This cutie pie is starting to maybe, just maybe, consider that there are upsides to being touched. She raised her butt into some gentle pets during dinner and didn’t act nearly as offended/hissy as usual about me daring to touch her (she still expressed her limits, but wasn’t upset). I’m winning

Cybertruck owner believes advertising, drives into lake (!), is arrested? and they say the perfect news story doesn’t exist

Lots of things in the world aren’t going right. But at least I got to pet both of my favorite formerly feral (Ash) and semi-feral (Roxie) kitties tonight. Especially nice after not being graced by Ash’s presence during waking hours for almost a week

Researchers observed Weywot, the largest moon of the dwarf planet Quaoar, as it briefly blotted out the light from a star. aasnova.org/2026/05/18/f... 🔭🧪

Yep. The yeasted waffles are even better the next day toasted up all crunchy and golden

Even though my freezer will require some reorganizing to fit them, I decided to make overnight yeasted waffles today because they go so well with blackberries which were on sale again yesterday. www.thekitchn.com/recipe-overn...

Brand name seltzer water makes this a fancy dinner 😂

I have to keep reminding myself that I do choose to live here (tucson). Because we are entering my least favorite part of the year. The part where my alarm is set for 4:05 am because lessons at the barn have to start at 6am to not overheat the horses or students.

I tried to time closing out one of my online bank accounts so that the last transfer I did would perfectly zero the account. But I missed by like a day because I just got a $0.02 check for accrued interest that hadn’t been deposited 😂

It’s a waffle morning. With delicious blackberries that were on sale at sprouts. Glad they’re so good because I bought 4 packages 😂

Poor Gus. Whenever he goes to the vet even for a quick checkup, Echo freaks out about him smelling slightly off. He just suffered the indignity of her literally running straight at him only to hiss in his face and back away. He’s so over it.

Always so cute when Finn sees that I brought his bestie out to the arena for him

lol. When starting code to run in the background, it helps to actually check that it’s running before going off to do other things….(it’s fine. Just means looking at the output is now tomorrow’s task and not my last task for today)

There is something so insidious about the "only take them as long as you need them" language that they always frame as a very compassionate moderate position. My brain has quirky chemistry. When I go off my meds, it gets bleak. Just like when I take off my glasses, I can't see as well.

Occasional reminder that it is not "nice" to wave someone across multiple lanes of traffic. What it is is dangerous, for them and for everyone else on the road. Stop trying to get brownie points by risking everyone else's neck.

uuuugggghhhhh. I thought I had maybe figured out a way to have enough travel money to go to ACM when I realized that I can't actually go because getting there would require being gone the weekend of July 4th.

Ugh. Another price increase on Echo’s prescription food. It’s gone up 50% since 2021. I bought a ton about a year ago figuring prices would keep increasing. But it was time to order more (just did a $400 petsmart order. Thankfully had $300 of credit card reward gift cards saved up for it)

Slow start to the morning because I’m just tired. Definitely glad I can bribe myself with waffles for getting out of bed

I’m definitely being judged for something right now…

Co-author paper submitted! Go team!

Ugh, self-determination sucks sometimes.

The big guy is out with his little bestie. But they are being sooo boring. Run and play you doofuses

Hmm. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad generic version of Frosted Flakes before. Figures it would be the organic generic 😂 (I only got them because of the $1 clearance tag). They’re not so bad that I won’t finish the box, but they’re definitely not the same flavor profile at all

Gus is so helpful

☄️Planetary scientists are invited to submit an abstract for the #EPSC2026, which will take place in The Hague, 6–11 Sept 2026. 🗓️ Abstract deadline is 13 May 👉 www.europlanet.org/epsc2026-call-for-abstracts-now-open/

🔭 Comet R3 PanSTARRS Behind Satellite Trails Image Credit & Copyright: Uli Fehr ap260427

In case you're wondering, my recipe for a Good Bluesky Experience here at the three year mark: 1. Decide not to be a dick 2. "Don't engage, just block" for trolls/bots/chuds 3. Mute stressful nouns 4. Follow super cool people of all sorts 5. Choose to have fun over "engagement" 6. Pictures of cats!

