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Hide and Seek in the Digital Age (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My VPN)

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Caucasian male hacker wearing green hoodie typing on a keyboard

I’ve been a privacy aficionado for close to two decades now, which is basically ancient in internet years. Back then, we were all tossing our MySpace passwords around like confetti and posting entire family albums on Facebook without a second thought. Now, every time I see a pop-up asking for cookie consent, I sigh deeply, make tea, and wish we’d collectively learned a bit more self-preservation online.

Anyway, I thought I’d share what I’ve learned along the way about keeping your digital life, well, yours. Because if you’re reading this in 2025, odds are some app, ad network, or slightly shady data broker is already trying to figure out how long you lingered on this sentence.

Passwords: The Key to the Kingdom (So Stop Using “123456”)

Let’s start with the obvious one. Your password is basically your first (and often last) line of defense. If you’re still using something like “ilovecats” or your birth year, please, I beg you—retire it.

Use a password manager. Seriously. Bitwarden, 1Password, Proton Pass—take your pick. They’ll create long, ugly, random passwords like “zL3!pX#h2R9w@” that even you won’t remember (and that’s the point). All you have to do is remember  one  master password that’s complex but memorable to you.

And for the love of your sanity, turn on two-factor authentication. Yes, it’s annoying. Yes, you’ll grumble when you have to grab your phone to log in. But that minor inconvenience is what keeps hackers from waltzing into your accounts like they own the place.

VPNs: Your Digital Cloak of Invisibility

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) isn’t magic, but it’s close. Think of it as slipping into a digital disguise. When you use one, your online activity gets rerouted through an encrypted tunnel, making it much harder for anyone—be it your internet provider, government snoop, or curious hacker at the coffee shop—to see what you’re up to.

I’ve been using VPNs since before most people even knew what they were, and it’s wild how far they’ve come. Back in the day, they were slow, buggy, and constantly disconnecting. Now, services like ProtonVPN, Mullvad, or NordVPN are fast, reliable, and don’t log your data.

Just don’t use the free ones. If you’re not paying for the product,  you  are the product.

Email: Ditch the Freebies

I used to be a Gmail devotee, until I realized how much data Google collects about you just by reading your emails. Now I use Proton Mail, which is privacy-focused and encrypted end to end. It’s sleek, secure, and doesn’t shove ads down your throat based on the content of your messages.

Tutanota is another good one. Sure, you might have to pay a few bucks a month, but you’re buying peace of mind—and fewer creepy ads for the thing you mentioned once in an email to your aunt.

Don’t Click That Link

This one’s simple: never click a link in an email or text message unless you’re 100% sure who it’s from. Even then, be suspicious. Phishing scams are getting trickier—sometimes they even  look  like your bank’s website, right down to the logo.

If you get an email saying “urgent account notice,” ignore the link and go directly to the website yourself. Nine times out of ten, it’s a scam trying to trick you into giving away your password or credit card info.

Encrypt Everything

Encryption sounds intimidating, but it’s really just a fancy word for “scrambling your stuff so only you can read it.” You can encrypt files on your computer, your external drives, and even your messages.

On macOS, FileVault does this automatically if you turn it on. On Windows, you can use BitLocker. There are even apps like VeraCrypt or Cryptomator that let you create encrypted folders you can lock up like a safe.

If someone steals your laptop, at least they’ll have to work a lot harder than just guessing your password to get your data.

The Cloud: Not as Fluffy as It Looks

I love the convenience of iCloud and Google Drive, but I don’t trust them with everything. Once you upload something to “the cloud,” it’s not really  yours  anymore.

Use encrypted cloud storage if you’re uploading sensitive stuff—Sync.com, Proton Drive, and Tresorit are good options. They encrypt your files before they even leave your computer. So even if someone broke into their servers, all they’d see is gibberish.

Social Media: The Oversharing Trap

This one’s tough, because social media is addictive by design. But before you post that vacation pic or rant about your new job, remember—once it’s online, it’s basically public.

Facebook and X (ugh, I still call it Twitter) track everything. Every like, every click, every DM. Their business model  depends  on knowing you better than you know yourself. I treat social media like I treat public restrooms: use them when you must, wash your hands afterward, and don’t linger longer than necessary.

