*Note: table of contents links may not work on mobile. 😢
This episode is sponsored by some of my favorite shows, in honor of Anti-Boredom Month (July), National Golf Month (August), and geeks and dorks everywhere -- regardless of planetary origin or fandom affiliation.
"We" here at The Blessed Bulletin are choosing to extend our observance of the following holidays as well:
July 13 – Embrace Your Geekiness Day
July 15 – National Be a Dork Day
July 26 – All or Nothing Day
July 30 – National Day of Friendship
August 27 – National “Just Because” Day
Now, if you’re reading this, I probably don’t need to explain what a geek or a dork is; you and I are familiar with these terms. But it's possible that you’ve yet to embrace the All-Or-Nothing, Just-Because energy needed for your full nerd-actualization.
Not to worry! This month’s sponsors have submitted lessons to assist you in leveling-up.
Lesson 1: Making Friends the Alien Way
Step 1Resident Alien, “End of the World as We Know It" (S1: E8) — Agree to a truce with the enemy who knows you too well, thereby creating a frenemy, just as Harry did by agreeing to a truce with Max, the kid who could see him in his true form.
Step 2"Heroes of Patience" (S1: E10) — Like Harry, who could not destroy the world on an empty stomach, or kill Asta or let Max die, realize you've been "infected with humanity" and have actually made a friend (or two).
"I can't kill everyone on an empty stomach...!"
Takeaway: Make tentative peace or make friends with the people who can see you for who you truly are. Don't waste pizza; bequeath your stockpile to your new friends if you are unable to take it with you.
Lesson 2: Contagious ‘Anti-Boredom’
Eureka, “Reprise”(S4:E12) — an accident involving the neurolinguistic programming tracks on Holly's MP3 player turns the revamped jukebox into a karaoke mind-control device: suddenly everyone starts acting out their inner soundtracks. Fargo challenges Holly with an "Eye of the Tiger" power-ballad, Zane starts "Burning Down [Jo’s] House,” Henry and Grace are building a device to the tune of "I'll Stop the World and Melt with You," Jo "Shot the Sheriff"...and takes a bullet for him.
Even more than speaking someone’s geeky language, speaking their music captivates them. The emotional honesty that leaks out (in harmony) reveals some highly classified truths.
Fargo - "Eye of the Tiger"
Takeaway 2: The fastest way to defeat boredom (or bridge a communication gap) might just be to sing someone else’s song…even if it’s “I Will Always Love You,” and you're aiming it at a malfunctioning particle accelerator.
And if you’ve ever tried to motivate a friend with an all-or-nothing spontaneous musical number… congratulations, you may already be certified in Contagious Anti-Boredom.
Lesson 3: Being True to Your Geek
Stargate: Atlantis, “Sunday” (S3:E17) — Most members of the team creatively find polite excuses to avoid each other’s mandatory day off “fun” activities, but Ronon ends up humoring Sheppard and attends a golf lesson at the ocean driving range. He dumbfounds Sheppard with a one-armed Superman golf swing, then challenges him to play a painfully dorky “real game,” allegedly popular on his home planet, Sateda. Sheppard quickly ends up on the floor mostly unconscious, says it's "too much like [his] day job," and takes Ronon back to his quarters to teach him how to smash a beer can into his head, eat junk food, and take a day off "the right way."
Takeaway 3a: Be true to your geek friends. When they invite you into their geekdoms to play, humor them, at least for a little while, just because.
Takeaway 3b: Be true to your own geek. When one-upping your friends [or changing the subject to avoid imminent humiliation], your best bet is to challenge them with your own unique brand of dork or geek.
Note: Mastering Lesson 3 will begin a cycle of compounding interest on your investment in their geekdoms, possibly accompanied by increasingly dorky repartee. Now that’s true friendship, folks.
If you've mastered all three lessons, you (and your friends) will likely soon ascend to a state of pure Nerd energy — and it's certain you won't be bored!
In The Frozen, Solin doesn't want Cyril or Nyk to find out what he's really planning to do with his latest find from the Old City, which is a "roll-up OLED screen."
This is "ancient" tech that Solin has unearthed — because we already have them, and you may even be holding a form of one in your hand right now:
This month on The Erebi (Book 2 of The Xianova Chronicles)
Personal Life:
July's my anniversary month; Jim and I are celebrating 18 years! 🥳
July has brought more rain, more heat, more humidity. So, putting down the invasion of Thistletopia upon my 40'x40' garden (and everywhere else) is taking far more time and effort than planned. But yes, I can still plant my garden in July in Iowa. Sadly, this happens all too often... Sometime in October or November maybe I'll share a picture from my harvest.
