Laura&#39;s Reading

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-116-8b4

And the year is coming together

Friday, January 16th, 2026 07:25 am

By this time next week, the pool may be totally fixed and operational!! We hope. On Tuesday, Erica, the fitness director, indicated it could be lots of weeks yet but she did say she was operating on old info. They sent out an email yesterday saying the fix would be installed early next week. So... maybe.

Wednesday, my Wegovy should be here.
Friday, my new closet gets installed.

Now if I can just get Biggie's bladder stones resolved, I'd declare this year a success! The next vet appointment isn't until February so I'll hold off on declarations...

For the record, oatmeal with oat milk is pretty darned ok.

I spent a lot of time yesterday getting the Food & Beverage stuff organized. Most of what I did yesterday was one off - Roster, calendar, etc. Today I need to finish up and get it to Harriet. I'll do that this morning.

Then I need to unhook the cat beds and move them. We need some days to get used to the situation before the new closet goes in.

Across the Hall Jim (not Down the Hall Jim) now has caregivers who come twice a day. They make sure he has meals and isn't doing anything crazy. I had a chance to talk to one of them yesterday. She said that she had heard that he was short listed for the Memory Care Unit. Memory Care is a small wing that is tightly controlled. The residents are not allowed to leave the hall unescorted. The residents there are mostly bright and cheery and remember nothing. They need constant care. That's Jim. The unit is mostly always full so someone's gotta kick the bucket to make room for Jim. But, at least, everyone now fully knows that he's out of marbles.

Yesterday afternoon, I got a new little thing knitting pattern and tried it out. I love the end result but I think it was way too fiddly to do. This morning I like her way better than yesterday so I may change my mind but for now, she's a one off

Thankful Friday (addendum)

mdlbear

Friday, January 16th, 2026 07:24 am

Today I am thankful for...

Finding my damned glasses, which were lurking underneath the pile of sweaters, blankets, and other stuff draped over the arm of the couch nearest my desk.
Discovering that nova, my fileserver, still has python2.7 on it. The reason I wasn't able to post through it was that neither python2 nor my posting program (ljcharm) was installed.
Assuming this can be posted, being able to upgrade (Thinkpads) Raven (which I was using for posting) and Panther (which I hadn't realized wasn't upgraded).

Current Mood: grateful
Current Location: Schildhaven in Den Haag

Tags:

thanks

Girl Genius for Friday, January 16, 2026

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20260116

Friday, January 16th, 2026 05:00 am

The Girl Genius comic for Friday, January 16, 2026 has been posted.

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20260116

The Friday Five for 16 January 2026

anais_pf

thefridayfive

Thursday, January 15th, 2026 05:41 pm

These questions were written by

frieliegh.

1. If you could change one life-changing event in the life of someone important to you, would you?

2. Which do you think is easier to do, being friends for many years, or being life partners for many years?

3. Have you ever walked away from someone you considered a friend?

4. If you had to choose between telling the truth and hurting a friend or lying and making them happy, which would you choose?

5. Which would you rather hear--the truth which will hurt, or the comforting lie?

Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.

If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!

Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/15

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-115-ca1

Thursday, January 15th, 2026 09:07 pm

Posted by Jess Craven

Hi, all, and happy Thursday.

Deeeeeep breaths. There is a lot going on. I say this as Iran smolders, ICE increases its attacks in Minnesota, and Trump floats the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act.

Will he do it? We don’t know. Either way, though, things are escalating, so we’re going to have to focus on our breath, self-care, and community ties right now. And, of course, we must continue to take action. Doing so will sustain and strengthen us as Trump, growing ever weaker and more embattled, flails and attacks like a wounded, trapped animal.

I know this is really hard. Please remember, a majority of the country loathes him. They. Loathe. Him. They loathe ICE, too. The majority of us are not with this administration. This is not just me saying that. It’s poll after poll after poll. Now, public opinion doesn’t fix anything in the short term, but in the long term it does matter. A lot. Midterms are coming. Lawmakers are up for re-election. Trump is poison at the ballot box. They know it. So do we.

He is weaker than he appears. He is hemorrhaging support. We will beat him.

Speaking of which, political strategist (and friend) Mike Lux posted a short Substack piece this week celebrating the courageous Americans rising up across the country to protest ICE. He titled his post after the Woody Guthrie song “All You Fascists Bound to Lose.” I played the song to myself this morning and it did so much good that I decided I would include it here today (see above). Because we all need an anthem, and we need one now; I believe this is the right tool for the job.

It also serves as a reminder that the best people have aligned against—and fought—fascism from time immemorial. After all, fascism is like a virus. It lies dormant in the body politic, then flares up during times of upheaval, stress, or rapid change. As much as we’d like to believe otherwise, it never goes away entirely.

But we, the people, are the antibodies every time. Unlike the unproven “remedies” to which some initially turn, like politicians, or the press, or the business world, we alone have a track record of success. Why? Because we, not they, were made for this job. We, further, can—and do—evolve. As the sickness mutates, in other words, so do we. We surge where needed, constantly learning and adapting new forms to meet new threats. Once we have overcome one strain of fascism we internalize that ability, using those antibodies to help beat the next one.

We are the white blood cells of the body politic, y’all. Because of us, the patient will live. Our immune system, such as it is, is entirely up to this task.

The fascists, then, ARE bound to lose. Because we are strong, wholly determined, and growing in numbers by the day.

Thank you for all you do. Bless you for being the cure. Now let’s you and me get to work.

P.S. — Tim Walz posted an excellent statement on Instagram (and other platforms) yesterday about the situation in MN. It’s 6 minutes long but worth every minute. I urge everyone to watch it in its entirety and share it widely. It IS the messaging we need. It’s on Instagram here and YouTube here.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

First, I understand that Senator Schumer tried to pass the ACA premium tax credit extension bill last night by unanimous consent and that Republicans blocked it. This angers me. Please tell the Senator I support these subsidies and want him/her to do everything possible to get them passed.

Second, I am horrified by ICE’s abuses in Minnesota and elsewhere. The Senator needs to refuse to vote for any DHS appropriations bill that fails to rein them in. And I’d like the Senator to make a public statement saying as much. We can’t wait around while ICE harms more people. The Senator must push for an appropriations bill that puts serious restrictions on it, ends its dragnet raids, and doesn’t add a penny to its already bloated budget.

[If Democrat add:] And please push Chuck Schumer to get on board with this effort and make a public statement about it. His weakness in this moment is deeply disappointing.

[ONLY if Hawley or Young add:] One more thing: I can’t believe the Senator backed down on the Venezuela War Powers Resolution. Shame on him. He is ignoring the will of his constituents and abdicating his Congressional duties. I will never forget it.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

I’m calling to urge Representative [Name] to refuse to vote for any appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security that fails to rein in ICE. And I’d like them to make a public statement saying as much. Renee Good’s killing on January 7 is part of a broader pattern of unchecked violence, impunity, and abuse carried out by federal immigration enforcement agencies against our communities. We can’t wait around while ICE harms more people. Representative [NAME] must push for an appropriations bill that puts serious restrictions on ICE, ends its dragnet raids, and doesn’t add a penny to its already bloated budget.

[If Democrat add:] And please ask the Congressmember to push Hakeem Jeffries to get on board with this effort and make a public statement about it. His weakness in this moment is deeply disappointing.

