else they'd know cancer is not ... contagious, broadly transmissable.

I read an interesting NYT article the other day about the discovery of a high rate of skin cancer in catfish in a lake bordering Vermont and Quebec. By looking at the DNA of the catfish and of the tumors, scientists discovered that the DNA of the tumors didn’t resemble their host like you’d expect, but did resemble the tumors found on all the other fish. They realized they were looking at the first transmissible cancer found in fish. The article noted that contagious cancer has also been found in Tasmanian devils, clams and, yes… dogs.

I’m mid-forties. About a year ago I was getting these extreme night sweats where I would literally have to go to bed sleeping on a bath towel, and wake up in the wee hours to change out of my drenched PJs. I finally talked to my GP about it and she referred me to an Ob/Gyn.

I had a partial hysterectomy due to evidence of precancer about 10 years ago, so I didn’t have any menstrual symptoms to give me a heads up this might be gynecological.

Fortunately I was referred to a Ob/Gyn that was incredibly knowledgeable (and passionate!) about menopause. After talking through symptoms and possible treatments, I decided to start HRT.

Best.Decision.Ever.

Night sweats gone, my mood stabilized and things just feel more even-keeled.

Side note: the BBC show Riot Women is a fantastic series that depicts the lives of a group of women who are navigating through various stages of menopause. And they start a band that highlights that journey. Highly recommend.

Maybe lean into it, like that dinner table scene in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels where Freddy (Steve Martin) asks if he can go to the bathroom, and after hearing yes, makes… that… face.

That ONE ALBUQUE RQUE logo is giving me a migraine.

“Oooooo biiiig stretch!” I can’t not acknowledge it this way. And the word big lasts as long as the stretch, obvs.

But do they have translations in High-Elven?

Search up the 2014 short video 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman to give you some insight into how pervasive (and, unfortunately, timeless) this behavior is.

Gneiss.

This morning in Northern California: $4.89/gallon for regular at Costco, which is a good deal in my area, although you have to have a paid membership to get it.

(3) Anyone can break up a showing of an enemy propaganda film by putting two or three dozen large moths in a paper bag. Take the bag to the movies with you, put it on the floor in an empty section of the theater as you go in and leave it open. The moths will fly out and climb into the projector beam, so that the film will be obscured by fluttering shadows.

Amazing.