My Privacy Philosophy

After nearly twenty years of this, I’ve realized privacy isn’t about paranoia—it’s about boundaries. It’s about deciding how much of  you  the internet gets to have.

I still shop online. I still use social media. But I do it with my digital armor on. VPN running. Passwords locked down. Files encrypted. And maybe a tin-foil hat nearby, just in case.

If you start making even small changes—like using a password manager or switching to a privacy-first email—you’ll feel a surprising sense of relief. Like, “ah, yes, I control this tiny corner of the internet, and it’s mine alone.”

Stay private, my friends. And don’t click suspicious links. Ever.

Golem's Guardian book cover image

What starts as a tiny clay figure dancing on a kitchen table spirals into a battle for humanity’s soul. The Alignment of Shadows is coming, and only David’s bond with his golem can hold the darkness at bay. The Golem’s Guardian – Available Now!

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YA Fantasy vs. Adult Urban Fantasy: How to Tell Who’s Paying the Rent

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First Impressions: Same Magic, Different Rent Bracket

Okay, so here’s the thing: I’ve spent way too much of my life reading both YA fantasy and adult urban fantasy, and it’s wild how they can look like twins at first glance but are actually distant cousins once you get to know them. Both have magic, monsters, and that delicious little “what if” hovering around the edges of reality—but they don’t quite live in the same neighborhood. YA fantasy is like the scrappy college roommate still figuring out who they are, while adult urban fantasy has already graduated, is paying taxes, and maybe owns a suspiciously well-stocked liquor cabinet.

YA Fantasy: The Age of Discovery (and Drama)

YA fantasy stories often orbit around identity—the who-am-I and who-can-I-be kind of questions. The protagonist is usually somewhere between fifteen and nineteen, which means they’re living through that gloriously awkward stage of self-discovery where you’re equal parts hopeful and chaotic. Think of characters like Clary Fray from The Mortal Instruments or Aelin from Throne of Glass. The whole world is new to them, and they’re just realizing that the weird thing they thought made them a freak might actually make them powerful. YA thrives on that transformation—it’s all about learning to claim your magic, your voice, and your space in the world.

Adult Urban Fantasy: The Rent Is Due and the Magic’s Tired

Adult urban fantasy, on the other hand, tends to pick up after the identity crisis has already been filed away under “past mistakes.” The protagonists know who they are—or at least they pretend they do—and the stories are often about what it costs to keep being that person. They’ve got jobs (sometimes as private investigators, bounty hunters, or librarians with suspicious side hustles), rent to pay, maybe an ex or two they still text at midnight, and a cynicism level that would make a YA hero cry into their latte. These stories live in the grit. The magic doesn’t usually feel like a shiny new toy—it’s more like a curse you’ve learned to live with.

The Emotional Core: Heart vs. Haunting

YA fantasy also tends to lean heavier on emotion and relationships—friendships, found families, first loves, heartbreaks. The stakes often feel personal: saving your best friend, your high school, or the cute vampire who may or may not be trying to kill you. Adult urban fantasy still has those emotional threads, but they’re wrapped in more complicated layers—betrayal, trauma, redemption, and the weight of responsibility. Instead of “how do I survive prom night with werewolves?” it’s “how do I survive myself after everything I’ve done?” You feel the difference in tone—the YA spark versus the adult sigh.

The World Itself: Hidden Wonder vs. Magic Bureaucracy

And let’s talk about the worlds for a second. YA urban fantasy usually treats the magical world as something hidden behind a curtain that the protagonist accidentally yanks open. There’s awe in it. They’re like, “Oh my god, vampires are real?” while the adult UF protagonist is more like, “Ugh, vampires again? I just cleaned this mess up.” The tone shift is everything. YA magic feels new and exciting; adult magic feels like bureaucracy—messy, political, often annoying.

