Katherine 🎶📚
@katherinemelb.bsky.social
High School Music teacher in Chicago - ✝️ - North Texas CoM alumni - urbanist/YIMBY - environmentalist - metal guitarist and classical/jazz trombonist
DNC consultants trying to figure out how they're going to fumble this is 2028:
November 5, 2025 at 5:09 AM
DNC consultants trying to figure out how they're going to fumble this is 2028:
Duolingo just switched me to the energy system (effectively limits you to two lessons a day regardless of how many right answers you get) and I'm seriously considering dropping my 2000+ day streak over it. Classic example of subscription-motivated enshitification.
October 25, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Duolingo just switched me to the energy system (effectively limits you to two lessons a day regardless of how many right answers you get) and I'm seriously considering dropping my 2000+ day streak over it. Classic example of subscription-motivated enshitification.
That feeling when you find a restaurant you love but you know it's not going to stay open long because every time you go, you're the only customer.
October 15, 2025 at 12:19 AM
That feeling when you find a restaurant you love but you know it's not going to stay open long because every time you go, you're the only customer.
The reason Chicago still has such a large share of drivers is that the CTA is a consistently mediocre rider experience. I've spent an hour today waiting at transit stops because the system can't stick to its own schedule. Why would anyone who owns a car pay $5 for this luxury?
October 12, 2025 at 4:42 AM
The reason Chicago still has such a large share of drivers is that the CTA is a consistently mediocre rider experience. I've spent an hour today waiting at transit stops because the system can't stick to its own schedule. Why would anyone who owns a car pay $5 for this luxury?
Props to Guitar Center for having a generous return policy. Dropping the big bucks on a guitar you plan to play for a long time and realizing it has some fatal flaws you'd overlooked is not a nice feeling. I was able to return it and get something that will serve me much better instead.
October 9, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Props to Guitar Center for having a generous return policy. Dropping the big bucks on a guitar you plan to play for a long time and realizing it has some fatal flaws you'd overlooked is not a nice feeling. I was able to return it and get something that will serve me much better instead.
I've seen so many feds in Chicago today going about my normal routine. Every SUV is suspicious. Every student absence longer than a day is concerning. Our public institutions feel like they're held together with duct tape now and we just lost another $2 billion.
Things could have been so different.
Things could have been so different.
October 4, 2025 at 4:12 AM
I've seen so many feds in Chicago today going about my normal routine. Every SUV is suspicious. Every student absence longer than a day is concerning. Our public institutions feel like they're held together with duct tape now and we just lost another $2 billion.
Things could have been so different.
Things could have been so different.
Reposted by Katherine 🎶📚
Blue cities should tear up the roads in front of ICE facilities and then start decades of community engagement and input sessions to rebuild them. Let's harness our core competencies.
September 27, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Blue cities should tear up the roads in front of ICE facilities and then start decades of community engagement and input sessions to rebuild them. Let's harness our core competencies.
It really does feel like American society has just accepted that urban public schools are grossly underfunded and neglected, and we take that as a given, rather than the very deliberate policy choice that it is.
September 10, 2025 at 2:31 AM
It really does feel like American society has just accepted that urban public schools are grossly underfunded and neglected, and we take that as a given, rather than the very deliberate policy choice that it is.
One of the best parts of teaching modern band is when a student picks up a guitar and wants to learn a metal song that you grew up listening to. #edusky
September 5, 2025 at 4:42 PM
One of the best parts of teaching modern band is when a student picks up a guitar and wants to learn a metal song that you grew up listening to. #edusky
Someone needs to invent physical books with a built-in mp3 player that contains only the audiobook version of that specific book.
You lose something when your entire book library is stored in an app on your phone.
You lose something when your entire book library is stored in an app on your phone.
August 30, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Someone needs to invent physical books with a built-in mp3 player that contains only the audiobook version of that specific book.
You lose something when your entire book library is stored in an app on your phone.
You lose something when your entire book library is stored in an app on your phone.
Living on a busy street is annoying sometimes, but going from my front door to my bus in less than a minute is so, so nice.
August 12, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Living on a busy street is annoying sometimes, but going from my front door to my bus in less than a minute is so, so nice.
The Avatar sequels feel so late. It's like leaving a party to pick up snacks for everyone and getting back at 6 AM to a few people passed out on couches.
They could have been so much more successful delivering sequels with slightly worse CGI 12 years sooner.
They could have been so much more successful delivering sequels with slightly worse CGI 12 years sooner.
August 12, 2025 at 12:48 AM
The Avatar sequels feel so late. It's like leaving a party to pick up snacks for everyone and getting back at 6 AM to a few people passed out on couches.
