NPR was such a huge force in our house that my mom would keep the car running in our barn when we got home, just so she could catch the end of their stories after she picked me up from ballet and theatre stuff. Susan, Nina, and Cokie were all reasons why I joined a media-adjacent profession.

The crows of Petworth, D.C., decided to throw themselves a karaoke party; a certain tortishell cat is not pleased. She also does not care that crows hold grudges even longer than felines, and that glaring at them from the top of the radiator may not be in her best interest.

Rise and brood, my fellow misanthropes! Turn those smiles upside down, furrow your brow, and roll those eyes. ironically, I also make a mean lemon bar.

It's the #TrumpShutdown www.foodandwaterwatch.org/2025/10/01/t...

I was able to sign up at the Safeway for a COVID and flu vax in DC without being elderly or having a doctor's note.

Feel so lucky to live 2 miles from the Smithsonian National Zoo. The fact that I can look at tigers whenever I want is pretty mindblowing. AND I was tickled to learn this weekend that it was designed by the OG badboy of #LandscapeArchitecture Freddie Law Olmsted. One of my favorite places in D.C.

Two MAGA-ites interrupted our dinner last night to ask my dad if the Air and Space Museum is "still woke." Kudos to dad for not stabbing them with a fork. "I don't wanna see no information about gay flight attendants," one said as I tried really hard not to scream at him.

Reminder that not everyone experiencing unemployment is a federal worker. If you're having "government shut down" parties and happy hours, please invite your comrades from other sectors, who are just as poor, freaked out, and mad as you are. Probably more so bc they've been out of work longer.

So excited to see two of my favorite media figures teaming up in the name of justice and journalistic freedom!

3 weeks ago, I ordered a shirt. It shipped from Wisconsin thru #USPS, bopped around a few facilities in PA, then took a detour south to Puerto Rico. I live in Washington, D.C. Still no shirt. WTF is up with #USPS? Props to the lovely Lands End customer service ladies for at least trying to help.

I've been side-eying EG ever since her journey towards self-actualization and independence ended with her coupling up with a dude she met in Indonesia. This latest chapter just confirms to me that she speaks out of both sides of her mouth a bit too much to be credible.

My takeaway: -WaPo thinks that Charlie Kirk, a straight white man who espoused hate, was a member of a protected class. um, which class would that be? -WaPo thinks that when you encounter a person spewing hatred, you should just ignore it and go about your day.

Dear freelancers, I was very recently in the same place as you and understand the pressures of securing business. BUT reaching out to an institution by insulting their communications assets is NOT the way to go. Saying you want to "fix" a logo is unprofessional, particularly when said logo is fine.

One thing that adds stress to my life is selecting the correct emoji that will convey my okayness with a situation without inadvertently alienating somebody of another generation. I'm gonna need Boomers, X, Millennials, Zoomers, etc., to get together and decide once and for all what they mean.

Not me, a middle-aged woman without kids rushing home to watch the #summeriturnedpretty finale even though I watched it at 6 a.m. I know her Paris bob is likely a wig, but I love it and wish my hair could reliably conform to that style. Stupid natural curls! #sitp

I had a Pearl's bagel for the first time today, and I liked it almost as much as the cash-only place on P street. Major contender in the DC bagel world and sadly overshadowed by showier chains. It was better than the H&H I had last month, but to be fair, that one was whole wheat. Time 4 a rematch.

I'm sorry I cancelled my WaPo subscription last year so I can't cancel it all over again. Prime is next on my list. This lady is my hero.

As much as I like my new job, our current political era is unlocking a desire to get a Masters in U.S. history so I can teach kids the truth about our country before it's completely erased from the books. If only grad school were free...

Nearly a dozen National guardsmen hanging out on the corner of 7th and I doing absolutely nothing but wasting their youth and our tax dollars. It's nice that they're not harassing anyone, but still. This is extremely stupid. #freedc

More takeout lunch places need to offer breakfast items. I can no longer get excited about 17-dollar grain bowls when all I want for lunch is a plate of eggs with some potatoes.

This should be a "teachable moment" about gun control but you just know the gun faction is going to turn this guy into a martyr, thereby totally missing the point.

Today, a techie made fun of my iPhone 11. Yes, it is 6 years old. It still works perfectly well, and holding on to it is my rebellion against planned obsolescence. I guess we shouldn't tell him about my first-gen iPad Pro (that also still works just fine).

The more I learn about octopi, the more I relate. In addition to hating bright lights, they also enjoy decorating their homes.

This is what I'm talking about! Thank you for speaking out!

Chloe Malle's appointment to the head of Vogue reveals that the #nepobaby debate is more nuanced than many would like to admit. -Yes, people with rich, famous parents get a leg up; there's no denying that. -Talent runs in families. Smart, hardworking ppl tend to birth and raise other smarties.

