Another one for the “a bike didn’t do that“ file. The file is getting thick.

Made the mistake of showing my kid this and now she won’t stop asking for it.

A beautiful collection of essays from a writer more people need to read. I laughed, cried, and nodded along to so many moments that were so much like my own.

First pie out is the orphan mini pumpkin pie to use the excess filling and dough I had. Fairly pleased with the visible layers of flake in the crust, though a smidge too much filling so it overtook one side of the crust slightly and also sank a touch in the middle.

It’s that time of year when I grind cloves for baking projects and it smells like high school in the 90s.

The most Midwestern reply ever.

Let’s call it what it is: Coalition To Waste Alexandrians‘ Tax $$ because beyond soliciting donations that could go to actually helping people they also want to waste city funds defending their 🗑️ lawsuits of petty grievances. Save it for Festivus and save us all some $$.

Hey Alexandrians, you and/or your neighbors are struggling with expensive groceries, rent, paying back shutdown payday loans, etc etc but it’s really these litigious cranks who refuse to admit they‘re wrong that need your money so choose your holiday season giving wisely I guess. 🙄🙄🙄🙄

I love this so much. Get these west end kids some bikes and now let’s get these west end kids some non-car lanes and paths on the west end so they can bike places and do stuff.

new swag!

Hop on the Bike Bus! Parents & students at Naomi Brooks & Patrick Henry organized a Bike Bus! A safe way to bike to school together! #ecocityalx #biketoschool #bikes #ebikes #greencities #greentransportation #students

TLDR; BAR insists on expensive, unnecessary s*** that will take even more tax dollars out of the wallets of myself and every other resident, at a time when this city is trying to keep teachers paid and a lot of the city is trying to keep food on the table. Tone deaf. Out of touch. Outrageous.

Ok but where have I seen this already 🤔

Perusing kiddo’s GOTR journal and on the question of “person who always makes me feel good about myself,” she wrote “my mom” and holy shit did I actually break the multigenerational cycle of trauma and abuse on this one and my god who is cutting onions in here. 😭😭😭

'Four cones wins, but in order to get a cone you have to build a civilization. Which is where the spirit cards come in'

Got to have a short but sweet meet up with college friends who were in town for a conference before they drove back to the Midwest. It is really the best to have people you’ve had bonds with for over half your life and who truly understand your High Plains sensibilities.

This has been my experience too.

I for one would like wealthy powerful elites to stop pretending to care about who is playing sports against girls in elementary through high school and actually care about who is raping girls in elementary through high school.

Motion to stop calling everything west of Quaker, but especially addresses on the west *side* of Quaker the “west end.” It is the best end, but c’mon, we really got stop lumping literally half of the city (and I venture more than half the population) into one neighborhood.

Washington PKs amirite

Did not have “reading case law including an opinion that starts with “Around 2000 B.C. …” on my bingo card for today but I guess here I am.

Kiddo is going to play junior academy and rec this spring. Am I soccer mom now? I don’t know how to process this thing that seems very middle class coded to me. But kid is excited and I do like having ways for her to burn her endless well of energy so I guess I’m gonna learn how to be a soccer mom.

I really need opponents of zoning reform and building new housing to take a hard look at these income requirements and how much even “affordable housing” rents are. Pull out your mortgage statement and compare how much these rents compare to what you’re paying for your SFH you bought years ago.

Mississippi. We would do well to stop painting rural America with a broad brush and writing off whole swaths of this country. Listen to Sarah Smarsh’s podcast “Homecomers” or pick up her books.

Whether you’re a federal worker, a single mom, a service worker, a bodega owner, or a farmer, people just want to be able to afford to live in their communities. To not always have way more month than paycheck left. I see it in my blue city and my red hometown. We mostly want the same thing.

8 year old walked the dog today by herself in the neighborhood and I made the mistake of looking online for posts on age kids should be allowed to walk their family pet dog alone. Someone suggested 17. Someone reported CPS getting called on them for letting their 8.5 year old walk their dog.

How did you know.

Maybe they done could’ve figured out a way to deal with the extreme overcrowding in West End school FACILITIES and find a TRANSPORTATION solution if the Executive Director for Facilities and Operations wasn’t collecting a six figure full time paycheck without doing a full time job. PERHAPS.

ACPS leadership? Screwing up royally and not being transparent? Pissing off everyone? Who* could have predicted this would happen AGAIN?! *everyone. everyone could.

In case my elementary aged child ever grows up to run for office, she’d like to get ahead of the scoop that she knows her tia Sonia is not in fact her actual aunt, but one of her mom’s best friends, like such good friends they’re almost like sisters.

I don’t have a thread of books I’ve read this year, but I recently finished this book and really encourage people to read it. It made me think and has stayed with me, a lot.

I think this thread raises some real points I have grappled with. I think our bike bus can/does the address some of these barriers (like getting bikes to kids & bikes back home) but the main issue we have is half our zone is in an area with horribly unsafe infrastructure for bike/ped.

I see we’re getting called out again. Never forget Ewald Park.

I would really like this week to go ahead and be over but I’m being informed there’s a whole-ass other day left in this sucker.

Look a certain notorious rich Arlington resident moved and is selling their house and it’s all over the news. But I’m much more interested in watching how quickly a certain neighbor in my neighborhood sells their house and I can be rid of their own version of bad faith nefarious nonsense.

I cannot.

8 yr old decided she wants to watch Beetlejuice for the first time so this Friday is taking a turn for the better.

There are so many ways to engage right now but I’m increasingly convinced one important way is to log off regularly and interact IRL in community. Shout out to kids doing unstructured play, dads hanging out and talking, moms meeting up with friends. Neighbors chatting. More of this please.

Discovered one of the teachers at kiddo’s school now regularly bikes to school. And they told me what made it possible is th reopening of the HRT between ripley and Beauregard. You love to see it!

My youngest asked if we could watch Hocus Pocus tonight and I must admit I do love this stage of childhood where she starts wanting to watch movies I actually like watching.

💀

Up early to start baking as I have to get bakes for 3 family birthdays done today. First up is kid’s birthday cake, and instead of a pie this year she requested mango mousse cake. Which I have never made.Thoughts and prayers appreciated.

Hey look. Once again, not a bike.

Shout out to the guy at a bus stop along Duke Street holding up a homemade sign that said ONE LESS CAR.

I am well trained for this but it still sucks. My entire childhood and adolescence was a hamburger helper economy except it was whatever the generic brand of Hamburger Helper was at the Food 4 Less.

Purple Rain, hands down.

Bike bus Friday might be even more fun for the parents than the kids. At a time when things are so dark and difficult, it is rock solid joy.

PSLF changed my life by allowing me to take jobs that I could never have afforded to take without PSLF. Please comment by TONIGHT to oppose this harmful attack on a [checks notes] GW Bush administration law that changed many lives, including mine.

Tragic news. I love this place. They are so kind. And such bedrock supporters of west end schools.

Third grade soccer games are at Brenman and the west end parents are rejoicing finally having a season that doesn’t require driving or biking across town. Truly among the best news of the week.