Renee Babcock
@renegade500.bsky.social
Elder goth, nerd, cat lover. Compulsive reader. I love opera & football, hate driving & early mornings. Coffee in the AM before talking!
Award winning academic advisor to aerospace engineeing students at UT Austin.
Unabashedly progressive. Chaotic good.
Award winning academic advisor to aerospace engineeing students at UT Austin.
Unabashedly progressive. Chaotic good.
Pinned
Renee Babcock
@renegade500.bsky.social
· Feb 23
I'm being stingy with my time right now. I was at a conference yesterday and the keynote speaker talked about how we all have so much coming at us, bother personally and professionally right now. And we're all doing the equivalent of doom-scrolling, not exactly healthy.
Comes back from England with $400 worth of tea.
Opens today's email with notice of The Steeping Room's holiday sale.
Am I buying more tea? Heck yeah! I love TSR's Christmas blend. It's my absolute favorite.
Opens today's email with notice of The Steeping Room's holiday sale.
Am I buying more tea? Heck yeah! I love TSR's Christmas blend. It's my absolute favorite.
addams from the addams family is holding a cup of tea and asking if she is ready for tea time .
Alt: addams from the addams family is holding a cup of tea and asking if she is ready for tea time .
media.tenor.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Comes back from England with $400 worth of tea.
Opens today's email with notice of The Steeping Room's holiday sale.
Am I buying more tea? Heck yeah! I love TSR's Christmas blend. It's my absolute favorite.
Opens today's email with notice of The Steeping Room's holiday sale.
Am I buying more tea? Heck yeah! I love TSR's Christmas blend. It's my absolute favorite.
In Brighton, England, and it is very beautiful here. This is day 5 for me in England and I have to say I like it here very much.
October 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM
In Brighton, England, and it is very beautiful here. This is day 5 for me in England and I have to say I like it here very much.
I've had several misadventures today but I ended up in a pub near my hotel with good food and football. The day has certainly ended well.
October 26, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I've had several misadventures today but I ended up in a pub near my hotel with good food and football. The day has certainly ended well.
I'm at the Austin Airport heading to London for World Fantasy (which is in Brighton later next week). The TSA agents are working hard and they currently aren't getting paid. What Trump and his government are doing is absolutely shameful with how federal employees are being treated.
October 25, 2025 at 8:36 PM
I'm at the Austin Airport heading to London for World Fantasy (which is in Brighton later next week). The TSA agents are working hard and they currently aren't getting paid. What Trump and his government are doing is absolutely shameful with how federal employees are being treated.
I am officially in the losing my mind with how much stuff I have to do before international travel phase of the week. Much of it actually Day Jobbe stuff. I've spent the last 30 minutes making a list of things to do/follow up on.
October 22, 2025 at 10:51 AM
I am officially in the losing my mind with how much stuff I have to do before international travel phase of the week. Much of it actually Day Jobbe stuff. I've spent the last 30 minutes making a list of things to do/follow up on.
Jfc this us chilling. I am physically not able to protest today but am there in spirit with everyone! Fight the good fight and please be safe!
Hi, I'm the ProPublica reporter who's been tracking an unusual stat: U.S. citizens grabbed by immigration agents.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
October 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Jfc this us chilling. I am physically not able to protest today but am there in spirit with everyone! Fight the good fight and please be safe!
After PT today I stopped at T Mobile and added a 10 day international Pass to my mobile plan to start when I land in London.
Only 9 more sleeps to go before heading to London!
Only 9 more sleeps to go before heading to London!
October 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
After PT today I stopped at T Mobile and added a 10 day international Pass to my mobile plan to start when I land in London.
Only 9 more sleeps to go before heading to London!
Only 9 more sleeps to go before heading to London!
Buying a ticket to see NIN in March was so much easier and less stressful (and cheaper!) than trying to get Lady Gaga tickets. I have secured a ticket to see NIN. Can't wait! (Still hoping I manage to get a ticket to Lady Gaga but I'm not paying resellers $$$$$ prices. I'll keep checking for those.)
