I keep this image on my phone for a reason.

There is an ongoing pandemic. No-one comes to my house without masking, and I go nowhere without an N95. When there's a sterilizing vaccine, or a social agreement to avoid infecting people, I will be happy to resume interacting in person.

Paywall-free version:

archive.ph/2025.11.30-1...

I expect this will blow up.

It's a Thanksgiving tradition!

@nameshiv.bsky.social this is your bat-signal to share your K2 obsession with a new audience.

I grew up in an "anti-kosher" household. My father grew up Orthodox and turned his back on his family's practice in his late teens. Pork chops and lobster were some of his favorite foods. I think his food preferences came with the spice of defiance.

I already tore my umbilical hernia repair that was done 10 years ago and I have some pain around my ribs that could well be torn cartilage. I always cough violently and extravagantly when I have th slightest bit of post-nasal drip but this has been a doozy.

Always within arm's reach ...

"But Boris, vat about Moose and Svirrel?" Natasha Fatale.

Babies can't be vaccinated for whooping cough until they're 2 months old. Until then, they're reliant on the rest of us to be vaccinated. That includes adults, who should receive a TDaP vaccine every 10 years.

Reminder: whooping cough is the "P" in the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis) combination vaccine that all adults are recommended to get every 10 years. Getting this booster will protect you and any baby you might otherwise infect who is too young to get the shot.

I dislike most mint flavors so much that I've been relegated to children's fruit flavored toothpaste since Tom's of Maine discontinued their anise-flavored fluoride toothpaste. I'm still mad about that.

So, no, don't offer me mint in perfectly delicious coffee or chocolate.

I love this for the Trek reference. I kinda hate it because the most effective protection against respiratory infections is wearing an respirator mask (e.g., N95, KN94) when you are indoors with people outside your household. Airborne protections like masks, ventilation, and air purifiers FTW.

He's allowed to eat as many supermarket frozen pierogies as he wishes.