Michelle Patterson
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auntieshellie.bsky.social
Michelle Patterson
@auntieshellie.bsky.social
380 followers 800 following 390 posts
Existential optimist, social justice warrior, rock & roll groupie, sci-fi geek, Buffy fanatic, aspiring author, francophile, collector of oddities and world's greatest aunt (she/her)

https://auntieshellie77.substack.com
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auntieshellie.bsky.social
EAT, PRAY, LOVE x DARK MATTER

Did 46yo Evelyn make the wrong choice 20 years ago? She discovers a way to find out, but is that life really better, who's going to get hurt on her journey of self-discovery & how far is she willing to go to get what she really wants? #bluepit📖 #A #SP #W #thriller
A collage with a pale blue background featuring pictures of the Eiffel Tower, the Rodin statue of The Thinker, a scrap of paper with handwriting saying, "how far would you go?", a dark street lit only by two street lamps, a shard of mirror with a forlorn woman's face in it, the back of a woman standing in the middle of a winter road, the Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago, two hands grasping one hand in a forceful and supportive way, and typed text that says, "The hardest thing about the road not taken is that you never know where it might have led," attributed to Lisa Wingate. The time of the image is dark and a bit sad.
January 13, 2026 at 10:14 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Post something beautiful to combat the awful. #GrandMarais
An orange sunset and sea smoke on Lake Superior in Grand Marais, MN
January 10, 2026 at 11:54 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
I created my first vision board tonight, and it is an incredibly accurate image of my inner life and my hopes and dreams. I made it at a local wallpaper shop as part of a new year, new beginnings book event with other women in my community. #visionboard
A vision board collage featuring a background of different swatches of wallpaper with bold patterns and many quotes and words cut out of magazines.
January 10, 2026 at 5:14 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
This mood board is very different from what I would have created a year ago. I've gotten a lot of clarity about my story in the past year. This is how I want my readers to feel. #BluePitHype #WritingCommunity #WriteSky
A collage featuring pictures of the Eiffel Tower, the Thinker in the garden at the Rodin Museum, a dark street with two streetlights, a woman's hand holding a shard of mirror with reflection of part of a sad woman's face, the back of a woman standing in a winter street, the Cloud Gate (the Bean) sculpture in Chicago reflecting on wet ground, and one hand being grasped by two hands. There's a torn bit of paper on the top right with handwriting text saying, "how far would you go?" and typewriter text on the bottom right that says, "The hardest thing about the road not taken is that you never know where it might have led." By Lisa Wingate. The whole image is in a muted blue green with some photos in black and white.
January 9, 2026 at 5:54 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
We are insignificant specks in a vast and mysterious universe. And yet we're significant enough to be here - earthlings hurtling through space on this giant rock. How are we honoring the privilege of being? I choose meaning through creation and service. #northwoods #darksky #stars #existentialism
A picture of the night sky with thousands of stars above a line of winter trees.
December 14, 2025 at 5:02 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Four Christmas movies to know me by...
The cover for the movie A Christmas Carol starring Alistair Sim. The background is gold and the movie title is in large white letters over a picture of Scrooge dressed in a top hat, red scarf and green coat holding Tiny Tim on his shoulder, who is dressed in a blue jacket and pants with a red scarf and cap. The cover of the movie It's a Wonderful Life. The background is blue with the title in large white and gold letters over the picture of a family. The tall, thin father has brown hair and is in the middle looking down at his wife, who is hugging him. She has an angelic face and is looking up at him smiling. He has a little blonde girl hanging on his shoulders, a little blonde boy under his arm and a little brunette girl smiling up at him. The cover of the movie While You Were Sleeping featuring Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman. The background is the L platform in Chicago with a train coming. A blonde man wearing a blue shirt and jeans is lifting up a smiling brunette woman wearing a white top and brown skirt. The cover of the movie Scrooged starring Bill Murray. A skeleton hand in a Santa sleeve holding mistletoe is coming from the top hanging over the word Scrooged in red letters. A man with a huge open mouth smile, crazy eyes and spiky brown hair is holding a lit cigar and wearing a green bowtie with red stripes.