[H/T Indivisible]

Extra Credit ✅

Delaney Hall is an ICE detention facility in Newark NJ with no indoor waiting facility (the only one without an indoor waiting facility in the country), so people waiting hours to see their loved ones are being exposed to the elements and smog. Activists and community members are emailing the facility director of Delaney Hall demanding an indoor waiting area so that people can wait to see their loved ones without risking illness for themselves or their children.

An enterprising reader found the Assistant Director of the Delaney Hall facility’s email address—his name is Sekou Ma’at and his email is sekou.maat@geogroup.com. The other email she found is corporaterelations@geogroup.com to reach the corporate office.

Her suggested letter is:

Mr. Ma’at,
I am writing to urge you to immediately establish an indoor waiting area at Delaney Hall for the families and loved ones who come to visit those detained there.
At present, families, including children and infants, are required to wait outdoors for hours at a time, exposed to freezing temperatures and harsh waterfront conditions, simply for the chance to see their loved ones. This is not only unacceptable; it is inhumane. Volunteers who have come to provide basic support and assistance to these families have already experienced hypothermia after just two to three hours in current weather conditions. If healthy adults are becoming ill, it is deeply troubling to imagine the impact on children, elderly family members, and infants.
No family should be subjected to physical harm or serious health risk simply for attempting to maintain contact with a loved one. The absence of an indoor waiting facility reflects a disregard for basic human dignity and safety, and it places people in avoidable danger. This is a problem with a clear, practical solution, and it requires immediate action.
I urge GEO Group and on-site leadership to address this without delay before someone is seriously injured or worse. Providing a safe, indoor waiting area is the bare minimum standard of care and decency, and Delaney Hall must meet it.

Please send an email! Thanks!

Extra Credit for Floridians!

The Florida legislature and Desantis are looking to lower the legal age of purchase for an AR15 and other long guns from 21 to 18 years old. After the horrific Parkland School Shooting the age was raised to 21 and this has had a positive impact in keeping Florida safer than it otherwise would be. Lowering the age will only increase the likelihood that these weapons of war will get into the wrong hands and will without question result in more shootings, more deaths and more families and communities torn apart.

If you live in Florida or can help mobilize people in Florida to oppose
this dangerous bill, please go to this link for the Newtown Action Alliance
and see the different actions that you can take to help.

Get Smart! 📚

Red, Wine, and Blue presents: Stand Together with Heather Cox Richardson: One Year Post-Inauguration

Tuesday, January 20th at 7:30 pm ET.

On the one-year anniversary of Trump’s inauguration, we are exhausted and anxious. That’s why we’re turning to our favorite historian Heather Cox Richardson to help us reflect on the year and how we can and must continue to stand strong together.

This conversation is not just about naming what’s gone wrong; it is also about recognizing what’s beginning to shift. She will share why the tide may be turning as cracks form in the MAGA movement and more people are rejecting extremism in favor of humanity. Let’s start the new year talking about how we will continue to bring positive change and the power we have when we stand together.

RSVP here.

Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣

Please post this on your social media:

Indivisible is holding a call in day today to push Democrats to refuse to vote for more DHS funding until ICE is reined in. WE HAVE LEVERAGE HERE —Republicans need 7 Democratic votes to pass this funding—but Dems need to be pushed to use it. Please, even if you don’t usually call your reps, we need your voice right now. Lives are at stake. You’ll be provided with a script. Make three calls—to your two US Senators and your one House Rep. Thanks!
https://indivisible.org/ice-out-house
https://indivisible.org/ice-out-senate

Give 💰!

If you’re on Instagram I highly recommend following Smitten Kitten —they are a small Minneapolis shop that has become a hub for mutual aid—their posts are amazing and so informative. I just donated to two places they suggested—Wrecktangle Pizza, which is delivering food to immigrants hiding at home, and a social worker who’s distributing supplies to those in need in the twin cities area (her Venmo is : @ Edali-Terrones and her cashapp is $itsdali28).

There’s also a whole MN mutual aid linktree here. And a website with loads of ways to help here.

Grab your Wallet! 💳

I’ve decided to create a spreadsheet of corporations to boycott. I will include a column explaining why we’re boycotting, another one with contact info, and another one with sample messaging so that we can let them know we’re boycotting and why. It’s just begun and it’s here. My assistant Andrea is helping me with it but if anyone else feels like working on it or has suggestions for companies to add please email me at hijesscraven101@gmail.com

Win Races! 🗳

[From the HODG newsletter]

In 2024, Dems lost ground across nearly every demographic. The Democratic brand clearly needs to be fixed. That will require what every broken relationship requires: rebuilding trust and listening.

Voters and volunteers are bone-tired of short-term, transactional outreach that starts too late, misses the mark, and ends abruptly after Election Day. Campaigns rely on outdated tech, incomplete data, and narrow targeting that overlooks potential supporters who could make the difference in tight races.

Swing Left is trying to change all that with Deep Canvassing.

The idea is not new, but it’s a tactic that’s under-utilized. Deep Canvassing means you are having meaningful, deep-listening conversations with a wide range of voters – not just likely Dems – so you can learn what those folks care about, what specific challenges they’re facing. You can then bring those concerns back to candidates so they can respond to them.

To do this deep canvassing -- which they’re calling “Ground Truth“ -- Swing Left has doubled its operational budget, hired more staff and is piloting a canvassing program that uses AI to help Dems fix what we all sense when we talk to voters: a broken party infrastructure.

Swing Left is now looking for volunteers to get trained in Deep Canvassing, and reach out to voters. If that sounds interesting to you, then sign up to learn more.

Sign Up to Learn More about Deep Canvassing with Swing Left

Chop Wood, Save the Planet 🔥

Is your money sitting at one of the 10 US megabanks that disproportionately finance fossil fuels?

Moving your money to a community development or minority depository bank or credit union is one of the most effective things you can do to fight the climate crisis while building your community.

Are you ready to move your money to a bank or credit union that builds your community instead of fossil fuels? Then Green America’s Better Banking Action Hour is for you.

Join them on Thursday, January 22, at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT to learn:

How banks use your deposits
How to find a bank or credit union that doesn’t finance fossil fuels
How to switch to a new bank or credit union

REGISTER HERE

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T ] [Text SIGN PQFQEF to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

(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.)

Since the first day of his second term, President Trump has shown open contempt for the Constitution. He now asks Congress to ratify that lawlessness by passing a continuing resolution that would fund the federal government at current levels—including funding for unconstitutional conduct, state-sanctioned violence, and dangerous abuses of military power.

Congress must refuse.

Instead, Congress must use its Article I authority to defund an authoritarian agenda that is already harming Americans and destabilizing the world.

[Read the rest here.]

OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-115-ca1

When I was a kid I read a Sleator book

conuly

Friday, January 16th, 2026 04:42 pm

in which two teens independently fall into a toxic mud puddle and develop mind-reading abilities. Spoilers, they're not the only ones!

They're at a family reunion, and one person mentions that there have been a few breakins, how odd, because all the broken-in houses had security systems. And as they mention that, everybody in range automatically thinks their PINs. This, of course, is how the (telepathic!) thief had broken into the houses in the first place.

Ever since then, every time I've had to enter a PIN or a password anywhere, I've carefully also thought some other random letters or numbers. It's a silly habit, which I only developed long after I outgrew poking around closets for Narnia and had nearly outgrown poking around closets for secret passageways, and it wouldn't really deter a mind-reading thief for very long, but I still do it. If there ever is a telepathic malefactor in close proximity to me, at least they'll have to to try a few different codes to use my bank card!