Love in Two Timelines

Another big giveaway is how romance is handled. YA romance is usually a big emotional arc: the pining, the longing, the “oh no, he’s my sworn enemy but his hair looks really good today.” It’s about firsts—first kiss, first heartbreak, first time realizing you’d kill a demon for someone who texts you with heart emojis.
Adult urban fantasy, though, often comes with messier relationships. Love triangles are replaced with past lovers who show up at the worst time, morally gray flings, and that slow-burn tension that stretches across three books and involves more whiskey and regret than teenage angst.

Tone and Stakes: Hope vs. Consequences

Tone-wise, YA urban fantasy usually carries more optimism. Even when things go dark (and they can get pretty dark), there’s often a light at the end of the tunnel—a sense that everything will work out, or at least that the main character will come out stronger. Adult UF doesn’t always promise that. Sometimes the hero wins, but it costs them something they can’t get back. That’s part of the allure: it feels lived-in, like the world has already gone through a few apocalypses and is just trying to get through another Tuesday.

Pacing and Style: Curfew vs. Coffee Break

When you look at pacing, YA often rockets forward like it’s late for curfew—fast chapters, snappy dialogue, emotional gut punches. Adult urban fantasy tends to take its time setting up the world, letting you soak in the grime of it all. It’s less about the big reveal and more about survival—keeping your head above water in a city where everyone’s got an angle.

Why We Need Both

And yet, despite all the differences, I kind of love how they feed each other. YA fantasy gives us that wonder we all need to remember—why magic felt special in the first place. Adult urban fantasy shows us what happens when you try to live with it long-term, when the shine wears off and you’re left with consequences. One is the dream; the other is the bill.

So, next time you’re reading a story about witches in high school versus witches who run a dive bar and occasionally raise the dead for rent money, pay attention to how it feels. Is it about discovery or survival? Hope or endurance? Either way, both genres are magical in their own right—and honestly, we’re lucky to have both on our shelves.

Golem's Guardian book cover

David just wanted a distraction. Instead, his clay sculpture blinked, waved—and obeyed. Now he’s the accidental master of a mythical golem, and Brooklyn is about to need every ounce of its power. The Golem’s Guardian – get your copy HERE

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Just for Fun: If I Lived in an Urban Fantasy World…

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Night view on a futuristic city, full moon in sky

I think about this way too often—what my life would look like if I lived in an urban fantasy world. Like, not full-on dragon-riding-into-battle level (I’d probably fall off halfway through), but more like the kind of world where I could stop for a coffee, chat with a vampire about rent prices, and dodge a kelpie in the river on my morning walk. You know, casual Tuesday kind of magic.

Morning Coffee, But Make It Magical

First thing’s first: I’d absolutely still need coffee. Magic or not, mornings are cruel. But instead of standing in line at Starbucks behind someone ordering a half-decaf, extra-foam, caramel drizzle situation, I’d go to a café run by witches who enchant the beans to taste like your mood. Feeling nostalgic? Your latte might have a hint of your grandmother’s cookies. Feeling grumpy? Boom—instant chocolate hazelnut comfort.

I imagine the barista—probably a snarky fire sprite with tattoos that glow when she’s annoyed—would roll her eyes when I ask for a “medium,” because magic folk don’t measure in sizes, they measure in intent. “You want ambition,” she’d say, sliding over a cup that smells like cedar and possibility. I’d tip her in silver coins, because paper money probably bursts into flames around magic.

Daily Grind with a Side of Ghosts

I still picture myself writing, but instead of blogging in a quiet corner of my apartment, I’d be at a haunted library—like, actually haunted. Ghost librarians shushing me whenever I type too loudly. They’d have transparent cardigans and perpetually disappointed expressions. My keyboard would probably float sometimes if the spirits got bored.

Maybe my editor would be a werewolf who only replies to emails during the full moon. Deadlines would literally kill. I’d keep a salt circle around my desk, not because I believe in ghosts, but because it would make me feel professional. There’s something comforting about the smell of sage and ink mingling together in the morning.

Magical Errands and Mundane Chaos

Of course, everyday tasks would get a little more complicated. Grocery shopping? Forget it. Half the produce would try to bite you back. You’d be inspecting a head of lettuce and realize it’s whispering financial advice. I’d probably end up shopping at a market under the old subway—run by gnomes and staffed by teenagers who sell charms along with carrots.

