April 16th is Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day. Ever paused to wonder about the cosmic origins of these dreamy garments?
We commonly trace our Earth word pajamas to Persian roots—pai (leg) and jamah (clothing)—referring to a comfortable drawstring pant design that later spread and evolved into the word and forms we know today, thanks to the British Empire (c. 1801).
However, Bajoran linguists might raise an eyebrow. Consider pa’ja’ma:
Pa’ — Pagh, the Bajoran spirit or soul, as referenced by Bajoran Vedeks when discerning a person’s spiritual health (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, S1: E1, “Emissary,” and throughout the DS9 series).
Ja’ — connects / invokes a social connection between parts of a compound word as understood from Bajoran glossaries at Memory Alpha Fandom and The Trek BBS)
It’s believed “Pa’Ja’Ma” may have once referred to the practical and comfortable attire designed to be worn during extended hours seeking communion with and guidance from the Prophets.
The Orbs given to the Bajorans by the Prophets, including the Orb of Prophecy, predate the Persians by 8,000 or more years — as do the Bajoran traditions connected with them.
The Bajoran Prophets, also known as ‘the wormhole aliens,’ transcend time and space, but often interact with key moments in linear history to protect their own interests and those of the Bajorans. As we know, they even reached out to Earth to affect Captain Sisko’s life and history — even to arrange his birth (ST:DS9, S7:E2, “Shadows and Symbols”).
Given these facts, it’s obvious the Prophets had both means and motive to nudge (across dimensions) both the word and the beneficial practice of donning pajamas when seeking enlightened guidance. Note how much the civilian attire of Sisko and others of the 24th century resembles our concept of pajamas, which was no doubt their end goal; they wanted the Emissary to be able to connect with them for guidance and inspiration at any time.
Joseph, Jake, and Capt. Ben Sisko working at Sisko’s restaurant on Earth.
There you go.
Now why is there just one officially sanctioned day each year when comfort and genius finally align? To be our most forward-thinking and visionary selves, it’s clear that we should be allowed to wear PJs to work every day! (There should at least be a move toward Wormhole-Wear Wednesdays.)
Hearing what you think helps me determine what I need to keep, optimize, or cut going forward. Thank you to all of you who gave feedback!
The winners of the drawings for signed paperback copies of The Refuge are:
Beverly D
Janet F
Unnati
I’ll be emailing you all soon to get your delivery details. 🎁
Don’t forget that you can always share your thoughts with me by replying to this email — I love hearing from and getting to know my readers better (and I’ll respond)!
True Story Tech
In the future history of Xianova, during the Bio World War, government scientists developed biowarfare weapons that included mutated plants and animals. “Slaughterhounds” were one such weapon, created from extinct dire wolf DNA.
You would think that things like this were not already in the works… However, some researchers at Colossal Bioscience in Dallas, Texas, are even now attempting to bring back dire wolves, wooly mammoths, and other extinct creatures. Check it out in the news, here:
So, last month I shared that we finally found out why our daughter Sabrina (who is 28 and has severe Down Syndrome) was vomiting on a regular basis: she has a duodenal stricture. We were so happy that we finally had a treatment plan that we could be confident would prevent her from ending up in the hospital again!
Our happiness (and freedom from deep-cleaning everything) was short-lived, unfortunately. We spent the majority of the rest of the month back in the hospital, because she contracted C-Diff. from her previous visit, got severe colitis, and got severely dehydrated. And then her blood pressure tanked. On the bright side, we’re finally all home again and on the mend (for real this time, we hope)!
Dog Life:
Darryl: welcomed us home by taking a full-body bath in 💩.
Shawnie: has developed her own Slinky toy.
She’s also decided to take daily recreational dips in the being-renovated-koi-pond cesspool, which is 🤯 since she won’t swim in the clean pool. (Yet, anyway.) But…at least she is a good-smelling hair product junkie. She was so jealous of Darryl’s aromatic lavender bath that she kept trying to roll on him while I was scrubbing him! 😆
Meanwhile,
Chicken:
*lays on computer on my lap*
Writing Life:
Accomplished:
Main March April Goals:
⏹️ The Refuge audiobook edits
⏹️The Erebi draft
⏹️ New cover designer
⏹️ Continue pre-planning 2025 newsletter & social media content
⏹️ Finish “Would You Pleeease Just Eat Your Peas?!” & getting started packet
Serial Fiction with Friends
Last month, we met Ethan, who is able to find and use time streams without any special equipment. He climbed a rock face, ran into some woods, and climbed a tree to escape from some armed men. While dodging them, he experienced his current time tangibly merging with a past time before jumping into a nearby time stream.
You voted to stay with Ethan.
Eyeless
At 8:00 that evening, Ethan sat down to watch tv and do a crossword puzzle.
A week ago, he’d popped out of a time stream on the same day, maybe even the same moment, he’d originally left what he thought of as his “home” timeline.
As always, unless I indicate otherwise, I have not personally vetted any of the following special book deals, so please use your own best judgment while perusing these deals.
When wildfires, societal breakdown, and a solar storm threaten, people turn to Arland.
Unused to a leadership role, Arland struggles to get his daughter and followers to safety and protect them from the mayhem following apocalyptic natural disasters.
Note from Jen: I’ve started reading this one…it’s very engaging so far!
Abducted. Enhanced. Determined. Get ready for a mind-bending sci-fi thriller that’s out of this world!
Join The Midnight Society and their faithful canine companion, Whisp, in “Alien Awakening,” a breathtaking sci-fi adventure brimming with intrigue, betrayal and pulse-pounding action. Every twist will leave you craving more.
The fate of two worlds hangs in the balance. Are you ready to join the resistance?
30 *FREE* Sci-Fi and Fantasy books here: apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic, dystopian, and YA dystopian; runs until 4/30/25.
FREE Sci-Fi for April
30 more *FREE* sci-fi books: lots of space operas, some steampunk, some time travel. Check it out! Runs until 5/5/25.
Escape Into Imagination – Free Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Runs until 5/6/25. Tons of books in an eclectic mix, light on sci-fi and heavy on fantasy, including what appears to be some romantasy and YA.
Bargain Sci-Fi & Fantasy AUDIOBOOKS!
Don’t miss these deals on fantasy and sci-fi audiobooks (mostly fantasy). Ends 4/30/25.
SF/F Review Copy Bonanza – April 2025
Get some free books just for leaving a review! This one is an eclectic mix as well — 63 books so far, with some sci-fi including space opera, and a lot of fantasy, including romantasy, vampire books, some children’s books, etc. Ends 4/30/25.
Thanks for reading this episode of The Blessed Bulletin! Let’s connect on socials if we haven’t already. See you next month!
