In a wonderful little neighborhood called Larchmont, there’s a wonderful little bookshop called Chevalier’s.

A friend of mine ran into Patrick Stewart there today, and when my friend mentioned that to me, I was reminded of the day a few years ago when Patrick saw my book there, and he texted me a picture of it, because he was excited for me. I’d misplaced that memory, and I’m so grateful that I found it today.

This isn’t Chevalier’s. This is Vroman’s in Pasadena.

I was going to post that on Bluesky, but it was too long. Rather than break it up across posts there, I took it as a reminder that my blog exists for a reason, and this is absolutely a lovely little memory that I can share on at Friday afternoon.

While I have your attention, I want to share some stuff that’s come across my event horizon recently. It’s on the other side of the thingy.

The eagles in Big Bear have finally hatched two of their eggs, with a third looking like it’s going to hatch, as well. I have been increasingly emotionally invested in these eagles and their nest for a couple of years, since a webcam was put up there, and I’m just so happy to see them welcome babies. I know it’s going to be thunderdome in there real soon, but right now it’s just adorable little chicks being fed by their parents.

Remember Katamari Damacy? I’ll wait while you sing the theme in your head real quick.

…la laaaa la la la la la lala Katamari Da-ma-ccyyyyyy

My friend turned me on to a game that’s similar, called hole.io. It’s 2 minute rounds against other players where you’re just trying to guide your hole around, suck everything into your hole to make it as big as possible by just stuffing it full of

Phrasing.

You want to have the biggest hole, because the biggest hole wins and

Phrasing.

It’s really fun, and I warn you it’s super addictive.

I’m nearly finished with The Ministry of Time. It’s taken me much longer to read it than I thought it would, but not because I’m unable to read like I was during much of the last five years. I’ve just been too busy with my own work to settle in and read for fun. I’m doing that trick where I tell myself that I need to read so I can write, I need to experience other people’s creations to inspire my own, so if you really think about it, reading for fun is kind of doing work, Wil.

And now I have this delicious conundrum, because I have a galley right here for a book I’ve been invited to blurb (it’s weird how I get so excited and honored when I am asked to do this, but I am SO UNCOMFORTABLE asking anyone to do it for me.) and this book, which comes out in June, is so entertaining and wonderful, I kind of want to drop everything and just read it.

Which, again, I could totally justify as work. Maybe I will.

Did anyone else feel like this week just flew by? Monday felt like a month, and I honestly don’t know where this week went. Maybe it’s just me.

Everything is terrible, the dumbest and most evil people imaginable are hurting as many people as they can, and I’m just not sure that holding up little signs is the best act of resistance in this moment of extreme crisis.

So I’m doing what I’ve done since Mister Rogers first said it to me as a little kid, and I am looking for the helpers. I’m also choosing to be a helper whenever I can. I truly believe in being a Helper. I even got the tattoo.

If we are going to get through this, if we are going to rebuild what they have destroyed and will destroy, we must take care of each other. We need to be the helpers. So as we go into the weekend, I challenge each of you to be a helper, at least once. I’d love it if you shared how you chose to help. Maybe that will inspire other people, and we’ll all feel a little less alone, a little less afraid, and a little more empowered.

Have a good weekend, friends. I’m glad you’re here. I appreciate you.