Y’all since there’ no newsletter on Wednesdays I will be sending out recordings of two interviews today—first this one with Wajahat Ali, and, later today, my conversation with Anat Shenker-Osorio. These discussions are so fun and informative—I hope you enjoy!
(Also Wajahat is my absolute favorite.)
Talk later!
Jess
Chop Wood, Carry Water is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Last night Julio was curled up in Perfect Cat Position so I just captured him.
My foot was much better yesterday. A little off but not like Monday. And today is about the same. Monday felt like it was not only cramped to the max but with the add on of stabbing pain. Today it feels like it could cramp up in any minute but it's not cramping now. So grateful.
I tested out some new goggle in the pool this morning. FAIL. The ones I have been using are, in fact, the reflective ones Google says should work. At least they don't bore holes into my eye sockets like the others. Amazon return. Otherwise my swim was good.
And I remembered, coming home, that I'd forgot to send the Food and Beverage Committee paperwork for duplication to reception. Yikes. Did that and, hopefully, as long as they printer isn't broken, they will have it in time for the 1:30 meeting. Whew.
So meeting at 1:30 and then fixing up the minutes while it's fresh on my mind plus, Harriet needs them for a meeting tomorrow. And that's it for my day.
Friday is my foot doctor appointment BUT ALSO the first baseball game of the year. It's a Spring Training game. I remember years when I was counting the days until this game. One year I was on jury duty and could only listen on breaks. This year, I'm interested but if something else comes along, it won't kill me to miss it.
My CPA should have my taxes done any day now. It will be nice to get them out of the way but I am not the least bit stressed about them. I'm sure, if I owe anything, it's not much. And, I don't even expect his bill to be that much - but whatever it is, it is totally worth it to me.
Whew my copies are ready at reception.
Better go get 'em before someone else does. No one is going to but I do need the steps.
Thanks to those of you who made calls about Juan Nicolas yesterday—I think it made a difference. He was apparently rushed to the hospital late last night and has been diagnosed with bronchitis. That’s the “good news,” such as it is—he was finally seen by doctors and it’s because of your pressure. The bad news is that he is no longer at the hospital—he was discharged this morning and sent back to Dilley. Unbelievable, right?
Juan is in the medical unit there, so at the very least we have made his captors understand that this baby must receive better care. Still, the fact that he’s back at Dilley is appalling. I am following Lidia Terraza’s feed closely and will let you know what happens next (or follow her yourself!). In the meantime we are going to make more noise to our lawmakers about getting these children and babies out of custody.
Meanwhile, ICE continues to make all of us less safe. They killed another American citizen yesterday, in fact—a beloved school teacher who died Monday morning in Savannah as a driver fleeing ICE officers ran a red light and hit her vehicle. This woman wasn’t a protestor. She wasn’t “Antifa.” She was Linda Davis, a teacher at a local elementary school, and she was simply going about her business when the chaos that surrounds ICE everywhere enveloped and destroyed her.
This isn’t partisan. It is a simple fact: we are in greater danger with ICE in our neighborhoods than without them. We must keep calling Congress and demanding they do something. If you want to learn how better to keep your community safe from ICE, by the way, Red, Wine, and Blue has a training on that tonight.
Finally, an apology: on Friday I posted an electoral spreadsheet that turned out to be fairly rife with errors and omissions. I am so sorry. I should have vetted it better. The good news is that one of the readers who wrote me about it told me about a resoucre that does a similar thing, but with greater accuracy. The resource is provided by Force Multiplier, an independent, all-volunteer, self-funded organization whose goal is “to help you maximize the impact of your political investments of time and money.” I’ve admired Force Multiplier’s work for years and regularly recommend their events, so I can vouch for them and their recommendations. Here is a link to their House Slate page. People can click on the candidate’s name under their picture to see a lot of detail. Take a look at their Senate page too.
Again, sorry I wasn’t more careful. Haste always makes waste, and my case is no exception. I will endeavor to be more careful going forward.
OK, folks. There’s lots more to talk about but we’re not here to talk—we’re here to act! So let’s get to it, knowing that WE are the heroes we’ve been waiting for, and that if anyone is up to stopping this authoritarian takeover it is us, standing together, with love at the center.
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I’m calling to demand that ICE release every single child in detention right now—especially 2-month-old Juan Nicolas, who is at Dilley and was hospitalized with bronchitis just last night. These places are not safe for children, not to mention that the Trump administration is violating the Flores Settlement by regularly keeping kids imprisoned in them for longer than 20 days.
[If GOP:] Second, I support everything in Democrats’ list of demands for ICE. They killed another American citizen yesterday, this time in Savannah, GA. They are not making us more safe. They are killing us, racially profiling people, trampling on our Constitutional rights, and turning the US into an authoritarian state. Defund and abolish them now! Or at the very least codify Democrats’ demands. Thanks.
[If Democrat] Second, please stay strong and do not cave until Republicans give you everything you want on ICE. Americans support you. ICE killed another person yesterday. This can’t continue. No DHS funding until ICE is reined in. Thanks.
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
First, I’m calling to demand that ICE release every single child in detention right now—especially 2-month-old Juan Nicolas, who is at Dilley and was hospitalized with bronchitis just last night. These places are not safe for children, not to mention that the Trump administration is violating the Flores Settlement by regularly keeping kids imprisoned in them for longer than 20 days. Why are there no consequences for that? Shut down these family detention centers now!
Second, Pam Bondi needs to go. There can be no justice for the Epstein victims while she is the AG, and these women deserve justice. Has the Congressmember called for Bondi’s impeachment yet? [If yes, thank. If not add:] May I ask why not? Does the Congressmember think her atrocious treatment of the victims last week, her lies under oath, her blatant weaponization of the DOJ are acceptable? If not they need to call for her impeachment now. Thanks.
Both Vanguard and Blackrock have Core Civic and GEO Group in their investment portfolios. It may be fruitless, but I still think we should contact them and tell them to divest. So I did. Join me?