December 1, 2025 at 8:16 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
I just finished reading an amazing book. For anyone who loves rocks, science and philosophy, like me, I highly recommend reading Turning to Stone: Discovering the Subtle Wisdom of Rocks by Marcia Bjornerud. Beautifully written. #booksky #geology share.google/zuhov73PtM3C...
A book cover with a white background and the title Turning to Stone: Discovering the Subtle Wisdom of Rocks by Marcia Bjornerud with a column of rock shaped images in differing colors and textures.
December 1, 2025 at 1:49 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
As long as the House is back in session, Democrats need to push for swearing in Adelita Grijalva and vote to release the #EpsteinFiles. #Congress #shutdown
A black box with blocks of yellow that says The House is Reconvening. Swear in Adelita Grijalva. Release the Epstein Files. Contact your representative today.
November 10, 2025 at 4:27 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Got back yesterday from 11 days in #paris and am so grateful for this experience. I went through a lot of emotions and self-discovery on this trip, and I wasn't ready to leave. Recovering today from walking 73 miles and over 110k steps. Can't wait for my next adventure!
The word Paris in giant neon pink block letters next to a large cut out of a heart with a reflection showing on wet ground at night on the roof of the Montparnasse Tower The grand staircase in the Palais Garnier opera house featuring a high ceiling with a central skylight surrounded by an elaborate painted mural over a gallery of wide white stairs, ornate bannisters, chandeliers and carved stone arches. Tourists are scattered on the stairs. A vaulted Gothic ceiling of a church with golden arches, chandeliers and walls filled with stained glass. Tourists are scattered around the room. The Thinker by Rodin is a bronze statue on a high stone pedestal in a garden surrounded by pruned evergreen shrubs and backlit by the setting sun with orange hues shining through trees.
November 7, 2025 at 3:30 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
This is day 9 of my 11 day solo trip, and I'm a little lonely. As a super extrovert, it's hard being alone for so long and not sharing some special moments. Today I'm at the Eiffel Tower, and there will never be a time when I'm not awestruck by its beauty. #paris #eiffeltower
A woman with short brown hair and black rimmed glasses smiling with the Eiffel Tower at night lit up in the background.
November 3, 2025 at 6:14 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Since it's #Halloween I thought I'd share some pictures from the Catacombs I took this week. This is a must see attraction for anyone interested in history and the macabre.
A wall of bones and skulls with the skulls making an arch pattern with a cross in the middle. A wall of bones and skulls with the skulls and bones configured in a layered horizontal pattern. An old, broken skull A barrel shaped column of bones and skulls arranged in a horizontal, alternating pattern.
October 31, 2025 at 12:35 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Off on my next adventure! I left my heart in #Paris on my last trip, so in a way, I'm going home.
A collage that says "If I don't come home from Paris..." with an image of a woman in black riding a scooter, half the Mona Lisa's face, several jeweled crowns and the Louve.
October 24, 2025 at 10:19 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
I saw an incredible new musical last night - Revolution(s). Book by Zayd Ayers Dohrn, music & lyrics by the great @tommorelloofficial.bsky.social The last time I felt this way leaving a musical, it was RENT in 1997. I sobbed through the whole second half. If you're in #Chicago, see it. Link below.
A picture of a lit match on a white background with the The Goodman 100 and Revolution(s) printed around it and a yellow box with the word Playbill in the lower right corner.
October 18, 2025 at 2:29 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
I ran a 5k for the first time this weekend and survived! Up until a month ago, I had never run for more than the bus. It was 85 degrees on Oct 4th, and I'd never run outside, so I had to walk 2/3 of it, but I finished in the middle of all participants. It's never too late to try new things.
A screen shot of a participant's 5k race stats showing a chip time of 46:12, gun time of 46:29, pace of 14:54, overall placement of 162 out of 298 and placement in the females age 40-49 of 35 out of 64.
October 5, 2025 at 6:20 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
For anyone who doesn't know, #Chicago is a beautiful city filled with talented, warm and passionate people. It's not perfect, but it's most definitely not a hellscape in need of military intervention. We don't want or need the dickwad in charge to send troops here and terrorize us. Leave us alone!
People marching towards trump tower in Chicago on a sunny day with someone giving the middle finger to the building. A ferris wheel lit in neon purple along a backdrop of a city skyline at night. The skyline of Chicago lit up at night with a field of wild grass in the front. People marching down Michigan Ave in Chicago carrying signs with an American flag off to the left.
