#ThursdayTrashFlashFiction 1.1.2026 Emma picked up her small Christmas tree, sending a shower of needles to her living room rug.  She carried it out of the apartment and thought of the Charlie Brown tree comment Jennie’s boyfriend had made at her Christmas party. 🧵1/10

Ugh. I can’t do it. But if you live in Silicon Valley and believe in journalism you should go.

Support bookstores and libraries - and if you have the means in #SanJose or the rest of the #BayArea donate to @LickObservatory to help them recover from the damage of the Christmas Day storm. Make a down payment on future scientific studies here: https://t.co/Tln6XKuRTq 10/10

#ThursdayTrashFlashFiction is a weekly writing exercise where you write a short story about a piece of garbage or some other discarded item found on a bike ride the previous week. I’m excited to have founded this project but would also love to discontinue it (don’t litter). 9/10

Santi shoved him back, looking fearful. Mateo’s boutonniere dropped from his jacket and splashed into the shoulder.  “Go back to the party,” Mateo said as he kept walking. “Enjoy it while it lasts.” 8/10

“I told you,” Mateo said, moving forward. “I won’t tell Lucia. Messengers always die. But you proved you don’t deserve her. And any comeuppance I could possibly imagine is nothing compared to what time has in store for you.”  Mateo tapped a finger on Santi’s chest. 7/10

Mateo shook his head. “Lucia loves you. Do you have any sense of self-awareness of what you are doing to her by keeping it going with Tanya?” “It’s not…I’m just…” Santi stared at the ground for a moment. “I can handle it. But you’re not going to tell her, are you?” 6/10

“Okay,” Santi said. “I know you and I have our differences, and Lucia stayed friends with you after she started…dating me. But me and Tanya? That doesn’t affect her.” 5/10

Santiago put his hands up. “Whoa, my relationship with her hasn’t changed. I feel the same as I ever did.” “Which apparently, is not much!” Mateo yelled. “You’re still with Tanya. I saw what I saw.” 4/10

“Your secret is safe with me, Santi,” Mateo said bitterly. “But I can’t stay at the reception with a straight face.” “It’ll look weird if you leave without us.” “Tell Lucia I took an Uber. That’s a much easier lie than whatever ones you tell yourself about her.” 3/10

He stepped onto the shoulder and moments later heard an engine powering down behind him. “Mateo! Wait!” A car door slammed shut.  He clenched his jaw and turned. A man wearing the same suit and white boutonniere as Mateo walked up. 2/10

#ThursdayTrashFlashFiction 1.8.25 Mateo trudged up the rural road. He knew walking alone this late on a rainy New Year’s Eve in a dark suit wasn’t wise, but he just kept going. The glare of headlights cast his slumped shadow in front of him. 🧵1/10

Went for a hike this morning in south San Jose just hours before the Bay Area turned back into the set of ‘Blade Runner’ once again.

Downtown San Jose 🚲

#NoticedByBike - cast member of ‘The Dark Crystal’ - deceased. Possibly.

From my New Year’s Day bike ride. Looking at this scene you can almost hear the voiceover of the woman from the Netflix ‘Outlander’ series.

I’m summoning the #BayArea cycling community, my Cranksgiving San Jose community, my #STEM-loving friends and the universe at large to make a donation to science center and biking bucket list item @LickObservatory Help them out here - thanks! https://t.co/t8pZxd1j3D

If you are looking to build a powerful new habit in 2026, make it READING. Reading is your mental gym. It sharpens focus, expands empathy, reduces stress, sparks curiosity, and even improves sleep when you swap screens for pages before bed. Pick anything that excites you.

From yesterday’s New Year’s Day bike ride. A 50% chance of rain warning for the Bay Area means there was a 100% chance you’ll be pelted with rain for 50% of the ride. Still worth it. Ride more in 2026.

Imagine how government leaders would conduct themselves if no one was watching them. Weapons-grade scary, that would be. Donate!

Thanks for reading - and I hope you can make a donation to help @LickObservatory which was badly damaged in the Christmas Day windstorm. It would mean a lot to me and even more to science. Donate here: https://t.co/t8pZxd1j3D 10/10