******************

( Read more... )

6 minutes

Thursday, January 15th, 2026 10:09 am

From the time I clicked on This Will Destroy All Your Data OK until the time I started this entry. 6 minutes. Everything back in place and operational. This time, it gave me the option of setting up the Chromebook via my phone which saved me some typing. I have loved Chromebooks forever and still do today.

The headline is that my Wegovy will be here next Wednesday. I'm all paid for and confirmed. So, to recap, doctor sent prescription in Monday morning - she said it would take a few hours to get set up to order. I got response Tuesday afternoon. Account set up/ordering Thursday morning. But, could the the January rush.

I met with Harriet and got the agenda for next week all noodled out. Now I just need to do it. I think I'll just go ahead and do it now and get it done.

Tracked Our

Thursday, January 15th, 2026 07:46 am

I had planned to track a bunch of stuff every day. But, when my brother was here, I fell off the wagon. And now that it looks like I'll be tracking shots, body and meals, maybe I won't do the rest OR maybe I'll do it differently.

And... speaking of shots. Crickets from NovoCare. Well, not totally. I did get a request to opt into texts. Which I did. Then crickets. Because I asked my doctor to try Amazon, the request went to my insurer who declined BUT they did recommend I try NovoCare! haha So I wait.

I pulled out my Kindle Scribe for note taking at the meeting yesterday and then I volunteered to take the minutes and prepare the agenda. I scribbled in the scribe which was perfect. But I spent some time with it last night and figured out how to write with the pen quickly in a manner that I can then easily turn into text when I get home. Harriet, the committee chair, has Apple and Word so I can use Google docs, save it as Word and she'll be able to tweak it. She wants to meet this morning at 9. So there goes my day of nothing BUT I need to pick up our floor's Timber Ridge Times anyway so no biggie.

After that, I'll take the day off.

The cats finally got together in their dog bed, but they slept in their closet beds. I guess I'll move those to under the bed, too. We'll have bunk beds! Dibs on top.

I think I need to power wash this Chromebook which in chromebook-ese means take it back to factory settings. It's an easy and fast enough thing to do. It's just getting slow-ish and it's been a long time.

But, first I need to get dressed. My pajamas are nice but not Meet Harriet nice.

Thankful Thursday

mdlbear

Thursday, January 15th, 2026 03:26 pm

Today I am thankful for...

Garlic. Other aliums, but mostly garlic. Also chlli peppers.
And pickles.
Antidepressants, when they work. That remains the subject of experimentation at the moment. Same for antihypertensives. NO thanks for conditions that require that kind of experimentation.
Getting the medical appointments I need. NO thanks for having to use a phone -- including navigating menus in a language I don't know -- to get them.
Grocery (and other) deliveries. (It's worth noting that our family does not have a car, and that Scarlet-the-carlet is currently out of commission.)

Current Mood: grateful
Current Location: Schildhaven in Den Haag
Current Music: not very much this week

Tags:

thanks

small pleasures

kayre

Thursday, January 15th, 2026 08:36 am

I've always loved light through colored glass, including tea lights in colored votives. But I don't light candles very often-- the small effort, the smoke, the small danger of candles around cats, etc. And I don't like the little electric votives because they're generally disposable.

A few weeks ago a little (tea?) light went off in my head-- and I searched, and found rechargeable electric tea lights, and ordered a set. I'm in love! I can adjust the light level and flicker speed, so while it doesn't quite look like actual flame, it's close. I can set up a timer, so I have one in the dining room set to light for 4 hours every night. There's also a remote, so I control the one in my sitting room day by day. I'm rotating through my little collection of votives, and finding the little lights amazingly soothing.

Today was packed - I'm taking tomorrow off

Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 04:37 pm

I practicing Wegovy. I went to the store after exercise class and got foods that I don't hate but don't get often and some that I never get. Yogurt. I have a thing lately about strawberry yogurt. I found some with zero sugar and 20G protein in a brand I like so I bought some assuming I would hate it. (Spoiler alert, it's delicious.)

Before I got home, I got a ping that the cats' dog bed was here. I picked it up and was nearly to my apartment when Ngon in the Bistro called to say my special order was ready. This was an order for a dozen cookies and 8 cheese scones. Not part of the Wegovy prep but I'm going to eat them anyway.

I got an app. My brother uses one that is too much for me but I found one that is perfect - pep. It tracks everything - shots, weight (with photos) and food via input and also AI photos. And it does a good job. I got a poke bowl for lunch. It had all of the numbers listed on the label. I scooped it all into a bowl did the AI camera thing and it landed the same number of calories, protein, and fiber as the label. Impressive.

Then it was time for my food and beverage meeting which was fine then I had to come home and type up the minutes and the agenda for next week. Which I did and sent it off to the chairman.

Then I set up the cats' dog bed. It's the perfect size for both of them. I set it up under the bed where you cannot see it without getting down there. I moved the cat cam so that I don't have to get down there. Looks like I need to tidy up that one cable. And Biggie needs to learn how to share.

Tomorrow I have no plans and I plan to do nothing.

CWCW mini-edition

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/cwcw-mini-edition

Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 10:53 pm

Posted by Jess Craven

Hey, everyone!

I didn’t intend to do a newsletter today but I am because a) I wanted to share a video that I think may help you, b) there’s an event coming up before I’ll post tomorrow that some of you may like, and c) I’ve got another place to give in Minnesota if you can.

First, the event:

According to the Environmental Voter Project's latest report, Gray is the New Green: The Growing Strength of Older Climate Voters, Americans aged 65+ now make up the single largest percentage of climate-first voters.

This Thursday, January 15th from 12-1pm ET / 9-10am PT, join EVP's Executive Director, Nathaniel Stinnett, and a panel of experts for a discussion on organizing these older climate voters. Panelists Sharon Lavigne of RISE St. James, John Sorensen of Elders Action Network, Melanie Griffin of Third Act, and Judy Loeb of We the Seniors bring decades of organizing experience to the conversation, so you won't want to miss this opportunity.

Now the donation link: I’m being told that another good place to give in MN right now is 50501 Minnesota. I am in touch with one of the organizers and they assure me that all donations are being used to help community members respond to ICE attacks. You can donate here via either Paypal or Venmo.

Finally if you haven’t yet seen this Heather Cox Richardson video from yesterday you should watch it. It’s very heartening.

On that note I’ll be back tomorrow with a regular email. Love you folks!

Jess

Thanks for reading Chop Wood, Carry Water! This post is public so feel free to share it.

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/cwcw-mini-edition

Wednesday

Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 08:03 am

Here's a tip for getting a new scale after not having one for a really long time... Yesterday, when the scale arrived, it was mid day and I was fully clothed - I tried it out. I did take off my shoes. Today I weighed myself right after I got up and peed. Nearly no clothes. I lost a kilometer!! And my scale draws a little graph line so mine went way down. VERY satisfying. Fictional but satisfying. (And, yeah, my doctor's office tracks weight in kilograms so I decided to follow suit.)

I had a text from NovoCare this morning wanting me opt in to texts. So I know they have my number in their system for sure and it's just a wait.

When the new closet gets installed, the cat beds will have to move. They are heated but one of them doesn't even heat any more. So I ordered them a big, heated dog bed with bolsters. Since under the bed is now empty and I do NOT want to use it for any storage, I'm planning on putting the dog bed there. They like it under there anyway.

