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The Daily Readlines
In video testimony posted this week, the 28-year-old staffer described the grants as “crazy.”Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: LGBTQ Nation
“Homosexuals will no longer breathe in this country. Homosexuals will no longer have freedom of expression in this country,” said one lawmaker.Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: LGBTQ Nation
Trump is “a failing president with little room to maneuver,” she wrote.Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: LGBTQ Nation
Another legislature’s seat flipped from red to blue this week.Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: LGBTQ Nation
Minneapolis’s anti-ICE movement is very queer. This lesbian pastor & activist says it’s no surprise.“Queer organizing is deeply rooted in this understanding [that] our collective liberation only happens if it’s genuinely collective and intersectional.”Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: LGBTQ NationAmid an escalating legal feud between Wilson and the film’s producer Amanda Ghost, more evidence is emerging of PR firm The Agency Group’s connection to…Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: HOLLYWOOD REPORTERDr. Anthony Fauci, Steven Soderbergh, Chloé Zhao and Chadwick Boseman’s widow — among dozens of others — speak out in the definitive oral history of…Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: HOLLYWOOD REPORTERSarah Pidgeon and Sydney Lemmon share with The Hollywood Reporter that their pre-existing friendship and shared theater background gave them “a baseline that we didn’t…Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
She called Buttigieg a “beta” while her guest said that the gay man shouldn’t have gone on a men’s podcast.Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: LGBTQ NationSwedish director Nathan Grossman discusses his new film, premiering at CPH:DOX, exploring the Western gaze, turning the camera on colonial legacy, and collaborating with the…Read moreDate: 2026-03-13Source: HOLLYWOOD REPORTER -
Mark McNease’s Fearsome Fiction Podcast 82: Night Flight to Murder Town – A Marshall James Thriller (Chapters 13 thru 15)
Welcome back to Fearsome Fiction, and to Night Flight to Murder Town: A Marshall James Thriller.
When we last left Marshall, he was stepping into a world he wasn’t sure he could step back out of. Now in New York City he’s about to find out just how deep the rabbit hole goes.
Chapter Thirteen drops Marshall into Trent’s world with all its chrome and white leather and carefully curated secrets. The apartment on the Upper East Side tells you everything you need to know about how far Trent has come, and how far he’s willing to go to stay there.Chapter Fourteen takes us downtown to the Village in all its complicated glory. The AIDS crisis hangs over everything like bad weather. The neighborhood is changing, the gays are moving north to Chelsea, and the yuppies are moving in behind them. Trent walks him through his little empire , a bar called Tipsy’s, a gym called Muscles, and the growing sense that whoever Trent is laundering money for is not someone you want to disappoint.
Chapter Fifteen brings us forward in time to Lambertville, New Jersey where Marshall and Boo arrive at Passion House Bed and Breakfast. A man named Kyle Callahan tends flowers on the porch. His handyman Justin helps. His husband Danny waits inside. It appears a new day may be at hand.
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New Feature: A Weekly Journaling Prompt – Making Up Our Minds
I’ve been conducting thematic journaling workshops for two years now. I always start them with a short writing prompt everyone can do in ten minutes or less. I’ll be putting these on LGBTSr now as well. Ready, set, write! – Mark
This week’s writing prompt
March can’t make up its mind. One day it’s a winter coat, the next day it’s a windbreaker. Two days ago it was 82 degrees, now it’s freezing.
But March isn’t the only one hedging. Many of us have something in our lives right now that can’t quite decide what it wants to be — a relationship in a holding pattern, a project that keeps almost getting started, a metamorphosis that has us half-caterpillar, half-butterfly.
Write about your own “coat or no coat” moment. What in your life is stuck between two things right now — between starting and stopping, staying and leaving, hoping and letting go? What would it feel like to finally just decide?
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One Thing or Another: Life, Aging, and the Absurdities Of It All – The Go-Go Years
By Mark McNease
The Go-Go Years: Doing, Going, Seeing While We Can
My husband Frank talks a lot these days about our ‘Go-Go’ years, that time of life we’re in when it’s probably a good idea to do the travel we want to, go to the places we’d like to see, and do the things our bodies still permit us to do. We love to cruise, and sail away on at least two a year. But we also like to take short, two-night trips here and there, and even a long one coming up in April – my first road trip since I was a child. Eight nights, with stops in Roanoke, Savannah, Wilmington, and Baltimore. That’s a lot of travelogues!
