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notalwaysworking_feedRead Writing Off The Write Ups
Boss: "Take it slow to learn. Your speed won't count against you for the first month because you're new."
Lo and behold, I got pulled in the second week for "being too slow."
Me: "You told me to take it slow and learn because quality was more important than quantity. Was that not true?"
notalwaysrelated_feedRead From One Uncle To Another
My sister and her kids were visiting. I made fajitas for dinner. My niece, six years old, asks:
Niece: "Uncle, where do peppers come from?"
Before I can answer, her brother (one year older) pipes in:
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lsandersonnotalwaysfriendly_feedRead A Pane In The Glass
Friend: "I want to get rid of it, but it would cost too much to replace."
Me: "What do you mean it's going to cost a lot?"
Friend: "I shopped around for a door, and it's gonna cost at least $1000. I really hate it, but I can live with it."
My Wife: "No, it won't."
Read A Pane In The Glass
james_davis_nicoll
Which of these look interesting?
Kill All Wizards by Jedediah Berry (June 2026)
8 (29.6%)
The Franchise by Thomas Elrod (May 2026)
5 (18.5%)
Carry Me to My Grave by Christopher Golden (July 2026)
2 (7.4%)
Obstetrix by Naomi Kritzer (June 2026)
14 (51.9%)
Inkpot Gods by Seanan McGuire (June 2026)
8 (29.6%)
Cursed Ever After by Andy C. Naranjo (June 2026)
3 (11.1%)
For Human Use by Sarah G. Pierce (February 2026)
1 (3.7%)
The War Beyond by Andrea Stewart (November 2025)
5 (18.5%)
Some other option (see comments)
0 (0.0%)
Cats!
18 (66.7%)
notalwayslearning_feedRead ESL: English As A Shortcut Language
I'm an ESL teacher, teaching at a school in China. We're doing an activity where my students had to give directions based on a map and situations I had chosen.
Me: "Okay, and the final question. This one is complex. Give someone directions to get from here to here, but explain that the main road is closed.
crosarth_feed 
Right now I’m sitting in my favorite chair in my living room, safely home after having spent Thanksgiving with most of my family in Milwaukee. Normally I’d still be there, and wouldn’t have come home until tomorrow night — but the forecast has a massive winter storm coming through tonight through tomorrow afternoon.
So, being a rational human being who doesn’t want to drive through six to ten inches of snow, Crysta and I cut our visit short and drove home today.
It was still a good visit. Thanksgiving was at my parent’s house, and altogether there were thirteen of us for dinner. Then, earlier today I guess since it’s still before midnight, I helped my dad put up the outdoor Christmas lights (which I’ve been doing with him the day after Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember). I would have taken a photo, except as a rule I don’t take photographs of the exteriors of loved ones’ homes and post them online because I don’t want to accidentally dox them.
It’s far too easy to figure that stuff out if you know what you’re doing.
Afterwards my brother came over to watch the Bears game, and when it wrapped up? Crysta and I hit the road and drove home. It’s weird to be home this early on Thanksgiving weekend, but, again, the roads are going to be terrible tomorrow, while tonight they were clear and safe.
I don’t know if there was much of a point to this entry besides just updating y’all on my mundane life. But, like, it’s a good mundane life. I think that it’s important to remember the simple joys of spending time with the people you love, and it’s nice to have a highlight to pull me out of the darkness this time of year.
So that’s what happened.
Also, remember, you can pre-order Buried Memories, the fourth book in my contemporary fantasy series the Mia Graves Saga, out December 15th 2025.
billroperazurelunaticin_the_pipeline_feedThere have been some interesting failures recently in Alzheimer’s trials. As long-time readers will know, I consider basically all Alzheimer’s drug trials to have failed to one degree or another, and particularly when it comes to clearing the “will improve patient’s lives in the real world without putting them at too much risk” hurdle. But these two are notable because they’re aimed outside the usual amyloid zone.
