Val Delane
@valdelane.net
Autodidact, Capricious Optimist, Dork, Gender Mashup, Holist, N-Dimensional Queer, Neurospicy, Perpetual Experiment, Postmodern Humanist, Pragmatist, Reductionist, Self-Rescuing Princess, Sentinel, Social Synapse, Systems Engineer
valdelane.net
valdelane.net
Reposted by Val Delane
New post on the importance of making mistakes in your creative process
erictolladay.com/2025/12/maki...
erictolladay.com/2025/12/maki...
Making mistakes with intent
Another post of unsolicited advice on how to make it in the creative world, from someone who has been in the trenches for a while. Last week I wrote a post about Failure. In it I talked about the i…
erictolladay.com
December 24, 2025 at 2:13 AM
New post on the importance of making mistakes in your creative process
erictolladay.com/2025/12/maki...
erictolladay.com/2025/12/maki...
Reposted by Val Delane
Happy holidays, Bluesky! I got you a megathrust earthquake, soil liquefaction, spine-tingling papers about the way our networks confound knowledge, and a PDF in a pear tree. It's my wrap on a year of trying to make sense of how we make sense of what's happening to us.
www.wrecka.ge/landslide-a-...
www.wrecka.ge/landslide-a-...
Landslide; a ghost story
On March 27, 1964, a converted liberty ship named the SS Chena brought a shipment of supplies to the port of Valdez, Alaska. Valdez, which I need you to know is pronounced “valDEEZ,” sits at the end o...
www.wrecka.ge
December 23, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Happy holidays, Bluesky! I got you a megathrust earthquake, soil liquefaction, spine-tingling papers about the way our networks confound knowledge, and a PDF in a pear tree. It's my wrap on a year of trying to make sense of how we make sense of what's happening to us.
www.wrecka.ge/landslide-a-...
www.wrecka.ge/landslide-a-...
Hella creepy to wake at 3a to random clicking, prowl in the dark, and find mix of electrical items working, not working, or in half-alive state I've never observed before. Thought I was in lucid nightmare until I cycled through a UPS screen and saw 24V as the input. Low-voltage brownout, ooohhh.
December 19, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Hella creepy to wake at 3a to random clicking, prowl in the dark, and find mix of electrical items working, not working, or in half-alive state I've never observed before. Thought I was in lucid nightmare until I cycled through a UPS screen and saw 24V as the input. Low-voltage brownout, ooohhh.
Look at this adorable holiday card painted by my friend Amanda Rader. Just look at it! I collapsed into giggles.
December 16, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Look at this adorable holiday card painted by my friend Amanda Rader. Just look at it! I collapsed into giggles.
Anyone hating on the director of _The Princess Bride_ deserves to roast in the fire swamp.
December 16, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Anyone hating on the director of _The Princess Bride_ deserves to roast in the fire swamp.
I'm not generally a fan of drinking before 5p — but over the decades, a double shot of digestif Jäger is the only remedy I've found to settle an infrequent bloaty mode of tummy upset. If that happens in the afternoon, well, so be it.
December 16, 2025 at 12:10 AM
I'm not generally a fan of drinking before 5p — but over the decades, a double shot of digestif Jäger is the only remedy I've found to settle an infrequent bloaty mode of tummy upset. If that happens in the afternoon, well, so be it.
This is a good breakdown of how to fail and how to use the results. Failures are information.
I put it like this: Instead of hiding a mistake: readily admit it, adjust, and try again. This promotes a culture of accountability, appropriate confidence, and freedom to continue experimentation.
I put it like this: Instead of hiding a mistake: readily admit it, adjust, and try again. This promotes a culture of accountability, appropriate confidence, and freedom to continue experimentation.
More unsolicited advice on being creative, this time on the importance of failure. Yes, you must fail, but it's better to fail the right way.
erictolladay.com/2025/12/on-f...
erictolladay.com/2025/12/on-f...