It was apparently a good day for marathon runners! My brother ran the half marathon in Toledo and barely finished in time to see the full marathon winner cross the line in 2:05 (apparently only the 4th American runner to run faster than 2:06 and beat the course record by like 15 minutes).

Whelp. My back has already objected to me existing today. But at least I get a tasty breakfast before the muscle relaxer kicks in and likely causes me to spend the rest of the morning half napping from drowsiness

The universe rewarded me for actually heeding my reminder to get a haircut (I often ignore it and the ends of my hair get messy). I go to a walk in place next to my grocery store and said grocery store had a digital coupon for a free slice of cake today!

One of the riders at the barn brought us delicious feta cheese filled pastries yesterday and I was unable just now to resist eating *both* of the extras I brought home. And now I’m sad because I don’t have any more for tomorrow.

That was the third damned loud military helicopter over my house today. I’m getting really really sick of this. They’re flying so low that the low frequency sounds from the blades trigger my sound-induced motion sickness

Took a gamble on the fancy blackberries today for $5 and I wish I’d gotten two packages. They’re so so good. But it’s so hard to know! (And I really don’t care for the not great blackberries). My waffle tomorrow morning are going to be so good with the rest of these

I aspire to this level of comfiness (but I’ll never achieve it)

same, Murderbot. Same.

At the airport, ready to head home with important cargo. I still don’t understand why they don’t sell coffee crisp in the US. I bought a bag for snacking and 6 packs of individually wrapped fun sized bars (they sadly do go stale or I’d have bought more 😂)

Are you an astronomy graduate student who’s interested in science communication? Apply for the AAS Media Fellowship by June 26! aasnova.org/2026/04/08/a... 🔭 @aas.org

I forgot how bad the signage is at the Toronto airport. I travel a lot through a lot of airports and train stations, and I’ve had to ask people for help twice now to be sure I was headed the right way

Planetary Pandemonium is officially live 🚀🐱 In Episode 0, I introduce the show—where planetary science meets science fiction (and yes, cats). If you love space, stories, and the people behind the science, come join me. 🧪👩‍🔬 🎧 Listen: www.patreon.com/posts/episod...

I use Apple products to avoid connectivity issues. But they are sometimes infuriating. My new AirPods have a “tap once to unmute” function that I can’t disable (best I could do is two taps). Which I found out because the new AirPods don’t fit as well as the old ones so I have to adjust them

I’m so confused. Trash day is Monday. They picked up trash on Monday. They just came through the alley again and are doing trash. It’s Wednesday.

Ugh. It is “get buzzed by a military helicopter” o’clock again at my house and the kitties and I all hate it. This is becoming way way too regular an occurrence

Monday breakfast also gets to be fancy. (Sunday and Monday are the only days I don’t eat breakfast in the car on the way to the barn, so gotta make it count)

Roxie has life figured out. She sat and stared at me until I produced wet food. She ate half of it and then sat and stared at me until I produced her favorite crunchy treats. I was not allowed to pet her for this. I only sometimes get one quick stroke and then get hissed at (pic from the other day)

Happy Sunday

lol. I got motion sick round-penning my horse this morning (I let him canter a bit too long for me since you have to keep turning to stay facing their shoulder). Between that and the claustrophobia I’d make an absolute shit astronaut

Co-I proposal released to org (though still waiting on a few others this round) and good splashdown calls for cake. But my deep freeze does indeed freeze more solid than my fridge/freezer, so I guess it has to thaw a bit before I can cut it

Things that work: giant rocket, very precise math, orbital mechanics, cameras, iPhones Things that don’t work: Microsoft Outlook, toilets, sat phones

It's like every Zoom meeting. "We hear you, do you hear us?" "You're muted."

That’s a relief