Rick Austin (he/him)
@birsy.bsky.social
Award-winning author of queer fiction living in Portland, Oregon. Hoping to publish my recently-completed ‘Darum’ trilogy, a queer romantasy set in Portland. Married for over 30 years. Fond of little dogs, high places, and a good old-fashioned. [He/him.]
Wore a tank-top to today to make getting vaccinated easier.
The chat:
Vaccinator: Wow! You're hairy.
Me: [Shrugs.] Sort of? I've seen hairier.
Her: Is there a scale for rating it?
Me: Pretty sure it goes from 1/Baby's Bottom to 10/Sasquatch.
Her: But... Chewbacca?
Me: [Nodding slowly.] Fair enough.
The chat:
Vaccinator: Wow! You're hairy.
Me: [Shrugs.] Sort of? I've seen hairier.
Her: Is there a scale for rating it?
Me: Pretty sure it goes from 1/Baby's Bottom to 10/Sasquatch.
Her: But... Chewbacca?
Me: [Nodding slowly.] Fair enough.
October 5, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Wore a tank-top to today to make getting vaccinated easier.
The chat:
Vaccinator: Wow! You're hairy.
Me: [Shrugs.] Sort of? I've seen hairier.
Her: Is there a scale for rating it?
Me: Pretty sure it goes from 1/Baby's Bottom to 10/Sasquatch.
Her: But... Chewbacca?
Me: [Nodding slowly.] Fair enough.
The chat:
Vaccinator: Wow! You're hairy.
Me: [Shrugs.] Sort of? I've seen hairier.
Her: Is there a scale for rating it?
Me: Pretty sure it goes from 1/Baby's Bottom to 10/Sasquatch.
Her: But... Chewbacca?
Me: [Nodding slowly.] Fair enough.
These chocolate-covered sandwich cookies from Missionary Chocolates are delicious. They're also gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free. I had a few with cow's milk (full fat), heathen that I am. [https://missionary-chocolates.myshopify.com/products/chocolate-covered-sandwich-cookies]
October 5, 2026 at 10:37 PM
These chocolate-covered sandwich cookies from Missionary Chocolates are delicious. They're also gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free. I had a few with cow's milk (full fat), heathen that I am. [https://missionary-chocolates.myshopify.com/products/chocolate-covered-sandwich-cookies]
I live in Sullivan's Gulch. In July, we got a notice from the city saying speed bumps would be going in along NE Multnomah near our house. 'Hurray!' I thought, because the drag-racing at all hours was obnoxious. Here we are in October, no speed bumps and—even more drag-racing. 😞 #pdx #noise
October 4, 2026 at 10:51 PM
Five rejections since July, when I began submitting the first book of a trilogy to publishers and agents in earnest.
September 29, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Five rejections since July, when I began submitting the first book of a trilogy to publishers and agents in earnest.
Pods from a Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa).
September 27, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Pods from a Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa).
I still love chocolate milk.🧋
September 24, 2026 at 11:58 PM
I still love chocolate milk.🧋
Current wallpaper, which was accidentally created by taking a photo while unintentionally obscuring the lens.
September 15, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Current wallpaper, which was accidentally created by taking a photo while unintentionally obscuring the lens.
I do not want your AI generated summary. I do not want it in my browser. I do not want it in my document. I do not want it in my mail nor do I want it in my news. I have done perfectly fine without it since learning to read nearly 60 years ago and I anticipate I will continue to do so. #noAI
September 11, 2026 at 4:17 PM
I do not want your AI generated summary. I do not want it in my browser. I do not want it in my document. I do not want it in my mail nor do I want it in my news. I have done perfectly fine without it since learning to read nearly 60 years ago and I anticipate I will continue to do so. #noAI
This could be us, but you'd rather stare at your phone. 😞
September 10, 2026 at 9:09 PM
This could be us, but you'd rather stare at your phone. 😞
Reposted by Rick Austin (he/him)
June 17, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Nonprofits that require 'frequent travel' for fully remote, purely administrative support roles are out of their damn minds. I'd love to do that job for you, but there is no way in hell I'm going to drag my senior ass onto a plane regularly just so you can feel chummy during a meeting. Ridiculous.
September 8, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Nonprofits that require 'frequent travel' for fully remote, purely administrative support roles are out of their damn minds. I'd love to do that job for you, but there is no way in hell I'm going to drag my senior ass onto a plane regularly just so you can feel chummy during a meeting. Ridiculous.
Oh wow. Turns out I'm a few months older than Star Trek. 😱
September 8, 2026 at 9:57 PM
Oh wow. Turns out I'm a few months older than Star Trek. 😱
Queer folk of Oregon who are familiar with Silverton—how friendly is it for people like us? My husband and I are thinking of vacationing there, but know nothing about the place. Checking to see if we'd feel safe/comfortable. Thanks for any insight you can offer.
#oregon #lgbtqia #pdx #queer
#oregon #lgbtqia #pdx #queer
September 7, 2026 at 8:37 PM
September 7, 2026 at 12:50 AM
This test indicates I talk like someone from New Jersey? Really? I was born in TX, moved to Georgie when I was 4, then to Illinois at the age of 7, lived in Chicago until I was 30, and since then I've lived on the west coast for 30 years (San Francisco, then Portland, OR). I sound nothing like NJ. 🤣
September 4, 2026 at 4:23 PM
This test indicates I talk like someone from New Jersey? Really? I was born in TX, moved to Georgie when I was 4, then to Illinois at the age of 7, lived in Chicago until I was 30, and since then I've lived on the west coast for 30 years (San Francisco, then Portland, OR). I sound nothing like NJ. 🤣
August 31, 2026 at 11:41 PM
At a party we went to last night, someone casually mentioned that, in his capacity as lawyer, he'd once sat down and chatted with Kenneth Bianchi; to which a woman nearby abruptly replied that she, while working for the FBOP, had once met and chatted with David Berkowitz. 😱 #yikes
August 30, 2026 at 5:07 PM
At a party we went to last night, someone casually mentioned that, in his capacity as lawyer, he'd once sat down and chatted with Kenneth Bianchi; to which a woman nearby abruptly replied that she, while working for the FBOP, had once met and chatted with David Berkowitz. 😱 #yikes
Reposted by Rick Austin (he/him)
August 26, 2026 at 1:37 PM
“There are no greater or lesser works of
God. Creation is all one work, in a single style, from electron to star, we think, as a dog might suppose that the world extends from the orchard to the river.”
— Guy Davenport, “Wo Es War, Soll Ich Werden” #quotation
God. Creation is all one work, in a single style, from electron to star, we think, as a dog might suppose that the world extends from the orchard to the river.”
— Guy Davenport, “Wo Es War, Soll Ich Werden” #quotation
August 26, 2026 at 6:11 PM
“There are no greater or lesser works of
God. Creation is all one work, in a single style, from electron to star, we think, as a dog might suppose that the world extends from the orchard to the river.”
— Guy Davenport, “Wo Es War, Soll Ich Werden” #quotation
God. Creation is all one work, in a single style, from electron to star, we think, as a dog might suppose that the world extends from the orchard to the river.”
— Guy Davenport, “Wo Es War, Soll Ich Werden” #quotation