On failure
More unsolicited advice on how to make it in the creative world, from someone who has been in the trenches for a while. Years ago, back when I was single, I was hanging out at a coffee shop with Cl…
erictolladay.com
December 15, 2025 at 11:51 PM
This is a good breakdown of how to fail and how to use the results. Failures are information.
I put it like this: Instead of hiding a mistake: readily admit it, adjust, and try again. This promotes a culture of accountability, appropriate confidence, and freedom to continue experimentation.
I put it like this: Instead of hiding a mistake: readily admit it, adjust, and try again. This promotes a culture of accountability, appropriate confidence, and freedom to continue experimentation.
Reposted by Val Delane
I'm excited to share that I have three new poems in Issue #6 of Recenter Press' poetry journal, and you can read them here:
www.recenterpress.com/issue-six-be...
www.recenterpress.com/issue-six-be...
Issue Six: Beth Winegarner
BY BETH WINEGARNER.
www.recenterpress.com
December 15, 2025 at 9:13 PM
I'm excited to share that I have three new poems in Issue #6 of Recenter Press' poetry journal, and you can read them here:
www.recenterpress.com/issue-six-be...
www.recenterpress.com/issue-six-be...
Last night I dreamt that my psychiatrist was Hunter S. Thompson as played by Jack Nicholson.
December 14, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Last night I dreamt that my psychiatrist was Hunter S. Thompson as played by Jack Nicholson.
Reposted by Val Delane
Some days, the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man is simply not achievable and I must settle for the messy raccoon eye that can probably hurt your feelings.
December 11, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Some days, the cat eye sharp enough to kill a man is simply not achievable and I must settle for the messy raccoon eye that can probably hurt your feelings.
I adore this short story "C'mon Boys: The unofficial history of United Hull Scrapers, Interplanetary Local 749" by @e-tolladay.bsky.social in Issue 7 of Baubles From Bones, a cozy sci-fi fantasy zine. Read online and/or buy the DRM-free EPUB, as I did.
www.baublesfrombones.com/cmon-boys.html
www.baublesfrombones.com/cmon-boys.html
December 12, 2025 at 5:23 PM
I adore this short story "C'mon Boys: The unofficial history of United Hull Scrapers, Interplanetary Local 749" by @e-tolladay.bsky.social in Issue 7 of Baubles From Bones, a cozy sci-fi fantasy zine. Read online and/or buy the DRM-free EPUB, as I did.
www.baublesfrombones.com/cmon-boys.html
www.baublesfrombones.com/cmon-boys.html
As my luxurious mane grows out it is again starting to collect baby spiders leading to the frequent question is that a shed hair touching me or a baby spider
December 11, 2025 at 8:57 PM
As my luxurious mane grows out it is again starting to collect baby spiders leading to the frequent question is that a shed hair touching me or a baby spider
Is my increasing ability to empty my mind of thoughts and desires a sign of progress in zen practice or early onset dementia whynotboth.jpg
December 10, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Is my increasing ability to empty my mind of thoughts and desires a sign of progress in zen practice or early onset dementia whynotboth.jpg
Reposted by Val Delane
My newest short story is out in @uncannymagazine.bsky.social. Hooray! Read it here: www.uncannymagazine.com/article/to-s...
To Speak in Silence - Uncanny Magazine
On the pump organ in the formal parlor sat two chickens carved in clay in the place in which, were this another home, one might find candles. The one on the right had a rooster’s comb and was shiny wi...
www.uncannymagazine.com
December 4, 2025 at 5:03 PM
My newest short story is out in @uncannymagazine.bsky.social. Hooray! Read it here: www.uncannymagazine.com/article/to-s...
