Doing my best to touch grass every day

Well. That might’ve gone better. I was sharing my computer screen during a meeting and opened my phone to take some notes. RATM Know Your Enemy started blasting. Oops.

Trying to be grateful for the small things - like that the spider that dropped down from the driver’s side sun visor this morning while I was zipping down the freeway looked to be the friendly sort.

This pie was not made by me, but it was eaten by me, and it was delicious.

Little free protest library? Perhaps these were just in case the naked bike riders were getting chilly.

Wish I could bottle up my 11 pm energy to save up for tomorrow’s inevitable 2 pm energy crash.

There is a pumpkin chocolate chip Bundt cake with maple glaze in my future.

Nothing quite matches the feeling of crawling into bed after a very long day and finding my car keys in it.

Um.

If I were a lyricist, my next song would include the phrase “hyperbolic vituperations”

As a member of the sandwich generation, I strive to be a panini. Warm, comforting, a little cheesy. Unfortunately, I’m more like a vending machine egg salad. An unpredictable last resort that you just hope can get the job done.

I long for a time when good coverage of the US courts matters less, but now is not that time. I upgraded to a paid subscription yesterday because understanding what’s going on is increasingly necessary and I always appreciate reading the Law Dork explanation.

With no call-in line, so far, this is the only journalist I’m seeing live-posting —>

Immergut: What I'll do is not modify my original TRO but issue a new TRO that prohibits the relocation or deployment of any federalized national guard to the state of Oregon....

So Immergut has the TRO for the Oregon troops, the hearing right now for the second potential TRO addressing the CA troops, and meanwhile there are these shenanigans? Man doesn’t know how to take no for an answer. I hope our IL and OR governors continue to stay strong.

Anyone found a healthy coping mechanism for dealing with Current Events? My daily 10k is no longer making a dent in my angst.

The problem with spacing out while you’re driving is that sometimes you find that you’ve pulled into the parking lot of the Chinese food restaurant when you’re meant to be grocery shopping.

Boosted. Let’s go, immune system, I’m ready for some antibodies!

My bookshelves are disorganized, but here are three that left impressions on me at very different phases of my life. I’m grateful I was able to hear her speak a few times and shake her hand.

One of my favorites. This is a huge loss.

Ate a second lunch in an effort to harness a sense of accomplishment.

Aside from the horrors, a pretty grand Saturday.

DON’T TAKE MEDICAL ADVICE FROM PEOPLE WHO STARE AT THE SUN.

A day for sweet things. A gorgeous postcard and meaningful stickers from generous Anna @whisperedstory.bsky.social arrived after a lengthy journey. Apple cider caramel is cooling off so I can cut and wrap some tasty candies. Heart full and house smells divine.

Anyone for some caramel apple upside down cake?

This is a strange time in terms of the pervasiveness and amplification of misinformation. I’m grateful to organizations like ACOG for shining light on what conclusions can be drawn from existing scientific evidence.

Sometimes I like to look back at pictures from the day this loving, silly, little troublemaker came home.

Coffee and watercolors A long run A wander with the dog Planting tulip bulbs with the kids Poetry and popsicles with neighbors The first autumn leaves fell in the hardy fuchsia. As the lady ferns begin to brown, I know the sword ferns will stay green and true and buoy my spirit as the days shorten.

This is an entertaining and informative writeup of the shambolic CDC Covid meeting. The anti-vax nitwits came one vote short of making all Americans who want a Covid booster get a prescription for it. arstechnica.com/health/2025/...

I haven’t been able to watch the ACIP meetings. I feel like someone who takes their beloved pet to the vet for the last time and can’t go into the back room with them. Watching public health get put down in this country is too painful. That said, my sister is live texting me updates…

Is AI Auditor a job yet? When AI gets things wrong, and that wrong thing is then in the internet ether and drawn upon by AI, and it continues to eat and regurgitate the garbage…how does that get identified and unspun? (Musings after a training instructing me to use AI and then correct the output).

Paused to reset my mind partway through lice checking my kid when I realized that in my head I was looking for fleas like he was the dog. No fleas or lice were discovered.

If you see this, quote with the energy you bring to bluesky

When you can’t decide between the croissant and the iced brioche cinnamon roll at the bakery, bringing a kid who feels the same way comes in handy. After dinner we will be comparing and contrasting the ginger molasses with the chocolate chip cookie. Indecisiveness is delicious.

Rainy day. Unimpressed.

The best girl in the whole kitchen

Did I laugh over my platter of enchiladas because I made a joke in my head about liking both my abs and my mozzarella shredded? I did. I think I’m pretty funny.

Cute, but not very good at hide-and-go-seek

👀 Lots of questions here. VAERS is a system that generates hypotheses. It is designed to be a very low threshold system for everyone, patients and providers, to submit adverse events for additional review and to generate more study.

This season is starting to turn. The light was fading fast on my walk this evening. Often I don’t encounter anyone, but today I came upon a woman down the trail who was concerned about coyotes and oncoming dusk, so we walked together. We lamented the state of things and enjoyed the beauty around us.

PSA (pumpkin spice announcement) For those who have gone all in on spicing everything this season, don’t forget the seeds from your delicata squash!

Did the Supreme Court really just full on trade out the black robes for white ones?

I had to halt the dog on our walk this morning so I could stare at a morning glory. It was blindingly bright.

A feast! The dangers of cooking dinner while hungry. Salmon with Meyer lemon, shishito peppers, kuri squash, guacamole, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, collard greens and a tomato.

Know your rights, Illinois. Stay safe and stay informed.

Bzzz…stay on the trail! Took a break from staring at spreadsheets today to walk in the woods, and enjoyed the flowers along the way

Cheers! Made it to the weekend.

Some dogs are golden retrievers but also some people are golden retrievers

My pediatrician’s office announced they will administer it upon parent request this year. However, due to the uncertainties, they are requiring prepayment of $150 which insurance may or may not reimburse. This means if you don’t have $150/kid in your slush fund to front the cost, you’re out of luck.

Getting rid of vaccine mandates makes about as much sense as deciding it’s now ok to drive drunk. These personal decisions can harm the people around you, too. This is the opposite of public health.