This afternoon is my first Food and Beverage Committee Meeting. They meet in private on the 2nd Wednesday and then hold a public meeting on the 3rd. Should be interesting. Before that - this morning - is exercise class at 10. In between, I might make a quick trip to the grocery store. I want some yogurt and cheese and maybe other stuff.

That's rather a busy day for me. Better get going with it.

Girl Genius for Wednesday, January 14, 2026

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20260114

Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 05:00 am

The Girl Genius comic for Wednesday, January 14, 2026 has been posted.

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20260114

I'm a cliche!!

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 02:33 pm

I got back into the doctor's portal and sent a note that text #2 was a bust as well. 15 minutes later, I got the text from the original phone number. (I did go back to the portal and delete my note. It was marked as unread so I think I got there in time.)

Welcome! NovoCare Pharmacy® has received your prescription for WEGO from Dr. MALASHANKA and will send important updates as we process the order. The NovoCare® Program needs your consent to move forward. Please go to https://novocare.iassist.com/obes/ptauth?Token=437271676 to provide CONSENT. If you prefer to pick up at your local retail pharmacy, call 1-888-809-3942. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to end sms or call 1-888-809-3942 for questions.

Hilariously, that phone number gets you put on hold forever. I waited 45 minutes the first time and 68 minutes the second time. Never did talk to a person. So forget my local retail pharmacy. Not that I wanted it anyway. I did answer all their question and signed my life away. No money requested yet so we are still in process.

BUT the wait times did remind me that I am now a member of a club that probably has 8 out of 10 Americans - people to look to lose weight after Christmas. Doh!

My house cleaner sent a sub today who came an hour earlier which was a surprise, but fine.

My new scale arrived. It was a bit of a trick to find a convenient spot for it, but I did. It's all set up and ready to go.

Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/13

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-113-2e6

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 08:47 pm

Posted by Jess Craven

From my friends at Civic Sundays Los Angeles

Hi, all, and happy Tuesday.

Hope you’re hanging in there.

I know this newsletter is out late again today, so I’m going to start by writing about my process for a second.

Over the holiday break, when I was posting newsletters earlier in the day due to being on the East coast, a reader noted that he loved the earlier publishing time as it gave him more hours in the day to take my recommended actions. He asked if I could try to get my posts out earlier going forward.

The short answer is, of course, that I would LOVE to do that. I recognize it would be much better for all of my readers—and me!

This morning, however, was the kind of morning that encapsulates why this is so difficult.

I am currently on seventeen active Signal group chats. They range from a group monitoring and reporting on the ICE raids in Minnesota, an ICE watch group here in LA, a clip thread, a number of Democratic comms groups, groups of activists, teams of content creators, random political operative chats, and more. On any given morning I wake up to between 300 and 3000 new messages—on Signal alone.

The same is repeated on my phone, in my Instagram DM box, on Substack, on Slack, and, to a lesser extent, on What’s App.

I feel duty-bound to try to keep up with all of these messages, as they often contain up-to-date information on issues, bills, or situations we are following. They also often contain requests for immediate and urgent amplification. On some days, like today, there are almost nonstop messages about ICE attacks —in this case in Minneapolis. There are clips that need to be posted for amplification, people posting donation links, folks reacting to videos that have been uploaded to the chat by asking things like “do we know if he’s alive?” or '“OMG is that a child?” It’s pretty intense.

There is a constant stream of notifications popping up on the upper right side of my laptop, even as I write now. I don’t turn them off, because it’s important that I know what’s happening so I can convey that information to you. But also because if I can help raise the alarm by, for example, stopping what I’m doing to post a brutal ICE video that the media isn’t covering, I feel I must do that.

I also, of course, read a lot every morning—everything and everyone from to to to to to to to to …and more. Plus articles from Ground News, the Guardian, the Atlantic, Mother Jones, occasionally the New York Times (for free—I cancelled my paid subscription) and sometimes others.

All of that information needs to come in before I feel equipped to come to you with actions that go out. Make sense?

I tell you all this to explain that even when my intentions are good, it is difficult and time-consuming to filter through all of the information I receive—particularly at a time of crisis such as now— in order to get you the data and actions you need. I also sometimes have to stop and make videos. Or sit in on an emergency briefing. Or what have you.

I do this all gladly and willingly, mind you—I absolutely recognize that it’s an honor. I just don’t do it as quickly as we all might like. And I won’t work at night, because, for many reasons, I need a break in the evenings.

So that’s why the newsletter isn’t out earlier in the day. I’ve been wanting to explain this for awhile. I wish I worked another way, but this is just my process. Sorry!

One last thing, on a related note: I don’t think most Americans understand the absolute insanity and horror that is unfolding in Minnesota right now. The ICE surge there is like nothing we’ve ever seen. It’s a full-on assault, and the corporate media is nowhere to be found. So if you’re in Minnesota please know that there is a huge, dedicated group of activists and content creators working to both send help and get the word out.

And if you’re not in MN but know someone who is I’d recommend reaching out and checking on them. I am doing all I can to gather information about where and how we can help there—I’ll post everything I learn in the newsletter as I get it.

We’re in the thick of it, folks. It’s ugly and getting uglier. We knew Trump would escalate as he loses support, but it’s still painful to watch. Having said that, I’m also deeply inspired by and proud of the response we’re seeing from citizens like you across the country. It’s magnificent, brave, and relentless. Let’s keep it up!

We’re going to win. We ARE winning. Trump is weak and scared. Unfortunately the more this becomes the case the worse he’ll act…for now.

But he’s still losing. Never forget it.

Let’s get to work.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲 and Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

First, I’m calling because I’m horrified by what ICE is doing right now in Minneapolis. The violence, lawlessness, and unconstitutionality of their actions is appalling. Even worse is Congress’s failure to do anything about it. You’re a co-equal branch of government. Act like it! Rein this lawless agency in! ICE needs to be defunded and abolished, Kristi Noem needs to be impeached, and the officer who executed Renee Good needs to be arrested and charged. Americans don’t want this and we won’t accept it. Make it stop now!

Also Trump’s DOJ needs to drop its sham criminal investigation into Jerome Powell now, before they tank our economy. Trump is playing with fire — we will all lose if the Central Bank loses its independence. The DOJ must drop the charges now. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

URGENT! Democratic senators are about to cave again on a crypto bill called the Clarity Act and a vote is expected this Thursday in both the Senate Banking and Agriculture Committees. The Democratic Senators on these Committees need to hear from us—especially if one of them represents us!

130 Indivisible groups around the country have urged the Senate to make sure that bill includes binding, enforceable provisions to prevent crypto money laundering, crypto corruption, and crypto risks to the economy and financial system. But what the Senate is considering is just window dressing that fails to meaningfully address these issues. Should this bill pass we will be surrendering our economy to crypto oligarchs without needed oversight.