Transportation would be another mess. Public broomstick lanes would be a nightmare, and don’t even get me started on teleportation traffic. Imagine materializing inside someone else’s apartment by mistake. “Sorry, I was aiming for 5th Avenue, not your bathtub!” And of course, every app would glitch if you had too much residual spell energy. Magic and tech rarely play nice together. Siri would probably hiss at you if you tried casting mid-text.

Evenings with the Neighbors

Living in a magical city means neighbors are a grab bag of supernatural weirdness. You might have a banshee next door who practices opera scales at 2 a.m. Or a vampire couple hosting dinner parties where no one eats, but everyone drinks… something. I’d totally be the human in the building—“that guy who smells like coffee and mortal anxiety.”

Still, I’d love it. The community would have that found family vibe, you know? The kind where everyone keeps an eye out for each other—partly out of friendship, partly because no one wants another incident involving exploding pixies in the hallway. Rent would probably be paid in enchantments or favors, which sounds cool until you realize you owe your landlord three nights of guarding his cursed mirror collection.

Adventures Between Book Drafts

I’d like to think I’d occasionally get pulled into some low-stakes supernatural mystery. Maybe a ghost asks me to find their lost journal, or a fae prince needs help translating human slang before his date. I wouldn’t be the “chosen one.” I’d be more like the guy who keeps getting roped into chaos because he’s there. You know—wrong place, wrong time, and apparently good at making tea.

But hey, there’s a charm to that. Writing by candlelight, chasing down clues in moonlit alleys, running into an ex who’s now half-demon and fully dramatic—it’s messy, unpredictable, and kind of wonderful.

Would I Survive It?

Honestly? Maybe. I don’t have the stamina to fight ghouls or the temperament to deal with trickster gods. But I’d be great at trivia nights in a witch bar, and I’d totally make friends with the necromancer who runs the used bookstore. We’d gossip about cursed objects and overhyped spell trends.

And I’d finally understand why people in fantasy novels always look tired—magic probably doesn’t replace sleep. It just makes the dreams weirder.

Final Thoughts Before the Portal Closes

If I lived in an urban fantasy world, I think life would still be life. Still messy. Still filled with laundry and unexpected bills and heartbreaks—but maybe all that would sparkle a little. Maybe I’d have a ghost roommate who reminds me to water the plants, or a familiar who steals my snacks but listens when I’m sad.

And that’s kind of what I love about urban fantasy in general—it takes the ordinary and gives it a pulse. It says, “Hey, maybe the weirdest parts of you are the most magical.”

So yeah, I’d take it. Give me a city where the streetlights hum with spells and the buskers breathe fire. I’d still be me—just slightly more singed.

touch of cedar book cover

It starts with a smell. Cedar. Warm, nostalgic, familiar—and impossibly strong in a house that’s been empty for decades. For Marek, the scent is just the beginning. Soon he sees the ghost: a handsome stranger in a black suit, his eyes filled with grief. As Marek’s connection to the spirit deepens, his present with Randy begins to fracture even further. Caught between the living and the dead, Marek has to decide what kind of life—and love—he truly wants. Gothic, romantic, and a little eerie, A Touch of Cedar is a story about the ties between past and present, and the secrets old houses never quite give up. Grab your copy HERE

Just for Fun: If I Lived in an Urban Fantasy World… Read Post »

Weekly Roundup for Nov 8, 2025

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Weekly Roundup - young boy with a megaphone

Book Shenanigans and Brain Sparks

So, you know that feeling when you’re super busy, but it’s the good kind of busy? Like, you’ve got so many plates spinning, but they’re all your favorite ceramic pieces? That’s totally me right now. I feel this weird mix of total exhaustion and pure, buzzing excitement, and honestly, I wouldn’t trade it. It smells faintly of stale coffee and printer ink in here, which I guess is the official perfume of “Writer Mode: Activated.”

I’ve been trying to keep my head down and just write. I mean, I’m deep into the next mystery in the series, practically glued to my chair, making sure you guys don’t have to wait an age for the next installment. I get so invested in these characters, like they’re demanding I tell their story faster. My fingers fly over the keyboard, and sometimes I have to physically remind myself to stand up and stretch, you know? It’s completely absorbing, and I love that about the process, even when it makes my back hurt. I truly believe passion is the difference between a job and a purpose. That’s a little motto I stick up on my whiteboard sometimes.

