Took my first Intro to Woodworking class today, and you know, it's good to be reminded that you're not going to be great at something like that the first time. That there's a reason some things take training and practice, and that even my wonderfully skilled uncle must've sucked when he started out.

Hey Toronto!! Are you jazzed from last week’s municipal elections and also watching US midterm results? Wanna help progressive gains in our home as well??? Go support the Amazon warehouse workers unionizing with Unifor!!! Press conference at 6pm TONIGHT in Scarborough www.unifor.org/news/all-new...

Media Advisory: Unifor to launch new organizing initiative with Amazon workers in the Greater Toronto Area

TORONTO—Building on the success of organizing efforts in British Columbia, Unifor representatives will join Amazon workers on Wednesday, Nov. 4 to launch a new organizing initiative to unionize sites ...

unifor.org

"A cat is a live-in demonstration, renewed daily, that a life can be entirely without output and entirely without shame; she is the only ascetic who owns nothing, wants nothing, and has renounced nothing, since renunciation would imply the desire had existed." idle.news/blog/the-cat...

One Creature Declined the Offer of Work | The Idle Gazette

Montaigne loses an argument in his tower, a ninth-century monk shares his cell with Pangur Bán, and the one creature that moved in with us and declined employment.

idle.news

This thread should be required reposting and reading for non-Indigenous Canadians. 👇

Rachel Gilmore@rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 2w ago

Here’s Chief Na’Moks of the Wet’suwet’en Nation: “To Prime Minister Carney and the politicians studying Bill C-39, I have a message for you: our rights are not yours to bargain away.”

Trip upstairs to bring my elderly neighbour some laundry soap suddenly turned awkward when she said, "Maybe we'll be cheering tonight!" re: the BC election & I realized she would be cheering for the opposite outcome to me 😬 Thankfully I had groceries that needed putting away & backed away politely.

Municipal elections tomorrow, and you know what that means: Spending time today with notepad & laptop, figuring out who shares my values vs. who is speaking in right-wing code. Because good lord, even in the bucolic Cowichan Valley, there are some hateful mfers running for council & school board.

I'm so looking forward to getting this book. Do I have a place to do any kind of dyeing? No I do not. Yet. But a woman can dream. (Leery of dyeing in our kitchen because 1. It often involves toxic shit, yes even natural dye; 2. Kitchen so tiny; 3. It's a rental & landlord would not love me for it.)

Nine Ten Publications@ninetenpub.bsky.social · 4w ago

The WILD DYES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST book launch will be Thursday, November 19, from 5-8:30pm at the @beatymuseum.bsky.social at UBC (entry by donation)! 🗓️

Went to a wake for an old, beloved friend this weekend, and pls take note: People, we are too damn old to have a wake in a non-accessible venue. 1 mourner with MS was stuck on the sidewalk. Friend's brother, whom he cared for for years, is paraplegic & so couldn't come because he couldn't get in.

Once again trying to get into an Elly Griffiths novel; once again growing increasingly annoyed at the constant references to the main character's weight, how it's a mystery anyone finds her attractive, how amazing & unlikely it is that 'overweight' people in general might find 'attractive' partners.

I gave a talk last week about tech billionaires (we really don't like them) and how to fight them (labour organizing, it's always labour organizing). Come take a 9-minute break from producing shareholder value and watch! Thanks to @thewalrus.ca for inviting me for #WalrusTalks 🍁

Jenny Zhang: Workers Can Take Back Tech

YouTube video by The Walrus

youtube.com

I especially love that, with the "Proudly Canadian" theme guideline of using mostly red and white, this is what that artist came up with. A++.

BitterOldPunk@bitteroldpunk.bsky.social · 2mo ago

A fair must contain many elements that are fun and frivolous but it must also contain at least one work of folk art that absolutely takes one’s breath away

British Actors* Expand Their US Accent Repertoire Beyond New York, the Deep South, and that Weird One that Ends All 'A'-Ending Words with 'Er'** Challenge. *Only some British Actors, obvs. **As in 'Americker'.

Sometimes books get a little dinged up in transit. So every now and then, when enough hurt books pile up, we list them at a discount. Check out the Hurt Book Sale for some great deals on books by 🇨🇦 authors, printed in 🇨🇦 on 100% ♻️ paper! shop.ninetenpublications.ca/collections/...

Well, this is highly entertaining and most encouraging. Long may it continue.