They could have been so much more successful delivering sequels with slightly worse CGI 12 years sooner.
They could have been so much more successful delivering sequels with slightly worse CGI 12 years sooner.
Reposted by Katherine 🎶📚
I love living in the real America (a big city)
August 11, 2025 at 2:50 AM
I love living in the real America (a big city)
We're about to see a 47-unit development plan in a gentrifying area get slashed to 15 units due to concerns over... parking, trash collection, and density. blockclubchicago.org/2025/08/04/5...
5-Story Apartment Building Pitched For Humboldt Park, Ukrainian Village Border
Barrett Homes wants a zoning change to construct a mixed-use building with 57 units on a vacant lot, previously an auto parts store. Many neighbors expressed opposition to the development's parking pl...
blockclubchicago.org
August 5, 2025 at 3:03 AM
We're about to see a 47-unit development plan in a gentrifying area get slashed to 15 units due to concerns over... parking, trash collection, and density. blockclubchicago.org/2025/08/04/5...
Reposted by Katherine 🎶📚
I've got the data. Most annual property tax revenue lost due to central city highways (w/in 3-mile radius of the center of downtown):
1. Dallas
2. Oakland
3. Chicago
4. Minneapolis
5. Houston
1. Dallas
2. Oakland
3. Chicago
4. Minneapolis
5. Houston
August 4, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I've got the data. Most annual property tax revenue lost due to central city highways (w/in 3-mile radius of the center of downtown):
1. Dallas
2. Oakland
3. Chicago
4. Minneapolis
5. Houston
1. Dallas
2. Oakland
3. Chicago
4. Minneapolis
5. Houston
I'd bet Chicago's GDP would grow a measurable amount if we cracked down on loud motorcycles, especially at night.
August 4, 2025 at 3:31 AM
I'd bet Chicago's GDP would grow a measurable amount if we cracked down on loud motorcycles, especially at night.
Charging quarters for laundry in a 3-flat when we already pay utilities is diabolical. Whatever spare change you skim off your rent pigs is probably canceled out by making the unit less desirable.
August 3, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Charging quarters for laundry in a 3-flat when we already pay utilities is diabolical. Whatever spare change you skim off your rent pigs is probably canceled out by making the unit less desirable.
Just moved to Logan Square!
August 2, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Just moved to Logan Square!
Had to stick with Duolingo long enough to hit this milestone
August 1, 2025 at 4:16 AM
Had to stick with Duolingo long enough to hit this milestone
Looking at the map, this is effectively cutting parking minimums citywide. There are still some areas undeserved by transit that are going to need special attention (Southwest side, far northwest side, far south side).
July 31, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Looking at the map, this is effectively cutting parking minimums citywide. There are still some areas undeserved by transit that are going to need special attention (Southwest side, far northwest side, far south side).
Backing out of a roommate group the day before they sign the lease (and two days before moving in) is nasty work
July 31, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Backing out of a roommate group the day before they sign the lease (and two days before moving in) is nasty work
What I want to know (and what nobody has asked) is why Chicago Public Schools has been paying for staffing for private schools. When crossing guards were shifted from the city budget to school budgets, private schools should have hired their own crossing guards. chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...
CPS cutting crossing guards for private schools amid budget crunch
Chicago Public Schools says it can no longer afford to provide crossing guards for private school students as it trims 100 total guard positions.
chicago.suntimes.com
July 30, 2025 at 3:45 AM
What I want to know (and what nobody has asked) is why Chicago Public Schools has been paying for staffing for private schools. When crossing guards were shifted from the city budget to school budgets, private schools should have hired their own crossing guards. chicago.suntimes.com/education/20...
Still wild to me that Western Avenue in Chicago has peak hour bus lanes only. For context, this means people can park in the bus lanes whenever they want, except rush hour on weekdays. This makes the bus lanes effectively useless when someone forgets to move their car, which is always.
July 30, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Still wild to me that Western Avenue in Chicago has peak hour bus lanes only. For context, this means people can park in the bus lanes whenever they want, except rush hour on weekdays. This makes the bus lanes effectively useless when someone forgets to move their car, which is always.
First Ozzy, and now Mangioni. Damn.
July 25, 2025 at 2:38 PM
First Ozzy, and now Mangioni. Damn.
Trying to coordinate housing plans with three strangers who don't seem too terribly bothered by the prospect of being homeless in 7 days is a stressful experience. Like omg please keep an eye on the group chat.
July 25, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Trying to coordinate housing plans with three strangers who don't seem too terribly bothered by the prospect of being homeless in 7 days is a stressful experience. Like omg please keep an eye on the group chat.