October 8, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Buying a ticket to see NIN in March was so much easier and less stressful (and cheaper!) than trying to get Lady Gaga tickets. I have secured a ticket to see NIN. Can't wait! (Still hoping I manage to get a ticket to Lady Gaga but I'm not paying resellers $$$$$ prices. I'll keep checking for those.)
I'm starting work on the fall 2026 course schedule, so that our students have classes to take next year. It's not exciting work, very complex and detailed. So I'm streaming Lady Gaga while I work on it, and my supervisor was bopping outside my hallway to the music.
October 8, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I'm starting work on the fall 2026 course schedule, so that our students have classes to take next year. It's not exciting work, very complex and detailed. So I'm streaming Lady Gaga while I work on it, and my supervisor was bopping outside my hallway to the music.
I made a new friend at the game watch. He's an 11 month old puppy.
October 5, 2025 at 1:05 AM
I made a new friend at the game watch. He's an 11 month old puppy.
Large turnout for the Miami/FSU game watch at Freddo ATC. Never been here, but the menu looks good. Of course I'm having an orange drink (Aperol spritz). Happily the weather is great this evening.
October 4, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Large turnout for the Miami/FSU game watch at Freddo ATC. Never been here, but the menu looks good. Of course I'm having an orange drink (Aperol spritz). Happily the weather is great this evening.
Just got my flu and covid shots. I don't usually experience side effects so hoping the trend continues. But scheduled them for a Friday just in case (and since Monday is my wfh day).
I go to England in 3 weeks!
I go to England in 3 weeks!
October 3, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Just got my flu and covid shots. I don't usually experience side effects so hoping the trend continues. But scheduled them for a Friday just in case (and since Monday is my wfh day).
I go to England in 3 weeks!
I go to England in 3 weeks!
Hegseth is a racist, misogynistic POS. To sit there in that room people with decades of experience, calling them fat (and implying lazy), telling them they're returning to a "gender neutral male standard" is like a JV qb telling Dan Marino how to be a qb. Also male standard isn't gender neutral!
September 30, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Hegseth is a racist, misogynistic POS. To sit there in that room people with decades of experience, calling them fat (and implying lazy), telling them they're returning to a "gender neutral male standard" is like a JV qb telling Dan Marino how to be a qb. Also male standard isn't gender neutral!
September 30, 2025 at 2:58 AM
UT is very proud of their record-breaking fall enrollment (55k!). My dept enrollment is up around 5%. Anyone in a student-facing role is fast heading towards burnout, because we certainly aren't getting any extra support for the increased workload.
news.utexas.edu/2025/09/18/u...
news.utexas.edu/2025/09/18/u...
UT Sets All-Time Highs for Enrollment and Student Performance
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin set seven new highs for key enrollment indicators in the 2025-2026 academic year that reflect soaring
news.utexas.edu
September 22, 2025 at 6:31 PM
UT is very proud of their record-breaking fall enrollment (55k!). My dept enrollment is up around 5%. Anyone in a student-facing role is fast heading towards burnout, because we certainly aren't getting any extra support for the increased workload.
news.utexas.edu/2025/09/18/u...
news.utexas.edu/2025/09/18/u...
Reposted by Renee Babcock
🚨NEW: "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" just dropped its first response to ABC, FCC chair, and Disney firing Jimmy Kimmel.
Trump ain't sleeping tonight. 🤣
This is a must-watch. 🔥
Trump ain't sleeping tonight. 🤣
This is a must-watch. 🔥
September 19, 2025 at 3:02 AM
🚨NEW: "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" just dropped its first response to ABC, FCC chair, and Disney firing Jimmy Kimmel.