First off, Novo Nordisk reported that semaglutide (the company’s GLP-1 agonist drug, of course) failed in two Alzheimer’s trials. This was going to be a long shot, but long shots are worth taking in this area if you can afford to try them. Studies of thousands of patients with early cognitive impairment who took an oral form of semaglutide (Rybelsus, currently approved as a diabetes therapy) did not show improvements in mental function as compared to placebo. The company says that the treatment group showed “improvement of Alzheimer’s disease-related biomarkers” in both trials, although it does not (as far as I can see) say what those biomarkers were. And I would wonder how good they are as indicators given that you can show improvements in them and still not beat placebo, personally.
The company’s stock took a hit on the news, which is kind of strange. Surely people weren’t betting on this succeeding? But Novo investors have been a jumpy bunch for a while now as Eli Lilly’s star continues to ascend in this area, so the sight of another possible life preserver disappearing might have been enough by itself. At any rate, it does appear as if there’s a disease where GLP-1 drugs are not actually beneficial. Novo had some better news today, though, with a once-weekly shot/once-daily pill combination for amycretin, a dual GLP-1/amylin agonist. I see that people are not quite giving up on the GLP-1/Alzheimer’s idea, but it has to be considered an even longer shot than before.
There’s also news in the anti-tau protein area. That’s long been considered a possible Alzheimer’s target, and by “long” I mean decades. But it’s been hard to put that idea to the test in the clinic. Unfortunately, in the last couple of years it has been possible, and the results have not been good so far. Early last year a Lilly candidate (LY3372689, ceperognastat) failed its own trial. Earlier this year Asceneuron halted work on its own oral anti-tau drug candidate (ASN51), and Biogen stopped BIIB113, another similar effort.
Now all of these are (were) O-GlcNAcase inhibitors, so you could easily make the case that the problem is that might not be a good mechanism to target tau, even if tau itself is a valid idea. But last year Roche bailed on a collaboration for an anti-tau antibody, which went on to fail its trials shortly afterwards. And the latest news is that J&J’s shot at an anti-tau antibody (posdinemab) has also failed its pivotal trial, with no efficacy seen in slowing the disease at the two-year mark. There are other tau programs that are now in the clinic, but they’re clearly going to have to bring something unusual to make you think that they will show interesting levels of efficacy at this point. Good luck, folks. . .
ndrosensharonlee_feed58 The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman (e) (bkclb)
57 The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams, Mindy Thompson (e)
56 Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt (e) (bkclb)
55 Hunting Ground, Patricia Briggs (Alpha&Omega 2)(re-read) (e)
54 Cry Wolf, Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega 1) (re-read) (e)
53 Alpha and Omega, Patricia Briggs (Alpha&Omega.5(re-read) (e)
52 Blind Date with a Werewolf, Patricia Briggs (e)
51 The Women, Kristin Hannah (e) (bkclb)
50 Emilie and the Hollow World, (Emilie Adventures #1) Martha Wells (e)
49 Black Tie & Tails (Black Wolves of Boston #2), Wen Spencer (e)
48 Shards of Earth, Adrian Tchaikovsky(The Final Architecture #1)e)
47 Hemlock and Silver, T. Kingfisher (e)
46 Outcrossing, Celia Lake (Mysterious Charm #1) (e)
45 Outfoxing Fate, Zoe Chant/Murphy Lawless (Virtue Shifters)(e)
44 Atonement Sky, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #9) (e)
43 Stone and Sky, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #10) (e)
42 Regency Buck, Georgette Heyer (re-re-re-&c-read)
41 I Dare, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Liaden Universe #7) (page proofs)
40 To Hive and to Hold, Amy Crook (The Future of Magic #1) (e)
39 These Old Shades, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Sarah Nichols (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
38 Faking it (Dempsey Family #2), Jennifer Crusie, narrated by Aasne Vigesaa (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
37 Copper Script, K.J. Charles (e)
36 The Masqueraders, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Eleanor Yates (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
35 Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha’s Vineyard, Nora Ellen Groce (e)
