"He's only fourteen, maybe fifteen years old now? I don't like to leave him for more than a handful of days at a time, even with the help I have to raise him."

She slipped her arms around him and held him, pleased when he relaxed back into her, his head on her shoulder.

"Then… I will accept what aid you can give, and the visits you manage. In time, I would like to meet him, but he is still young. He should not be risking the passage between there and here, just to meet me."

"His name is Kastan, and I do want you to know him, for him to know we have more family," Drizzt agreed. "When he's older."

Vierna had understood, when Drizzt only stayed the two days. Before he returned, she intended to have sending stones readied, to let one of the temple wizards attune for them. She had even more reason to grow stronger in this place, though, to have her brother, and nephew, so close.

They might well get Zaknafein back before the boy was of an age to travel, but in time, they would be a family of three generations, despite their morality and end goals.

Somehow, she thought this suited her god even more than just her concern for her father had.

astra_aurora posting in

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Posted by John Scalzi

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2026/04/04/today-i-am-ten-or-the-miracle-of-scalziyears/

https://whatever.scalzi.com/?p=59954

And you say to yourself, what? Scalzi, you are not ten years old today! You are just barely a month away from being 57! The only juvenile you are is juvenile elderly! Stop being a faker, you faker!

To which I respond: Yes, I am fifty-six and eleven(ish) months old… on Earth. But as you know, I have a minor planet named after me, and its orbital period is just a shade under 5.7 earth years long. If you were to position 52692 Johnscalzi (1998 FO8) on the day of my birth, today is the day it would have made its tenth complete orbit since then. Thus, ten ScalziYears. Today, I am ten ScalziYears old.

How will I celebrate such a momentous occasion? As it happens I have a gathering of friends at the church today. It’s for something else entirely but I might bring a cake anyway. And otherwise, I’m taking it easy. It’s nice that this time around it slots in just between Good Friday and Easter. Easter Saturday always feels a little left out of the holiday swing of things, I’m glad this year to give something to do.

My next ScalziYear birthday will be December 12, 2031, so you have lots of time to prepare. Get ready!

— JS

PS: that coin with my asteroids orbit on it was given to me by a fan at the San Antonio Pop Madness convention (whose name escapse me at the moment but they can certainly announce themselves in the comments), and it was super-cool to get it. The other side of the coin is just as awesome: