Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 13hOne of the best things about working remote is having your own kitchen at hand, and this undeniably includes having access to your own wine cellar at 3pm. 040
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 13/10/2026My youngest and most neurospicy team member is freaking out over the release (and prompt and predictable uses) of Claude's decompiling capabilities, and oh sweet summer child, this is not the apocalypse it's just the next and even more annoying generation of script kiddies. 110
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 12/10/2026You know, my junior instructional consultant is an adult. She just finished her MA. But I truly cannot help thinking, every time I interact with her, "omg, so tiny, so cute, must not drop her!" 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 11/10/2026Fuck you, Apple, I hate you so much. It may have taken five solid hours and paying for a third party iOS repair app, but I did manage to repair my iPad after Apple's attempt to update it to their fancy, AI-enabled v27 very nearly bricked it. Once again, fuck you Apple. 120
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 11/10/2026WHOO-HOO, Balsam Hill has the gold-and-crystal bead garland back in stock after two years! [throws it into the basket and dashes for checkout] ...also, the $25 off order coupon is good for the rest of today, so. 25BALSAMHILL 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 10/10/2026Came away from flu shot with very few side effects, but I did sleep for 11 hours, so. Also, cough from the campus fall frankenvirus is lingering very annoyingly. Bah. 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 27/09/2026I can tell that I'm starting to recover, not because the hacking/sneezing is less (I'm on so many antihistamines, who the fuck knows) but because I no longer crave protein so intensely I'm ordering a pound of cow every day. Yay? 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 26/09/2026It appears the winning combo for "sleep without drowning in snot or hacking up a lung" is "two cetirazine and a warm mist humidifier on low all night". Still feel like I was dragged behind something down a dirt road, but at least my lungs are in place. 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 24/09/2026We have reached the stage where my throat is mostly okay but I can feel my alveoli existing every time I breathe. I hate respiratory viruses. 010
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 23/09/2026I hate being sick. The throat scratchy is at exactly the most annoying place at the base of my throat, argh argh argh, not enough tea in the world. 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 16/09/2026Astonishing how I can spend all the livelong day grumbling over how Service Desk asks me the same question five times, and then immediately go Defcon 1 on the ass of anyone criticizing them for how they responded to an accommodation request issue. 100
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 13/09/2026Gotta say, my little chainsaw is the MVP of my hand tools. I have successfully removed a 4 foot shrub all on my own, down below the soil line. Removal time: 15 minutes. Fully cleaning and re-oiling the saw: 20 minutes. 130
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 11/09/2026I have birthdayed! There was outlet shopping, at which I made out like a bandit. There was dinner, at which they brought me a piece of amazing fudge with a lit sparkler on it. An air fryer is now in my kitchen! Altogether, a great success. 140
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 06/09/2026I am Mighty With Chainsaws! Me and my 8 inch one-hander chopped up the quarter of a maple that blew down against the house, and I have hauled it all to the roadside for the Road Commission to come pick up 110
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Power is back on, glory fucking be. Sheets are in the washer, cords are bundled back up, camp/no-power gear is stowed back away, backup batteries are re-charging. I am about to have a cup of tea I did not need matches, a sauce pan, and candy thermometer to make. Woot. 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Soooo, yeah, that was actually a bit closer than I thought it was. Hope the road commission will move that one, it's too big for me to budge. 200
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 04/09/2026We had a severe storm with maybe tornado blow through, and now the power is down across the cities /again/. I hauled my T-1000 batteries upstairs so I have light, WiFi, and video playing on the laptop, but I am SO VERY READY for my generator to get here. Two more weeks. 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Me, if I see _one more fucking email_ because central Procurement screwed up: 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 27/08/2026Term minus three days and counting. AAAAAAaaaaAAaaAAAAAAaaaAAAAAAAAaaaAAAAAA 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 27/08/2026There needs to be a word for that thing where you get out of a meeting and your Personable Smile stays stuck on and you have to wiggle your face and mouth to get rid of it. 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 24/08/2026The only thing stopping me from descending on central Procurement, breathing fire, is that my own College's Procurement is clearly just as Absolutely Done with this incompetence as I am. 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 19/08/2026Did new-faculty orientation, yay, new lecturers next week. Went out for a drink, after, and was entertained by the large table of very old and very cheerfully drunk ladies. 010
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 17/08/2026Vendor: Oh, we'll just have a quick 30 minute meeting to set scope, and then we'll get to work on your new feature! Vendor one hour later: Tell us more about your adoption philosophy, oh and you were a Sakai school, /fascinating/... 100
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 14/08/2026Things I said today, in the shower, while refining my new faculty orientation session and incidentally forgetting to rinse out the conditioner: The idea that LLMs could replace creative workers was always nonsense, but it guaranteed immediate buy in attempts... 110
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 11/08/2026sometimes I look back and tote up how many hours I have spent on software licensing and then how many hours I've lost to interrupted tasks to deal with software licensing, and then I just have to run through the halls yodeling like black-and-white Tarzan. 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026...I just opened a Home Depot credit line to finance my backup generator, and Capital One has sent me an alarmist notice about Dark Web Activity detected, including Changes In Your Credit Report. I opened another card, that's the change. 000
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026Coldwater Creek has their fall colors out. Someone tell me it is not reasonable to just buy one of everything. 000
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026I am sick of the fucking rodents eating my tomatoes while they're still green, so it's screened garden time. I could a) pay 5-600 for a screened set of raised beds or b) pay 200 for a second catio and shove my planters in that. Lateral thinking FTW. 040
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 05/08/2026I continue to hate central IT in a general way, but my local IT continue to be absolute sweethearts, who are happy to most of the SAML integration work for me (probably to make sure it's done right; relatable). 120
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 03/08/2026It continues to be stupidly annoying that I have to manually create Posit courses every term, but it also continues to be gratifying how appreciative my faculty are of me for it. 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 29/07/2026It's always heartening to have a peer flipping out and going "wtf, wtaf" over the shit people try to pull on my team, while I just nod along and sip my drink with a thousand yard stare. 010
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 21/07/2026Primary voting accomplished. Local CC millage upvoted. [in her best Peter Venkman voice] When it asks if you want to increase millage, you vote YES! 000
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 20/07/2026So, yes, the recessed-light conversion was not the most fun I've ever had, but fuck's sake, at least it meant all clean wiring to deal with! As opposed to the filthy, falling apart, unmarked loom insulated wires behind the upstairs fixtures. I may need a second shower. 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 18/07/2026Power is back up! It only took six hours! And a damn good thing, because it's 88F upstairs. Not unexpected, but ugh. It's going to take until bedtime to be even slightly livable/sleepable. 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 18/07/2026Come on, generator install people, fucking call me. Because the power failed at noon, with a clear sky, and the estimate for restore is "uh, some time today?" I'm so fucking done with this power grid, and DTE's bullshit. 210
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 17/07/2026Despite everything, I have Art Faired (and brought enough masks for the whole party. I acquired some lovely jewelry, which caused the artist to take a picture for posting (FerneRuth.com), another piece from my favorite copper artist (who only sells in person), and The Scarf.ferneruth.comThe Ferne Ruth Co.The Ferne Ruth Co. 130
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 15/07/2026I vacuumed today, so now both the cats are sitting on the couch with me, but have pointedly turned their backs so I know they're upset about the Dread Vacuum Beast. 040
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 12/07/2026Behold, the kitchen lights are converted from recessed lighting to pendant lights! And it looks damn fine, if I do say so myself. 230
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 11/07/2026Me: I'll taste a bunch of tea samples and settle on a new mid-range green to replace my old one! Something a little dark and not too expensive! Me, eight samples later, looking at the white Darjeeling in her cart: ...really, I should have expected that. 120
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 09/07/2026wtf, some asshole rodent is eating my cucumber vines. There aren't even cucumbers yet! Some furry little asshole came along in the night and ripped off the top half of them! 110
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 07/07/2026Things you do not especially want to hear from your electrician when there's an outlet with, istg, five different wire pairs in it: "Yeah, I really have no idea where those are going." 320
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 04/07/2026Power restoration allegedly by midnight Sunday. A) I'll believe it when I see it. B) Scratch the window replacement, this year it's going to have to be a home backup generator, because I'm SO DONE. 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 04/07/2026Glory hallelujah, the heat has broken! Which is a good goddamn thing, because that storm front knocked out the power. If I were down to candles with the heat still beastly, I think I'd cry. 010
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 03/07/2026Killing heat, C1 is a terrorist, how supposed to enjoy the schism like this? Disembodied existence when. Bed now. 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 26/06/2026Last pair of Baretraps bright-white wedge sandals: GET! Violet and white art fair outfit: GO! Gloat over the small triumphs, that's the key. 030
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Hills I am probably already dead on: It's "another _think_ coming" not "another thing"! 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 18/06/2026While it's extremely gratifying to have my people tell me "but I don't _want_ another supervisor!" the fact remains that I have four teams now and one of them needs a supervisor who is not me. Sorry, kids. 020
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 18/06/2026Very puzzled by overnight forecast of rising temperatures until I ducked out to look at the sky. Low clouds are _booking_ it directly up from the south. If it weren't clearing I'd be expecting a tornado. Instead the opposite, apparently? Weather, eh. 000
Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 11/06/2026Browsing CR ratings on gas ranges, and conclude: nothing broils well and self cleaning is always a joke. Buy based on Baking scores and, secondarily, burner performance on high. 010