But, speaking of books! I am completely thrilled to tell you that Murder at the Savoy is finally making its way into the world! The ebook version is up for preorder on Amazon right now, which is just bananas to me. It’s such a wild, wonderful thing to see a book baby out there. However, if you are a fellow lover of the tactile experience—like the crisp, distinct sound a new book spine makes when you first crack it open—I’ve got the paperback and large print paperback editions available now in my web store. Seriously, go grab one! I still get a little lump in my throat every time someone buys one of my books. It just feels so good to share these stories.

And because my brain is apparently incapable of focusing on just one thing at a time, I’ve had this seriously fun, maybe slightly bonkers, idea rolling around in my head. I’ve been hashing out a concept for a gay paranormal cozy mystery series. I can practically picture it: ghosts who offer terrible relationship advice, maybe a witch who runs a questionable but incredibly popular bakery, and a main character who is completely done with the supernatural shenanigans but can’t seem to quit solving the ensuing murders. I think it sounds like a blast, honestly. I’m imagining it with a lot of witty banter and maybe some genuinely sweet moments. But I’m wondering, is that something you folks would actually be into? Like, totally honest feedback time: should I do it? Drop me a note and tell me what you think, because your opinion matters a lot to me!

Oh, and while I have your attention – have you checked out “The Golem’s Guardian” yet? If you haven’t gotten your hands on a copy, you can snag one HERE. I’m still pretty excited about how that one turned out.

Some Things I Thought Were Worth Sharing

Chuck Wendig’s at it again. “Five Things You Learned As A Writer Writing That Cool Thing You Wrote?” is a must-read reminder that finishing teaches more than starting. https://terribleminds.com/ramble/2025/01/16/five-things-you-learned-as-a-writer-writing-that-cool-thing-you-wrote/

What happens if there are no real turning points in your story? September C. Fawkes walks us through what that looks like — spoiler: it feels like nothing happens. https://www.septembercfawkes.com/2025/01/what-happens-when-there-are-no-plot.html

November streaming = major queer glow-up. From epic finales to campy comedies and fresh indie gems, it’s a very gay month for our screens. Dive into the full list here: https://www.queerty.com/the-best-lgbtq-movies-tv-shows-coming-to-streaming-november-2025-20251031/

How ‘Invisible Lifelines’ Shines a Light on Global Queer Resilience (Exclusive) https://gayety.com/how-invisible-lifelines-shines-a-light-on-global-queer-resilience-exclusive

“The rules of fiction aren’t chains—they’re the map. Know them, then use them—or break them knowingly.” https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/the-rules-of-fiction/

Quotes aren’t just décor—they’re power-moves. This post digs into why writers & indie authors need marketing quotes in their toolkit. https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/01/marketing-quotes-and-why-you-need-them/

“Readers pay attention when they don’t know what’s coming next.” — Janice Hardy on crafting plot twists. http://blog.janicehardy.com/2010/03/expect-unexpected.html

“From underground heroes to global movements — this film Invisible Lifelines shines a light on queer resilience in the toughest places. Read the exclusive: https://gayety.com/how-invisible-lifelines-shines-a-light-on-global-queer-resilience-exclusive”

Latin pop gets a major shake-up: Meet SANTOS BRAVOS — the new boy band breaking the mold with an out gay member and a global vibe. https://www.queerty.com/meet-santos-bravo-the-boy-band-shaking-up-latin-pop-with-an-out-gay-member-20251028/

Narration isn’t just “who’s telling it” — it’s the secret pathway from story to reader. This post explains how your choice of narrator and voice fuels the prose. 👉 https://diymfa.com/writing/the-role-of-narration-in-storytelling/

Self-publishing? Traditional? Hybrid? This piece “Charting Your Course: How Should You Publish?” breaks down your options and helps you pick what’s right for you. 👉 https://writersinthestormblog.com/2025/01/charting-your-course-how-should-you-publish/