Reposted by Val Delane
Made a site comparing the sizes of living things :)
The great Julius Csotonyi spent 5 months painting over 60 illustrations for the site, no ai used
> neal.fun/size-of-life/
The great Julius Csotonyi spent 5 months painting over 60 illustrations for the site, no ai used
> neal.fun/size-of-life/
December 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Made a site comparing the sizes of living things :)
The great Julius Csotonyi spent 5 months painting over 60 illustrations for the site, no ai used
> neal.fun/size-of-life/
The great Julius Csotonyi spent 5 months painting over 60 illustrations for the site, no ai used
> neal.fun/size-of-life/
My laptop desk is parked against front window. I have a view of sidewalk at entry way 4m from window. I just watched a crow with peanut in its beak strutting down that sidewalk. ~7 seconds later there appeared to be an exact duplicate of crow, peanut, strut, and vector. Glitch in the matrix I guess.
December 7, 2025 at 10:53 PM
My laptop desk is parked against front window. I have a view of sidewalk at entry way 4m from window. I just watched a crow with peanut in its beak strutting down that sidewalk. ~7 seconds later there appeared to be an exact duplicate of crow, peanut, strut, and vector. Glitch in the matrix I guess.
Reposted by Val Delane
in some languages, they don't say "I love you", they say "I made sure Future You would have a potato", and I think that's beautiful
December 4, 2025 at 6:15 AM
in some languages, they don't say "I love you", they say "I made sure Future You would have a potato", and I think that's beautiful
Gender is a game where the rules are made up and the points don't matter.
December 4, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Gender is a game where the rules are made up and the points don't matter.
Reposted by Val Delane
A little "how to" advice from someone who has been working in creative fields for over 40 years.
erictolladay.com/2025/11/so-y...
erictolladay.com/2025/11/so-y...
So you want to be an artist
Unsolicited advice on how to make it in the creative world, from someone who has been in the trenches for a while. Many years ago I had a job as a delivery driver for a rental company. This was bac…
erictolladay.com
November 30, 2025 at 6:38 PM
A little "how to" advice from someone who has been working in creative fields for over 40 years.
erictolladay.com/2025/11/so-y...
erictolladay.com/2025/11/so-y...
Reposted by Val Delane
Does anyone want a survivorship bias shortbread
November 29, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Does anyone want a survivorship bias shortbread
Reposted by Val Delane
Out of curiosity I fed ChatGPT a small (2x2") ~80y old family photo for restoration and upscaling. It includes 15 people, a bit blurry but recognizable. At a quick glance the result was amazing: sharp, vivid, zoomable …
November 29, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Out of curiosity I fed ChatGPT a small (2x2") ~80y old family photo for restoration and upscaling. It includes 15 people, a bit blurry but recognizable. At a quick glance the result was amazing: sharp, vivid, zoomable …
Reposted by Val Delane
When the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was directed by Hieronymus Bosch
November 28, 2024 at 3:03 PM
When the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was directed by Hieronymus Bosch
My mental state is trending better over the last few months. A bit less shocked, anxious, disappointed, and furious. A bit more absurd, flexible, motivated, and curious.
November 27, 2025 at 12:10 AM
My mental state is trending better over the last few months. A bit less shocked, anxious, disappointed, and furious. A bit more absurd, flexible, motivated, and curious.
I just thoroughly huffed Rudy Rucker's latest trippy surreal gonzo scifi adventure novel, _Sqinks_. Thought-sparking, slightly disturbing, and redonkulous fun. I helped fund it on Kickstarter and glad I did. Check it out!
SQINKS. A vintage Rudy Rucker rollercoaster: fresh ideas, big laughs, and high emotions. A novel about our new AI, set in today's San Francisco. A transreal cyberpunk love story! For sale everywhere.
Books2Read.com/sqink
Books2Read.com/sqink
November 21, 2025 at 9:11 PM
I just thoroughly huffed Rudy Rucker's latest trippy surreal gonzo scifi adventure novel, _Sqinks_. Thought-sparking, slightly disturbing, and redonkulous fun. I helped fund it on Kickstarter and glad I did. Check it out!