After two ambitious quarters of gainful unemployment, world travel, and exhaustive research, I needed a break. I started the year with ambitious plans–too ambitious: Kickstart learning Spanish. Explore teaching English as a foreign language. Get a new job and maybe a new profession while I’m at it. Even just *write more*. All that and more … NOT done.
Plenty of things kept me demotivated. I continued to watch AI “transform” my perhaps-former profession and the larger world in mostly bad ways. Navigating the American medical system consistently frustrated and annoyed me just to get mundane old-man things done. The national and global news–well, let’s just not go there. On top of all those externalities, I couldn’t say for certain where I’d call home in 2027 after all that time and effort.
Instead I savored our surplus of nice Spring days wandering the country’s most walkable city. Philadelphia was sprucing itself up for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, so I prowled familiar streets and cobblestone alleys eager to spot changes: Another replanted flowerbed or “coming soon” beer garden. Mmm, yes please. Then I prowled the stalls of Reading Terminal Market to feed a more literal hunger–at least once but not more than twice a week.
I don’t begrudge Philly its grunge and gruff reputation–quite the opposite–but sometimes it’s nice to have nice things. Can we have nice things in Philly?
Speaking of broken things (*cough* America *cough*), my plan to move abroad is definitely Madrid in Spring 2027. OK, it’s “definitely” the current plan to make a plan with lots of caveats and contingencies. I’ll cover all that in a separate post, so stay tuned.
We now return you to your previously scheduled quarterly social media recap…
The Blogs
Madrid in Pictures, March 2026 (theCoreFiles)
16 Apr 2026 — My first day in Madrid was a mixed bag, but the rest of the trip was spectacular. I “planned” this trip on the heels of coming back from South America; there were no extensive checklists or well-researched itineraries.
An Unexpected Journey: Parkway Central Library (theCoreFiles)
07 May 2026 — I was fifteen minutes too late; my local branch closed early due to ongoing heating and water problems–that I learned today are because the school next door actually controls the plumbing and HVAC system. Sigh.
The Socials
08 Apr 2026 — In today’s headlines: East Village institution Veselka is bringing back its 24/7 service starting April 17.
— Original Post On Bluesky
09 Apr 2026 — Will Philly ever get over the hitchBot incident? Or will it SURPASS it with new, creative ways to abuse these obnoxious autonomous sidewalk hazards? Pardon me, I’m going to go make some popcorn. — [billypenn.com]
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10 Apr 2026 — Despite the similarities to hitchBOT, recent violence towards Uber Eats’ delivery robot isn’t just a Philly thing. Robot abuse researchers explain why.
[billypenn.com]
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14 Apr 2026 — Good Thing Bad Thing? Pride/Outfest last year were packed even with more streets blocked off, but BFP is huge. I don’t want Pride to look small, but I also don’t want to feel like fleeing after 15 minutes shoulder2shoulder. PLEASE GO. VISIBILITY MATTERS MORE NOW THAN EVER. [epgn.com]
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16 Apr 2026 — Mission Accomplished: Teaberry ice cream without a 20 minute wait in line at The Franklin Fountain. (16:00) Timing is everything.
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16 Apr 2026 — Various things (and persons) kept me from posting regularly during my recent trip to Madrid, so here’s a semi-random look at my trip. The TL;DR? Madrid is probably now Plan A.
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16 Apr 2026 — Another in the list of Philly Phirsts I’ve never visited, I need to get to Bartram Gardens before the swelter really sets in. He says on a 91F day in mid April. [billypenn.com]
— Original Post On Mastodon
17 Apr 2026 — [whyy.org] — O Fortuna, velut Luna, statu variabilis! QVC moved into the Commodore building during their ascent, after C= had imploded and vacated the former Hallmark card factory. Who will inhabit it next, and are there still any loose mouse balls to be found?
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18 Apr 2026 — Ripley: “You know, Burke, I don’t know which species is worse. You don’t see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage” — Or a goddamn poll. Trump betrays EU, Ukraine while otherwise-despicable Iran fought on to support proxy groups in Lebanon. [counteroffensive.news]
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20 Apr 2026 — A new friend from Spain left me a voice message on Signal–first one I’ve ever gotten. He’s sweet and I love his accent and it was short, so I enjoyed it. But … I can’t help but thing of this as the reanimation of a most-hated “feature” — [theoatmeal.com]
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21 Apr 2026 — Late breakfast / early lunch at the Freedom Bell: hot black coffee and a Little Suzie’s chicken-pot-pie pie.
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21 Apr 2026 — Hot coffee on a cool sunny Spring day, passing through Jefferson’s Rose Garden, has me a little verklempt, wistful about the transitory nature of such perfect, blissful moments.
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22 Apr 2026 — I have never sensed any great intelligence in my interactions with cows over the years. Tasty? Yes. Smart? No. Apparently I just haven’t been meeting the right cows! [arstechnica.com]
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24 Apr 2026 — Push it! Make the cart go harder! The Garbage song that is the perfect soundtrack for a day at Trader Joe’s.