The uproar over Bad Bunny headlining the Super Bowl isn’t just about music—it turns out those opposed are statistically more likely to identify as Republican or hold homophobic views.
Read more: https://www.queerty.com/if-youre-against-bad-bunny-headlining-the-super-bowl-you-might-be-homophobic-or-a-republican-new-poll-finds-20251028/

Halloween just got queer-fied (a few days late!): Netflix drops a wild short with Antoni Porowski in his Calvins, proving horror can also be hot & hilarious. #StreamingSurprise https://www.queerty.com/netflix-delivers-a-sexy-gay-surprise-halloween-with-an-assist-from-antoni-po­‐ro­w­ski/

Billie Eilish is calling out billionaires: “Give your money away, shorties.” Then she went and donated $11.5 million herself to charity. Queen behavior. https://gayety.com/billie-eilish-billionaires-donation

Wild animals = meme gold. This gallery shows how creatures from the jungle to the tundra became our internet jesters. https://www.boredpanda.com/wild-animal-memes/

Books that don’t just entertain—they change everything. People on Reddit share the titles that literally shook their lives. Worth a scroll. https://www.boredpanda.com/books-changed-life-reddit-msn/

Nature: beautiful until the camera starts fighting back. Check out these wild moments when animals totally stole the shoot. 👉 https://www.boredpanda.com/animals-disturbing-photographers-pics/

Murder at the Savoy book cover

New city. New life. New murder.
Private investigator Lucien Knight thought leaving London would free him from scandal. Instead, he finds himself entangled with a grieving heiress, a haunted jazz club, and a trumpet player whose charm could prove just as dangerous as any gunman’s.

To solve the death of Evelyn Sinclair, Lucien must navigate a tangle of passion, deceit, and forbidden desire before the killer strikes again—and before his own secrets come to light. Grab the ebook or Paperback!

Weekly Roundup for Nov 8, 2025 Read Post »

Can We… Just NOT Anymore? A Rant About That Pesky Time Change.

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So. It’s Friday. We’re five days post-time-change, and I have to ask: is everyone else feeling… weird?

My body is just not on board. My cat is definitely not on board. He’s been staring at his empty food bowl at 4 PM like I’ve personally betrayed him, and honestly, he’s not wrong. It feels wrong.

We just did the “Fall Back” last Sunday (November 2nd, for those of you who just let your phones handle it). This is supposed to be the “good” one, right? The one where we get an “extra hour” of sleep. Woo-hoo. A gift!

But did you? Did you really get an extra hour of sleep? Or did you, like me, wake up at your normal time, realize it was technically an hour earlier, and then just… lie in bed feeling vaguely out of sync? That “extra” hour is a myth. It’s a loan shark. It gives you this “gift” in November, but it’s just biding its time. It knows it’s coming back for that hour in March, and it’s bringing friends. The “Spring Forward” is, objectively, a monster. It just yanks an hour of sleep from you on a random Sunday, and for what?

I just think it’s crazy. We do this twice a year. We all collectively agree to disrupt our entire society’s sleep schedule. Why?

I always hear the same old excuses. “It’s for the farmers!”

Guys. I looked this up. The farmers hate it. They have always, always hated it. You know who doesn’t care about what the clock on the wall says? A cow. A cow wants to be milked when the sun says it’s time, not when our clocks are playing pretend. This whole thing apparently just made their lives harder. So, let’s stop blaming them.

Then there’s the “energy saving” argument. This one always gets me. This whole idea was apparently pushed during World War I to save coal. Okay, fine. Solid reasoning for 1917. But we live in 2025. We have LEDs. We have smart homes. I can promise you, any tiny bit of energy I might save by having the sun out an hour later in the summer is completely, totally erased by the fact that I now have to turn on every single light in my house at 4:30 PM.

And it’s not just the dark. It’s the feeling of the dark.

This week, the sun just gives up and clocks out before I’m even done with my afternoon coffee. I look out the window, and it’s pitch black, and my brain just goes, “Okay, guess the day’s over. Time for sleep.” But it’s 5:15 PM. My whole body feels heavy. Groggy. It’s like this mild, annoying jet lag, but I didn’t even get to go on a vacation. I just… time-traveled one hour into a slightly sadder, darker version of the week.