Trump ain't sleeping tonight. 🤣
This is a must-watch. 🔥
Trump ain't sleeping tonight. 🤣
This is a must-watch. 🔥
Every now and then I get something in my HEB curbside order that I didn't order. Usually don't discover it until I get home. Last week it was 18 eggs so I had lots of eggs this week. Today it was a $15 salmon. I called the store and they said keep it or donate it. Guess I'm having salmon for dinner.
September 14, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Every now and then I get something in my HEB curbside order that I didn't order. Usually don't discover it until I get home. Last week it was 18 eggs so I had lots of eggs this week. Today it was a $15 salmon. I called the store and they said keep it or donate it. Guess I'm having salmon for dinner.
Much as I want to see Lady Gaga, I'm not willing to pay $500+ for severe nosebleed tickets during a pre-sale. I'll try on Monday during the general sale.
September 12, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Much as I want to see Lady Gaga, I'm not willing to pay $500+ for severe nosebleed tickets during a pre-sale. I'll try on Monday during the general sale.
The world is shit today but I have a ticket to see the new Downton Abbey film tonight (bought about 6 months ago), and a Pimm's Cup to start off with. So I'll enjoy a few hours away from all the shit that will still be around tomorrow.
September 10, 2025 at 11:15 PM
The world is shit today but I have a ticket to see the new Downton Abbey film tonight (bought about 6 months ago), and a Pimm's Cup to start off with. So I'll enjoy a few hours away from all the shit that will still be around tomorrow.
Just got home from dentist, had to get 2 old fillings replaced.
Can I just say how much I *love* nitrous!
That's it, that's the post.
Can I just say how much I *love* nitrous!
That's it, that's the post.
September 9, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Just got home from dentist, had to get 2 old fillings replaced.
Can I just say how much I *love* nitrous!
That's it, that's the post.
Can I just say how much I *love* nitrous!
That's it, that's the post.
There's a student who started here Fall 22 who is a real character. I was meeting with him and he was telling me about the time he took a geometry class, and I said gosh, I loved geometry when I took it, back in 1978. Without missing a beat, he asks what was it like taking class with Pythagoras?
September 8, 2025 at 9:09 PM
There's a student who started here Fall 22 who is a real character. I was meeting with him and he was telling me about the time he took a geometry class, and I said gosh, I loved geometry when I took it, back in 1978. Without missing a beat, he asks what was it like taking class with Pythagoras?
I think Trump looked genuinely mad that the brown player won the US Open.
In other news: Alcaraz is just such a beast!
In other news: Alcaraz is just such a beast!
September 7, 2025 at 9:49 PM
I think Trump looked genuinely mad that the brown player won the US Open.
In other news: Alcaraz is just such a beast!
In other news: Alcaraz is just such a beast!
If I were in the mood to buy a Rolex I wouldn't be after they invited Trump to the US Open men's final. Ticket holders are missing action because of increased security, and I doubt Trump even gives a shit about the tennis. I just want to watch the match not be reminded that 47 is there stealing air.
September 7, 2025 at 7:26 PM
If I were in the mood to buy a Rolex I wouldn't be after they invited Trump to the US Open men's final. Ticket holders are missing action because of increased security, and I doubt Trump even gives a shit about the tennis. I just want to watch the match not be reminded that 47 is there stealing air.
In my happy place. I did 15 minutes on a treadmill, got some coffee, currently icing my knee* and enjoying week 2 of college football. Sound is on the Iowa/Iowa St game because that one is the most entertaining.
*mildly injured left leg last night so it's tight and sore but pt exercises is helping!
*mildly injured left leg last night so it's tight and sore but pt exercises is helping!
September 6, 2025 at 5:24 PM
In my happy place. I did 15 minutes on a treadmill, got some coffee, currently icing my knee* and enjoying week 2 of college football. Sound is on the Iowa/Iowa St game because that one is the most entertaining.
*mildly injured left leg last night so it's tight and sore but pt exercises is helping!
*mildly injured left leg last night so it's tight and sore but pt exercises is helping!