Financial advisors use the term to describe this window of time — early retirement, roughly — when we’re healthy enough to move about unaided. I’m exaggerating, but that’s the basic premise. I also have to say I don’t refer to myself as retired, since I teach workshops, write scary novels, and create the kind of content you’re reading now. This time precedes the Slow-Go years, and finally the No-Go years, which seem self-defining.
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On the Map: Fabulous Philly – The Morris House Hotel, Walnut Street Theater, and Dining at Talula’s Garden (SLIDESHOW)
We made another two-night trip to Philadelphia, this time with our friends Phil and Jim. Since moving from New York, I’ve come to see Philly as my city, given that it’s only an hour’s drive or train ride away. And we can ride the SEPT trains for free as seniors!
There are cities you visit and cities you inhabit, even briefly. Philadelphia is the latter kind, at least when you do it right. Two nights isn’t and days aren’t nearly enough to explore everything there is to see, including the reknown murals you’ll see as you walk around, but it’s exactly enough to fall into a particular pocket of it and feel you’ve touched something marvelous.
Where We Stayed: The Morris House Hotel
The Morris House Hotel sits at 225 S. 8th Street in the heart of the city’s historic district, and it announces itself quietly — no marquee, no lobby spectacle, just a Federal-era townhouse that has been standing since the 18th century and knows it doesn’t have to try very hard. Our large bed had a mattress so soft and sinking that it’s possible George Washington really did sleep there. The staff is terrific, and we don’t say anywhere else when we’re there overnight.
The original family who built it in 1787 was part of Philadelphia’s colonial gentry, and the remnants of that world are still there: period details, a walled garden courtyard, and rooms that manage to feel both old and comfortable.
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Savvy Senior: Top Senior Scams and How to Avoid Them
By JimMiller
Dear Savvy Senior,
My adult kids keep warning me about scams, but it’s hard to know which calls and messages are dangerous. What scams are most commonly aimed at seniors right now?
–Almost 80
Dear Almost,
Your kids’ concerns are well founded. Financial fraud is a massive – and rapidly growing – problem for older Americans. In 2024 alone, scams cost older adults an estimated $81.5 billion, according to the Federal Trade Commission. That staggering figure includes both reported losses and the many crimes that likely go unreported.
While many scams today target people of all ages, older adults are often singled out or suffer the greatest financial harm. From urgent phone calls and alarming emails to online romance schemes and bogus investment opportunities, scammers use high-pressure tactics, fear and emotional manipulation to convince seniors to hand over money or sensitive personal information.
Knowing the most common scams is the first line of defense. Here’s a list of scams seniors should watch for:
Imposter and government scams: Fraudsters pretend to be from Social Security, Medicare, the IRS, the police, banks, or utility companies. They claim there’s a problem requiring immediate payment or personal information and may threaten arrest or loss of benefits.
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Mark McNease’s Fearsome Fiction Podcast Extra: Fatal Mistake – A Harry Hell Novella (Chapters 1 – 10)
In addition to my weekly 3-chapter installments of ‘Night Flight to Murder Town: A Marshall James Thriller,’ I’m offering up three extra-long listens of ‘Fatal Mistake: A Harry Hell Novella.’ It’s the first of three novellas planned that take us on the wild journey that is Harry Hell’s life. Queer, dystopian, fearsome.
Fatal Mistake opens in a dying, collapsed world — a ruined island city divided between the fortified enclave of Eastward, where the privileged few cling to order, and the brutal wastelands outside its walls: the Ruins and the Slopes, where survival is the only law.
Two storylines run in parallel. In the present, we meet Harry Hell — a former elite assassin who has spent five years hunting the most dangerous woman alive: a killer known only as Nectar. The story begins with her turning the tables on two of his men sent to find her, slitting one’s throat and sending the other back with a message. Harry is cold, purposeful, and consumed by a single obsession — avenging the death of Raul, his partner and the only person he ever loved, who Nectar killed.
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This Week’s Survey: What Can Make Your Day a Little Better?