Contact Vanguard at privacy@vanguard.com. This is the only email address I could find—I got it from their operator so I know it’ll get to someone at Vanguard. Let’s use it.
I said (and this isn’t particularly great—feel free to write your own):
I’m writing as someone who has funds invested with you. But more importantly, I’m a human being who cares for other humans. I know your funds are heavily invested in both GEO Group and Core Civic, companies profiting massively off of the construction and running of concentration camps for immigrants. It’s disgusting — this is blood money, pure and simple. I urge you to divest from both companies. It’s not a matter of if—but rather when—such investment becomes economically and reputationally toxic. It is already morally toxic, as I’m sure you know.
Your divestment could make a huge impact in our fight against cruelty, ethnic cleansing, and possible genocide at the hands of the the US government. Your failure to do so will put you on the wrong side of both humanity and history.
Divest, please.
Get Smart! 📚
CAP Action presents: Andy Beshear—Focussing on What Matters.
Thursday, Feb. 19 at 9AM ET
Please join the Center for American Progress for remarks by Gov. Beshear, followed by a conversation with CAP Action CEO Neera Tanden. This event runs in tandem with the ongoing series, “What’s Next: Conversations on the Path Forward” at CAP Action’s sister organization, the Center for American Progress.
This event will be in person AND on Zoom. RSVP here.
Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣
Hi folks! Please help with recruitment for the March 28th No Kings National Day of Non-Violent Action. We may think “everyone already knows about it!” but that’s not true. If we want this protest to be as big as we need it to be we need to recruit outside of our usual bubbles. Please use the toolkit below to spread the word everywhere!
Each Step Home has launched a commissary fund for families in detention. I love this org and know its founder. I totally vouch for them.
From them:
No child belongs in a detention cell. Help us alleviate some of the pain for the children locked away at Dilley Immigration Processing Center. Reports include worms in their food, guards shouting orders and snatching toys from small hands, restless nights under fluorescent lights that never fully go dark, and hours in line for a single pill. Donate today to add funds to families’ commissary accounts. These funds will allow families to buy the most basic items, like clean water or a phone call to lawyers and loved ones.
(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)
I am writing regarding the House passage of the SAVE America Act and the growing discussion of unilateral executive action to impose national voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements ahead of the midterm elections.
Members of Congress should understand clearly: voters are paying attention.
It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections. Yet the SAVE America Act would impose sweeping documentary proof-of-citizenship requirements and new identification mandates that risk disenfranchising eligible Americans — particularly naturalized citizens, married women whose names differ from birth certificates, military voters, students, and elderly voters without ready access to original documents.
At the same time, a recently expanded federal citizenship verification system (SAVE) has demonstrated documented inaccuracies. In multiple states, naturalized citizens were incorrectly flagged as potential noncitizens. Some were temporarily barred from voting or required to provide additional documentation despite having registered lawfully. Publicly reported searches across tens of millions of voters have identified only a minuscule fraction of suspected ineligible registrations — directly undermining claims of widespread fraud.
When my doctor asked about any other issues, I said 'well, the normal back and leg issues from being old and fat and out of shape.' That's when she started talking GLP-1. She said not so much for the numbers but for the burden relief. And that's how it got started.
I'm about finishing 4 weeks and I've lost some of me steadily - not too much. I think she'll be pretty pleased when I check in with her in a couple of months. I haven't yet lost enough to notice anywhere but on the scales.
Except...
My wrists!
I wear a watchband on my left wrist and 3 DNR bangle bracelets on my right. My watchband kept sliding around so I couldn't tell the time without fiddling with it so yesterday I took out a link Much better.
Today, after maybe 5 months of wear at this size, my bangle bracelets fell off twice during volleyball. Just now I took them off and squeezed them smaller.
So, Susan, where would you like to lose weight? Ass? Hips? Boobs? Chins? Nah, let's go wrists.
Yesterday morning, I put on shoes and socks and took a step and pain shot right through me. My right foot's pinched nerve spent the day being horribly painfully pinchy. I managed to walk down to the buffet to pick up dinner and when I got back and got off my foot, it still hurt for another hour. It woke me up a couple of times last night and kinda felt sore this morning but I walked to the pool and played an hour and a half of volleyball and walked back and so far, so good.
My appointment is Friday and I almost called yesterday to see if I could scooche it up. But, I didn't and maybe it will be fine. I do know that I have exactly 0 tolerance for chronic pain. And I hate my feet. Particularly the right one.
My credit card is at UPS getting loaded onto the truck but, honestly, now that Amazon has the right number and I can use my phone's wallet, I am not longer in a panic to even get it. I got an email from Chase saying I don't even need to authenticate it. Slick.
We only had 5 for volleyball this morning but it was the best 5 so it worked out. I turned to Gemini about the sun's glare while swimming. I've been using dark polarized goggles and Gemini said what I need is good reflective goggles and gave me a list starting at $90. ! I found some $50 ones for $30 on Amazon and ordered. They arrived yesterday but they were dumped at the front desk instead of put into the lockers. When packages get dumped, you have to wait for them to be delivered. They deliver M-F in the afternoon except for the days they do not. Saturday, a security guy brought up my order from Chewy's which was really nice. Yesterday, I got nothing. Hopefully, I'll get the goggles today.
Today is housecleaning day. I did laundry yesterday. I have kind of a Jones for a Goodwill trip but not with this foot so that will need to be another day.
I’d decided to take the day off from the newsletter, as I generally follow the federal holiday schedule, but there is one thing I urge you to do today as it’s extremely time sensitive. Oh, and I also accidentally scheduled a Substack Live at 4PM with the amazing Anat Shenker-Osorio, forgetting it was a holiday. We’re going to go ahead and do it anyway, so please join us if you like! Anatis an American political strategist and messaging consultant. Talking to her about how to talk about our political moment is both fascinating and deeply instructive. I think you’ll enjoy the conversation.
