![\"Photo](\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/100881/2024/e801abc31e-m.jpg\")
![\"Photo](\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/100881/2024/cd54afebe2-m.jpg\")
\nMedics in Lebanon Targeted by Israeli Military: mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2026/04/16/medics-in-lebanon-targeted-by.html","date_published":"2026-04-16T17:45:27+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-04-16 17:45","date_timestamp":1776361527,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/116415632458121383","https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:vpqckxo5kmbwm4rekseqze44/post/3mjmxojqsjl2r"]}},{"id":"87108874","content_html":"Brief but great essay by Marcin Wichary about how good tools (and bad tools) don’t make us good at #creative work, but they certainly influence what we see as possible, and how much fun we have along the way:
\nunsung.aresluna.org/on-tools-…
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2026/03/27/brief-but-great-essay-by.html","date_published":"2026-03-27T23:30:56+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-27 23:30","date_timestamp":1774654256,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/116303742327939321","https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:vpqckxo5kmbwm4rekseqze44/post/3mi3bmsbu6b22"]}},{"id":"86575231","content_html":"I got a Framework! mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2026/03/20/i-got-a-framework.html","date_published":"2026-03-20T01:23:26+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2026-03-20 01:23","date_timestamp":1773969806,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/116258886881241752","https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:vpqckxo5kmbwm4rekseqze44/post/3mhhe72myc72s"]}},{"id":"53852454","content_html":"New Year, New Me 🎉 Currently making a new home over at moonshadow.ghost.io.
\nJoin me over there, won’t you? 🙏
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/12/31/new-year-new-me-currently.html","date_published":"2024-12-31T23:07:01+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-12-31 23:07","date_timestamp":1735686421,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/113749945746792810"]}},{"id":"52598997","content_html":"It's Not You, It's the Tech: mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/12/18/its-not-you.html","date_published":"2024-12-18T20:20:17+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-12-18 20:20","date_timestamp":1734553217,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/113675685722008835"]}},{"id":"51610877","content_html":"Assad is Gone: mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/12/08/assad-is-gone.html","date_published":"2024-12-08T19:58:45+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-12-08 19:58","date_timestamp":1733687925,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/113618972504921333"]}},{"id":"49087090","content_html":"My heart goes out to those living in the U.S. in the aftermath of yesterday’s election ❤️
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/11/06/my-heart-goes.html","date_published":"2024-11-06T18:48:17+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-11-06 18:48","date_timestamp":1730918897,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/113437501047364154"]}},{"id":"48219723","content_html":"Good evening, Surrey! Aren’t we looking fancy tonight 😎
\n\nExcited to be heading to the Surrey International Writer’s Conference this weekend ✍️🎉🇨🇦
\nIt’s my second year to go; last year I left stuffed full of new story ideas and techniques.
\nLooking forward to meeting new folks and focusing on writing for a few days!
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/10/24/excited-to-be.html","date_published":"2024-10-24T21:44:46+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-10-24 21:44","date_timestamp":1729806286,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/113364585399433733"]}},{"id":"45462717","content_html":"Went out to see “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice” to celebrate.
\nHot damn, was that a fun movie. Hard to believe they were able to recapture the creepy comedy vibe of the original after all this time!
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/09/13/went-out-to.html","date_published":"2024-09-14T03:51:45+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-09-14 03:51","date_timestamp":1726285905,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/113133874215777249"]}},{"id":"45457464","content_html":"Just made my second short story sale 🎉✍️
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/09/13/just-made-my.html","date_published":"2024-09-14T01:14:33+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-09-14 01:14","date_timestamp":1726276473,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/113133255513173517"]}},{"id":"43080205","content_html":"\n\nThe happy ending we writers often get sold is, “Great! You get to write about Asians (or whoever) in space and have a writing career!”…[but] The happy ending is a cage.
\n
Absolutely brilliant essay from sci-fi author Yoon Ha Lee on “authenticity” and the challenge of writing in a culture that constantly wants you to be exotic for them:
\n\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/08/07/the-happy-ending.html","date_published":"2024-08-07T17:51:38+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-08-07 17:51","date_timestamp":1723053098,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/112922007996973809"]}},{"id":"39649198","content_html":"Happy publication day to my friend and fellow new-ish writer Cam Marsollier, whose story “As Time Goes By” appears in the latest Analog (alongside stories by Greg Egan (!) and Harry Turtledove (!!)).