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25 Apr 2026 — At the new (to me) Cafe Lift on Spring Garden, having dropped the car off at Ken’s Auto for inspection. Waiting for my pastrami chipped beef with my Bloody Mary and a framed view of the mural across the street.
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26 Apr 2026 — On the train to NYC, all cars full except the quiet car. Winning.
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26 Apr 2026 — My first time emerging into Moynihan Station instead of the rat warren. It isn’t Grand Central but definitely better!
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26 Apr 2026 — The New Yorker is an old school hotel a few streets up 8th Avenue from (the real) Penn Station. Back in the day, they did NOT skimp on the water controls!
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30 Apr 2026 — In the latest round of “RSS real or satire”, the answer this time is Yes. — [theonion.com]
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06 May 2026 — Like Fowler, Brooks’ “Mythical Man-Month” shaped how I’ve viewed software engineering across my entire career. It’s probably why Domain Driven Design has always felt so comfy–it’s a methodology centered around maintaining and *evangelizing* conceptual integrity. — [martinfowler.com]
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07 May 2026 — Everybody gets old, even iconic Manhattan skyscrapers, but here’s hoping The Chrysler Building gets another century despite the cost and odds. — [YouTube]
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07 May 2026 — AP style lovers: Check out this week’s podcast with Anna Jo Bratton, the @apstylebook.com editor!
We talked about “healthcare” as one word, new words such as “AI slop,” and her pet peeve: “petted” is the past tense of “pet” (not “pet”).
Apple Podcasts: [is.gd]
Spotify: [is.gd]
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12 May 2026 — The rose garden is blooming, and the magnolia garden has reopened (and is not blooming).
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13 May 2026 — A snap decision to attend an event at the majestic FLP’s Parkway Central Library had me jumping on the 44 Bus and walking through Logan Squircle on a beautiful Spring day.
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13 May 2026 — Yesterday’s event, a collaboration between the FLP and WHYY, focused on AI. I was pleasantly surprised by the insight and concern shown during the community discussion. The “Bridging Blocks” series visits many library branches and now other institutions too, but of course the FLP Parkway Central Library is the place to be. — [support.whyy.org]
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15 May 2026 — Arrived at Moynihan Train Hall, this time by NJT from Secaucus Junction. I have never been on the train so empty–and they have a quiet car? News to me!
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15 May 2026 — Also learned today that there’s a food court here now! It’s not quite Grand Central, but MUCH better than the Rat Warren.
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15 May 2026 — I found a loose screw from the SS United States on the Hudson.
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15 May 2026 — I’ve been on more than a dozen mission ships since my last visit to Intrepid. There is so much space, even compared to New Jersey. I also forgot they have a bunch of aircraft including an F4U, F14, A12, Concorde, and a freakin’ space shuttle. The display writer wasn’t into Star Trek enough to mention that the TOS Enterprise was a CONSTITUTION class starship. Nerd fail!
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16 May 2026 — “Rue Landau, Philadelphia’s first openly LGBTQ+ city councilmember, unveiled an official resolution recognizing May 16, 2026 as National Honor Our LGBTQ+ Elders Day in the City of Philadelphia.” The resolution calls out Thom Cardwell, animating force for decades of Philly’s gay film festivals. We miss you, Thom. — [epgn.com]
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16 May 2026 — My Brain on Spring was kinda sorta hoping to be redirected to the INAPPROPRIATE department, but this works too.
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16 May 2026 — “Elder Gays” is a new phenomenon. There was no manual for being gay when we came out, and there certainly isn’t one for growing old gay. It’s nice to see my city raising awareness while we scramble to figure it all out. — [epgn.com]
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17 May 2026 — Fresh coat of paint on the City Hall courtyard compass
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17 May 2026 — The less fresh refresh of the north corridor still makes me smile–today especially since it was a breath of cool in the Philly pre-swelter.
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19 May 2026 — Particle Census
[xkcd.com]
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21 May 2026 — Philly could be the birthplace of a new progressive movement if establishment Democrats do the right thing and get the fuck out of the way. Will they? [whyy.org]
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26 May 2026 — Techdirt claims that Ballmer’s massive gifts cannot be used to save jobs, only for “tech innovation”. Is this an NPR policy or strings by Ballmer? If strings, to what end? Beware Ballmers bearing gifts! Either way, not good if true. #npr [techdirt.com]
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28 May 2026 — While I love the idea of no more “old man” maintenance drugs, I’m more excited about a gene-editing drug that could fix my faulty lactase gene. All the cheese pizza and ice cream I want whenever I want? TOTALLY worth the risk of ending all cellular life on Earth! — [arstechnica.com]
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31 May 2026 — In other genetic engineering news, Short Wave resurfaces the topic of “engineered gene drives” to wipe out malaria-transmitting mosquitoes and how that could be good or could be bad: [npr.org]
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02 Jun 2026 — OMG this is so adorable! Tracks and legs and a lift? It’s the platypus of tree trimming technology! The cute factor means I forgive the detour though Independence Park it caused.
