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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 7h

To wit:

The 54th Massachusetts Memorial, directly across the street from the State House. Bronze, a mounted officer and many ranks of infantry marching from left to right (to their own deaths, to prove a point). Great individualism in the faces of the soldiers, who are all black. It’s a bangin’ memorial, with the soldiers’ names all carved on the stone back, and it’s nice to visit on a day like today.

Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 7h

I did enjoy all the people climbing statues, many of which, this being Boston, commemorate being on the right side of history last time.

People reposing on the shoulders of the soldiers’ and sailors’ monument on the Common. Just chillin’ in the shade next to their bronze kin from the Civil War.

The other side of the monument. The red flag with the hammer says Communist Party, sadly not Communist Dance Party which sounds more fun to me.

Protester with flag and sign standing on a stone bollard.

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 7h

The two forms of democracy: vote-by-mail, and Tyrannosaurus Inflatica.

Photo of a (sealed) ballot envelope ready to be mailed, and the orange plastic of an inflatable T. Rex costume all folded up.

Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 7h

Notes on inflatable suits: I guessed it would be warm and wore short sleeves, but in the sun (65F) it was steamy and I sweated. Also I think I ran down the batteries pretty quickly, so I’ll need spares next time. Small dogs saw me as a threat but young children LOVED me and called me by name.

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Philip Gourevitch @pgourevitch.bsky.social · 14h

Times Square

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Ọ̀rúnmìlà @cristianoronaldo9.bsky.social · 11h

No Kings protest aerial view in Boston.
🚫👑🇺🇸🐸

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Gwen C. Katz @gwenckatz.bsky.social · 14h

I saw a tragically AI-generated version of this poster, so I have recreated a 100% human-made version for all your protest sign needs.

The Obama Hope poster, but it's a frog and it says "Hop"

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Virginia Sapiro @vsapiro.bsky.social · 12h

A dinosaur talking with an NPR producer.

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A Blue View 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇲🇽🇪🇺🇺🇦 @ablueview.bsky.social · 9h

Boston Ma

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Renewed Resistance @renewedresistance.channel.org · 1d

Sign of the times. #humor #nokings

A Spirit Halloween store with a large sign displaying the store's name and a graphic of a ghost-like figure. In front, there's an A-frame sign stating "OUT OF FROG COSTUMES."

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decornery.bsky.social @decornery.bsky.social · 8h

Make Way for Democracy at the No Kings rally, Boston Common #nokings #nokings boston @universalhub.com

protester at the No Kings rally on the Boston Common holds a sign reading "MAKE WAY FOR DEMOCRACY" with a drawing depicting the ducks from the classic Robert McClosky children's book Make Way for Ducklings, marching in a row in front of the Boston State house. All of the ducks are wearing tricorn hats. epic poster.

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 1d

Wow, I chose the right moment to tune in to the ALCS!

Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 1d

Today I sorted summer clothes for storage, did 3 loads of laundry, pulled winter clothes out of storage, aired and brushed the wool, AND dealt with the balky boiler. I think I deserve a treat.

Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 5d

It’s still raining! not heavily, but horizontally, so nothing you do will keep you dry. I have been observing other people out and about today, how they just knuckle down and deal, most of them not even bothering with umbrellas. At least it’s not also cold.

Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 5d

As WIMDY as it is this morning (very; KBOS tower just reported gusts 39), The airplanes around Logan are much more concerned about birds camping out 100 feet above the centerline of Runways 4R and 4L. Which they can do because of the wind, I assume.

Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 9d

I once had to ask, “So if you say it pea-BOD-y, what do you call the birds?” And that was how I learned that most of the country doesn’t call them Sam Peabodies.

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 9d

Is today Back Bay henge? The internet seems to think it’s later in October, but the internet also calls it Bostonhenge, as if the cow paths were orderly. Anyway, I noticed because everyone walking west had a hand over their eyes from the glare.

A long narrow shadow sprawling east on a brick sidewalk.

A long narrow shadow thrown onto a bollard next to Boylston St.

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 9d

Some of the last flowers of fall, on this first truly fall morning.

Native aster in bloom. You can’t really see it, but they’re covered with several kinds of bees.

Close up on the native asters. Still very hard to get a photo of all the bees!

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 10d

I was at some cushy marketing event and asked the table about this: one parent said that instead of a dumbphone, he’d gotten his kid an Apple Watch. Too dumb to do a lot of things, but still able to text and call and I guess measure heart rate. Less than the full smartphone experience, anyway.

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 11d

You can rough-house with a cat! Once.

It seems to me that parrots and other large birds fall into the middle of this spectrum: needy and social like dogs, glorious assholes like cats. Bird people say that having a parrot is like having a toddler for 70 years.

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 11d

Progress on the library building!

View of the front of the future library building, now with structure and part of a rod, all in laminated wood

The same library building closer up. Inside there’s a bunch of Stuff, but also the shape becomes clear: 2 stories on the left, one tall atrium on the right (the stairs will be in back; they’re not there yet).

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 11d

Pah, Norfolk County is 100% to the south of Suffolk County too. Let’s not even speak about the situation of Middleborough.

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 11d

I enjoy the egomania of cats, who waltz on in and make themselves at home without ever being useful. Dogs are so painfully loyal and needy, but cats are like, Yeah, okay, I’ll deign to sit on your lap. But no touchy unless I say so! That is some animal chutzpah right there.

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Glowria Shine @pearlyescent.bsky.social · 12d

Oh, they’re great. Similarly ate them because one elderly relative considered them Required at the Thanksgiving table. If only they weren’t onions (smothered in cholesterol) I’d eat them regularly. Much less deranged food tradition than, say, ambrosia salad or fish in aspic.

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Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600.bsky.social · 18d

Boston's shoreline changed massively due to land reclamation since 1630. Really cool map! Source: buff.ly/hXn6nu5

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