Melinda 🌻
@melindacharnas.com
Writer - trilingual (ish) - globe-trotter - 🍫💕. I write speculative fiction & personal essays. Working on a novel & short stories. 頑張ります! She/her #amwriting
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
That's what taxes are, man. That's the definition of taxes. "You are subsidizing things you might never use" man shut the fuck up. My taxes currently subsidize like oil company exec private jets, you think I'm upset at low-income people eating inexpensive bananas?
Opinion: Mamdani's idea may sound appealing, but it's NYC taxpayers who will take the hit, subsidizing discounts they may never even use.
Mamdani's city-owned grocery stores are a socialist trap | Opinion
No matter how good Zohran Mamdani makes grocery affordability sound, he's selling New Yorkers the same broken promise that has failed everywhere else.
bit.ly
August 4, 2026 at 3:02 AM
That's what taxes are, man. That's the definition of taxes. "You are subsidizing things you might never use" man shut the fuck up. My taxes currently subsidize like oil company exec private jets, you think I'm upset at low-income people eating inexpensive bananas?
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
I keep seeing "all authors use AI, the real issue is they're being forced to be sneaky about it" headlines.
Full stop No. This is a lie peddled for normalization. It's schoolyard-level pressure tactics "C'mon, all the cool kids are already doing it. We won't tell. It's fine. We're on your side."
Full stop No. This is a lie peddled for normalization. It's schoolyard-level pressure tactics "C'mon, all the cool kids are already doing it. We won't tell. It's fine. We're on your side."
April 1, 2026 at 1:38 PM
I keep seeing "all authors use AI, the real issue is they're being forced to be sneaky about it" headlines.
Full stop No. This is a lie peddled for normalization. It's schoolyard-level pressure tactics "C'mon, all the cool kids are already doing it. We won't tell. It's fine. We're on your side."
Full stop No. This is a lie peddled for normalization. It's schoolyard-level pressure tactics "C'mon, all the cool kids are already doing it. We won't tell. It's fine. We're on your side."
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
Hey! If you were published at Daily Science Fiction, be aware that a site called Science Fiction Weekly has stolen the entire story database & posted it on their site.
All of my DSF stories are there without my permission.
sciencefictionweekly.com
All of my DSF stories are there without my permission.
sciencefictionweekly.com
Free short science fiction, published weekly · Science Fiction Weekly
Science Fiction Weekly publishes a free short story every weekday and a curated digest every Sunday. Subscribe by email.
sciencefictionweekly.com
July 30, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Hey! If you were published at Daily Science Fiction, be aware that a site called Science Fiction Weekly has stolen the entire story database & posted it on their site.
All of my DSF stories are there without my permission.
sciencefictionweekly.com
All of my DSF stories are there without my permission.
sciencefictionweekly.com
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
I come back to this tumblr post again and again
July 27, 2026 at 3:39 PM
I come back to this tumblr post again and again
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
Nope. No, you haven’t.
July 25, 2026 at 4:03 AM
Nope. No, you haven’t.
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
Me too, titmouse
#Tuftpostbot Tuftie: True(1.0000). Photo by shutterbug19471.
July 18, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Me too, titmouse
Finally getting around to reading Dune, and... just gonna leave this here. 🙃 For no reason whatsoever.
May 2, 2026 at 9:45 PM
Finally getting around to reading Dune, and... just gonna leave this here. 🙃 For no reason whatsoever.
Unsurprisingly didn't make the cut for the #ShortStoryChallenge2026 round 2, however! This judge's feedback cracked me up (because SAME):
"After I got over my initial horror that Y2K fit the definition of historic fiction"
(I didn't make the rules, only followed them 😭)
"After I got over my initial horror that Y2K fit the definition of historic fiction"
(I didn't make the rules, only followed them 😭)
a woman from schitts creek says me too girl in yellow
ALT: a woman from schitts creek says me too girl in yellow
media.tenor.com
April 8, 2026 at 3:06 PM
Unsurprisingly didn't make the cut for the #ShortStoryChallenge2026 round 2, however! This judge's feedback cracked me up (because SAME):
"After I got over my initial horror that Y2K fit the definition of historic fiction"
(I didn't make the rules, only followed them 😭)
"After I got over my initial horror that Y2K fit the definition of historic fiction"
(I didn't make the rules, only followed them 😭)
Chatting with a friend the other day about rehydrating my sourdough starter and if it takes too long I can always make "stupid bread..."
