Trying to make sense of and then pay medical bills is... draining. 😵💫
My heart is heavy for those drowning with serious medical debt and illness. I don't know how anyone is able to do it. 🤕
We desperately need medical reform, universal health care for all. ⚕️🙏🏽
...and a shot of a good bourbon. 🥃
#medicaldebt #healthcare #healthcarereform #universalhealthcare #healthcareforall #medicalbills #healthcarecrisis #healthjustice #compassion #needadrink
I love returning library books early. It's the best, especially when I can see that several people were waiting on the book. How many holds do I have right now where I'm the Nteenth person in line? And then unexpectedly, a book is released to me. Oh I know that excitement well and I'm glad I can provide it for others. 🥰
So long Muderbot Diaries book number imNotSureAnymore. And to you, next person in line, may Martha Well's writing bring you as much amusement and fun as it has to me.
#librarylove #library #libraries #publiclibraries #booklovers #murderbotdiaries #murderbot #marthawells #scifi #sciencefiction #reading #readersofmastodon #books #sharingthelove
Someday, when I grow up, I’m actually going to buy that telescope I’ve been saving up for.
At this rate, I’ll be shopping for the James Webb on the local online marketplace.
#astronomy #amateurastronomy #astrophotography #stargazing #telescopes #adulting
These are powerful words, with “courage” being the key.
For some of us, embracing what is true means finding the courage to question the beliefs that shaped us—and accepting the cost of doing so. Sometimes that cost is painfully high, but I believe the integrity that comes from living honestly is worth it. Choosing truth isn't always easy, but it's one of the best things we can do. I'm so very grateful.
#apostate #agnostic #atheist #deconstruction #exvangelical #humanism #skepticism #criticalthinking #truth #carlsagan
As I watched birds while riding my bike this evening, I realized I wasn't entirely sure I could tell chimney swifts apart from bats as it was getting darker.
After seeing what felt like swift after swift and wondering if any were bats, I eventually started spotting the bats very clearly. Glad I cleared that up.
I've heard of people putting up bat boxes, sort of like birdhouses for bats. I think I'd really like to have more bats around, so now I'm curious whether one would work in my yard. Something to look into.
#bats #chimineyswifts #birding #birds #wildlife #nature #urbanwildlife #backyardwildlife
The sun was setting, so I figured I could squeeze in a quick bike ride before it got too dark. I ate entirely too much rigatoni tonight and definitely needed to put it in its place. With the heat we've been having, one must choose their outdoor exercise times carefully.
Now I'm lying on the sunroom floor, sweating profusely, while a very rude black ant has bitten me twice. The audacity.
Where I grew up as a child, I had always thought black ants were generally nice. Apparently, this place has different rules. 😝
#cycling #biking #exercise #tidewater #summer #nature #ants #insects
Two bird learnings for today. I've had trouble identifying a couple of birds for a long while. Using a telephoto lens really helped.
1. There's a variety of little birds that have thrown me off for some time. I could never quite pin them down until today, when I finally got a good look at the back of their heads and realized they were Ruby-crowned Kinglets! I never had binos or a good lens on hand when I see them and, without the red crown flaring, I missed the subtle red dot. Mystery solved! (I'll include a meh photo I took today that shows the elusive red spot).
2. Turns out those dark little birds have been Dark-eyed Junco all along. I had presumed they would be larger, which I need to stop doing for birds. I was also getting confused by their variety in color. Thanks to their pink beaks and song, I think I finally have them down now. Another mystery solved.
#nature #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotograph #birding #birdphotography
Tomorrow is another day.
My kid insisted that I eat one of his Halloween fun dip candies. Good grief, I'm too old for this stuff. I think I've been poisoned by colored sugar. 😂
Act today – urge Congress to support the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act.
https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/Humanist/Campaigns/130609/Respond
The Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act would create a code of conduct for Supreme Court justices and federal judges, require disclosure of gifts and income, and mandate recusals in cases involving conflicts of interest. It would also require judges to stay informed about their and their families' financial interests and notify parties of potential conflicts. Contact your members of Congress to urge support for greater transparency and accountability in the judiciary.
Sure only gets louder. She only fights harder. She is becoming harder and harder for the world to easily ignore.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/greta-thunberg-gaza-genocide