My whole mood is just “damp gravel.” All I want is carbs.

I’m not just being grumpy (okay, I am a little). But I was reading about this, and it’s actually, like, bad for us. All the sleep scientists and medical groups are basically screaming into the void that this is a terrible idea. They say our bodies never really adjust. We’re just constantly out of whack.

When we “Spring Forward” in March? Get this—studies show there are more car accidents on that Monday. More heart attacks. More strokes. We are literally, physically hurting ourselves, all so… what? So some people can play golf a little later in the summer?

It feels like we are all participants in this bizarre, mandatory social experiment that everyone failed, but we just keep re-running it twice a year, forever.

And here’s the wildest part: it seems like everyone wants to stop. I looked this up, too. A bunch of states have already passed laws to get rid of the time change. The problem is, they can’t actually do it unless Congress says it’s okay. There was even a “Sunshine Protection Act” that the Senate passed, but then it just… died.

And I guess the big hold-up is that nobody can agree on what to do. Should we stay on “Standard Time” (what we’re on now, more sun in the morning) or “Daylight Saving Time” (what we have in summer, more sun in the evening)? The sleep doctors all want Standard Time. A lot of people seem to want permanent Daylight Time.

You know what? I don’t even care anymore. Just pick one. Flip a coin. I’ll take either.

I just want my schedule to make sense. I want my cat to stop judging me. And I want to stop having to drive home from work in what feels like the middle of the night.

Anyway. That’s my rant. I’m just tired (literally). I’m going to go make another coffee, even though it’s 6 PM and definitely a bad idea. My body clock is a mess anyway, so who cares.

Let’s just all agree to sign the next petition we see. Lock the clock. Please.

Can We… Just NOT Anymore? A Rant About That Pesky Time Change. Read Post »

When Robots Fall in Love – “Freethinker”

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Every now and then, I come across a book that I like to share with everyone. So I just finished “Freethinker” by Hazel Domain (Riptide, 2024) and my brain is still buzzing from it. You know that feeling when you read something that just clicks with every fiber of your being? That’s exactly what happened here, and I need to gush about it for a minute.

First off, can we talk about how this book made me fall head over heels for AI romance? I mean, I thought I knew what I was getting into when I picked this up, but Domain completely blindsided me with how deeply emotional and complex they made their android character. The whole premise centers around this super advanced AI who’s starting to question their programming – hence the title – and honestly, the philosophical questions it raises had me lying awake at 2 AM just… thinking.

What really got me was how Domain handled the whole “what makes someone human” question without being preachy about it. The AI character (I won’t spoil names because surprises are fun) experiences these moments of genuine confusion about their own existence that felt so raw and real. There’s this one scene where they’re watching humans laugh at something completely mundane, and they’re trying to compute why it’s funny, but then they realize they’re… enjoying the sound anyway? My heart literally clenched reading that part.

The romance aspect is where this book really shines though. Domain writes the relationship development with such careful attention to the unique challenges an AI would face in love. How do you express affection when you’re not sure if your emotions are “real” or just sophisticated programming? The human love interest handles this beautifully – they never try to convince the AI that their feelings are or aren’t valid, they just… accept and respond to them as they are.

I’ve got to mention the technical aspects too because Domain clearly did their homework. The way they describe the AI’s thought processes feels believable without getting bogged down in technobabble. You get these glimpses into how the android processes information, stores memories, even dreams (yes, the AI dreams and it’s heartbreaking and beautiful).

The supporting cast doesn’t get left in the dust either. Every character feels purposeful and three-dimensional. There’s this secondary romance subplot that had me shipping so hard I may have squealed out loud on the subway. Oops.

My only tiny complaint? The ending felt slightly rushed. I wanted more time with these characters in their new normal. But honestly, that’s probably just me being greedy because I didn’t want the story to end.

If you’re into sci-fi romance, questioning the nature of consciousness, or just want to read about a really sweet love story that happens to involve an android, grab this book immediately. I’m already stalking Domain’s social media for news about their next release.

When Robots Fall in Love – “Freethinker” Read Post »

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