Bc I guess sourdough is the smartphone of breads?? 😂 Makes no sense but cracked us up 😆
Bc I guess sourdough is the smartphone of breads?? 😂 Makes no sense but cracked us up 😆
March 24, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Chatting with a friend the other day about rehydrating my sourdough starter and if it takes too long I can always make "stupid bread..."
Bc I guess sourdough is the smartphone of breads?? 😂 Makes no sense but cracked us up 😆
Bc I guess sourdough is the smartphone of breads?? 😂 Makes no sense but cracked us up 😆
I'm on draft 3 but more full of 😱😱😭😱😭😱😭😱😱 with every step forward. How much mixing is too much to not feel grounded in historical? It's hysterical, ha ha HA... 🤡
🎵 Somebody saAA—ve me— (name the show 😂)
#ShortStoryChallenge2026
🎵 Somebody saAA—ve me— (name the show 😂)
#ShortStoryChallenge2026
January 29, 2026 at 11:58 PM
I'm on draft 3 but more full of 😱😱😭😱😭😱😭😱😱 with every step forward. How much mixing is too much to not feel grounded in historical? It's hysterical, ha ha HA... 🤡
🎵 Somebody saAA—ve me— (name the show 😂)
#ShortStoryChallenge2026
🎵 Somebody saAA—ve me— (name the show 😂)
#ShortStoryChallenge2026
To trust your intuition at the risk of being disqualified or write unlike yourself to be safe?
Guess which one is winning 🤓
Now I just have to figure out what the heck happens in the middle to get to the end 😂
#ShortStoryChallenge2026 #writerproblems #writerslife
Guess which one is winning 🤓
Now I just have to figure out what the heck happens in the middle to get to the end 😂
#ShortStoryChallenge2026 #writerproblems #writerslife
January 25, 2026 at 10:28 PM
To trust your intuition at the risk of being disqualified or write unlike yourself to be safe?
Guess which one is winning 🤓
Now I just have to figure out what the heck happens in the middle to get to the end 😂
#ShortStoryChallenge2026 #writerproblems #writerslife
Guess which one is winning 🤓
Now I just have to figure out what the heck happens in the middle to get to the end 😂
#ShortStoryChallenge2026 #writerproblems #writerslife
January 24, 2026 at 5:42 AM
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
YES TO THIS. 😔 I recently was trying to find the words to describe the way AI slop steals our appreciation of beauty, our curiosity, and sense of wonder.
It isn’t just about truth in political matters, etc.
It isn’t just about truth in political matters, etc.
Funny animal videos no longer being trustworthy just fucking sucks all around. I love the wonder of animal behavior and what it says about the experience of being alive. It's because it happened in reality that it's so fun. It's not fun if it was just made up. There's no wonder there.
December 19, 2025 at 3:14 AM
YES TO THIS. 😔 I recently was trying to find the words to describe the way AI slop steals our appreciation of beauty, our curiosity, and sense of wonder.
It isn’t just about truth in political matters, etc.
It isn’t just about truth in political matters, etc.
I just wanted a croissant...
(What a stereotypical French phrase to say 😂 #sorrynotsorry) #storytime
My first outing since arriving, jetlagged, in this small French town. On my way back (WITH 🥐,) I see a dozen kids' arms sticking out the schoolyard fence.
Strange, I think, is it a new game? 1/4
(What a stereotypical French phrase to say 😂 #sorrynotsorry) #storytime
My first outing since arriving, jetlagged, in this small French town. On my way back (WITH 🥐,) I see a dozen kids' arms sticking out the schoolyard fence.
Strange, I think, is it a new game? 1/4
December 2, 2025 at 10:02 PM
I just wanted a croissant...
(What a stereotypical French phrase to say 😂 #sorrynotsorry) #storytime
My first outing since arriving, jetlagged, in this small French town. On my way back (WITH 🥐,) I see a dozen kids' arms sticking out the schoolyard fence.