September 7, 2025 at 7:40 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
I visited a new exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago this evening, called After the Age of Dinosaurs about the rebirth of the earth after an asteroid destroyed nearly all life, including the dinosaurs. This and other pieces were created for this exhibit by Chicago based artist Jay Ryan.
An illustration of a blue-green river and lush forest scene featuring animals of the water, air and land amidst plants and clouds.
September 4, 2025 at 3:51 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Four shows worth binging.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer text in white on a black background Fringe text in gold on a black background Our Flag Means Death pink text on a black background with max original text in white at the top The head and shoulders of a man in a suit looking off to the right with the top of his head open and containing a miniature version of himself sitting at a computer in a cubicle. The background is a ceiling with florescent lights and the text Severance in white.
July 29, 2025 at 8:28 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
I finally saw The Warning in concert last night, and it was a dream come true! This is one of the most talented bands I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot. I can't wait to see them again! #thewarningarmy
A concert stage lit with blue and green spotlights featuring a giant banner that says The Warning and 3 women playing rock music in front of a crowd. A young woman with brown hair wearing a silver tank top playing a base guitar on stage while lit with red light. A young woman with red hair wearing a black tank top playing the drums on stage. A young blonde woman wearing a white tank top playing a lime green guitar and singing at a microphone as she looks off to the left.
July 23, 2025 at 2:53 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Day 3 with this pestilence, and it's awful. This is what I get for having too much fun in a crowd over the weekend. Stay safe and wash your hands. Maybe still mask up sometimes. #covid
A black background with white and gray letters that says Covid still sucks in all caps.
July 9, 2025 at 4:23 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
#resist
A picture that says Did You Know? Most of the devastating impacts of the recently passed legislation won't take effect until after the 2026 midterms or in 2028. Meanwhile, the tax benefits to regular Americans will start immediately, creating a sense of prosperity and making the damage that will be done. We need to stay angry and educate people on what's going to happen to them.
July 5, 2025 at 1:26 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
I bought this book that came in a kit with materials to do a couple of the projects. However, I selected my own colors and added in the outline stitching. You can see in the picture from the book what their version looks like. I've had to edit the colors in most of the patterns in this book.
The cover of a book that is yellow with a white banner at the top that says cross stitch creations and a red banner below it that says fine art with a subheading that says 12 patterns from the world's finest masters. There's a picture of a cross stitch loom with a giant wave and the authors' names at the bottom saying Josh Lohman and Rhys Turton. A page in a book that is a light blue background with a banner at the top that says Project 12 The Great Wave Off Kanagawa followed by a picture of a cross stitch of this work of art that's a giant wave in the ocean and a box at the bottom of the page that says artist: Katsushika Hokusai, pattern by: Lord Libidan, stitched by: Sherona Bauckham.
June 30, 2025 at 3:01 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Reading Turning to Stone by Marcia Bjornerud and came across this profound gem. In a time where we're on the verge of social cataclysm daily, I find it comforting to know that the Earth has its own plans for destruction and rebirth that have nothing to do with us. #booksky #rocks #cataclysm #rocks
A passage of text from the book Turning to Stone with a sentence highlighted in green that says, "In other words, to be an Earthling means learning to live with the inevitability of cataclysm."
June 30, 2025 at 7:26 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
After three years of working on this sporadically, I finally finished it! #crossstitch #thegreatwave
Cross stitch art of a giant blue wave crested with white foam over a peach colored boat being tossed on the water. It's an interpretation of The Great Wave Off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai.
June 28, 2025 at 2:45 AM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
Proud to be a #Chicagoan! #NoKings
Protesters marching in Chicago for No Kings Day Protesters marching in Chicago for No Kings Day Protesters marching in Chicago for No Kings Day Protesters marching in Chicago for No Kings Day
June 14, 2025 at 9:37 PM
auntieshellie.bsky.social
I spent the past week in this little paradise, #GrandMarais, MN, and now I have to go back to my life. I came home to a real shit show on every front, and the peace I experienced on this trip was annihilated. Why can't my artistic interests come with a living wage and health insurance?
May 29, 2025 at 2:02 PM