Everyone should call their Senator but especially call these in the Banking Committee and the Agricultural Committee below. Script below:

Banking committee

Jack Reed, Rhode Island 202-224-4642

Mark Warner, Virginia 202-224-2023

Chris Van Hollen, Maryland 202-224-4654

Catherine Cortez Mastro Nevada 202-204-3542

Tina Smith Minnesota 202-224- 5641

Raphael Warnock, Georgia 202-224-3643

Andy Kim, New Jersey 202-224-4744

Ruben Gallego, Arizona 202-224-4521

Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware 202-224-2441

Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland 202-224-4524

Agricultural Committee

Amy Klobachar, Minnesota 202-224-3244

Michael Bennet, Colorado, 202-224-5941

Tina Smith, Minnesota 202-224-5641

Richard Durbin, Illinois 202-224-2152

Cory Booker New Jersey 202-224-5702

Ben Ray Lujan New Mexico. 202-224-6621

Raphael Warnock Georgia 202-224-3643

Peter Welch Vermont 202-224-4242

Script :

My name is _____ and my zip code is _____ . I’m asking the Senator to vote no on the Clarity Act when it comes up in the Banking/Agriculture Committee. Democrats shouldn’t give away the future of the American economy to crypto oligarchs who are dismantling our democracy. This is exactly what we elected you NOT to do. I will be furious if this passes with Dem help. Vote no. Thank you!

Get Smart! 📚

I want to (again) recommend the Unbreaking newsletter.

Unbreaking, which is run entirely by volunteers, aims to provide clear and rigorously sourced explanations of what’s happening to our federal government and why it matters. Their chosen battle against rising authoritarianism is combating information overload. They bear witness to human costs and track the pushback and resilience work already underway. Their all-volunteer team of researchers, writers, editors, and community organizers works collaboratively to curate and contextualize the nonstop firehose of news. They maintain timelines, publish and update explainers, and provide a briefing each week. What they accomplish is INCREDIBLE. I absolutely love this resource and use it often.

Check it out here.

Give 💰!

One place I know that is good to give in Minnesota right now is:

The Immigrant Defense Network of Minnesota

I am having trouble finding other places so if anyone knows of any please drop them in the comments! But the one above is the gold standard so please give if you can.

Chop Wood, Save the Planet!

Climate Action Now has a new action carousel for democracy and climate!

This is so cool! CAN has created a new tool that makes it easy to take multiple actions in minutes, right from their website. Once you give a bit of information, you can send personalized, well-researched, well-written messages to your federal, state, and city leaders in just seconds demanding action to preserve our democracy and our climate. CAN recommends people take 5 actions a day, but most people take 10 at a pop. AMAZING! It has never been easier to take action. What’s more, with each action you earn points, and when you’ve earned enough points, Climate Action Now will plant real trees on your behalf.

But this may be the best part -- any group can publish their own version of the CAN Action Carousel on its own website, for free, in a matter of minutes. In the last month, church groups, local civic groups, chapters of national orgs, university clubs, even a chemistry professor at a community college have requested their own Action Carousels. If you belong to a group that wants its own carousel, all you have to do is ask! Get the CAN Action Carousel for Democracy and Climate.

In the coming days and weeks, I’ll be working with the CAN team to get my recommended actions into the CAN Action Carousel. In the meantime, let’s get busy!

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T] [Text SIGN PHNNKH to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

(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, as a Member of Congress, to use every constitutional tool at your disposal to rein in an increasingly authoritarian Trump regime before its escalating abuses cause irreparable harm to our democracy, the rule of law, and global stability.

We are living through a deliberate split-screen strategy. On the domestic front, the Trump regime is on a historic losing streak—losing in the courts, in Congress, at the ballot box, and in the streets. Public sentiment has turned decisively against ICE abuses and in favor of immigrants, civil liberties, and peaceful protest. The killing of Renee Nicole Good has become a moral and political turning point, galvanizing opposition nationwide.

[Read the rest here.]

OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-113-2e6

Good but not fabulous

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 11:47 am

The Closets By Design lady was late and lost. She called me AFTER 10 (when she was supposed to be here) saying she could not figure out what door to come in. I told her to come to the Timber Ridge main office and repeated the address. She couldn't figure it out so I told her to just forget it. Cancel the meeting. I hung up. One of the two reasons I was interested in that firm was that they have done work here before - lots. But, apparently, not her.

About 10 minutes after that I got a call from the front desk that she was here. When I left my apartment to go downstairs, my plan was to tell her not to let the door hit her in the butt. BUTT it is a long way from here to the front desk and I decided not to be a butthole and so I let her in. I wasn't terribly gracious and I still don't like her but I bought her system anyway.

She was fairly efficient and gave me some bullshit but not much. Her plan was basically what I asked for and gave me a closet that makes sense and houses all my shit. In my head I was thinking six weeks and $5k. Her end price (after all her faux discounts) came to $3,978 and they will install it a week from Friday.

She said she'd scan the design this afternoon and send it. Hope it gets here faster than the NoroCare text. Still nothing there.

Now that she's made the sale, I don't have to deal with her any more and the install guys for sure know where this place is. I'm ok with the deal and better than ok with the timeline. And I'm really looking forward to my new closet.

Back

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 07:41 am

Today is no rain so far and the snow capped mountains are back and it's not yet 8 and there is enough daylight to see those mountains. Ooops we're losing winter.

I slept really well last night. My bed (95), Fitbit (89) and I agree. Good thing cause I got stuff happening today. I hope.

The closet designer is supposed to be here at 10. I have received 2 phone messages and 3 emails telling me so. I'm guessing they have a lot of customers who request appointments and forget??? I have this niggly suspicion that they are going to not be/do what I want them to be/do. But, there are other closet people I can call.

So when I met with my doctor last week, she explained two semaglutide options (I know there are more and she likely would have been willing to discuss more but we talked about two) - wegovy and zepbound. She explained the differences kind of briefly and we left it with 'make an appointment for April and we'll decide then'. Yesterday, I sent her a note telling her I was ready to start now and asking her if I should make an appointment for now. I got a message back within the hour that she had sent my prescription for wegovy to NovoCare and that I should get a text in a few hours. I did not. But the NovoCare website agreed with her - that I would get a text to start the onboarding process.

I have two phone numbers - both ring and text on my phone. One is a Google voice number and one is a MintMobile number. I've never used text with this doctor so I did not know which number she had. I went to the online portal and tried to enter my cell number for verification. You had to give them your name and your number and then pick from a fairly limited list of cellphone companies. Of course neither of my cellphone companies was on that list so no joy. At all. Finally at the end of the day, I sent her a new note with both numbers and she replied that she had sent in yet another request with the second number (implying the first had been with the first number) and if I didn't hear today to let her know.

So far. No text on either number. I think if I don't hear anything by the time the closet person leaves, I'll try calling the NovoCare number. (Yes, I know there are all manner of different alternatives to similar drugs available in all manner of ways but for now, I'd like to stick to what my doctor recommends for me which is, apparently, Wegovy and NovoCare. IF one or both fail, I'll consider alternatives.

I did spend way too much time combing through Reddit last night in a what to expect when you are expecting kind of troll. It was interesting and I think I learned a lot.

Oh and my doctor did say that she wants to know how much I weigh at various steps along the way so I asked Amazon to please bring me a scale. It should arrive today.

Also it is house cleaning day.

Last week so so much fun with Bill here and soooooo productive. He'll be back in June. I suspect the Todo list will be way shorter.

Live with Anat Shenker-Osorio

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/live-with-anat-shenker-osorio

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 02:11 am

Posted by Jess Craven

Hey, all!

I had a great conversation with messaging guru Anat Shenker-Osorio today—if you missed it please take the time to check it out. You may learn a thing or two—I know I did!

Check out asocommunications.com for loads of messaging guides, articles and ads across issues.

Visit https://www.wemakethefuture.us/ for more resources on messaging and how to implement it.

