The Story of Writing

“...the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!” –Jack Kerouac, "On the Road," 1957

Happy Jack Kerouac's birthday!

Burn.

Burn like fabulous yellow roman candles:

Gate A-4 Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning

She's brilliant.
Her poem (which is really prose) "Gate A-4" is such a wonderful perspective on humanity:

His best-known work On the Road made him an icon of the countercultural Beat Generation, though Kerouac disliked labels in general and that one specifically. He was a kind of nomad who searched for authenticity and he expressed his own by relentlessly putting words to paper. Every tap on the keys of his typewriter was like a step and every story was a way of contem- plating the things he saw or anticipating what might be around the next bend.

An undated, uncredited b/w photo of Jack Kerouac Image source: Mill Valley Lit

“Don't use the phone. People are never ready to answer it. Use poetry.”
-The American wanderer who was compelled to write, Jack Kerouac was born on this day in 1922.

#WriterSky #BookSky #OnTheRoad #DharmaBums #History #BOTD

Carrol Shelby said he was driving a Super Charged 427 Cobra at 190 mph when he saw a cop with sirens on a good ways behind him. Shelby pulled over and waited for the cop who asked Shelby “Do you know why I pulled you over?”
Shelby said, “Because I let you.”

They’re all US cars, except for the dark(er) red Porsche.
I like the Vettes, but my first choice would be the gray AC Cobra. I assume it has the 427 engine with 4 on the floor.
It remains the most terrifyingly fast car with explosive acceleration and the possibility of switching ends at 180 mph.

When the President of the United States views "We the People" as a threat to his power, he has abdictated his sworn duty to serve us and must be immediately removed from office.

Painfully true.
It’s like the line Seneca wrote:
“All cruelty springs from weakness.”
But the cruelty continues.
I think both try to tell cruel, violent people that we know they’re weak and wanting.
And maybe eventually they’ll question - and ultimately change - themselves.

Right?!

“On planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much — the wheel, New York, wars and so on — whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man — for precisely the same reasons.” –Douglas Adams, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," 1979

Happy Douglas Adams' birthday!

Don't panic.
Grab a towel.
Muck about and have a good time:

Funny!
Worth every second:

Huskies are in a league of their own.

An undated, b/w photo portrait of author Douglas Adams Photo credit: Brian Griffin Image source: The National Portrait Gallery of the UK

“In the beginning the Universe was created.
This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.”
-English writer Douglas Adams, born on this day in 1952
He is best known for "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" six-book trilogy.
#WriterSky #BookSky #DirkGently #BOTD

After seeing a few hand-made quilts, she said she became obsessed with them. She saw each one as a unique piece reflecting skills, culture, and creativity, as well as the hopes and aspirations of the quilter. According to the New York Times, “Zegart curated exhibitions around the world. She wrote and edited several books, published scholarly articles, and in 2011 hosted the nine-part PBS series, Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics.”

Zegart’s work deepened public understanding of quilting by showing that quilts are not only craft objects but also valuable cultural artifacts that reflect social histories and community traditions that had been hidden for centuries. Zegart was quick to point out that she, herself, had never stitched even an article of clothing, saying, “I don’t make anything, not even dinner.”

Shelly Zegart in 2018 Photo credit: Kentucky to the World Image source: The New York Times

“Quilts are bigger than we think. They are memory objects for women. They’re great works of art. They’re political statements.”
-American historian Shelly Zegart, born on this day in 1941

#WriterSky #BookSky #QueenOfQuilts #Historian #BOTD

Abernathy was a close friend and advisor to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Both men were co-founders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which helped plan the Montgomery Bus Boycott. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation of buses violated the Constitution, Abernathy’s home and church were bombed. He and his family were not harmed in the incident. In 1989, Abernathy published his memoir titled, And the Walls Came Tumbling Down. He died just a few months later. At Abernathy’s request, his tomb bears the inscription, “I Tried.”

An undated, color photo of Ralph Abernathy. Photo: Corbis Image source: New Georgia Encyclopedia

“Violence is the weapon of the weak.”
-American minister Ralph Abernathy, born on this day in 1926
He was a major figure in the U.S. Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and ’60s.
#WriterSky #BookSky #AntiRacist #HumanRights #CivilRights #Activist #History #BOTD

First edition of "Millions of Cats," by Wanda Gag Image source: AbeBooks

An undated, b/w image of children's author Wanda Gag Image source: Artvee

It is the birthday in 1893 of American author and illustrator Wanda Gag. She is best known for her children’s book, Millions of Cats, published in 1928. It is the oldest American picture book still in print.
#WriterSky #ChildrensBooks #Cats 🐱 #History #BOTD

An illustration of trimp, with the ears and nose of a pig, yelling and looking quite constipated, standing in front of a frayed U.S. flag. At the top of the image are the words: "Nice distraction Pedolf..." At the bottom are the words, "Release the Trumpstein files!"

I don't know what's going on with punk music, but graphic designers are going wild!

Hog wild.

(I'll show myself out.)

Hunh.

Remember all those people who completely lost their minds about the four Americans who died in Benghazi?

I wonder what they'll do when they hear about THIS!

Yeah, that's sarcasm.
I know they're all cult members and completely full of shit.

The piece was inspired by Victor Hugo’s 1832 play, with the title, translated from French, The King Amuses Himself. Hugo’s play was banned after its first performance. So, to get past European censors, Verdi chose Venice for the opening of Rigoletto. Verdi explained why he looked to Hugo’s play for inspiration by saying, “The subject is grand, immense, and there is a character that is one of the greatest creations that the theater can boast of, in any country and in all history.” That character was Francis the First, who is described by historians as the gluttonous, immoral, misogynist King of France.

A poster for the premiere of Verdi's opera "Rigoletto" at La Fenice, in Venice. Image source: Alamy

The opera "Rigoletto" premiered on this day in 1851. Giuseppe Verdi wrote the music and Francesco Maria Piave wrote the lyrics.

#MusicSky #Composer #Librettist #Censorship #History #OTD

The Strait of Hormuz has NEVER been closed in modern history.

Everything Rick Scott says is a lie in service to concentrating wealth and power in as few christo-fascist hands as possible.

Mario is selling a book called “it’s a me.” He’s at a book reading meet the author event. He says “so I said to myself, Mario you’re on your last life. If you want to write a book, you have to do it now”

Happy MAR10 day

So, he came out of his mom's basement for nothing?!

Well, to be fair, if you eat too many kielbasa and pierogis, it will inevitably lead to celibacy.

Or, y'know, so I've heard.

Always good to follow the Jess Piper Fan Page, too:

This appears to reference a Ukrainian attack from LAST YEAR, in early October. Ukraine also used British Storm Shadow missiles in 2024 and early 2025.

There's a lot wrong with this post.
This isn't reporting.
I don't know what the hell it is.
And that's a problem.

Isn’t she?!
So happy to have her wings!

If a bunch of out of touch boomers didn't rush everyone back to work instead of a hybrid model, the rise in gas prices wouldn't hurt as much.

The man’s a polyp.
His highest and best purpose may be kibble - for cognitively challenged guinea pigs.

DISRESPECT AND MOCK YOUR OPPRESSORS OFTEN EAT THE RICH ABOLISH PATRIARCHY

When is it Open Season on rich people???

Turnabout is fair revenge, especially if ever homeless.

—Poverty Class

My doctor told me this, too. He knows I don't believe in any religion.
I asked if he had a prescription for faith and he shut up.

Best video I've seen today (maybe ever):