Play all the pickleball you want; I just need my trusty, 40-year-old Prince Jr tennis racquet, a ball, and a backboard. Speaking of, why are there so few good tennis backboards in D.C.?

My bedroom AC is really old, and only reads temperatures in Celsius. It turns out that 32 degrees C is in fact, very warm, which is why I have been sweating my butt off for the past few months.

This. I always tell people that writing is a muscle. If you let AI do all your writing, you're never going to develop said muscle. Just do a little hard work, and your reward will be improved writing skills. Do you think Simone Biles got good at gymnastics by letting a computer do her routines?

This crisis has underscored for me a divide in this nation. There are people who think that laws are laws and should be followed no matter what. Then there are people who understand that laws should evolve with political contexts and bend to the needs of the people they're intended to serve.

This is incredibly troubling. I have so far managed to avoid getting COVID (I was a champion social distancer and got the vaccine when it was first available). I have to get on an airplane in two months (for the first time in 6 years) and attend a huge conference. Ugh, I'm toast!

I was one of the oldest ladies at my last job and felt horribly isolated and lonely all the time. Today, I spent my lunch watercoloring in the conference room with a group of other middle-aged women, comparing hot flash symptoms. #screwagism

BREAKING: Veterans stage sit-in in D.C. to protest National Guard deployment, Judge blocks deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Trump goes after media licenses, and the House subpoenas Epstein's estate. All the news you missed today: open.substack.com/pub/aaronpar...

lots of joy at the Free DC protest at 14th and U

If ICE truly wanted to be helpful, it'd find a way to fix the broken pedestrian light on Grant Circle. It's a good thing I've already been hit by a car once in life and now know to be extremely cautious near cars. Slow down, DC drivers. Signed, the lady who flipped off an SUV this a.m.

The people supporting the occupation of D.C. keep on braying about "laws." As if all laws are fair, ethical, and designed to serve the interests of the people. I'm not advocating for law-breaking, but it's odd how folks aren't willing to ask if some of the laws we have may need revising? #FreeDC

Watching teen rom-coms hits so differently as a middle-aged woman. Belly, do not marry Jer! #TeamConrad #TSITP

Another school year is a chance to admire some of America's prettiest college campuses. Sadly, they missed one: Oberlin College. While not as Hogwarts-esque as some of these, Cass Gilbert's work can be seen throughout the campus. Worth checking out if you're in the area.

I saw something similar happen with water bills in Detroit a little over a decade ago. People couldn't bathe b/c their H2O bills were too high and their water was shut off. Folks shouldn't have to decide between food, medication, and power--all modern age necessities.

Hey fellow @obies.bsky.social! Did you know that Tappan Square was designed by the sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, who basically invented the practice of landscape design and was responsible for Central Park and the U.S. Capitol grounds? Learning this made me extra proud to be an Obie.

Yo! I have a new job supporting landscape designers, so get ready for a lot of landscape design, architecture, and sustainability content. This is so charming and cool: www.oregonlive.com/hg/2025/08/a... #landscapedesign #landscapearchitecture #elkrockgarden

My last day of freedom before starting a real, full-time job. I am spending it in a dive bar near the White House, waiting for my eyeglasses to get fixed, sipping a Stella, and wrapping up freelance work while air conditioning blasts on me and the Pretenders play in the background. Utter bliss.

Have you ever attempted to wear a shirt that just came out of the dryer, that is hot and yet still somehow damp and unwearable? That's what the dew point feels like in D.C. today.

Just underestimated how long it takes to medium-fry an egg and have yolk in my hair, which I just washed. How's your day going?

Happy June 3 to all who observe. Lorelai and Luke are definitely not getting married today, but you can catch Rory in court if you so please.

Canva: We noticed it's been four days since you slaved over a tiny social media graphic, agonizing over silly visual elements nobody but you will notice, so here's a push notification reminding you we exist.

Dear climate justice community: Please stop overusing the term "impacts." The impact of me having to edit the word impact out of every statement, press release, blog, and post is that I will surely lose what's left of my mind. The English language has tons of nice synonyms. Please learn a few.

You know how yawning is thought to be "contagious" among humans, or at least highly suggestible? Theory: The same can be said of cats and bathing. Once a feline decides it's bath time for one, it's bath time for all.

'Disappointed to see John Mulaney boost Nestle/Cargill apologist and defender Neal Katyal.

If you could have voted in November (as in, there were no barriers to your political participation, you just said "Nah, think I'll sit this one out), what is going through your head right now? Do you feel even a little bit accountable for this mess? Do you even care? What will get you to care?

I'm working on a theory that women are punished more in professional circles for being direct communicators. I've never met a man in my field who has been made to agonize over whether he included enough smiley faces in an email to colleagues.