Now onto our one action, which is of life or death importance.
First watch the below video abut a two-month-old baby, Juan Nicolas, who is detained with his mom at Dilley Detention Center in Texas. He is sick, and rapidly growing sicker. As of this writing he has not yet seen a doctor at all. The video below is by an independent reporter named Lidia Terrazas, who seems to be the only journalist covering this story. It has been picked up, however, by online pediatricians, who are sounding the alarm that this baby is in mortal danger without immediate medical treatment.
Please call Dilley Detention Center at 830-378-6500 (as soon as you hear the recorded greeting press zero and you’ll get a receptionist.)
I simply said:
I’m calling to demand that two-month-old Juan Nicolas be immediately released with his mother into the care of a hospital. He is going to die if he’s not seen. Get him medical help now, and get him out of that facility. It’s no place for any child, let alone a baby. Thanks.
Then call your reps, even though their offices will likely be closed today, and leave a message saying:
My name is ______ and I’m a constituent from [zip.] Please ask the Congressmember / Senator to do everything in their power to get Juan Nicolas, the 2-month-old baby in Dilley Detention Center, out of that facility and into a hospital immediately. He is going to die if he isn’t treated. That facility is no place for any child, and especially not for a baby. Get him out of there and shut that place down! Thanks.
If you’re new to this the number to call is 202-224-3121, or look up your representatives’ district office phone numbers on their official websites.
OK, all. Happy President’s day. I hope you get some rest, and that I’ll see some of you on my Live with Anat later today.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
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I remember losing my credit card once in the early 2000's. I kept being bounced from one support person to another. I practically had to have a legal affidavit saying that the card was nowhere in my house, care or clothing. Finally, the next day, the declared it dead and agreed to replace it. "Your new card will be there in 4 to 6 weeks." I think it was closer to 5 but by then, of course, I had a new card from a different bank.
This morning my card, lost Saturday, is useable via my phone and Amazon and I don't even know the number myself yet! Nice. The only real stickler is Chewy. I'll need to have the whole number for them. I do have my backup card and I also have a healthy supply of cat food and tofu litter. So it's fine.
Bonny popped in yesterday afternoon "You wanna go over to the Wild Fin for happy hour about 4:30?" SURE!! So we did. We had a drink and an appetizer (tacos) and it was lovely, different and delicious. She's getting a new hip on May 4th and she's fairly freaked out about it. She's been putting it off for years. We did go in my car. She drives a giant Lexus and had never been in a Smart car before. When I turned it on, she squealed. "Look at that dashboard, it's got nothing on it!!" hahahaha. I remember the first time I took Myrna in it, she exclaimed "Wow! This feels like a real car!" Bonny did ask where the engine was and I told her that I knew where the battery was but had no clue where the engine was. I've only had the car for 14 years.
No swimming today. I have an appointment on Friday with the foot guy. I'm going to ask him about the skin issues on the bottom of my toes but mainly I need another cortisone shot. My right foot is very unhappy again. He fixed it once.
One project today is to find a new book. I finished The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett last night. It remained delightfully weird and quirky to the very end. It's going to be a tough one to follow. I think I need a bloody murder mystery with no melodrama.
And I'm back to mini monsters on the knitting needles. I made 40 bunnies - well, actually 45 if you count the test bunnies (not pictured).
Martha wants to add neck ribbons and cotton tails to them. I don't care one way or another. I'll put them out for adoption starting on March.
I watched Song Sung Blue yesterday. I am so not a movie person but I did make it to the end. I thought Kate Hudson was amazing. I thought Hugh Jackman was very meh. And the movie was ok. The fact that I watched it to the end is probably the highest praise from me. The music was fun.
Once again, this newsletter has so much good news in it that it’s almost too long to fit within Substack’s limits. I had to cut items! That means that even though we’re living through the worst possible times, good things are still happening! Let’s keep focussing on, celebrating, and amplifying them, because that’s how we find the strength to keep going—and creating new victories!
So read this list, savor it, and then please share it. Let people know that these wins aren’t happening in a vacuum—they’re happening because people like YOU keep showing up and doing the work.
I literally couldn’t be more proud of you.
ENJOY!
Celebrate This! 🎉
Four Republican New Mexico candidates were disqualified after failing to meet ballot requirements. As a result, and if he rebuffs a primary challenge, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján is set to avoid a Republican opponent in his bid for a second term
Hundreds of rabbis, cantors, and Jewish leaders protested outside of ICE headquarters in DC this week.
CA Governor Newsom just signed legislation delivering $90 million to reproductive health care providers across the state. This is to help them survive Trump’s brutal cuts in the OBBBA.
The Virginia Supreme Court said the state could hold a special election on Democratic lawmakers’ redistricting plan aimed at countering GOP gerrymanders nationwide.
A Montana court blocked a state law that would have required students to declare their intent to remain in the county after graduation to register to vote using their college address. If upheld, the measure would have barred thousands of students from voting in their own communities.
House Democrats successfully forced a vote to stop Donald Trump's erratic trade war with Canada that has raised costs for working families and small businesses. The vote succeeded, with several Republicans crossing the aisles to vote with them.
Homeboy Industries, long known as one of the largest gang intervention and reentry programs in the world, has acquired the historic Monastery of the Angels in the Hollywood Hills, with plans to transform the 4-acre property into a residential addiction treatment center.
An Arkansas court blocked a state law that required signatures from at least 50 counties to be collected for an initiative to qualify to be on the ballot — a significantly higher threshold than the state constitution requires.
The 19 Buddhist monks doing a Walk For Peace reached their final destination, D.C., after more than 100 days and 2,300 miles of walking.
Michigan has filed a “groundbreaking” lawsuit against four major fossil fuel companies and the top U.S. oil lobbying group for its role in fueling both the climate crisis and rising energy costs, saying they acted as a “cartel.”
Downhill skier Breezy Johnson not only earned Team USA’s first gold medal of the 2026 Winter Olympics, but she was also the first openly LGBTQ+ athlete to win gold at the games.
