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"... for workers under 25, mental health is now so poor that they are generally as unhappy as their unemployed counterparts..." Source: NYT This may be more widespread, but it's not new. For example,...

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Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 5h

"It's so sad that there are so many people--that entire CETA work crew, for example--who don't know that there is work worth doing."

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/11/06/2...

2025-11-06 6:04

A hero trying to achieve great things

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 14h

One way to write an exciting novel is to have a hero trying to achieve great things.

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/11/05/a...

#nanowrimo #nano2

One of the flaws of my fiction writing is that my heroes tend to be quiet people, eking out a meager existence during hard times. This is largely due to my perspective on the future, which is that har...

Reposted by Philip Brewer

Steven D. Brewer @stevendbrewer.com · 1d

This only succeeded in alienating their base. I hope a take-away lesson of Mamdani is that you appeal to your base by championing their issues and not by triangulating to avoid offending the rich. #uspol

Setting the bar (for exercise) low

Reposted by Philip Brewer

Steven D. Brewer @stevendbrewer.com · 1d

Since Clinton (and Citizens United) Democrats have positioned themselves as Republican-lite, in order to get the big money from the rich that they believe they need to compete with Republicans. #uspol

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Reposted by Philip Brewer

Fiona Robertson @fionaswriting.bsky.social · 1d

The full weight of western capitalism is about to laser focus on NYC. The robber barons failed to win and will panic. They will sabotage NYC because the system cannot allow Mamdani's term to be successful. They cannot allow people to believe things can be better. Your job now is to hold the line.
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Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 1d

The bar is pretty low for getting "enough" exercise to make you healthier.

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/11/04/s...

I walk a lot. Because I have a dog, and want to be sure my dog gets the exercise it needs, I take a truly inordinate number of steps per day. (Wait just a moment while I check my Fitbit...) Last week ...

Straw Dog Northampton Book Fair Appearance - Steven D. BREWER

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Reposted by Philip Brewer

Steven D. Brewer @stevendbrewer.com · 2d

On November 22, 2025, from 12-2pm, I'll be with the Straw Dog Writers Guild at the Northampton Book Fair! stevendbrewer.com/straw-dog-no...

The Straw Dog Writers Guild has secured two tables at the Northampton Antiquarian Book, Ephemera, and Book Arts Fair on November 21 and 22, 2025 for authors to display and sell books! Roughly twenty a...

stevendbrewer.com

Sword fighting training not so good for writing

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 3d

I got in one good morning writing session. Then things happened.

At least, one of them was sword fighting.

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/11/02/s...

Sundays are the day I still manage to do some HEMA training. I used to go three times a week, but had to cut way back after I hurt my elbow. Now it's just Sundays, because Sunday is the day my group d...

Invited by my brother (SFWA's board secretary), I just attended the kick-off meeting for SFWA's Winter Worlds of Giving. If you're a writer, and especially if you're a SFWA member, check out that ...

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 3d

Especially if you're a SFWA member, check out the link I mention here. There's some cool stuff happening!

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/11/02/s...

SFWA Worlds of Giving

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Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 3d

If you really want to be untethered, local solar time is the easiest! Just look to see where the sun is, to know the time within an hour or so. (Or set up a sundial.)

8 Page Zines: How to Solarpunk

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 4d

Zines and Solarpunk, together again! @alphistia.bsky.social

MythicalDragoness 🇨🇦 @mythicaldragoness.bsky.social · 4d

What is a zine?

Here's an example of an easy and low cost, portable method of sharing information.

This article offers a downloadable example.

8 Page Zines: How to Solarpunk

#Zine #Message #Information

susankayequinn.com/how-to-write...

In 2023, for the first Pittsburgh Solarpunk Expo, I put together an 8 page solarpunk zine (2023: How to Change the Narrative) with my goofy stick figures, in the spirit of DIY zines. It was a blast…

susankayequinn.com

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Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 4d

Great! I hope you find it useful and interesting.

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 4d

I would support anything that ended changing the clocks twice a year, but I still think the right solution is that we all go on local solar time: www.philipbrewer.net/2015/12/12/l...

Let's abolish time zones and DST!

Time zones are an anachronism from the days of railroads and pocket watches. They should be abolished. Instead of time zones, we should all use local solar time. From the dawn of man everyone always ...

I never got a sabbatical. My dad was a college professor, so I knew from a young age what a sabbatical was. I always paid attention whenever one corporation or another would be i

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 4d

Back in my days writing for Wise Bread, I wrote a whole article about that: www.wisebread.com/fund-your-ow...

I think it stands up pretty well.

Fund your own sabbatical

www.wisebread.com

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/11/01/f...

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 4d

First day of NaNo 2.0

I got in a very good morning writing session today, starting pretty much right after second dog walk. By late morning I'd topped 1200 words. I took a break then and paused to do some on-line chatting ...

Daily gratitude: Glad I'm not planning to fly anywhere anytime soon. Glad I'm not on food stamps. Glad I'm not on Obamacare any more.* Glad I don't travel by boat in the Caribbean. *N...

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Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 4d

Let me just say that I loathe the end of daylight saving time with a fiery passion exceeded only by my loathing for the beginning of daylight saving time.

#daylightsaving

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Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 5d

*Note: Obamacare is a great program, which came along at a critical time for me, and lasted long enough for me to get on Medicare. My gratitude for the program knows no bounds, and I feel immense sorrow that the Republicans continue to try to ruin it.

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/10/31/2...

2025-10-31 15:06

Halloween run, with a dog

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 5d

Daily gratitude:

1. Glad I’m not planning to fly anywhere anytime soon.
2. Glad I’m not on food stamps.
3. Glad I’m not on Obamacare any more.*
4. Glad I don’t travel by boat in the Caribbean.

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Reposted by Philip Brewer

Danny Parisi @dannyparisi.bsky.social · 5d

maybe i'm crazy but I think we should build a society where you can buy yourself a treat once a week without financial ruin

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 6d

“At the same time, more than half of Gen Z members say they are struggling to make ends meet, yet a majority buy themselves a small treat, such as a pastry, coffee, or sweet, at least once a week. That can lead to overspending…”

archive.ph/2TI8J

Why are young people spending so much money?

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Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 5d

Going for a run with Ashley!

Content warnings: Fitness metrics, a picture of a snake, and no picture of me or Ashley.

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/10/31/h...

Ashley seems to enjoy going for a run, and she's a pretty good running companion. She does want to stop and sniff rather more often than I do, and she wants to stop and pee occasionally, which does ma...

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 6d

Got my dog's full attention.

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Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 6d

Unquestionably.

Late start, but some writing

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 6d

Got some writing in late yesterday. Hopefully there'll be more time for it today—and time for some serious plotting.

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/10/30/l...

#nanowrimo #nano2

Oh, and the post includes a picture of a dog.

I was busy most of the day. In the morning I took Jackie to her (last!) physical therapy appointment, and in the afternoon I had my usual Thursday visit with some former co-workers. But in the early e...

Late start, but some writing

Philip Brewer @philipbrewer.net · 6d

Trying to get into the swing of writing updates on my writing in November.

www.philipbrewer.net/2025/10/30/l...

I was busy most of the day. In the morning I took Jackie to her (last!) physical therapy appointment, and in the afternoon I had my usual Thursday visit with some former co-workers. But in the early e...