\nCongrats, Cam! 🎉✍️
\n![\"photo](\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/100881/2024/img-3954.jpeg\")
![photo of the inside of the july/august 2024 edition of analog magazine, with the words \"As Time Goes By\" in large letters at the top of the page](\"https://cdn.uploads.micro.blog/100881/2024/img-3953.jpeg\")
\nA Sunday Walk in Victoria: mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/03/27/a-sunday-walk.html","date_published":"2024-03-27T15:29:04+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-03-27 15:29","date_timestamp":1711553344,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/112168360403223882"]}},{"id":"34254274","content_html":"tfw the entire plot of a new novel drops into your head while you’re brushing your teeth 😬✍️
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/03/26/tfw-the-entire.html","date_published":"2024-03-26T14:48:45+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-03-26 14:48","date_timestamp":1711464525,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/112162542656621754"]}},{"id":"32688443","content_html":"Books Read in January and February: mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/03/01/books-read-in.html","date_published":"2024-03-01T20:45:39+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-03-01 20:45","date_timestamp":1709325939,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/112022385320637133"]}},{"id":"32080882","content_html":"Books Read in 2023: mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/02/20/books-read-in.html","date_published":"2024-02-20T17:20:57+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-02-20 17:20","date_timestamp":1708449657,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/111964957234376873"]}},{"id":"28760602","content_html":"At the Dawn of a New Year: mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/01/03/at-the-dawn.html","date_published":"2024-01-03T17:44:35+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-01-03 17:44","date_timestamp":1704303875,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/111693259063944750"]}},{"id":"28717256","content_html":"Ok! Think I’ve got all the DNS issues straightened out; everything in the blog should be accessible at mindbat.ca now 🎉😅
\n(Seems there was a CNAME record I forgot to add yesterday, which was part of the trouble. Note to self: read all of the instructions next time!)
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/01/02/ok-think-ive.html","date_published":"2024-01-02T20:28:58+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-01-02 20:28","date_timestamp":1704227338,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":["https://cosocial.ca/@mindbat/111688242944178924"]}},{"id":"28669266","content_html":"Heads up that there might be some weirdness with the blog over the next few hours. Will be switching the domain over from mindbat.com to mindbat.ca.
\nWish me luck! 🤞😬
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2024/01/01/heads-up-that.html","date_published":"2024-01-01T20:49:12+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2024-01-01 20:49","date_timestamp":1704142152,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"26490302","content_html":"\n\nThe planet’s atmosphere would feature something akin to Earth’s water cycle, but instead with sand cycling between solid and gaseous states.
\n
So cool to see discoveries like this coming out of the James Webb Space Telescope.
\n","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2023/11/16/the-planets-atmosphere.html","date_published":"2023-11-16T18:02:13+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2023-11-16 18:02","date_timestamp":1700157733,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"26241181","content_html":"My heart breaks to see Premier Smith’s government show such contempt for Albertans.\n\nFolks don’t want to leave the CPP, but she’s going to spend millions trying to convince them before she rips them out of it.\n\nPeople want input on green energy projects — and need the jobs and wealth they create — but inst... mindbat.com","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2023/11/11/my-heart-breaks.html","date_published":"2023-11-11T15:22:09+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2023-11-11 15:22","date_timestamp":1699716129,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"26203084","content_html":"Things I’m grateful for this morning:
\nAlberta UCP Says the Quiet Part Out Loud: mindbat.ca
","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2023/11/07/alberta-ucp-says.html","date_published":"2023-11-07T21:58:08+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2023-11-07 21:58","date_timestamp":1699394288,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":true,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"24920236","content_html":"\"If the story of this attack begins on the holiday and Sabbath morning of Oct. 7, it becomes a 9/11 tale of innocent victims exposed to the unprovoked violence of barbarians. The plot then unfolds as the struggle to overcome the shock of a devastating blow, and then to defeat and punish the aggressors on behalf of an outraged humanity.\"\n\n\n\"But if the story is seen as starting in 1948, when it was the grandparents of Gaza refugees who lived in the areas to which their armed descendants returned so briefly and violently, then the moral of the story and the requirements of a satisfying end to the narrat... mindbat.com","summary":"","url":"https://mindbat.ca/2023/10/14/if-the-story.html","date_published":"2023-10-14T16:13:47+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2023-10-14 16:13","date_timestamp":1697300027,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":false,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":false,"note":"","syndication":[]}},{"id":"20193888","content_html":"@adam Thanks 😊
\nStill have several more rounds to go, but, one step at a time, eh?
\n","url":"https://micro.blog/mindbat/20193888","date_published":"2023-06-24T14:10:42+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2023-06-24 14:10","date_timestamp":1687615842,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"19587800","content_html":"@hutaffe I feel you; loved the first two seasons but this third one has felt rather scattered to me.
\n","url":"https://micro.blog/mindbat/19587800","date_published":"2023-06-02T16:09:52+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2023-06-02 16:09","date_timestamp":1685722192,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}},{"id":"17931481","content_html":"@cgrayson Thanks for the link, and the recommendation! Hadn’t heard of them before this; listening to (and digging) “$20” as I write :)
\n","url":"https://micro.blog/mindbat/17931481","date_published":"2023-03-25T17:34:43+00:00","author":{"name":"Ron Toland","url":"https://mindbat.ca/","avatar":"https://cdn.micro.blog/photos/96/https%3A%2F%2Favatars.micro.blog%2Favatars%2F2023%2F08%2F1354222.jpg","_microblog":{"username":"mindbat"}},"_microblog":{"date_relative":"2023-03-25 17:34","date_timestamp":1679765683,"is_favorite":false,"is_bookmark":false,"is_deletable":false,"is_conversation":true,"is_linkpost":false,"is_mention":true}}]}