A judge extended a block on a Trump administration effort to freeze funding for social services to five Democrat-led states, at the request of Minnesota, California, Illinois, New York, and Colorado.
A judge dismissed the deportation case of Narciso Barranco, an Orange County landscaper and father of three U.S. Marines who was taken into immigration custody last summer.
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to return a college freshman to the United States within two weeks after she was mistakenly deported to Honduras in November.
Health care workers in New York City reached a tentative agreement to end a strike at two of three major health systems that has lasted a month and involved nearly 15,000 nurses.
Oscar-nominated director Paul Thomas Anderson and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood formally requested that a piece of music from their 2017 film “Phantom Thread” be removed from the new documentary about Melania Trump.
The factory worker who heckled Trump last month, Thomas “TJ” Sabula, did not get fired for calling Trump a “pedophile protector.” UAW says the 40-year-old is back working and does not have a negative mark on his personnel file.
The DNC launched Local Listeners, a new program to engage over a million infrequent voters who voted in 2020 but sat out 2024 across key congressional districts and states.
A federal judge struck down a Texas law that bars the state from investing in companies that boycott fossil-fuel companies, saying the measure is unconstitutional and overly broad.
In an unexpected reversal, Trump approved a funding boost for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program — a much-needed utility-bill assistance program he proposed killing less than a year ago.
Morgan McSweeney, the chief of staff to Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain, resigned under pressure after days of political upheaval over his role in the appointment of Peter Mandelson, a friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as US ambassador.
Olympians representing Team USA have used their platforms to speak out against the Trump administration’s violent immigration raids in Minnesota and across the country.
Bad Bunny’s halftime show was the most watched in history. It was also AMAZING!!
A federal judge in Illinois ruled that the Trump administration cannot rescind $600 million in public health grants allocated to four Democratic-led states, for now.
A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must facilitate the return to the U.S. of some alleged Venezuelan gang members who were unlawfully deported last March.
A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Michigan officials that sought to force them to hand over voters’ private information.
The DOJ dropped felony charges against two Venezuelan men accused of hitting an ICE officer in Minnesota, after fresh evidence undermined the government’s version of events.
A federal judge ruled that Sen. Mark Kelly is “likely to succeed on the merits” of his case against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and temporarily barred the Pentagon from moving forward with actions to punish Kelly.
A Missouri real estate developer will not sell a publicly subsidized 1-million-square-foot warehouse to ICE after local outrage led the Port Authority of Kansas City to cut ties with the firm.
in Virginia, Democrat Elizabeth Bennett-Parker clinched victory in a special election for state senate.
West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner (R) is the latest in a string of Republican chief election officials to push back against the DOJ’s voter roll grab.
Hundreds of students from Western Carolina University walked over 1.7 MILES, to vote at their new polling location after the NC Elections board voted to close their on-campus polling site.
New York joined the World Health Organization's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network after Trump withdrew the U.S. from the UN's global health agency.
The American Medical Association announced the launch of its own “evidence-based review process” of vaccine safety and efficacy for the next respiratory viral season
New Hampshire’s Republican governor Kelly Ayotte vetoed a bill that would have banned trans people from bathrooms, sporting events, and other spaces that align with their gender identity.
Todd Lyons, the acting chief of ICE, admitted to senators that federal immigration officers would have “no reason” to be at voting locations this November.
This week, new data came out showing that anti-Trump protests are roughly four times as common as they were at the same point in his first term. The backlash isn’t just in the polls, in other words. It’s everywhere.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger endorsed a constitutional amendment to automatically restore voting rights to people with felony convictions when they leave prison. State lawmakers passed the amendment and it will now appear on the state ballot.
Leaders in Chatham County, NC approved a moratorium that would ban the construction of data centers and cryptocurrency mining for a year in the county.
Pam Bondi was confronted by a protester when arriving at the Capitol for her disastrous hearing. The protestor shouted: "Bondi you are a disgrace to the American people! You protect pedophiles who systematically rape children!" 👏🏼👏🏼
Chop Wood, Carry Water is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
My best morning is after a lovely sleep, waking up to dark, drinking my coffee and interneting and then going for a swim, all before the first light. For half the year, I can do that easily. But, today starts the other half of the year. I woke up at 6:30 and I could see light. CURSES! I'll get a bit of a reprieve when day light saving time kicks in but only about a week until it's full assed daylight before I open my eyes. And soon it will be full assed sun in the pool unless I want to swim at 4 am. ARUGH. Oh well, it was a lovely winter. And at least I have shades I can lower in here. And maybe someday they will get the fucking shades at the pool fixed. Meanwhile I need to get blackout goggles. My dark ones aren't going to cut it.
My CPA uses this secure file system for exchanging documents. It's very easy on my end plus, it tells me when he downloads the stuff I uploaded. Dude was working at 9 pm last night - Valentine's. Ahhh the life of a CPA.
Hazel, John and Joan all have some kind of cold/crud. Timber Ridge now has a nurse who will come to your apartment and assess or wound dress or any number of other things. It's a FABULOUS service and she is really good. She's seen them all and so we know it's not life threatening but... John and Joan are over 90 and Hazel is close so on any given day, breathing can be life threatening. I do find myself not as interested in spending a lot of time in the elbow and walking on the other side of the hall when I pass their apartments.
I did get to Target yesterday. What a shit show that store has turned into. They had 5,897 different colors and combos of thin ankle socks. I wanted socks with thick bottoms. So I went to the men's section. Every single piece of their mens underwear was behind lock and key so you had to find some invisible sales person with attitude to unlock to even look at the shit. I bought a twofer bundle of cheap assed socks on sale (even so paying double what they are really worth) and got out of there.
Then on to Trader Joe's where I discovered at checkout that there was a problem with my credit card. DECLINED 3 times! WTF?? The really sweet clerk said his end indicated the card "has been compromised." So I whipped out my debit card and then went to the car to investigate. Sure enough, I did not have the card. Where the fuck was it?