If you want to sign up for regular strategy, research and messaging briefings, email info@researchcollaborative.org (note - that’s different than what Anat said on the live)

Take a look at BraveOfUS.com for our clarion call affirmation of immigrants, and everyone allied in the fight for our freedoms

Finally, if you want to hear examples of winning by running on, not from, our values, check out Anat’s podcast:

https://wordstowinby-pod.com/

Thanks for reading Chop Wood, Carry Water! This post is public so feel free to share it.

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/live-with-anat-shenker-osorio

CWCW addendum!

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/cwcw-addendum-c5e

Monday, January 12th, 2026 08:52 pm

Posted by Jess Craven

Hi!

Sorry for the double email today but I forgot to let you know that I’m doing a live today at 4PM PT / 7PM ET with the INCREDIBLE Anat Shenker-Osorio! Anat is an American political strategist and messaging consultant. She is the Founder of ASO Communications and the host of the Words to Win By podcast. She is THE messaging guru for pretty much everyone on the left and a super lovely human. We’re going to talk about…well, how to talk about things so that unpersuaded or unengaged people will hear us and DO something. Please come—it’s going to be great!

See you on Substack at 4PM PT / 7PM ET.

Jess

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/cwcw-addendum-c5e

Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/12

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-112-c3d

Monday, January 12th, 2026 07:37 pm

Posted by Jess Craven

From reader Marilyn K. : “an impromptu demonstration against ICE today on Key West, Florida. About 30 people, sometimes in the rain…”

Hi, all, and happy Monday.

First of all, it was great seeing and/or meeting some of you at the ICE OUT protest in Downtown Los Angeles this weekend. Wasn’t it wonderful to be there? I know many of you were at anti-ICE events over the weekend—I hope you were at least a bit replenished by being in community with so many likeminded folks. I know I was.

We’re heading into a big week, with votes possible on the ACA premium tax credit extensions in the Senate—although Trump is threatening to veto them if they do pass—a possible War Powers Resolution in the House, and lots of budget stuff moving as Congress works to avoid a government shutdown on January 30. We’ll do our best to stay on top of all of it while also continuing to express our concerns about ICE’s massive abuses, the DOJ’s failure to produce the Epstein files as required by law, Trump’s threats to take over Greenland, the increasing weaponization of the DOJ—most recently against Jerome Powell!—and so much more.

There’s a firehose of awfulness coming our way, in short, but we are more united than ever, more nimble, and more determined. Reasons for hope may seem fugitive, but in reality they abound. We saw them in the protests this weekend, we’re seeing them in Republicans’ timid but real steps towards breaking with Trump—at least on some issues—and we’re seeing them in our ever growing numbers.

We’re still in a brutal battle, and that’s a misery, but no army has ever had better, fiercer, or more determined fighters. I am confident that we’ll get through this, even more confident that we’ll prevail, and absolutely certain that someday YOU will become the heroes of this story.

In fact, you already are.

Let’s get to work.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

First, Congress needs to pause negotiations on the 2026 DHS appropriations bill pending investigations of the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent. Good was murdered and her killer needs to be charged. On that note, ICE is completely out of control—they’re terrorizing neighborhoods and behaving in a lawless, dangerous, and outrageous manner. I don’t want them to receive a single additional dollar from Congress—in fact I want them abolished. And Kristi Noem needs to be impeached and removed. [H/T]

Second, I want the Senator to support Democrats’ 3-year ACA premium tax credit extension bill and pressure Leader Thune to bring it to a vote immediately. Millions of lives are at stake.

Finally, Donald Trump needs to be impeached and removed. He is a clear and present danger to our Constitution, the American people, and the rule of law. Thank you.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

First, Congress needs to pause negotiations on the 2026 DHS appropriations bill pending investigations of the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent. Good was murdered and her killer needs to be charged. On that note, ICE is completely out of control—they’re terrorizing neighborhoods and behaving in a lawless, dangerous, and outrageous manner. I don’t want ICE to receive a single additional dollar—in fact I want them abolished. And Kristi Noem needs to be impeached and removed. [H/T]

Second, I want the Congressmember to support a War Powers Resolution right away. We don’t want our tax dollars going to occupying Venezuela, or taking over Greenland, or invading Mexico. We want healthcare, affordable housing, and lower prices. Trump’s priorities are all wrong—he must be stopped!

Finally, Donald Trump needs to be impeached and removed. He is a clear and present danger to our Constitution, the American people, and the rule of law. Thank you.

Extra Credit ✅

The below is from Rochelle Davis of Murmur, a great messaging newsletter. (Her whole post about RFK Jr’s new vaccine schedule is really worth reading.)

Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician and chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, supported RFK Jr.’s confirmation after receiving explicit assurances that he would not alter the U.S. vaccine schedule or undermine CDC vaccine messaging. Cassidy has since acknowledged that those assurances were violated.

Cassidy has also publicly described the changes to the Schedule as lacking scientific input and as undermining public confidence in vaccines. That matters because Cassidy is not a bystander. As chair of the HELP Committee, he is uniquely positioned to demand accountability.

While Cassidy represents Louisiana, his role as HELP Committee chair gives him national responsibility over public health policy. You do not need to live in Louisiana to contact his office.

Call Senator Cassidy’s Office: (202) 224-5824

When you call, leave a brief message with a staff member or voicemail. Keep it short, respectful, and focused on accountability.

Sample message:

Hello, my name is _____. I’m calling to urge Senator Cassidy, in his role as chair of the HELP Committee, to hold formal oversight hearings on the recent changes to the CDC’s childhood immunization schedule. Senator Cassidy has said these changes lack scientific input and violate assurances made during Secretary Kennedy’s confirmation. I’m asking the Senator to use his authority to demand transparency, documentation, and accountability to restore public trust in vaccine policy. Thank you.

Get Smart! 📚

Moms for Good: Joining Together to Stop ICE with Red, Wine, and Blue.

Monday, January 12, 7:00 PM ET

Renee Nicole Good was killed by an ICE agent after dropping her child off at school. Just like other moms from Raleigh to Portland to Chicago, Renee was simply looking out for her neighbors. This tragedy is devastating and frightening, and it’s okay to feel overwhelmed.

But fear is also being used to silence us and disinformation is being spread to intimidate people from speaking out. We will not let fear win. As moms, neighbors, and friends, we have to stay in the fight. We will remain committed to the values that have brought women across the country together.

Join Red Wine & Blue and other mom and caregiver groups as we come together to process what’s happening, support one another, and take concrete steps to protect our communities, stay safe, and demand accountability. We will fight together. All welcome!

RSVP here.

Spread the Word! 📣

Almost five years ago reporter John Carlos Frey (now host of the Raid podcast) helped to produce a documentary for HBO about the corruption within the ranks of US Border Patrol and cover up of a murder. It’s called “Critical Incident: Death at the Border.”

HBO released the film on Dec. 29 of this year without fanfare or any PR. It does not appear on their ‘new releases’ cue and is not even listed under documentaries. The content is explosive, exposes high ranking DHS members of the current administration and reveals Border Patrol impunity and cover ups.

The LA Times just did a piece on HBO burying the documentary, likely because they have a pending massive merger deal with Netflix. Shameful!

Let’s help spread the word about this important film. Please watch it if you’re a subscriber and tell your friends and family about it as well.

Give 💰!

As you may know, Minnesota is getting absolutely hammered by ICE right now. It’s apparently worse than Chicago, worse than LA, worse than anywhere we’ve yet seen.