But on the bright side, we bought this awesome rock. You'll most likely hear more about it in the next issue...
Dog Life:
Darryl (5): Jim, Alex, and I were working in the backyard when Darryl launched into VA-111 Shkval torpedo mode, crossed 50 feet of yard, and snapped up an eight-inch, probably 1.5 pound baby rabbit as it hopped for the fenceline.
After trading the bunny for half a hot dog, chasing a thrown hot dog, eating the hot dog — then zigging, zagging, and recatching the bunny — Darryl the Supersonic zoomed past us and flew up the stairs to Contraband Central with his furry prize. As he turned in his kennel, he saw me coming with another hot dog bribe, and gulped that rabbit down whole in two seconds flat.
Then — far from choking and dying as he would if the laws of physics applied to his throat — Darryl 'the Python' Porter hopped back out of his kennel and sat pretty to request the hot dog, too. Catching wabbits is a good boy, so I reluctantly gave it to him, even though eating bunnies is a grey area.
Darryl telling Alex he's still hungry for supper...
About ten minutes after that, he ate all four of the remaining hot dogs in the package, because I forgot I left them out on the counter. 🙄 He got incarcerated for that one, but of course he still thought he was getting supper (he is Darryl the Devilishly Cute, and he has a figure to maintain...).
He napped like an anaconda (except at meal times, bark-at-the-neighbors times, and zoomie times) for the better part of the next two days, and remains very pleased with himself.
Shawnie (2): got ear infections from all the times she jumped into the koi pond renovation cesspool and swam around chasing tadpoles. She is the first dog I've ever known to be a fan of eardrops. Either that, or her form of protest is to excitedly throw herself down and hold still while I put them in her ears...
Chicken (14): a.k.a. "Pixar" or "Lampie" — had surgery to remove a benign fibrolipoma from her foot and another benign growth from her lower eyelid. She quickly learned that this new conical device is effective for beating down or skewering any opposition or interference —
My shadow...
Shawnie, Darryl, Jim, my ipad, the recliners, the arm of my desk chair — when she wants attention. Also, I never knew exactly how closely she has followed me for the last 10+ years until she started repeatedly buckling my knee with that thing everywhere I walk! 😅
Writing Life:
Accomplished:
✅Staring at the rain helplessly, praying for final victory over Thistletopia so I can avoid death by heat exhaustion and migraine and spend more time writing
✅Another admittedly tiny amount of plotting work on The Erebi
According to this helpful pie chart, I only have about 25% of The Erebi left to accomplish...
Main July/August Goals:
⏹️ The Refuge audiobook edits
⏹️ Complete the plotting work and start drafting The Erebi
Serial Fiction with Friends
Last month, Jonas left a tracker in a special donut for Ainan, knowing she would raid the lab to try to steal his hard drive. Afterward, he ordered his chief engineer to develop an AI-guided weapon to kill her if necessary.
You voted for "author's choice." The author's choice this month is to take a break from writing Time Jumper, and use that time on The Erebi and the audiobook for The Refuge. September will be here before you know it!
In the meantime, if you haven't yet read any Time Jumper, head over to the Time Jumper web page and catch up — and yes, you can still vote on which way to go for the next chapter!
Note from Jen: This one's a Christian fantasy — and it sounds like it might be a multiple POV book, which I usually enjoy due to clashing stakes and greater plot and character complexity.
A decrepit ship, a misfit crew, an impossible job, the perfect plan. What can go wrong?
The Fimmara convoy carries a treasure. It’s well guarded and impossible to steal. But Jac Kanto is determined. This will start his pirate quest and will be vital for his rebellious ambitions.
He recruited a talented crew and devised a perfect plan. It was going to be close but… then bad turns to worse.
They called it a cure. They didn’t mention the genocide.
Seventeen-year-old Jackie knows the rules: if you test positive for the PX virus, you disappear. So when she fails her Wellness Check, there’s only one option.
Note from Jen: This book is a YA dystopian multiverse adventure — and it's also available on MetaQuest VR headsets.
*Please use your own best judgment while perusing the book deals I provide. I choose them based on descriptions and/or previews, unless I indicate otherwise. They may contain objectionable content.
Christian Spec Fiction Summer Giveaway
*Free* Fantasy and Sci-Fi ebooks from Christian authors (and you don't even have to sign up for their newsletters to get them, unless you want to). Runs until 7/30/25.
*FREE* Dangerous Realms Books
46+ more ebooks whose setting is some form of 'dangerous realm!' Great variety of sci-fi and fantasy books here. Runs until 7/31/25. Check them out!
Thanks for reading this episode of The Blessed Bulletin! Let's connect on socials if we haven't already (or if you prefer that to emails). See you next month!