Strange, I think, is it a new game? 1/4
(What a stereotypical French phrase to say 😂 #sorrynotsorry) #storytime
My first outing since arriving, jetlagged, in this small French town. On my way back (WITH 🥐,) I see a dozen kids' arms sticking out the schoolyard fence.
Strange, I think, is it a new game? 1/4
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
I think the shortest version of why LLMs are an anti education technology is that education is fundamentally about making shared context to understand ourselves, each other, and the world
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
November 23, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I think the shortest version of why LLMs are an anti education technology is that education is fundamentally about making shared context to understand ourselves, each other, and the world
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
And by design LLMs destroy shared context
I guess it's time for another installment of the Short Story Challenge by @nycmidnight.bsky.social! What better way to start the year than with a deadline and the threat (thrill?) of an avoided genre. 🫣
Starts January 23rd, info here: nycmidnight.com/ssc
Starts January 23rd, info here: nycmidnight.com/ssc
The Short Story Challenge — nycmidnight
The Short Story Challenge is an annual creative writing competition that challenges writers around the world to create short stories based on genre, subject, and character assignments in as little as ...
nycmidnight.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:34 AM
I guess it's time for another installment of the Short Story Challenge by @nycmidnight.bsky.social! What better way to start the year than with a deadline and the threat (thrill?) of an avoided genre. 🫣
Starts January 23rd, info here: nycmidnight.com/ssc
Starts January 23rd, info here: nycmidnight.com/ssc
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
I need everyone who uses AI to generate art & text to notice what Vince Gilligan says here. You're surrendering your brain, your creativity, the divine spark within you to a machine. Someday you'll wake up and find you're no longer capable of writing or thinking. And for what?
![["When your selling point is: 'This thing is great, it'll write your high school essays for you, it'll create your artwork for you if you're an artist, so you don't have to actually learn how to draw and paint anymore ... You don't ever need to learn how to read a map or use a compass ... this this will wipe your butt for you.' What's left to live for? The creative spark in human beings - it's one of the most precious, wonderful things we have. What is more important than being creative?'"]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:hppum4l25hcczzffastsicpq/bafkreiazbvzipuugud3dfrlmwalqxgfkzqkm6hhhnc4deh22bwaxnmz5p4)
November 11, 2025 at 8:59 PM
I need everyone who uses AI to generate art & text to notice what Vince Gilligan says here. You're surrendering your brain, your creativity, the divine spark within you to a machine. Someday you'll wake up and find you're no longer capable of writing or thinking. And for what?
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
I'm very grateful to @jasonkoebler.bsky.social for letting me speak on the relationship between AI and book bans.
This is a great and thorough article, and I'm glad I got a chance to say a thing I say a lot but that-- without the context Jason provides-- makes me sound a little conspiracy minded.
This is a great and thorough article, and I'm glad I got a chance to say a thing I say a lot but that-- without the context Jason provides-- makes me sound a little conspiracy minded.
November 6, 2025 at 6:40 PM
I'm very grateful to @jasonkoebler.bsky.social for letting me speak on the relationship between AI and book bans.
This is a great and thorough article, and I'm glad I got a chance to say a thing I say a lot but that-- without the context Jason provides-- makes me sound a little conspiracy minded.
This is a great and thorough article, and I'm glad I got a chance to say a thing I say a lot but that-- without the context Jason provides-- makes me sound a little conspiracy minded.
To #shortstorychallenge 2026 or not to, that is the question...
Pros:
✔️ deadline(s) & word count provided
✔️ new genre(s) exploration guaranteed
✔️ create new! (ideas/stories/worlds/characters/etc)
Cons:
✔️ deadline(s) 🫠
✔️ new genre(s) 😨
✔️ writing 😱
#writerproblems #writingcommunity
Pros:
✔️ deadline(s) & word count provided
✔️ new genre(s) exploration guaranteed
✔️ create new! (ideas/stories/worlds/characters/etc)
Cons:
✔️ deadline(s) 🫠
✔️ new genre(s) 😨
✔️ writing 😱
#writerproblems #writingcommunity
November 10, 2025 at 7:14 AM
To #shortstorychallenge 2026 or not to, that is the question...