From my friends at Movement Voter Project:

In Minnesota, Unidos MN leads Monarca, an immigrant-defense, rapid-response network that has trained over 14,000 volunteer responders. Monarca runs a 24/7 hotline now fielding about 150 calls a day, and then dispatches responders to gather in large crowds, witness, document, and, where possible, protect people from being detained.

To support this work, you can give directly to Unidos here.

Get in the Streets! 🪧

White Supremacists are holding a rally in Minneapolis on Saturday and pro-immigrant, pro-democracy activists there are organizing a peaceful counterprotest. Details below. Please spread the word.

Win Races! 🗳

Postcards to Voters is jumping into an urgent and meaningful special election in Georgia that has consequences far beyond one district. It’s soon, but there are a few more days to write postcards for it!

On January 20, voters will choose a new State Senator for Georgia Senate District 18. This seat just opened up when the Republican incumbent, the architect of Georgia's gerrymandered legislative maps, vacated the office. For the first time in years, this district is truly up for grabs. What happens here will shape the balance of power and the future of fair representation across Georgia.

If you’ve written with PTV before you can request addresses by

Getting addresses should be easy - and fast! Try one of the 3 self-service options or, if you have questions, email our amazing volunteer team!

Web: Abby.PostcardsToVoters.org
Slack: bit.ly/SlackAbby
EMail Bot: Request@AbbyAddresses.org
E-mail Human: Postcards@TonyTheDemocrat.org

If you’re new please email join@tonythedemocrat.org and ask to get started!

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T ] [Text SIGN PQLTBV to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

(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.)

A government that cannot protect the lives and rights of people within its borders—citizens and non-citizens alike—has lost its claim to legitimacy. That is the reality Americans are confronting after the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis by an ICE agent, and after years of mounting evidence that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has become an unaccountable, aggressive, and poorly supervised force operating far beyond its original mandate.

Renee Good was an American citizen, a mother, and a legal observer. Her death is tragic, but it is not isolated. In 2025 alone, dozens of people died while in ICE custody or during ICE operations. Many had asked for medical help. Some were elderly. Some were ill. Others died violently. These are not the hallmarks of a professional law-enforcement agency operating with discipline and restraint. They are warning signs of systemic failure.

This is not a question of being “pro-immigration” or “anti-immigration.” It is a question of whether the federal government is bound by the Constitution it claims to defend. Due process is not optional. Oversight is not optional. Accountability is not optional. An agency that routinely denies medical care, obstructs congressional oversight, escalates encounters, and responds to public scrutiny with secrecy and propaganda is an agency that cannot be trusted with expanded power.

ICE did not exist before 2003. The United States enforced immigration law for generations without it. Congress created ICE, and Congress has the authority—and responsibility—to dismantle it when it becomes dangerous. Reorganizing or abolishing a failed bureaucracy is not radical; it is conservative governance at its best.

Many Americans who believe in law and order also believe that law enforcement must be disciplined, professional, and subject to civilian control. A force that relies on fear, intimidation, and overwhelming presence undermines respect for the law rather than strengthening it. Flooding cities with heavily armed federal agents, while restricting congressional oversight and expanding recruitment through “wartime” rhetoric, is not strength. It is instability.

I urge you to take the following actions:

• Introduce and support legislation to dismantle ICE and redistribute any necessary functions under agencies with clear limits, transparent rules, and real oversight.
• Freeze funding for ICE expansion and mass recruitment until Congress completes a full investigation into use-of-force policies, medical care failures, and detainee deaths.
• Hold public hearings to restore congressional authority and reaffirm that no federal agency operates above the law.
• Reassert that constitutional protections apply to all people on U.S. soil, because once rights become conditional, no one’s rights are safe.

Strong nations are not built by unaccountable force. They are built by law, restraint, and respect for human dignity. Congress must act now—before more lives are lost.

OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk tomorrow.

Jess

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-112-c3d

Early dark and wet

Monday, January 12th, 2026 08:59 am

Bill's plane left just before 8. It's a 30 minute drive to the airport if traffic and weather are not factors. We were at the beginning of rush hour and it was dead dark and pouring rain. I was glad he drove. Oh also, we couldn't get out of the Timber Ridge garage! We had to call security and they had to come down and trip the door. This was an inauspicious start but it turned out fine. The airport did not seem particularly busy.

As I was driving away, Google maps said they had found a faster route home, did I want it? Sure. You can basically go on interstate highways the entire time which would be fine except for trucks and several tricky highway changes. OR you can go non highways which is also fine except for the last 6 miles which are twisty, curvy. The faster route this morning was the latter which turned out to be fine. There was a lot of traffic but it was not stopped and it did allow me to go slowly which was also fine.

And the garage door opened.

And now Biggie is looking for Bill.

I put in a load of laundry before I left and it's now cooling down on my bed. I wanted to make sure I had all the hanging clothes hanging when the closet designer comes tomorrow.

I decided to not wait until April to start on taking a semaglutide. I sent a note to the doctor. It will be expensive but maybe only until April and maybe the side effects will kill the whole project. But I'm ready to give it a start now.

I have exercise class at 10 this morning and I have dinner ordered to be picked up at 5. And that's the entire agenda for today. Maybe I'll go fold and hang that pile on my bed before class.

I guess I had this tab open two weeks and forgot about it

conuly

Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 04:12 am

Well, I meant to post it then, and I guess I'll belatedly post it now - a New Year's Friend Meme!

Click the banner to join us and make some new friends!

Link

Sigh.

conuly

Thursday, January 15th, 2026 03:32 am

I got a set of cute little penguin pens. They're very cute. So cute.

I didn't realize that each pen has a little motto on it, or I might've not bought them. You see, one continuing annoyance since childhood is that writing on pens is always upside down if you're left-handed. Oh, you can get pens where the writing is oriented correctly, that is, for lefties, but for some reason all that writing inevitably is left-handed themed! I don't want my right side up pen motto to say something like "Only lefties are in their right mind!", I want it to say something like "Hope you are happy every day", which is the upside down motto on this purple penguin.

It's the same with left-handed rulers, incidentally. I just want the numbers to go in a sensible direction, I don't need my ruler to affirm how wonderful it is that I'm drawing lines with my left hand.

On a related note, I'm seriously considering buying another pair of lefty kitchen shears for work. I don't really have to spend much time in the kitchen, but if I am in the kitchen and using kitchen shears (almost inevitably to cut up the next day's lunch sandwiches but sometimes to cut up breakfast pancakes and sausages) I'd rather use mine than theirs, because cutting with the wrong scissors is painful and messy. But if I bring my sole pair - which is amazing, I love it, best Christmas present ever! - back and forth with me then sometimes I use it at home, forget to put it back in my bag, and then am irritated for three days until I finally remember again. I could ask them to supply shears for me and keep them in the kitchen drawer, it's a legitimate (and small!) expense, but honestly, I know from experience that righties are terrible and when they accidentally use left-handed scissors they get very confused and irritated. Amusing for me, but undoubtedly an exercise in frustration for a workplace. It's really better all around to bring my own.

****************

( Read more... )

Winter Moon by Langston Hughes

conuly

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026 02:20 am

How thin and sharp is the moon tonight!
How thin and sharp and ghostly white
Is the slim curved crook of the moon tonight!

*********

In fact, the moon is kinda orange just now, but I'm sure it'll grow pale once it clears the bridge.

