I believe an ice-cream truck is playing its chimey song outside my house.
Virginia S. Ontario Possum
@virginiaopossum.bsky.social
Writer, weaver, amateur textile historian.
Since PTSD is being invoked to excuse any and all abuse and misconduct, let us acknowledge where it is most common. .... From my book Recollections of My Nonexistence.
Having a day of really wishing I could go for a few hours to the world the way I thought it was. To just, like, rest there for a little bit.
There is a moment at the very very end of Abdul El-Sayed's podcast with Ezra Klein (book recommendation section) where he talks about the idea of "speaking truth to pain" and this will be staying with me for an extremely long time. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/25/o...
Research Cruise AR103 Thread: Views & Critters Yesterday’s Wilson’s storm-petrel extravaganza off the back deck! 🪶🌿🦑
ImPRESSed Yet? I am thrilled to announce that Impressive Textiles: Premodern Printing on Fabric will be published October 27 in print and Open Access with @acmrs.bsky.social, thanks to 30 textile and print scholars, and 1 groundbreaking exhibition @newberrylibrary.bsky.social! #CoverReveal 1/5
I don’t know if it’s because I’m worldlier and wiser, or just older, or if the world is shifting under my feet, but it sure feels like culture is collapsing to a singularity of sameness everywhere you look.
Ok, you may not be thinking about holiday shopping but we sure are & shopping early is very helpful to small businesses. Sooooo, tell us about someone you're buying a book for this holiday season & we'll give you a recommendation!
So-called AI detection tools might be an even bigger scurge than AI. I was talking today with a student (a senior), who shared that they now have to spend time "dumbing down" their papers--shortening sentences, removing advanced vocab and punctuation--because otherwise they get flagged as "AI."
Democrats defend "science," but what they really should be defending is "wissenschaft." No major social problems - from global warming to AI - can be solved without non-commercial research across multiple fields, including the social sciences and humanities. Really wish the party understood this.
A good thing about keeping a dog is she won't let me just crawl under the desk and never come out. She will nag me until I put on wellies and a raincoat and take her to the park.
As of today, the CDC has changed (reverted) their Covid guidance to make the vaccine recommended for all people over 18. In addition to being a smart public health move, this recommendation also means insurance must cover it. Read more here: www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/va... Listen to a breakdown here:
Before calling someone a “dirtbag,” the Senator should have had his facts straight. An apology is in order. Glad one of us knew the difference between the Atlanta Hawks and the Iowa Hawkeyes!
if you know anything about senator schmitt's monumental fuck up in the jack smith hearing, i implore you to reach out. can be anonymous. signal: marisakabas.04 email: marisa@thehandbasket.co
Marisa Kabas@marisakabas.bsky.social · yesterdayrenaissance painting when the renaissance is really fucking stupid
Funny how when things are stressful in my little life, the horrors in the big world feel worse, too.
To quote @vaspider.gay: Tikkun olam, motherfuckers!
The Talmud teaches that anyone who sustains one soul, has sustained an entire world. For generations, Jewish New Yorkers have sustained our city. Today, we are launching the first-ever municipal Strategy to Combat Antisemitism.
Yup. It's a Nutella-for-lunch day.
i’d love to see someone follow the money on this one
Aaron Rupar@atrupar.com · 2d agoLinda McMahon: "AI is definitely a tool used correctly. I've seen it in action. I have visited the Alpha School in Austin, Texas, where they use AI for the first two hours every single morning. The students have their headsets on, they are watching their computers ... it is incredibly effective"
I admit when I imagined the attack on education I did not expect universities to be leading it. I wrote a post-apocalyptic novel 30 years ago in which Harvard and MIT had merged to survive but were still there, fostering broad-based inquiry and research, accepting whatever students could get there.
Colleges and universities should be on the hook for failing to address rape, and the last time I had a look at the stats, women of college age who were not at college were raped at higher rates. Don't forget them in the effort to hold colleges responsible for their lack of safety.
Years ago, I was walking home late one night, and a drunk guy was harassing me - trying to get me to go home with him, pushy sex comments, etc. After a few mins, his mate turned to him and said, firmly but not aggressively, "MATE. leave her alone, yeah?" And he did. I think about him all the time.
Andrew Schreck @andrewschreck.bsky.social · 2d agoI have never been more relieved to learn that a call is audio only in my life.