Seeing the Northern Lights! (taken with an iPhone in the Southern Suburbs of St Paul)

Fully boosted for flu and covid! Was personally going to wait until Oct for Novavax but the Kindergartner wanted to go together and didn’t want the thought of shots hanging over their head for 3 more weeks. So… we both did it today!

The day started with tragedy with political violence in MN and instead of being scared, neighbors SHOWED UP to stand together at No Kings Twin Cities. We packed the Capitol Mall all the way to the Cathedral. Estimate 80,000+ right now. So proud of our state. #nokings #indivisible

Wait a minute… Lunds was given a head up about the return to office before the workers??? WTF www.startribune.com/downtown-st-...

Nothing makes a downtown more vibrant than forcing people to be there! www.startribune.com/walz-minneso...

ICYMI, AG Ellison is suing the Trump Admin on behalf of the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority (MnCIFA) for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund freeze/cancelation. Millions of dollars for MnCIFA and climate projects across Minnesota are at risk. www.redlakenationnews.com/story/2025/0...

When it is cold like this (-20) I get through it by thinking about all the horrible bugs this weather kills. Like emerald ash borer. It makes it just a little bit more tolerable.

X logged me out so I guess that’s the sign that there’s really no going back. ;)

One week left to provide public comment on the Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority Investment Strategy. I know you all have opinions, so let us hear them. mad.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

It’s a Tuesday that feels like Monday. For example, this morning I brewed a cup of coffee only to come back to a puddle of coffee all over the counter and the dawning realization that I had forgotten to even get a coffee mug out.

Someone brought this back up so let me share again: we should take over fraternal organizations.

Alright, I’m going to do an introduction. I mostly was a lurker at the bad place, but looking to engage more: 🩵 Minnesotan 💙 Democratic Farmer Labor Party 🩷 Suburban mom 💚 Work on residential decarbonization and climate resilience 💛 Love lakes, pools, and cabin life 💜 Formerly from MI, NM, WI

Made an MSP Twitter People Who Are On BlueSky Starter Pack for you. I have more people than this list but it’s a … start … er … pack: go.bsky.app/3r67QPy

Capping off this awful week by getting quotes for rooftop solar. I’m determined to take advantage of that tax credit while it still exists.

I’m trying to build up the folks I follow on here so that I can get away from the bad bird place. If you’re in Minnesota and/or engaged in clean energy and climate, like or follow to help me find good new people to follow!

I’m a bit out of the habit of bragging about myself, but here goes… I’m super proud to announce my promotion at Minnesota Housing to the agency’s Climate Policy Director! It’s a new role and one that I’ve helped to create/evolve over 8 years from when it began as a temporary grant position.

A Sunday with my preschooler: - Made pancakes and cookies - Washed dishes and played with bubbles in the sink - Played with paint and a science color-tab/water kit All between the hours of 7:30-10:30am. All to avoid some screen time. And yet, surprising no one, here we are watching screens.

I was able to share my thoughts on how the Inflation Reduction Act can help decarbonize affordable housing! My view - make it easy and make it comprehensive. We have one shot … so let’s do as much as we can! The climate crisis won’t allow us to wait. www.enterprisecommunity.org/blog/decarbo...

Probably posting into the void because it’s 7am… But I’m so excited about our most recent slate of multifamily projects funded by Minnesota Housing, including two built to Passive House standards. Fighting climate change one building at a time… Progress!! www.mnhousing.gov/content/publ...

I packed and unpacked my and my kid’s suitcases twice in the last 10 days. But cheers to staying home for the holidays. I think it might be our first Thanksgiving ever where we didn’t travel AND didn’t host. Even 2020 mom/grammy came to stay. Odd. And maybe wonderful.

I was feeling really good because I was voter #8 this morning at 7:06am. And then I promptly came home and made a cup of coffee. But it wasn’t until I walked back into the kitchen that I realized that I had neglected to put a cup underneath the machine. 🤦‍♀️

WE GOT IT! Confirmed. This is not a drill. Marshfield WI Walmart has pediatric Moderna doses.

Hi, want to go on a journey to hear about how hard it is to get a pediatric Moderna booster? Buckle up. Long thread.

Really just booked a COVID booster appointment 2.5 hrs away (one way!!) for my 3yo. Both skeptical and hopeful that it’s real. And thankful I have family nearby we can stay with after. And frustrated that this is the first option I’ve found. Seriously… W.T.F?!?!

Mmhmm. 🧐🤣

A kid who gets sent home sick from daycare is 99% likely to be fully recovered by the time they get back home. Universal truth or just in my house?

One of the roof panels came off my car when I went through the car wash. So that’s a fun new thing to deal with.

FINALLY got my Walz Bucks. Did they go in alphabetical order? Lol.

Scheduled COVID boosters for the whole family. First available is two weeks from today. Will we make it the whole two weeks before getting COVID from daycare in this newest surge?

Still find healthcare costs wild… I paid $120 and my (lovely government) insurance paid $65,000 (!!!) for an outpatient surgery last month. How is that even real?

I asked my spouse if he liked the new clothes I was wearing and he said “you look comfortable” and then tried to recover by saying “very retro.” Lol. Awesome.

I’m off work and my spouse and kid are currently flying halfway across the country without me. A whole long weekend alone. I honestly have no idea what to do with myself? Also, this is the longest I’ll be away from my kid since they were born. Exciting and terrifying.

Surgery recovery - going to indulge in lots of trashy or trashy-adjacent shows: - Ultimatum - Suits - Claim to Fame? What else?

Had robotic laparoscopic surgery yesterday and it went so well!!! I had mentally prepared myself for every possible negative outcome: Converting to open surgery? Nope. Removing vital organs? Nope. Death? Nope! Now for some well earned R&R. Possible with a kid who’s attached to me at the hip?

Last day at work for a minute. Out of office replies on. Feels weird.

If my preschooler is not wearing red, it’s a battle. And it’s just not worth it anymore… so, all red, all the time. LFG.

I know I’m probably chatting with someone in Manila or something, but what a weird comment from the customer support agent:

Was going to leave the windows open overnight but the temperature is going to start rising at midnight. 80° by 9am… Not that I’ll sleep that late. 5am or bust these days.

I never introduced myself to begin with… so, hi! Name: Katherine Pronouns: she/her Location: Southern suburbs of the twin cities Hobbies: movies/tv, cooking, hiking, cross country skiing, cabin life, DFLer, mom to a preschooler (not really a hobby but takes a lot of time)

So funny to me when people talk about work teams they are on in 3rd person like they are some mythical creature: “We will have the Team do xyz” The team is us. We are the team. Why obfuscate?

I’m normally a lurker and re-poster on the bad place. But new place, louder voice, right?

Finally here and excited to leave the bad place.