Oh well, I've had that card/number and secret 3 digit code for a fair number of years and used it for everything. Would not hurt to refresh. So I called Chase. And I learned a lot. 1. There is no way in the app or online, to find out your actual full card number. If you don't have it written down somewhere else or have the card, you do not have the full number. 2. Chase is actually pretty damn efficient at this stuff. I had to wait and I was transferred but I never had to hear hold music. There were no weird charges on my card. Once I verified that I did not have it, they started the replacement stuff. 5-7 business days. "Oh no, said I, can't you expedite that?" "Of course, I can. 1-2 business days. It will come via UPS and probably be there Monday." Thank you.
I totally forgot to ask why they had locked the card in the first place. Then I remembered/pieced together what probably happened. The only time I actually use the actual card is at Hobby Lobby where Jesus won't let them use Google Pay. Yet another reason for not shopping there. I need to stop that. I'm guessing I left the card there and they called Chase and Chase said ok will lock it down. But, that was Tuesday and I've charged stuff since then, haven't I?
Oh well. done is done. But, here's the interesting bit. When I got home, I logged on to check and verify when I was actually in Hobby Lobby and when I looked, Chase had already changed my card number to the new one! And, according to them, I can use the new card in my digital wallet right away. Interestingly, even though I have my Amazon and Chase account linked together, the old card number is still showing up there so I'm afraid to use it for Amazon purchases. I'll wait until the new one comes and everything looks kosher.
And I need to make sure all my credit/debit card full numbers are written down somewhere I have easy access to whenever and wherever.
Someone opened up YET another Poshmark account with my email address. Holy fuck people. Lean your email address and it is NOT susandennis@gmail.com. Poshmark sends out a lott o shit.
Ok, now I need to go pull an uncrustable out of the freezer and clean up my breakfast dishes and scoop out the litter box and then watch Tia Weston's Sunday morning YouTube update. Busy day!
Well, happy cheap-filled-chocolates-in-heart-shaped-boxes day, for those
in a position to take advantage of it. And I hope that any of you who
celebrated yesterday had a good Valentine's day, and that the rest of us
got through it okay. It isn't a good day for the bereft. The last few
days haven't been all that good for my back, either -- no idea what I did
to cause muscle spasms, but I wish I hadn't.
I did accomplish a few things last week: getting my legs wrapped
in elastic ("Ace") bandages to reduce the swelling, setting up a trip to
the US next month (in time to renew my driver's license), taking three
walks (not all that good, but something at least), and one guitar practice
session (also not all that good, but something).
For those folks affected, or soon to be affected, by Discord's new age checks, or worried about further enshittification
over the next year or three, there are some lists of alternatives under
the cut for your edification. Almost all on Friday, along with some more
commentary. A couple on Tuesday. Tl;dr: there isn't an obvious drop-in
replacement, but Stoat comes close and is
under active development.
Volleyball was fun this morning. Two of the players will be gone next week so it could be dicey but today was fine.
I'm still enamoured with my new toy. It's an android tablet (think giant phone) but it has way more tricks. It has something called PC mode where the screen moves from phone like to PC like (with toolbar at the bottom, etc). It's weird but interesting.
The keyboard is still great but the screen with the stylus is also VERY cool. I can write out in handwriting what I want - like search terms in Google - and the screen replaces my chicken scratch with print and the search begins - in an instant. It's just very cool.
Also I discovered last night that the app that I use to listen to Library books - Libby - also has a giant magazine section. And they are a joy to thumb through on this tablet. And they are free.
Elbow coffee starts in a bit. I never got to Target for socks yesterday and now I need some Trader Joe's stuff which is next door so maybe after elbow coffee, I'll make a little trip.
But, as usual, with these entries, when I get done, I get dressed!
"As I was saying, imagine my confusion when I arrived to find the two of you still circling each other like Zunidh's most innocent pair of nuns. Now, I know you're familiar with the mechanics, Cliopher, and he has a reputation—" Conju scowled in a way that Cliopher was learning to associate with reminders that their Fitzroy was, in fact, the Fitzroy Angursell and not someone who simply happened to share his name—"so that only leaves the question of why."
The patient masseuse gently rubbed warm oil into Eidora's wrinkled hands. She was getting better at ignoring the voice in her head that insisted she should be doing something more important with her day. Much harder to ignore, was the voice that idly wondered what was happening to the family in her absence.
In a rare break in the Gorjo City Opera House’s lead soprano’s busy schedule, Eidora Mdang takes her husband and children for a holiday on the far side of Loaloa. Her favourite sister, Oura, tags along.
It would be easier, I’d thought, down in the deep caves of my heart, where I couldn’t see what I couldn’t have. It didn’t work; he came after me anyway.
Cliopher isn't jealous, really. Ludvic had gained the marks by saving Fitzroy's life; it would be strange to be jealous of such a terrifying thing, an event he still had nightmares about.
He just - thinks they are beautiful. And attractive, in a way. And he can't stop himself from staring at them. But it's not like he could say anything...
That morning, when Melissa sees him from across the garden, her breath comes in sharply. If there had been any doubt, his appearance makes it abundantly clear who he is.
3 short stories showing Melissa’s love life through different types of love and relationships. (While not being a major downer, which is tricky because Melissa really gets the short end of the stick in cannon.)
Mellisa and lady Jivane- post fall Mellisa’s first crush- age 16 Found family- HOTE era ish
It's now 2:15 and except for a short lunch/Jeopardy break, I've been at this tablet since it got here this morning and I'm in love. It's weird. I've had Chromebooks for years and android phones for even longer and while this is android, it really falls between the Chromebook and the phone and is kind of an operating system of its own.
Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus
The keyboard is one of those that attaches magnetically. It is one of the nicest keyboards I've ever typed on. Clean, sure key presses and no weirdness at all. Honestly, I wish my Chromebook keyboards were this good. Heck, I'd still be using my Google Pixelbook, if the keyboard had been half this nice.
