"The power of the people is greater than the people in power." Wael Ghonim Thank you, @booker.senate.gov For your 25 hr 5 min record-breaking speech. For your mental fortitude. For your openness. For being human. For speaking 25 hrs of TRUTH to cut through the thick fog of gaslighting & LIES. ✊🏼

Ask and ye shall receive: City crew was taking down a tree next door and kept me from napping today so I went and asked them if I could have the wood chips. I have never seen four grown men look so confused in my life but they said yes. So no sleep, but free mulch!

Passed my medical coding exam, I can officially put CPC-A after my name now!

"I mean what’s the big deal if one month you don’t happen to get a check that provides, for two out of every five retirees, 100% of their income?"

This would be deeply harmful to libraries all over the country.

A YES on cloture is a YES for the bill. Do not let anyone play games with you.

Ollie turned up with tapeworms so we got to go to the vet today. He's treated and will be fine but he was pretty sad about the trip!

…. Where do people think the phone gets the weather data?

Cold day but the sky is beautiful!

At the dentist getting fillings and they had to double up the local anesthesia because apparently my body is resistant (this happens every time. But it was only this dentist who told me you're not supposed to be able to feel them drilling!)

Ready Fire Aim is a lousy way to govern.

I've got to stop complimenting customers' outfits when I'm at work because I am incapable of hiding my negative reaction when someone responds "Thanks, it's from Shein!"

Felt important to go to the art museum today for the first time since moving here in 2020. Some very nice exhibitions! They've got a Monet, and a Rodin statue on loan, and we really enjoyed the current exhibition of Japanese art and pottery.

Hey everyone! We put a bunch of yarn and notions on sale with code SNOWY2025 for 10% off through tomorrow, Feb 21 as a winter clearance. It includes our beautiful project bags! Please check it out and help us clear some space! aimeeshermakes.com/collections/...

First half of this spin complete! The silk content makes it look like watercolors.

Did a little bit of spinning this morning. A beautiful merino/silk braid from @republicaunicornia.bsky.social The rhythmic repetition of spinning felt very soothing, I have a feeling I'll do a lot of it this year.

This was very interesting. I've definitely experienced the situation she describes of opening an app, scrolling, being unsatisfied and closing it, then immediately reopening it. Going to think this over and try to be more mindful.

Needlework isn’t just about delicate flowers and pretty patterns. For centuries, women have stitched their strength, their rebellion, and their refusal to be erased into fabric. Meet “Resist”, a piece inspired by the 1950s Aunt Martha Embroidery series. #embroidery #fibersrts

in case your company uses Google Workspace and is despairing at how Gemini A.I. is getting pushed into everything—fear not! Slate's indefatigable IT chief embarked on a successful journey to get it removed from our end and wrote a detailed guide for the curious: slate.com/technology/2...

Covid for me too 🫠 hoping the fact that the line was incredibly faint on the test means I'll have a light case but probably not.

By definition, numerical weather models require international data. The atmosphere knows no geopolitical boundaries: any model that begins and ends at its country’s border is unable to generate reliable predictions until after a weather system crosses its boundaries. Which defeats the purpose!

Not enough going on this week so my husband tested positive for covid just to spice things up. (I'm still negative but it's surely only a matter of time.)

While Trump has been distracting America with everything else, Elon Musk’s staffers are quietly taking over NOAA and the Department of Labor. They are also using AI to help rewrite a significant portion of the federal government’s computer systems.

This is APPALLING.

Going for a walk because a wrong answer in my coding homework just caused me to burst into tears. I may be a tad bit overwhelmed.

I'm glad federal unions and FBI employees are suing the Trump administration for their overreach but could SOMEONE smack these overgrown boys back into their unelected, non-existent lane so that our government remains *representative* and not a company that "moves fast and breaks things"? CONGRESS?

Consistent w/chatter I've been hearing.

Hey wow we really let someone get terrifying levels of unauthorized control in our government this weekend. Here's the sweater I'm knitting to keep from panicking. (Test knit #RelaxTee for @aimeeshermakes.bsky.social )

I talked to @nathantankus.bsky.social about what it means for forces allied with Elon Musk to take over the Treasury Department's payment system, it's really good and you should read it but in some ways the headline quote says it all. prospect.org/economy/2025...

"A core principle of the civil service is that you cannot be fired or dismissed or reassigned as a matter of political retaliation. That is exactly what is happening." @raskin.house.gov #USAID #forkoff

This is Extremely Not Good, people.

IF YOU KNOW ANY FEDERAL EMPLOYEES point them towards this class action suit being put together by @marklemley.bsky.social. Musk’s data grab of SSNs, disability (HIPAA) and other federal current and retired employee data violates federal law. #federal #employees #SSN #HIPAA #DOGE

Once again regretting not having done another shop this week to stock up on dry goods. This could get rough.

One of those days when the country is falling apart and ALSO management decided to rearrange a bunch of stuff at work for no reason and less efficiency, so if you need me I'll be in a corner trying not to cry.

A+ pun, A+ craftsmanship!

Ummm I don't know who needs to hear this but if you have a family member who is a federal employee DO NOT BROADCAST ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT IT OR ANY RESISTANCE ACTIONS THEY MIGHT BE TAKING

it's a minor distinction, but one that bears mentioning: every org canceling their DEI programs on threat of losing federal funding is *complying in advance*, without making the government go through the labor and cost to actually cut that funding. Dismantling dignity and all it cost was an email.

This test knit project is extremely pleasing.

Well that's not concerning AT ALL.

The price of eggs in the US is spiking, mostly due to #H5N1 bird flu. Solving the problem requires urgent, important communications from the CDC & FDA* and rapid development of research by the NIH** * Currently paused by Executive Order ** Grant reviews now all canceled www.kcur.org/news/2025-01...

Ok this has been making the rounds, sounds fun!

Not making a lot of knitting progress today because the cats are being distractingly cute.

@aoc.bsky.social e-mail going after TikTok & social platforms collaborating with Trump - with a shout out to @bsky.app

as a person who spent a large chunk of my life working in democratic politics, a big part of the problem is that the only way to advance your career is to never question anything. the only people who get ahead are people who love the status quo and live by it. at every level, kiss asses.

Distracting myself from the state of the world by finally setting up my Reed Loom Co. Cambridge loom. I bought it 2 years ago and finally have space! Did I do it right? Who knows - if you have tips, I want them! #loom #weaving

New blog post about my latest wild knitting project. somewhendesigns.blogspot.com/2025/01/long...

Just once in my life I would like to be able to genuinely not care about the state of my house when a repairman is coming. It must be nice.

13 years ago on fb I said 'The knitter's reaction to cold weather is not "let's put on a hat, some socks, and maybe a sweater", but "let's go knit a hat, some socks, and maybe a sweater."' And I stand by this statement today (it's 4°F.)