34 Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson, narrated by Frances McDormand (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
33 The Wings upon Her Back, Samantha Mills (e)
32 Death on the Green (Dublin Driver #2), Catie Murphy (e)
31 The Elusive Earl (Bad Heir Days #3), Grace Burrowes (e)
30 The Mysterious Marquess (Bad Heir Days #2), Grace Burrowes (e)
29 Who Will Remember (Sebastian St. Cyr #20), C.S. Harris (e)
28 The Teller of Small Fortunes, Julie Leong (e)
27 Check and Mate, Ali Hazelwood (e)
26 The Dangerous Duke (Bad Heir Days #1), Grace Burrowes (e)
25 Night’s Master (Flat Earth #1) (re-read), Tanith Lee (e)
24 The Honey Pot Plot (Rocky Start #3), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
23 Very Nice Funerals (Rocky Start #2), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
22 The Orb of Cairado, Katherine Addison (e)
21 The Tomb of Dragons, (The Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy, Book 3), Katherine Addison (e)
20 A Gentleman of Sinister Schemes (Lord Julian #8), Grace Burrowes (e)
19 The Thirteen Clocks (re-re-re-&c read), James Thurber (e)
18 A Gentleman Under the Mistletoe (Lord Julian #7), Grace Burrowes (e)
17 All Conditions Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) (re-re-re-&c read) (audio 1st time)
16 Destiny’s Way (Doomed Earth #2), Jack Campbell (e)
15 The Sign of the Dragon, Mary Soon Lee
14 A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor (Lord Julian #6), Grace Burrowes (e)
13 Market Forces in Gretna Green (#7 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
12 Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Judi Dench with Brendan O’Hea (e)
11 Code Yellow in Gretna Green (#6 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
10 Seeing Red in Gretna Green (#5 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
9 House Party in Gretna Green (#4 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)*
8 Ties that Bond in Gretna Green (#3 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
7 Painting the Blues in Gretna Green (#2 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
6 Midlife in Gretna Green (#1 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
5 The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Author), Kyle McCarley (Narrator) re-re-re&c-read (audio)
4 The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune (e)
3 A Gentleman in Search of a Wife (Lord Julian #5) Grace Burrowes (e)
2 A Gentleman in Pursuit of the Truth (Lord Julian #4) Grace Burrowes (e)
1 A Gentleman in Challenging Circumstances (Lord Julian #3) Grace Burrowes (e)
_____
*Note: The list has been corrected. I did not realize that the Gretna Green novella was part of the main path, rather than a pleasant discursion, and my numbering was off. All fixed now.
rolanni58 The Thursday Murder Club, Richard Osman (e) (bkclb)
57 The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams, Mindy Thompson (e)
56 Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt (e) (bkclb)
55 Hunting Ground, Patricia Briggs (Alpha&Omega 2)(re-read) (e)
54 Cry Wolf, Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega 1) (re-read) (e)
53 Alpha and Omega, Patricia Briggs (Alpha&Omega.5(re-read) (e)
52 Blind Date with a Werewolf, Patricia Briggs (e)
51 The Women, Kristin Hannah (e) (bkclb)
50 Emilie and the Hollow World, (Emilie Adventures #1) Martha Wells (e)
49 Black Tie & Tails (Black Wolves of Boston #2), Wen Spencer (e)
48 Shards of Earth, Adrian Tchaikovsky(The Final Architecture #1)e)
47 Hemlock and Silver, T. Kingfisher (e)
46 Outcrossing, Celia Lake (Mysterious Charm #1) (e)
45 Outfoxing Fate, Zoe Chant/Murphy Lawless (Virtue Shifters)(e)
44 Atonement Sky, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #9) (e)
43 Stone and Sky, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #10) (e)
42 Regency Buck, Georgette Heyer (re-re-re-&c-read)
41 I Dare, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Liaden Universe #7) (page proofs)
40 To Hive and to Hold, Amy Crook (The Future of Magic #1) (e)
39 These Old Shades, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Sarah Nichols (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
38 Faking it (Dempsey Family #2), Jennifer Crusie, narrated by Aasne Vigesaa (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
37 Copper Script, K.J. Charles (e)
36 The Masqueraders, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Eleanor Yates (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
35 Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha's Vineyard, Nora Ellen Groce (e)
34 Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson, narrated by Frances McDormand (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