The pen is fine. It's not as functional as say an Apple pen and the handwriting experience does not have as nice a feel as the Kindle Scribe but it works great and I'll be using it a lot. I have a note taking app that you just write with the pen and then lasso what you wrote and it turns it right into text. Soooo cool. (Taking minutes at the Food & Beverage meetings!) And there is a spot for the pen to sit where it also charges. Quite handy.
Oh and there's a whole section for watching streams - I swipe left and there are all my streams even with suggestions for what to watch. I think I might be liking that most of all.
There's some weirdness in the operation and I cannot decide if I'd rather use Gmail from the app or from a Chrome tab - baby steps. But I sure do like this new toy.
From reader Denise Y: “About 25 people showed up this morning in frigid temperatures to protest in front of the ICE facility in Framingham, Massachusetts. For the hour and a half we were there many, many people driving by smiled, honked, and waved. Democracy in action!”
Hi, all, and happy Friday.
Made it through another week! And it’s been a wild one, even by today’s standards.
There’s a thing they talk about in recovery circles—I call it the parable of the red dog and the green dog. It’s simple, and goes like this: We each have two dogs inside of us, a red one and a green one. The red dog is all of our dark impulses—self-hatred, fear, addiction, anger, isolation, etc. The yellow dog is our “light” impulses—love, connection, honesty, sobriety, and the like.
The two dogs are in constant battle. So what determines which one wins?
It comes down to which one we feed.
Our country is having its own red dog and green dog moment. We have a red dog that is fear, exploitation, greed, racism, hate, dictatorship. We have a green dog that is love, justice, tolerance, empathy, community, democracy. Both dogs are extremely powerful. They have battled for the duration of our country’s existence. That battle has now grown internecine—perhaps it always was.
So which dog will win?
Again, the one we feed.
That’s why I look at this work not so much as fighting the “bad guys” as helping the good ones. I try not to fight the red dog. Because doing so, in many ways, helps it, not me.
Instead I just feed the green one. Because doing so helps it and me.
That’s what our actions here are about. Feeding the proverbial green dog. It’s how we sustain this work, but it’s also how we win. And, ironically, how we care for ourselves!
So when things get overwhelming, when it seems impossible to track the plethora of evils we face, when hate seems to have taken a million forms, I quiet my mind and focus my purpose by remembering “that’s the red dog. What can I do for the green one?”
Friends, the green dog is better fed than ever these days. It is thriving. So instead of worrying about every instance of evil coming out of this administration, let’s channel our righteous energies towards growing love. Growing justice. Growing tolerance. Growing empathy. Growing community. Growing democracy. There are literally countless ways we can do these things. All of us can find a few that work for us.
And that’s a great thing. Because the more these things grow, the more our opponents will wither, falter, and fail.
It may seem counterintuitive, but this approach works—I have lived experience to prove it, and I’m not alone. Best of all, it strengthens us. Because it turns out feeding the green dog also feeds us.
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I want the Senate to pass every item in the Democrats’ ICE “wish list.” But I also want them to fully fund The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. That office, which is charged with inspecting ICE detention facilities and investigating officers’ use of force, among other duties, has been all but eliminated. Fund it, staff it, and give it binding enforcement authority. This is really important.
[If GOP add:] Finally, vote no on the SAVE America Act. This bill will suppress Republican votes as well as Democratic ones. It will cause chaos in our elections. It will also turn every married woman in America against Republicans. Don’t do it. Thanks.
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
First, I understand that Rep. Larson has introduced a Resolution of Inquiry (H.Res.1059) requesting that the Trump administration furnish information to Congress relating to DOGE’s access to NUMIDENT and other personally identifiable information at the Social Security Administration. We know DOGE violated security protocols and we know our data got leaked. We want to know how, why, and how serious a breach this was. Please ask the Congressmember to sign on to this Resolution. Thanks.
Also Pam Bondi needs to be impeached. So does Kristi Noem and Epstein Island visitor Howard Lutnick. This administration is an embarrassment and a disgrace. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Please also send a letter to your Senators about the Boundary Water bill? It’s important! Go here—it takes two seconds.
Get Smart! 📚
ICE is not done terrorizing communities. The agency has quietly rented 150 new office spaces nationwide to begin new operations. They aren’t quitting, and neither can we.
Red Wine & Blue wants to help you prepare and feel safe if ICE comes to your town. Join them and their partners, the ACLU and Democracy Security Project, on Tuesday, February 17, at 7:30PM ET to learn how!
The No Kings map is going LIVE on Tuesday! DemCast made a social media toolkit to start drumming up excitement! If people sign up on the webiste they’ll get information as soon as it drops.
“I’ve developed a House & Senate Dashboard that identifies the 10 to 20 GOP seats most vulnerable to flipping and similar number of Dem seats needing immediate defense based on real-time betting data. My tool explicitly tracks shifts in candidate cash and polling (e.g., NE-02, ME-02, NC & GA senate) to ensure your readers’ daily actions are targeted where they have the highest mathematical impact. What distinguishes my tool from lists at DCCC, DSCC, Oath, Swing Left and others are:
My lists are prioritized. They list the easiest GOP seat to flip first and also the most vulnerable Dem seat to defend first.
Donate with 1 click to each candidate in ActBlue.
All publicly available data used to prioritize all seats are clearly displayed making the prioritization understandable.
Oath & Swing Left data are cross referenced.
Updated and explained when new data arrive
1/2 page action packed Executive Summary is available for those with limited time BUT at the same time 4 pages full of details for those who want ALL details are also available.
Prioritization help motivated people with limited $ to donate wisely to where it is most needed.
I hope this will be a helpful resource for your ‘Daily Actions’ newsletter to help the community prioritize and maximize their 2026 donations to take back the House & Senate.”
