This is not an update

I can’t explain how things are going except to say…it’s complicated. Do try to keep up with others — I can’t. I worry that this is the end of a lot of good things, or rather, things that had to be the potential to be good, and that without many changes, we’re going to lose too many great people, and that conditions have become intolerable. Let me tell you that when I pressed “publish” on a certain post the other day, I knew that no matter how it turns out, the one thing I could be certain of is that I would be persona non grata in a large segment of the movement, and that I’d be spending many more quiet weekends at home in Morris in the future (which is OK, this is a nice place, and my day job is ramping up the responsibilities, and I’ll always have the blog).

But even if I’m squeezed out, it’s time to pick a side and build a better secular movement. You can’t do it by simply accepting what is and looking the other way. The standard you walk past is the standard you accept. It’s especially important that you don’t walk past the standard set by the powerful men in the movement.

I survived my first book reading

I think it went well–I didn’t flub too much,and the crowd of 30 or 40 asked lots of good questions…but then, atheists always are full of questions. The staff at Barnes & Noble were also wonderfully gracious and helpful. The only weird thing is that afterwards several people mentioned the dissonance of the shelf of teen nonfiction behind me.

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Uh, Rapture Practice for teens? In non-fiction? OK.

The author of Rapture Practice has shown up in the comments — it sounds like a good book, not at all what I feared from the title.

Be gentle, it’s my first time

I’m cruising into Edina tonight to give my first ever reading and signing as an author — at 7:00 PM I’ll be at the Barnes & Noble in the GalleriaShopping Center, 3225 W 69th, Edina.

I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve pulled out a couple of short pieces from the book, I’ve got a general introduction to what it’s all about, but I don’t know how long I should sing and dance to entertain — I’m erring on the side of brevity right now, and know I can fill out any span of time by opening up to questions. Maybe some Catholics will show up! Or dudebros! Or maybe it will all be warm and welcoming. I can’t lose!

If anyone has suggestions about what not to do or can tell me about horrible experiences with authors, feel free to spin a yarn here.

Not my best day

I might be cranky today. Little sleep last night — a bad back ache is keeping me groggily awake. And today is the day the custodians shut me out of my lab so they can strip and wax the floors, an extremely annoying yearly ritual.

If you run into me on the street, don’t say hello, I might bite.

More of me!

I told you I was going to be in Houston next week…but I’m also going to be in St Paul on 9-10 August for the Minnesota Atheists convention. They’ve got me on a panel squaring off against an accommodationist, so it should be a bloody good time!

Wait! There’s more! I’ll be in Washington DC on 8 September pushing some book.

“What if I don’t want any PZ?” you squawk. “Well, there’s the Atheist Alliance of America convention in Boston on 30 August — that hasn’t got any PZ in it.” Sure, you can go to <further conversation drowned out by rowdy Vikings singing something about “PZ”…>

Reminder: I’ll be in Houston next week

Houston speakers

On 4 August, I’ll be joining Aron Ra and Zack Kopplin and Lilandra and Mike Aus in an afternoon of talks titled Answers in Science, in which we rebut the nonsense peddled by Answers in Genesis (Ken Ham was invited to speak, since he’ll be right there in Houston for a homeschool conference, but ever since we met his demand of having a “Ph.D. scientist” on the podium, he has gone pointedly silent). I think I’ll be giving my “Evolution of Creationism” talk, since it explains just how freaking weird and unbiblical and even more unscientific creationism has become in the last 60 years.

If you just can’t bear the thought of listening to me speak, this event is being held in the Houston Museum of Natural Science — I won’t blame you if you skip out of all of the talks to tour the museum instead. I’m tempted!

Geeks. Just geeks. Definitely no gods.

I was interviewed at Convergence by Geeks Without Gods, and the podcast is now available for your listening pleasure. There was something something something about Hitler, a question about my favorite atheist, and lots of banter. I should do that again.

They didn’t even edit it to make it sound as if I was denying the evidence for evolution! That’s my new low, low standard for a respectable interview.