33 The Wings upon Her Back, Samantha Mills (e)
32 Death on the Green (Dublin Driver #2), Catie Murphy (e)
31 The Elusive Earl (Bad Heir Days #3), Grace Burrowes (e)
30 The Mysterious Marquess (Bad Heir Days #2), Grace Burrowes (e)
29 Who Will Remember (Sebastian St. Cyr #20), C.S. Harris (e)
28 The Teller of Small Fortunes, Julie Leong (e)
27 Check and Mate, Ali Hazelwood (e)
26 The Dangerous Duke (Bad Heir Days #1), Grace Burrowes (e)
25 Night's Master (Flat Earth #1) (re-read), Tanith Lee (e)
24 The Honey Pot Plot (Rocky Start #3), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
23 Very Nice Funerals (Rocky Start #2), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
22 The Orb of Cairado, Katherine Addison (e)
21 The Tomb of Dragons, (The Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy, Book 3), Katherine Addison (e)
20 A Gentleman of Sinister Schemes (Lord Julian #8), Grace Burrowes (e)
19 The Thirteen Clocks (re-re-re-&c read), James Thurber (e)
18 A Gentleman Under the Mistletoe (Lord Julian #7), Grace Burrowes (e)
17 All Conditions Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) (re-re-re-&c read) (audio 1st time)
16 Destiny's Way (Doomed Earth #2), Jack Campbell (e)
15 The Sign of the Dragon, Mary Soon Lee
14 A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor (Lord Julian #6), Grace Burrowes (e)
13 Market Forces in Gretna Green (#7 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
12 Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Judi Dench with Brendan O'Hea (e)
11 Code Yellow in Gretna Green (#6 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
10 Seeing Red in Gretna Green (#5 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
9 House Party in Gretna Green (#4 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)*
8 Ties that Bond in Gretna Green (#3 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
7 Painting the Blues in Gretna Green (#2 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
6 Midlife in Gretna Green (#1 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
5 The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Author), Kyle McCarley (Narrator) re-re-re&c-read (audio)
4 The House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune (e)
3 A Gentleman in Search of a Wife (Lord Julian #5) Grace Burrowes (e)
2 A Gentleman in Pursuit of the Truth (Lord Julian #4) Grace Burrowes (e)
1 A Gentleman in Challenging Circumstances (Lord Julian #3) Grace Burrowes (e)
_____
*Note: The list has been corrected. I did not realize that the Gretna Green novella was part of the main path, rather than a pleasant discursion, and my numbering was off. All fixed now.
notalwaysworking_feedRead The Calm Before The Store-m
It's Black Friday in our big box retail store, before opening. You can already hear the muffled mumbling of customers outside.
Manager: "Alright, team, we’ve got fifteen minutes till we open. Everyone stretched? Hydrated? Emotionally prepared to question humanity?"
New Hire: "They sound really… excited out there."
sharonlee_feedDon’t expect to see me around tomorrow, Saturday, November 29. I’m taking an Electron Free/Mental Health Day.
Everybody stay safe.
notalwaysworking_feedRead The Boss Fails To Register Their Mistake
Customer: "This is ridiculous! You have six registers, but only two of you are working here! Why aren't you fully staffed!"
Me: "I'm sorry, sir, my coworker and I are the only ones serving at the moment. We're going as quickly as we can."
Customer: "I know that, idiot! I have eyes! I'm asking why! Why?!"
notalwaysworking_feed - Writing Off The Write Upsnotalwaysrelated_feed - From One Uncle To Anotherlsanderson - 2025.11.29notalwaysfriendly_feed - A Pane In The Glassjames_davis_nicoll - Books Received, November 22 — November 28samuraiter in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
prompt_dump - 29 November 2025: Too Literalnotalwayslearning_feed - ESL: English As A Shortcut Languagermjwell - Burlesque Picture of the Day, 2025-11-28: Drea Dillinger!crosarth_feed - Home Earlier Than Expected, But Safejames_davis_nicoll - I seem to be batting above average wrt unconscious peoplebillroper - Black Friday Shoppingazurelunatic - Post-Turkey (well, there are leftovers...)in_the_pipeline_feed - Alzheimer's Clinical Trial Results, Sadly Running True to Formndrosen - The Red Queen’s Racesharonlee_feed - Books read in 2025rolanni - Books read in 2025notalwaysworking_feed - The Calm Before The Store-msharonlee_feed - PSArolanni - PSAnotalwaysworking_feed - The Boss Fails To Register Their Mistakebranchandroot