Remember Tesla Takedown? Amazing regular people adopted a local Tesla store and started regular actions. We’re doing the same thing with Enterprise, who holds a contract with ICE. This campaign is kicking off in earnest February 16th and the call is for you to join in and host an action at an Enterprise near you anywhere in the world.
Find a toolkit with everything you need to take action here.
CoreCivic (formerly Corrections Corporation of America) is the largest owner and operator of ICE and Border Patrol detention centers. It has a record of abusing detainees
CoreCivic is also a public-held corporation, meaning that it’s listed on the stock exchange. We may not own its shares directly, but many of us entrust our savings to institutional investors such as Black Rock and Vanguard, which own significant shares in CoreCivic.
Black Rock accounts for 16 percent of CoreCivic’s total shares. Vanguard Group Inc. holds 12 percent. They are CoreCivic’s largest shareholders. As such, they have the most influence (other than the federal government’s Department of Homeland Security, if DHS were acting responsibly) over how CoreCivic runs its detention facilities.
Find out if your savings are held by one or both of these two giant institutional investors. (Check with your broker or look at the reports they send you.) If they are, ask your broker to withdraw your savings from them and put them in another institution that doesn’t hold shares of CoreCivic.
Win Races! 🗳
FOR NORTH CAROLINA FOLKS!
How to Win in Urban North Carolina—February 23, 4:00-5:00 PM ET
North Carolina has multiple, fast-growing urban areas—the Triangle, the Triad, Greater Mecklenburg and more. Three hundred people a day move to North Carolina. That fuels rapid growth by Asian-Americans and Latines, by younger white people into suburbs, and by retirees.
Hear from leading community organizers who are building power and winning elections in these areas. These organizing groups have grown up in the last decade and are crucial to harnessing the power of new residents and long-established of-color urban and rural communities.
Worried about climate now that Trump has repealed the endangerment finding? Download the Climate Action Now app. I’m telling you—the five minutes a day you spend taking the actions it recommends will a) make you feel so much better and b) really make a difference! Trump’s attacks on science do suck, but we can and must fight back. The CAN app is a great place to start.
(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)
I am writing to urge you to exercise your oversight authority and halt the Environmental Protection Agency’s repeal of the 2009 Endangerment Finding—the scientific determination that greenhouse gases “endanger public health and welfare” under the Clean Air Act.
This finding has been the legal foundation for regulating emissions from vehicles and power plants for more than fifteen years. Its repeal represents a profound shift away from science-based policymaking and from Congress’s clear statutory mandate to protect public health.
President Donald Trump described the rollback as “the single largest deregulatory action in American history.” But experts warn it dismantles “the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.” The administration claims the move will save $1.3 trillion, largely through lower vehicle costs—yet those projections do not account for the mounting economic costs of extreme weather, wildfire destruction, crop loss, infrastructure damage, and pollution-related health care expenses.
Scientific consensus has only strengthened since 2009. Researchers continue to …[read the rest here.]
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Chop Wood, Carry Water is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
I was all dressed and ready to Target when I checked to see if UPS had my little map yet.
It DID! And the little brown truck was very nearly at the front door. So I hustled my butt downstairs to the front desk. If I don't get there when he does, then my package goes in with everyone else's and is delivered sometime this afternoon.
Mr. UPS was there looking for someone to sign when I got there. I breathlessly signed and grabbed my prize.
Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus
It's really beautiful and the perfect size. And really beautiful. I copied from my phone to save some steps and it was all set up and ready to go 30 minutes from the time I bought the box through the door. I like that.
I'm not that familiar with Lenovo-ese. The only Lenovo thing I have is a very old tablet that speaks beginner android. So I have some learning to do. But, so far, I'm thrilled. I'm now upgrading the operating system. Looks like that's going to take a while. I might pop out to Target if I can't play with it while it upgrades.
I started dieting to lose weight when I was about 16. I quit when I was 50. I gave up smoking and, as a reward, promised myself I could eat whatever I wanted whenever I wanted it, amen. I gained about 100 pounds and have kept it since. I've been operating on that same premise until 3 weeks ago so 27 years.
My deal with myself (and my doctor) with Wegovy is that I would continue my premise. Eat what I want when I want. And, for the most part I have done just that. I have added in more protein to stave off any unpleasant digestive side effects. And I've added prunes.
My plan is to eat, live, shoot up this way from now until the end. So no denying myself. I will eat what I want when I want it. If I want fried chicken, I eat fried chicken. If I want cake, I eat cake.
Mostly, I do not feel like eating more than is necessary which is great. And I have had no appetite for fried chicken or cake. But, yesterday, I didn't eat enough and wanted to snack all night. I did not and when I got into bed I realized I was breaking my promise to myself. If I want to eat something, I should eat it. I am not on a diet like the old days. I am on a diet like the new days.
My new Tech is down the road at the UPS station "being readied for delivery". Not that I'm stalking. OK, I'm stalking. Usually UPS gives me a little map with a brown truck and tells me how many stops away I am. I am a sucker for this little map.
I had a lovely swim this morning.
My feet are getting bad again. I should go back to that podiatrist and might if they don't get better. I need some thicker socks, I think. I should get off my ass and go to Target. I might. (Walmart would probably be better but Target is way closer.)
Chop Wood, Carry Water is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
The airspace above El Paso was shut down and everyone decided that either aliens had landed or we were going to start bombing Mexico. Fortunately neither was the case—the Trump administration seems to have just engaged in another colossal cock-up. According to Forbes “The notice stemmed from disagreements between the FAA and Pentagon officials, which mistook a party balloon for a cartel drone and shot it down.” Huh? Anyway, the airspace has been reopened.
The Epstein survivors also held a press conference—one at which I was honored to be present. They spoke with enormous grace and dignity about their trials thus far, and how much they hoped Pam Bondi would do her job, commit to releasing all the files, and get busy investigating people in the Epstein files.
They were to be gravely disappointed. Just after that Bondi was questioned at a House Oversight Committee hearing and flagrantly lied, deflected, and behaved like an out-of-touch lunatic. She is engaging in a coverup of historic proportions. She will be held accountable.
