Halsted M. Bernard @cygnoir@writing.exchange

Hello, writing.exchange! Here's my introduction:

I'm Halsted and I'm a writer living in Portland, Oregon. My short stories have appeared in Innsmouth Magazine, Map Literary, and Bewildering Stories, and I have performed at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, both as a Story Shop participant and with the literary writing and spoken-word performance group Writers' Bloc.

More about what I write:
https://cygnoir.net/fiction

I am confident that there are better uses of my limited brain cells than storing the entirety of Dana Carvey’s “Choppin' Broccoli” skit, over three decades later, but here we are.

I am overdue for a haircut, but I keep pushing my appointment date out due to the local spike in COVID cases, so I guess I’ll succumb to my inevitable final form as a wandering crone housing small woodland creatures in her tangled mane.

The phase of COVID close-calls: https://www.cygnoir.net/2022/05/08/the-phase-of.html

Criminy and Crivens make me so happy. They’re such lovey, gentle souls. When I am feeling rotten, I give one a cuddle and everything is a little better.

There should be a word for the feeling upon receiving a negative result on a PCR test. It’s overwhelming relief, absolutely, mixed with disappointment that it’s easier to catch bad colds again. 🤧

Freestyle Love Supreme was so much fun last night! If you get a chance, go see it. Don’t spoil yourself with videos. Just go, and enjoy! https://freestylelovesupreme.com

Currently reading: Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner 📚 I checked out a Kindle loaded up with 28 (!) bestsellers from my library this week, and I’m still marveling at its convenience. https://micro.blog/books/9780525657743

Currently reading: Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home by Charlie Warzel & Anne Helen Petersen 📚 As a fan of Anne Helen Petersen’s newsletter “Culture Study” I’ve been looking forward to reading this book for quite a while. https://micro.blog/books/9780593320105

New pen day! 🖋 I swapped a TWSBI Eco I don’t use very much for this Eco in Lilac. You know how I am about purple pens. 💜 And now my friend has a gently-used Eco in the color she wanted.

I made it through the first week of the six-week Whole Life Challenge! So far, the easiest habits to establish have been exercise and mobility. Unsurprisingly, nutrition has been the hardest; meal planning and prep is so much work. https://www.wholelifechallenge.com

Finally got to try Mikiko Mochi Donuts. 🍩 So delicious! https://www.mikikodonuts.com

A quick jaunt to the Columbia River Gorge today. Lots of visitors at Multnomah Falls!

Calling all readers! 📚 If you’re learning about the alarming rise of book bannings across the U.S. and want to know how to take action, Banned Books Book Club has educational resources, a virtual book club, and more. https://www.bannedbooksbookclub.com/take-action

Finished reading: The Insecure Mind of Sergei Kraev by Eric Silberstein 📚 I enjoyed the intersection of computer science and technological innovation with human ambition and fallibility in this sci-fi thriller. https://micro.blog/books/9781737351917

It’s my first Public Library Association conference! Tonight the Oregon Library Association hosted a brilliant trivia event and I got to see so many fine folx and how am I supposed to sleep knowing I get to do this all again tomorrow?

Zoom has bunny filters now. 🐰 ... https://www.cygnoir.net/2022/03/22/zoom-has-bunny.html

It’s very challenging to get anything done with Criminy around. 😻

Finished reading: How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life by Catherine Price 📚 Recommended if you’re curious about why and how to do a digital detox. https://micro.blog/books/9780399581137

In my job, I hear and respond to the antipathy directed at our unhoused neighbors. It leaves me feeling sad and angry. I appreciated the positive and productive actions suggested in this Ask MetaFilter thread. https://ask.metafilter.com/361784/Anti-homeless-hatred-is-getting-me-down

Micro.blog Pens & Ink Meetup: Input Wanted: https://www.cygnoir.net/2022/03/18/microblog-pens-ink.html