Pros:
✔️ deadline(s) & word count provided
✔️ new genre(s) exploration guaranteed
✔️ create new! (ideas/stories/worlds/characters/etc)
Cons:
✔️ deadline(s) 🫠
✔️ new genre(s) 😨
✔️ writing 😱
#writerproblems #writingcommunity
Pros:
✔️ deadline(s) & word count provided
✔️ new genre(s) exploration guaranteed
✔️ create new! (ideas/stories/worlds/characters/etc)
Cons:
✔️ deadline(s) 🫠
✔️ new genre(s) 😨
✔️ writing 😱
#writerproblems #writingcommunity
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
Good morning! AI is being force-fed to you by a handful of billionaires who will lose a bunch of money if they fail to convince you that you need it. You do not need it 🫶
November 6, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Good morning! AI is being force-fed to you by a handful of billionaires who will lose a bunch of money if they fail to convince you that you need it. You do not need it 🫶
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
Too many people have resigned themselves to not reading because they fear they no longer have the focus for it. You only need to limit your screen time for a few days to begin feeling the effects on your brain. I promise you, you are capable of reading books again.
November 10, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Too many people have resigned themselves to not reading because they fear they no longer have the focus for it. You only need to limit your screen time for a few days to begin feeling the effects on your brain. I promise you, you are capable of reading books again.
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
In huge positive news, the Australian government just ruled out handing the work of their country’s creatives to AI companies for free 🙌
They resisted the well-funded tech lobby & shut down proposals to upend copyright law.
Other governments should do the same!
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
They resisted the well-funded tech lobby & shut down proposals to upend copyright law.
Other governments should do the same!
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
October 27, 2025 at 6:35 AM
In huge positive news, the Australian government just ruled out handing the work of their country’s creatives to AI companies for free 🙌
They resisted the well-funded tech lobby & shut down proposals to upend copyright law.
Other governments should do the same!
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
They resisted the well-funded tech lobby & shut down proposals to upend copyright law.
Other governments should do the same!
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
If you want to push back against tech's encroachment into every corner of our lives, you have to read books. They're eager to create a future in which most people are illiterate and hooked on slop, a world without imagination or knowledge. Reading is resistance.
October 20, 2025 at 9:44 PM
If you want to push back against tech's encroachment into every corner of our lives, you have to read books. They're eager to create a future in which most people are illiterate and hooked on slop, a world without imagination or knowledge. Reading is resistance.
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
This is one of the absolute toughest things about predatory inclusion — the predation is often fun or a little useful. Criticism makes a reasonable person sound like an asshole. LowerEd weathered me for this kind of social death.
So I’ll say it: your enjoyment does not matter & should not matter.
So I’ll say it: your enjoyment does not matter & should not matter.
I don't fundamentally disagree with a lot of this, especially the environmental cost/ benefit. I'll just offer that as a maker,tinkerer,experimenter, having access to a LLM has massively decreased the time required to design build and debug relatively sophisticated hw/sw prototypes.
August 23, 2025 at 7:01 PM
This is one of the absolute toughest things about predatory inclusion — the predation is often fun or a little useful. Criticism makes a reasonable person sound like an asshole. LowerEd weathered me for this kind of social death.
So I’ll say it: your enjoyment does not matter & should not matter.
So I’ll say it: your enjoyment does not matter & should not matter.
Reposted by Melinda 🌻
If an individual offering consensual nudes of themself on OnlyFans is considered “illicit” but a program generating nudes of women without their consent is fine, the powers that be have made their priorities clear. And they’re the same as they ever were.
Sex is getting scrubbed from the internet, but a billionaire can sell you AI nudes
Sex is getting scrubbed from the internet, but a billionaire can sell you AI nudes
Grok’s nonconsensual deepfakes show how hollow the online safety push can be.
buff.ly
August 11, 2025 at 1:51 AM
If an individual offering consensual nudes of themself on OnlyFans is considered “illicit” but a program generating nudes of women without their consent is fine, the powers that be have made their priorities clear. And they’re the same as they ever were.