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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie

@turtlesoup.bsky.social

1K followers 180 following 1.1K posts

Cartoonist, illustrator, fanperson. Budding professional science writer & hobby naturalist/nature photographer. They/them. http://linktr.ee/alliekleber Expect lots of bird photos (and sometimes plants, bugs, etc). GenAI is not welcome here.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · Feb 21

To my steady & confusing stream of new followers: welcome! I'm a sporadic poster who treats this as more of a personal account than anything publicity-oriented. I'm an enthusiastic amateur nature photographer, a somewhat lapsed cartoonist, and sometimes share political posts but try not to deluge.

Computer-colored drawing of a pair of people in unusual/futuristic scuba gear swimming underwater holding hands; in the foreground, a tall, slender person of Filipino descent wearing a purple-blue suit and an odd organic bubble for a helmet, and further back, a Black woman with a scuba mask and simplified rebreather tank that fits around her neck, wearing a grey bodysuit. Behind them, a small black-and-white underwater drone shines beams of light forward; shelves of rock can be seen directly below the swimmers, and in the background, the silhouette of a submerged city.

A nine-panel black-and-white comic strip titled "uncomfortably numb," credited to Allie Kleber in 2020.

Panel 1: Depicts someone's pale-skinned hands and part of their lap; two fingers of their right hand are brushing against their bare left wrist.
Caption: Something's missing.

Panel 2: shows a white person with short hair and glasses facing away, standing at a kitchen counter and peeling a banana, with a steaming mug and bowl of something on the counter in front of them.
Caption: I get up, make breakfast.

Panel 3: The same person (wearing a different shirt) sits with their chin in their hand in front of a black laptop against a backdrop of book cases. They have a thought bubble with music notes and a Sarah Bareilles lyric" "... stirring in the cinnamon ..."
Caption: Work's boring, but fine.

Panel 4: A purring tabby cat sprawled on a blanket; feet are sticking out further back in the image.
Caption: The cat's a bit clingy, but that's hardly unusual.

Panel 5: Close-up on part of a phone being held in a pale hand, reading "1:52 Thurs, June 4" at the top and showing a social media feed and an email notification at the top.
Caption: The world continues to be on fire, so I boost and listen.
Sub-caption: (I know it's not enough.)

Panel 6: Shows the person riding a bike up a hill while wearing a face mask and looking over at a car next to them; word balloons read "puff" "puff"
Caption: Today I finally got off my ass and went for a ride.

Panel 7: The person is lying on their back, head on a pillow and eyes closed, wearing Airpods from which a word bubble emerges: "... bringing the attention back to the breath."
Caption: I've even been meditating.

Panel 8: The person sitting sideways on a couch with a book, looking up and out a window where a bird is flying past.
Caption: But I feel like I'm ... waiting.

Panel 9: A white blank with just the caption in the middle.
Caption: Though I know there is nothing to wait for.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 9h

Never in my life have I ever heard anyone refer to "upper" or "lower" New England.

Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie

Al Kennedy @alkennedy.bsky.social · 11h

Can you believe there is a contingent of people who think this Supernatural Season 7 villain is the future and a bunch of them post on here

LGBTQ Nation @lgbtqnation.com · 1d

Gavin Newsom vetoes gender education bill, declines to sign other trans protections - buff.ly/MTUAV85

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 9h

Your husband is another example of why this kind of absurd compulsory genderified nonsense is nonsense!

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 10h

Being an agender human who has to get a mammogram is already a dysphoria minefield. Did they really have to decorate this waiting room with pink plastic pumpkins?

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Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie

Esther Schindler @estherschindler.bsky.social · 2d

I just saw someone use the abbreviation “AI;DR” and I’ll be laughing for a while.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 1d

I have similar daydreams! I have idly contemplated printing up flyers a few times, or even drawing short, friendly explanatory zines.

cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 2d

(Doesn't make parking in the bike lane okay, especially in a really busy, congested area! But if there's a way to get people to understand that, I haven't found it, so maybe I can at least spare my stupid blood pressure.)

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 2d

I don't have any answers. I am always working towards better control of my temper, and I have definitely improved somewhat over my five years commuting by bike. Maybe this insight(?) can help with that, if nothing else.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 2d

He didn't understand that I saw his choice to block my only safe route through a particularly busy and noisy intersection as an act of violence. Honestly, I didn't really realize it myself until then.

What do people like him see? An innocent little faux pas? Might explain their apparent confusion.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 2d

I will admit that as an urban cyclist, I occasionally lose my temper with someone for parking in the bike lane. It's not nice and it's not effective, and I nearly always regret it.

I realized something last time, when someone said I was in the wrong, not him, because I was being RUDE.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 2d

Made some new #birdart this weekend - a common grackle, and an ovenbird. Both based on my own photos.

Sketchbook page with a mixed-media (color pencil & Copic marker) drawing of a common grackle perched on a bare tree branch, head turned to the side and some iridescence showing on its head and throat.

Postcard-sized mixed-media (color pencil & Copic marker) drawing of an ovenbird perched on a birch branch, head and tail up alertly. It has a word balloon, which just reads "!"

Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie

Sheryl Weikal and the colorful Parrotlegals @leftistlawyer.com · 4d

"The fights for trans rights and Palestinians are over and we lost" is something I'm seeing over and over from cis white progressives. And I'm seeing variations of this popping up about racial justice, marriage equality, and disability rights too.

Sorry, but fuck that.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 6d

At the end of the college-wide communications meeting, the director of career development told me I look very "dark academia" today. 🤨

A bespectacled middle-aged nonbinary white human standing beside an institutional brick building, wearing a black three-piece suit with a dark purple brocade-pattern shirt and a pastel purple necktie and holding a small notebook. They have a wry/confused expression.

Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie

🌻The Killing of a Sacred Snep🪐 @fm-synth.bsky.social · 7d

It's officially October 1st so that means you all have to repost Assorted cheese
hell.....yes

A package of assorted cheese with a cracker in a plastic container, from Westside Market, New York City on 77 Seventh Ave

The label reads:

Assorted cheese
hell.....yes

THE SKY IS DARK THE WIND IS COLD
THE NIGHT IS YOUNG BEFORE IT'S
OLD AND GREY. WE WILL KNOW THE
THRILL OF IT ALL--BRYAN FREEY

there is a barcode and it says 1 PCS

Packed on: & Sell by: OCT 01

Total price $5.99

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 8d

Someone heard me leaving my reps slightly emotional voicemail messages, got up, came over and got in my face to demand attention. ❤️

A gray tabby cat standing straddling the lap of a person lying in bed, face near a laptop screen.

A gray tabby cat sitting on his side at the corner of a bed, three paws resting on the arm/elbow of a light-skinned person beside him.

A gray tabby cat viewer from above where he sits on his side on a bed with blue sheets, three paws resting on the arm of a light-skinned human beside him.

cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 8d

Huh. I guess that's why I just couldn't get into it.

cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 9d

I dislike my Rep for plenty of reasons; we can just add this to the list.

cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 9d

I need a quick mood boost, and maybe you do too, so - here are some excellent #birds and other critters from a walk around Mount Auburn Cemetery on Saturday. The hawk was TINY - I thought sharpie, but I guess he's just a very small Coop. 🪶

An eastern chipmunk pausing half in shadow, with its cheek oucheds stuffed full and its forepaws resting on a low stone monument, staring directly into the camera. It's a small, adorable brown rodent with a white underside.

Head-and-shoulders close-up of a Cooper's hawk perched in a tree, its head turned to face so far to the side that it's almost fully facing from its back. It's a small hawk with a dark cap and wings, rusty orange-and-white barred chest, and red eyes.

A fresh-looking monarch butterfly perched on and feeding from a white daisy among many, its wings mostly spread and antennae down. It's a bright orange butterfly with black patterning on its wings; its body and the edges of its wings are black with large white spots.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 9d

I usually deliberately call my reps' offices after hours so I can leave a voicemail, because not only do I have social anxiety, but when I'm anxious, I tend to go off-script and lose at least some of my cool (such as it is). So that sucked. But hey, it was still over pretty fast. Your turn, please.

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Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie

Dylan Roth @dylanroth.bsky.social · 9d

I just called Chuck Schumer’s office and, for the first time EVER, a person answered, who then politely entered my complaints into their call log.

This tells me two things:

1) They’re not getting enough calls over there, and 2) If you want to yell at Schumer, today’s the day.

(212) 486-4430

Jay Edidin @edidin.bsky.social · 9d

hey, cis people. we need you to call every single elected official you've got, now.

PinkNews @pinknews.bsky.social · 9d

Trump threatens to shut down US government unless Democrats agree to ban all trans health care
https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/09/29/trans-care-ban-government-shutdown/?utm_content=1759153201&utm_medium=social&utm_source=bluesky

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 10d

YOU BET. ❤️

cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 10d

You guys ... you did it. Gen's GoFundMe is at 100%. (I have closed it to further donations.) I can breathe easy, knowing that I can fully cover his surgery in November.

Thank you so much to those of you who donated and/or boosted. I can't begin to tell you how much this means to me. 😭💖

A gray tabby cat snoozing, sprawled on his size on a plaid fleece blanket with his forepaws resting on a light-skinned human thigh.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 10d

Oh, he was such a good boy. I'm glad I got to meet him, and I'm sorry he's gone. 💔

cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 12d

Good morning! I'm stuck in the office today, and missing my very good remote-work assistant.

Speaking of Eugenides, I am floored to say that the fundraiser for his care is now at 95%. If I can raise another $521, he'll be completely covered for his surgery. I have no words for my gratitude.

Photo taken from the perspective of a light-skinned person lying on a bed with blue sheets, with a laptop in their lap, and a gray cat sitting on his side beside them with his tail extended to drape across their arm at the elbow and alongside it to the keyboard, where the tip curls up. The room beyond features a couple of large bookcases and a clothing-draped desk chair.

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cranky ol’ Auncle Allie @turtlesoup.bsky.social · 13d

I ... okay, sometime we should talk about this not on the internet when I'm capable of having a nuanced conversation.

(I genuinely thought they were canonically reptilian, and am confused!)