— Original Post On Mastodon With Picture
03 Jun 2026 — The Chinatown Stitch moves forward despite an uncertain future. — [billypenn.com]
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03 Jun 2026 — Have a meal and become a meal! That plants evolved these signals themselves is amazing, but I also wonder what evolutionary pressures they exerted on the slobbery caterpillars and wasp predators. Plant revenge is harsh; parasitic wasps are a terrible way to go. [arstechnica.com]
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05 Jun 2026 — I appreciate Shapiro’s support, but PA is always one election away from being Mississippi until the legislature swings further left and matches the proportions of the actual electorate—especially with such a hostile federal regime in power. [epgn.com]
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07 Jun 2026 — No lights in the L heading to Pride on the parkway. Good omen of mad?
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07 Jun 2026 — Pride starts halfway between the Oval and the Circle. Can’t tell how far down it goes. Even from here the thump thump thump dominates the soundscape with no quiet streets to turn down or stores/bars to duck into. Honestly, I’m bailing. It looks reasonably successful, but it’s not what I want.
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09 Jun 2026 — I didn’t think Philly Pride on the Parkway was a great idea, but I didn’t imagine it would lead to a botched police response when (unsurprisingly) people went to the gayborhood instead of or after Pride. Glad I bailed on both. Yay for Plan P: Popeye’s (apple cinnamon fried apple pie mmm) and a walk along the Delaware! [nbcphiladelphia.com]
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09 Jun 2026 — In other gay-adjacent news, Soft Cell to tour 45 years after release of “Tainted Love/Where Did My Love Go”. It’s still one of my favorite songs ever: My 2024 trip to London was subtitled “Tainted Love” (for reasons ahem) BEFORE a random pub band covered it one night! [epgn.com]
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10 Jun 2026 — Honda lost some luster in recent years, but I’m still fond of my latest runabout, a silver 2024 hatchback. The peak for me was my 1991 blue CRX. But the Preludes always caught my eye too. Hopefully their return ushers in better times and return to form for Honda. [arstechnica.com]
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12 Jun 2026 — WHYY’s Billy Penn covers some of my favorite spots in Society Hill. The many hidden-away unique spaces make for delightful aimless wandering coffee walks, but like Old City these spaces are also homes. Be curious and be respectful when exploring. [billypenn.com]
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14 Jun 2026 — EFFecting Change: LGBTQ+ Solidarity Against the Tide of Surveillance [eff.org]
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16 Jun 2026 — Intriguing! C= didn’t make it to the Mobile Phone Age, and the portables under development had a different design language than the Age of Beige, but it’s tempting in a low-interrupt Trek communicator way. I do miss the form factor and having buttons! [arstechnica.com]
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16 Jun 2026 — “They were so poorly behaved,” Krivit said, “Which is why we love them!” But is it Baaa-aaa-aaart? [billypenn.com]
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18 Jun 2026 — The Independence Branch of the Free Library, my neighborhood branch, preserves this history by housing the Giddings collection. Not as flashy as Stonewall but an important part of how different people on different paths moved us all forward. [billypenn.com]
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20 Jun 2026 — Nice to see”The Plaza” at RTM, aka Filbert blocked off between 11th and 12th. I hope this is permanent and gets some upgrades like foliage, better seating, and maybe even partial or folding doors so the space is enjoyable in winter.
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23 Jun 2026 — Happy “Day After Winter Solstice” BlueSky! The nights start getting longer again tonight! Woohoo! The tyranny of the sun is ending!
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23 Jun 2026 — City councilmember Rue Landau discusses the first gay rights demonstration in the United States back in 1965 as part of Philly’s 52 Firsts — [YouTube]
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23 Jun 2026 — The publisher of Philly’s gay newspaper remembers the first Pride march in NYC. I was five at the time, and I don’t remember the first year I attended, but my next is a handful of days away. It can be madness, but we all need to go a little bit crazy from time to time! [epgn.com]
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24 Jun 2026 — Queer Eye for the Revolutionary Guy: @pbs.org profiles Baron von Steuben, the Revolutionary War hero who zhuzhed up the troops at Valley Forge. [YouTube]
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28 Jun 2026 — I’m back at the vintage New Yorker for NYC Pride 2026; I splurged for a larger room with a view this time–including Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and the least attractive skyscraper in Manhattan, AKA the Gangrenous Penis, World Wide Plaza.
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30 Jun 2026 — WHAT IS GOING ON? SINCE WHEN DOES MC’DONALDS FRY THEIR APPLE PIES IN MANHATTAN? HOW DID I MISS THAT MEMO?!
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30 Jun 2026 — The Empire State Building put on light show for Pride last night–the pride flag colors scrolling up the tower and the bursting into pixelated glitter. The upgrade for the room with a view was more than worth it!
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30 Jun 2026 — Well that was NYC AF. World Wide Plaza first floor apartment, blinds open, a young man sits at a keyboard (musical I assume) facing the window. He has one of those strap-on harmonicas strapped on, clearly playing his little heart out. Cute too. Sorry, no pic, although he probably wouldn’t mind.
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30 Jun 2026 — Today I’m going to write from various locations around Manhattan starting with the New York Public Library. The Rose Main Reading Room is the perfect setting.
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