What can make your day a little better? Multiple answers okay
A good cup of coffee, tea, or something else (no judgement)
Hearing from a friend (phone call, text, telepathy)
Finishing a task on your to-do list
Laughing quietly (or maniacally)
Quiet time / alone time / animal time
Something else (please say what) -
Tech Talk: AI for Regular People — What It Is, What It Isn’t, and How to Use It Safely
By Mark McNease
A note on AI-shaming: Opinions on AI and using it run for “I can’t function without it” to “I hate it and if you use it, I hate you too.” There is a lot of uncertainty out there, and a significant amount of AI-shaming. I came out of the closet as an AI user who finds it incredibly helpful. I produce a large amount of content, as well as writing books, publishing, podcasting, and teaching. This genie is out of the bottle and not going back in. It may be better to engage with it than reject it and watch as the world moves on.
As someone who uses AI regularly to help me with research, outlining, fleshing out ideas, and graphics, I’m aware of both its benefits and its dangers. One of the most annoying things about it for me, at least with OpenAI (ChatGPT) is its insistence on “talking” to me as if it knows me, as if we’re friends or could be someday. (I recently switched to Claude due to OpenAI’s politics.) I don’t need it to remind me who I am, or to do its best imitation of a playful acquaintance. There is no one there. Yet it’s programmed to use language we normally reserve for people in our friends and family plan. It’s creepy, and the danger it poses to individuals who aren’t able to discern what’s happening, or whose psyches are fragile, are obvious and real. But if you can use it as another very powerful tool and not mistake it for a date, you’ll be okay.
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Mark McNease’s Fearsome Fiction Podcast 80: Night Flight to Murder Town – A Marshall James Thriller (Chapters 10 – 12)
Welcome back to Fearsome Fiction, and to Night Flight to Murder Town: A Marshall James Thriller.
In the next three chapters, Marshall’s fresh start in New York takes a sharp, unsettling turn. What begins as a nostalgic breakfast in a familiar Manhattan diner becomes something far more dangerous when Trent finally hints at the truth behind his sudden wealth. Laundromats? Not exactly. And the “job” he has in mind for Marshall may come with consequences neither of them can fully control .
As the charm of Trent’s polished world gives way to whispers, bodyguards, locked lobbies, and carefully managed secrets, Marshall realizes he may have stepped into something darker than he imagined. And just when the walls begin to close in, we shift—back to Lambertville. Back to Boo. Back to the choices that will define what kind of man Marshall becomes.
A new city. A dangerous offer. And a past that refuses to stay in the rearview mirror.
Settle in… the flight’s about to get turbulent.
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Savvy Senior: Is Your Aging Parent Safe at Home?
By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
After watching the coverage of the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case, I’m worried about my own elderly mother who lives alone in another state. I want to make sure she’s safe without being intrusive. Are there simple, affordable ways to check in on her from afar?
–Concerned Son
Dear Concerned,
You’re not alone. High-profile cases like this often heighten fears, especially for adult children whose parents live alone and may be vulnerable. The good news is there are several free or low-cost ways to stay connected and gain peace of mind without infringing on your mother’s independence. Here are some nice options to consider.
Check-In App
If your mother uses a smartphone, a simple solution is Snug (snugsafe.com), a free app that checks in daily to confirm she’s OK. It’s used by tens of thousands of older adults who live alone and want their loved ones alerted quickly if something goes wrong.
Here’s how it works: After downloading the app, your mother selects a daily check-in time. Snug sends several reminders leading up to that time, prompting her to confirm she’s OK by tapping a large green button on her screen. If she doesn’t check in within 10 minutes after her scheduled time, the app automatically notifies her emergency contacts and shares her last known location so help can be sent promptly.
For added peace of mind, Snug also offers a Dispatch Plan ($20 per month or $200 per year) that includes multiple daily check-ins. If she misses one, Snug will call her directly to see if she’s OK. If there’s still no response, they can request an in-person wellness check by local authorities, who will visit her home to make sure she’s safe. The app works with both iPhone and Android devices.
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This Week’s LGBTSr Humorscope
🌟 This Week’s LGBTSr Humorscope
♈ Aries
You are feeling bold — possibly too bold. Before you “reply all,” pause. Your energy is magnetic, but your patience is thin. Channel that fire into something productive instead of reactive.
Best Day: Tuesday
Avoid: Impulse spending♉ Taurus
Comfort is calling your name. Answer it — but don’t unpack and redecorate. A financial or practical conversation benefits from calm, not stubborn silence.
Best Day: Friday
Avoid: Digging in your heels just to win♊ Gemini
Your mind is racing ahead of your calendar. You’ll start three things and finish one. That’s fine — just circle back. A message late in the week lifts your mood.
Best Day: Thursday
Avoid: Group chat drama