Life Of Brian Splitter

Alt: A GIF from Monty Python's The Life of Brian, showing members of the People's Front of Judea shouting "SPLITTER!" at the sole member of the Popular Front of Judea.

static.klipy.com

Andrew Kurjata@akurjata.ca · 3mo ago

So this is the… fourth? fifth? new party to be formed by former BC United/Liberal members since Kevin Falcon threw that party under the bus in order to unite the province’s conservative movement? www.cbc.ca/news/canada/... #bcpoli

For killing time at the end of the world.

Pope gratified to be granted audience with Patti Smith

Christopher Hale@christopherjhale.bsky.social · 3mo ago

The godmother of punk Patti Smith met Pope Leo XIV this morning.

That m-w word from date thing is an excellent way to gather age data about bluesky's users huh

wakes up looks around sighs walks over to the sign pulls off a 1️⃣ grabs another number "IT HAS BEEN 0️⃣ DAYS SINCE A CAT HAS PUKED ON THE DUVET." heads to the washing machine

Time for another shot in my knee. Does the clinic make appointments over the phone? No, they do not. Go to our website! Where you can't book with that Dr. Use our chat widget! Where I go through 3 unhelpful q&a interactions with a bot before being xferred to a person...

Community garden friend: "My daughter & her fiancé are coming to visit! He's from Kentucky. What should I cook for them that will make him feel welcome?" Me: I've got suggestions & some recipes. Rule 1: For the love of god, don't make barbecue. You won't get it right & it'll be a disappointment.

❤️❤️❤️Free pattern here, if you want to make any of your own: www.ravelry.com/patterns/lib...

Baby Socks pattern by Kate Atherley

Top down, plain and simple socks, but sized for quick knitting and extreme cuteness. An excellent emergency baby gift, or just a nice way to use up some leftovers.

ravelry.com

Nora Howley@norahowley.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Some baby socks for a mom/family whose life has been upended by ICE. Pattern from the extremely talented @kateatherley.bsky.social and wool from Ripples Craft.

Back in YVR to spend some time with a dying friend, and this time I made sure to meet up with ppl from a different circle. It's hardly a revelation but holy shit, in times of great grief & loss, spending time sharing wine & a meal with your favourite fierce women is exactly the fuel your soul needs.

Restaurant customers who act inappropriately can be flagged by servers as yellow, orange or red — a behind-the-scenes system that keeps waitstaff safe. https://reasonstobecheerful.world/yellow-means-creepy-the-color-coded-anti-harassment-system-used-by-restaurant-workers/

Yellow Means Creepy: The Color-Coded Anti-Harassment System Used by Restaurant Workers

Though many will never know it, diners who act inappropriately can be flagged as yellow, orange or red -- a behind-the-scenes system that keeps waitstaff safe.

reasonstobecheerful.world

Hello everyone, I started a fundraiser on GoFundMe and would appreciate your support. Every single share and donation makes a difference and helps me get closer to my goal. gofund.me/ce7695f4e

Donate to Help Shea Get a Life-Saving Glucose Monitor, organized by Shea Murray

I am a single mother living with type 2 insulin dependent diabetes, and I am r… Shea Murray needs your support for Help Shea Get a Life-Saving Glucose Monitor

gofund.me

Hell yeah, biscuits. #baking

"House leader Steven MacKinnon told reporters Thursday that cabinet would not use the measures 'if there are health hazards attached to them.'" Well, that's very reassuring and fully answers the question, "Why the hell do you need to stick this into a huge bill, then?" www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Carney government passes law allowing authorization of banned pesticides | CBC News

The federal government has brought in major changes to how pesticides are regulated in Canada, granting cabinet the power to authorize the use of pesticides — even ones that Health Canada has deemed u...

cbc.ca

I *was* going to go water the garden this morning after yesterday's 32C temps, but today is day one of a new med and...uh...yeah, I don't think I'm up for even possibly being among people rn. I gave everything a really good soak yesterday morning, so it should be okay until this evening, right? 🤞

It took moving some furniture, laying out 2 yoga mats, and putting a fan on it overnight so we could use the living room in the morning, but the blanket for my uncle is finished and blocked. I meant to make it long because he's quite tall, but...yeah, I think it's big enough. #knitting

‘It’s about our right to fundamentally exist’: Local bodybuilder takes his fight to BC Human Rights Tribunal thediscourse.ca/cowichan-val...

Q&A: Jules Sherred Takes Fight to BC Human Rights Tribunal – The Discourse.

Sherred talks modern Pride, the struggle to be included in sports and why he keeps fighting for the entire trans community

thediscourse.ca