I'm running for re-election to the #Latah County #LibraryBoard. If you're in Latah County, I hope you'll vote on May 20. If not, I hope you support your local public library. www.latahlibraries.com @tarabethidaho.bsky.social Video by Martin McGreevy and Eve Weston

And an AP Style Pope who blesses you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit

If you're able to donate bone marrow, PLEASE be sure you're registered with NMDP. A friend here in Moscow #Idaho is fighting aplastic anemia and needs a donor -- as do many others in the world.

Call my Congressional reps and ask them to defend literally any human rights OR call my Congressional reps and just honk like a goose?

I've been calling my congressional reps' offices to ask about upcoming town halls, and these people are acting like they HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. A what? When? Gee, I don't know! Sign up for the newsletter! Fill out a form! Any other #Idaho folks (or elsewhere folks) experienced this?

Trump is slashing another 1,000 jobs at NOAA. The National Weather Service, which is part of NOAA, provides life saving weather forecasting in the US. A study found that for every $1 invested in NWS, it produces $73 in value to Americans.  Again, this isn't about efficiency.

Every time I log into this place I immediately see something that makes me go, "Ah f--k, I need to go look at the news, don't I?"

My 13yo was helping make dinner and suddenly started spinning across the kitchen. I asked him to stop and help with another thing, and he said, "Nope. I'm spinning. I'm gone." And disappeared down the hall. This is how I'm leaving all situations now, forever.

Writer thought of the day: It's really impressive the number and variety of synonyms that English has for "vomit"

Update: It didn't work. But I don't blame this dude. He and millions of others have been aggressively sold a lie -- that billionaires care about him, and liberals, "bureaucrats," and other folks don't. Don't know how to fix that.

Probably zero point in arguing with some dude I went to high school with that we can care about public- *and* private-sector workers, and that the billionaires pitting them against each other are the real enemy, but hey, why not give it a try?

Another reason to 1) buy paper copies of books from your local bookseller and 2) check out e-books from your local library instead of buying them from Amazon. lithub.com/next-week-am...

What is Title IX, and what is its purpose? Guest writer Cara Hawkins-Jedlicka writes about how the problem isn't trans athletes; it's a lack of support for Title IX. @carabyrd.bsky.social favs.news/war-womens-s... #transsathletes #titleix #politics

The Idaho House just voted 38-32 for the REPEAL of Medicaid Expansion. We're now in a do-or-die moment for the future of Medicaid Expansion, and we need thousands of Idahoans to get engaged in this fight. Please sign the petition and share it far & wide: actionnetwork.org/petitions/te...

These days I kinda feel like turning into a little frog and hiding under a leaf

Tracy Simmons' 7-month-old puppy has been testing her patience. She writes today about how her experience also teaches her to be patient in the fight for democracy. @reportertracy.bsky.social favs.news/new-puppy-te... #democracy #anger #patience

Especially sending this out to my former students!

Former employees are posting on social media that National Forest centers in areas like Stanley, Idaho were also gutted yesterday. According to this employee, it was about half of their entire staff. USDA has yet to tell the public how many of these people are gone

Measles high infection rate is the reason we have not yet been able to eradicate it. That rate means you need a very high vaccination rate to prevent outbreaks. It is possible, but not with current levels of institutional distrust.

Go ahead and reward yourself with chocolate for calling or emailing your elected officials. You deserve that little bit of sweetness.

Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" has perhaps the most memorable opening line in all of Western literature: "I hope you motherfuckers like reading about whales"

Just described my novel-in-progress to a friend as "Middle-aged woman with anxiety about everything uncovers elderly relatives' alien conspiracy" and tbh I don't think I'll come up with a better log line

This Valentine's Day, my husband cleared the snow from the driveway, helped the younger teen with his snow shoveling job, ran errands for my elderly auntie, bought new tires (much-needed in this snow, eep), vacuumed the house -- and did it all because this is just who he is, all the time.

“It’s unbelievable to be accused by the government of fraud,” Rev. Kirk Anderson, a Lutheran pastor. Earlier this month, tweets from DOGE, Elon Musk and Trump officials accused Lutheran nonprofit organizations of money laundering. favs.news/lutherans-bo... #politics #faith #idaho

Seriously, creative folks: Don't be afraid to let people know your stuff is out there for them, or worry that "now is not the time for that." People are stressed and freaked out and looking for the things that will give them a moment of rest and joy. It is EXACTLY the time for what we do. Tell them.

Lutheran orgs defend against federal fund misuse claims. ELCA & Lutheran Services NW stand by humanitarian work as gov't freeze hits refugee aid. 'Caught being good neighbors again.' bit.ly/4hVlWrv #Lutheran #Refugees #NonprofitNews

Yoyot Sp'q'n'i, an Indigenous-led nonprofit in Spokane, is working to address domestic violence, mental health and homelessness through culturally informed services. "Culture is prevention," says founder Mariah Brigman. bit.ly/4gU2nz3 #Indigenous #MMIW #NativeAmerican #SpokaneWA

This is wonderful.

If you're feeling exhausted by making calls and sending emails to lawmakers who don't seem to care, keep it up -- but I also recommend throwing in a few thank-you notes to elected folks who are trying to do better. It feels pretty great (and maybe gives them a spark of hope, too).

Mr. Rogers said "look for the helpers," but his advice was for CHILDREN. If your ass is grown your role is to BE the helper. I wish I could find the person who said this originally, but it's been too long.

Most of the world’s brightest minds are hard at work developing new ways for you to get depression from a computer

"I will not write unless I’m swaddled in furs and am roosted to perfection upon the couch. Perhaps I could write upon the divan, but never a table. And there must be furs."

My latest for @inlander.com welcoming our new alien pals. Now would be a great time, alien pals!

I know a lot of folks have been calling our congressional reps for a long list of issues lately — here’s another one to consider, from Christina Lords at the @idahocapitalsun.com

We worked for months with USAID to build an $85,000,000 project to end TB in two regions of the Philippines. The project is funded by private money, the Philippine government, and matching USAID funds. It could provide a blueprint for eliminating TB worldwide--except it's...not happening.

YES! Thank you, everyone, for looking out for Idaho readers!

Recently read Jimmy Carter’s message that went out on Voyager in 1977 and I just keep thinking about it. “This record represents our hope and our determination, and our good will in a vast and awesome universe.” www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/vo...

What a horrifying doozy these first two weeks of the Trump administration have been. YOWZA. I’ve been pacing myself by focusing on climate policy, since it’s nearly impossible to keep up with everything. Here, in @rollingstone.com, is what I’m thinking so far: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

In good news: Made Rocky Road Brownies from Sarah Kieffer’s 100 Afternoon Sweets for church today, and I’m now everyone’s favorite person forever

When I was 25 I was sad I had not written The Great American Novel. At 55, I realize there's no Great American Novel, there are merely the stories I'm the best person to tell. Don't worry about how others see greatness. Work on being the best version of who you are and what you can do in the world.

You could just program a bot to post "this is &%!#ing outrageous" every five minutes and it would never stop being relevant

We’re all angry and worried and maybe some don’t feel like creating or no longer feel like it matters, but keep writing, painting, dancing, making music, making art. Not doing the things that bring you joy—not making art—doesn’t help. Do what you love harder than ever.

This is a brilliant piece that goes many delightful and unexpected directions. One of my friends sent it to me because of my own sugar obsession ... Dunkaroos forever!

The Pacific Northwest Book Award winners all got to write a blog post -- so I (very creatively) wrote about being from Idaho.

I don't think it was pain that made him so great, I think painting brought him whatever happiness he had. * RIP David Lynch