In other news, House Republicans passed the SAVE America Act. It’s a bummer, but I still hold it has virtually no chance in the Senate unless Thune abolishes the filibuster. The chances that he will are vanishingly slim. We’ll make a lot of noise about it to our Senators nevertheless; better safe than sorry.
ICE, of course, continues to wreak havoc everywhere. (Apparently, though, they are leaving Minnesota! I’ll believe it when I see it but if true, it’s HUGE.)
Meanwhile I spent the day yesterday in a convening of content creators, hearing from all kinds of wonderful folks—among them Don Lemon, who spoke about his experience being targeted by the Trump administration, and Senators Warren, Ossoff, Smith, Booker, and Blunt-Rochester (she was a delight). We also had a session on Senate rules with a high-level staffer who spoke for 45 minutes about the arcane ways of the “deliberative body.” It was fascinating.
My favorite session of the day, though, was with Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward. She is an absolute badass and so is her whole team—if you’re not aware of the work Democracy Forward does defending democracy in the courts I highly recommend checking it out. Hearing from Perryman reassured me that our side is not only successfully defending ourselves from the Trump admin’s attacks, but preparing to go on the offense in a big way. It was beyond heartening.
I’m going to see if I can get Skye to come speak to us on a Substack Live. You’d feel so much better about everything— almost—once you heard about the work DF has done so far, as well as how they plan to protect our elections in November. It’s great stuff.
To tie a bow around all I’ve just written: Trump and MAGA are descending further into cruelty, chaos, corruption, and cover-ups while our side is getting stronger, more organized, more strategic, more courageous, and more bold. I like what I’m seeing!
Does that mean we’re out of the woods? Not at all! There are (proverbial) trees on all sides! It is still dark. It is still cold. We are still miles from civilization with no map.
But it’s becoming more and more clear that we have the tools not just to survive, or to get out—but to thrive, to make sure there are consequences for all that’s happening, and to ensure that we never, ever end up here again.
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
First, I’m glad ICE is leaving Minnesota but Congress still needs to use the power of the purse to stop ICE and CBP’s violence and abuse. We want real accountability through strong enforceable standards enacted into law. Until then there must be no DHS funding and no Continuing Resolution. Also we need to get children out of detention. What ICE is doing to kids in these concentration camps is absolutely horrifying.
Second, I’m very upset that the House passed the SAVE America Act yesterday. This is a viciously anti-democratic bill that will suppress votes from both parties—especially those of people of color and married women. The Senator must vote no. Thank you.
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I’m calling to ask that the Congressmember support articles of impeachment to remove Pam Bondi as Attorney General. She is engaging in a cover-up of child sex traffickers’ crimes, she lied under oath yesterday, she’s weaponizing the justice department, and she’s making a mockery of the rule of law. She even refused to apologize to Epstein’s victims for releasing their un-redacted data. She’s a disgrace. She cannot be trusted to lead our Department of Justice. Impeach her now. Thanks.
Organizers, community members, and Reps. Ilhan Omar and Pramila Jayapal will share practical lessons we can take from the ongoing resistance in the Twin Cities as we all work to protect our own communities.
After doing a bunch of focus groups, some top messaging organizations put together this information sheet detailing how best to talk about Republicans’ attacks on our elections—specifically the SAVE Act and all of its antecedents. There’s stuff in it I didn’t know, and I’ll be adjusting the way I speak because of it. Highly recommend you check it out!
Join the national, all-volunteer team at Walk the Walk USA TONIGHT for their 2026 Zoom kickoff. Walk the Walk USA recommends strategic grassroots initiatives that utilize the most effective voter engagement tactics, supporting the most impactful voters in the most competitive geographic “pressure points” in the country. They’ll be sharing evidence-backed recommendations for how to have outsized impact with limited political dollars. In a nutshell, they support voters rather than candidates.
Resist and Unsubscribe, Scott Galloway’s Big Tech boycott campaign, is really picking up steam! It’s now been covered in NPR, USA Today, the Daily Beast, and many other media outlets.
He explained how—and why—it can work in this interview.
Read more here, and please consider joining this effort!
Win Races! 🗳
Pennsylvania’s Democratic Majority Is on the Line.
On February 24, there are two special elections for PA House Districts 22 (Lehigh County) and 42 (Allegheny County). Both seats were held by Democrats. Lose either one and we lose our one-seat majority — and with it, control of the agenda on voting rights, reproductive freedom, and gun safety. If you’re in these districts, vote. If you’re not, share this with your Pennsylvania contacts. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is February 17.
Not sure about all the choices on your ballot? Worried about picking the wrong candidate in a race you haven’t been following? BlueVoterGuide.org shows you what’s on your ballot with endorsements from trusted, pro-democracy organizations — so you can make quick, informed choices even in races where you’ve never heard of the candidates. It’s free, and millions of users say it helped them vote in races they would have otherwise skipped. Bookmark it now for every election this year.
Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥
Great news! The Environmental Voter Project will be targeting 3.4 million low propensity climate voters across 21 states in 2026!
They’ve identified huge numbers of potential voters in some crucially important districts and states. If climate matters to you, please take a moment to watch and share their in-depth briefing on where volunteers and donors can have the biggest impact in 2026. I love EVP—they are data backed, determined, and great at what they do!
(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)
At a time when so many American families are struggling to get by, it’s a shameful abuse of office for Trump to pocket billions of taxpayer dollars by suing the IRS. The only reason he’s talking about donating this money is because even he realizes what he’s doing is indefensible with the public, and given that he’s a lifelong cheat and conman, there’s no reason to trust he’d follow through with the donation. Congress needs to shut this down.
The Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act would impose a 100% tax on any settlement a president, vice president, cabinet member, or member of Congress receives from the government as a result of a lawsuit filed while in office. It’s only right.
Please support and pass this bill. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
Chop Wood, Carry Water is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
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