Girl Genius for Monday, January 12, 2026

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20260112

Monday, January 12th, 2026 05:00 am

The Girl Genius comic for Monday, January 12, 2026 has been posted.

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20260112

Extra! Extra! 1/11

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extra-111

Sunday, January 11th, 2026 11:29 pm

Posted by Jess Craven

Spontaneous vigils popped up all over the country in the 24 hours after Renee Good was executed. I actually made the LA Times in this phot by Genaro Molina.

Hi, all, and happy Sunday!

It’s been a horrendous week, but you know what? This is one of the best good news roundups I’ve sent out in a while. A lot of really amazing things happened this week! This in no way makes ANYTHING else that happened less devastating, but it should at least remind us that good is also present, despite the absolute nightmare through which we’re living.

Remember, what we focus on tends to grow, so please take some time today to savor the many, many great things that happened this week amidst the noise and brutality.

I love you. We’ll get through this.

Talk tomorrow, friends.

Celebrate This! 🎉

A court has ordered $145 million in funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to immediately be released, allowing the agency to keep its doors open for the time being.

Congress is reversing Trump’s steep budget cuts to science. Some budgets may even increase slightly! Amazing!

A federal judge in New York temporarily blocked the Trump administration from freezing roughly $10 billion in federal funding for child care and social services destined for five Democratic-led states.

A broad coalition of groups across the country held a coordinated ICE Out For Good Weekend of Action this weekend to demand accountability, honor the lives lost to ICE, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions. I was at one. Were you?

The US House broke with Trump to pass a three year extension on the ACA subsidies. It now goes to the Senate, where there is at least a chance it will pass!

New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul announced a partnership with Mayor Zohran Mamdani to provide free child care for 2-year-olds in the city, with the state covering the full cost of the first two years of the initiative without raising any new taxes.

Spotify confirmed ICE recruitment ads are no longer running on the platform. This may simply be because the campaign ended, so I’m not sure Spotify deserves plaudits here, but they could have re-upped the campaign and it appears they haven’t so I’m going to take it as a win.

For the fifth year in a row, U.S. teen drug and alcohol abuse rates declined, hitting a historic low.

Congestion Pricing in New York City has led to a measurable drop in traffic, and with it, a 22 percent decline in particulate pollution, according to a new study. Wow!

In one of her first acts as Mayor of Detroit, Mary Sheffield launched a program to financially support new mothers facing the high cost of taking care of children.

In two executive orders, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani targeted junk fees, hidden charges, and deceptive business practices in an effort to protect consumers.

A French ban on “forever chemicals” is now officially in effect. The ban targets a wide range of cosmetics and clothes and will also require French authorities to regularly test drinking water for all kinds of PFAS.

As part of “the most ambitious animal welfare strategy in a generation,” England will end the use of hen cages and pig farrowing crates, ban trail hunting and puppy farming, and more by 2030.

Avelo Airlines ceased deportation flights. They say it’s part of ‘streamlining its network’ but there isn’t a doubt in my mind that our protests and boycotts are behind this.

Abortion will remain legal in Wyoming after the state Supreme Court ruled that two laws barring the procedure, including the country’s first explicit ban on abortion pills, violate the state constitution.

House Majority PAC, House Democrats’ main super PAC, and its associated nonprofit raised a combined $121 million in 2025, more than they have in any previous non-election year dating back to HMP’s 2011 founding.

The Tesla Diner in Los Angeles is officially a dud.

An associate professor of acting and directing at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee has been reinstated and awarded 500K following his removal over a social media post related to Charlie Kirk last fall.

Nina Simone’s childhood home has gotten a long-awaited rehabilitation and is now open for visitors as a museum and cultural center.

About 7,000 people helped Timothy Snyder raise more than $1 million for drone-jamming automobiles that are helping medics saving lives on the front in Ukraine.

$98 billion in planned AI data center development was derailed in a single quarter last year by community organizing and pushback, more than all disruptions tracked since 2023.

In 2025, for the fourth year in a row, the world’s biggest banks made more money on their renewables investments than they did working with fossil fuel companies.

Iowa is returning to the federal Summer EBT Program in 2026 after opting out last year in favor of a state-run alternative.

Gov. Tony Evers vetoed a bill that would have allowed all complaints made to the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) to be appealed to state courts.

The U.S. Senate advanced a bipartisan War Powers Resolution 52-47 to block strikes on Venezuela without prior congressional approval. Last month, this same fight fell short by two votes in both the House and the Senate.

11 blue states have committed to filling in funding gaps created by the OBBBA which blocked federal Medicaid funding for reproductive health care services provided by Planned Parenthood and other organizations that also provide abortion care.

On January 1, because of the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act, the cost of some of the most expensive prescription drugs came down. Nine million seniors will save a total of $1.5 billion in annual out-of-pocket costs.

A federal judge ruled that John Sarcone, acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, has been serving unlawfully for months. The decision makes him the fifth Trump-appointed acting U.S. attorney deemed illegitimate by the federal courts during the president’s second term.

For the first time, California’s State Senate is being led by a woman of color.

A new internal GOP poll confirms Republicans are in deep trouble on health care. Only 38% of voters approve of his approach.

A second poll found that Trump’s popularity amongst young men is in free-fall, as many have turned their backs on the president for failing to deliver on a key campaign promise: lowering the cost of living.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes (D) delivered one of the strongest rebukes yet to the DOJ’s attempt to seize voters’ private data, vowing the department would have to “put me in jail” before he would illegally hand over unredacted voter rolls.

Rep. Chuck Edwards’ (NC-11) hometown paper awarded the Republican its 2025 “Nothingburger” Award for putting out self-congratulatory press releases, despite failing to secure meaningful relief for his community after it was devastated by Hurricane Helene.

Missouri officials confirmed that roughly two-thirds of the more than 300,000 signatures submitted to block the state’s new GOP gerrymander are valid — far exceeding the number needed to force a referendum.

In a bipartisan effort, two U.S. lawmakers asked a federal judge to appoint an independent monitor to compel the DOJ to release the Epstein files.

White storks will return to London for the first time in over 600 years, marking an important milestone in urban rewilding. The majestic birds have been extinct as a breeding species in England since 1416.

While the Trump administration continued its attempts to whitewash history on the 5-year anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, NPR published a detailed archive of truthful information about the attacks.

Within hours of Trump saying he would be “honored” to receive María Corina Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize, the Nobel Institute said its rules do not permit the passing on of its coveted prize to someone else.

Solar arrays provided more power to Texas’ standalone grid in 2025 than did coal-fired power plants, marking the first time that has happened.

A Democratic candidate in a South Carolina state House special election on Tuesday overperformed her 2024 results by more than 6 percentage points.

The Washington National Opera announced it will move its performances out of the Kennedy Center, abandoning the hall where it has played since 1971 in perhaps the largest artistic rebuke yet to Trump’s campaign to remake the Kennedy Center in his image.

According to a Republican legislative leader, the prospect of gerrymandering Kentucky’s congressional map to draw out its only Democrat in Washington is not going anywhere.

In a surprise move, senators of both parties agreed unanimously to erect a plaque honoring the officers who fought the mob at the Capitol on Jan, 6, 2021 — breaking from Trump’s false narrative about that day.

Jack Smith is going to get to testify publicly!

Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings publicly vowed to vote for whatever 2028 presidential candidate vowed to “prosecute” members of President Donald Trump’s “regime” in the next administration.

More than 1,000 companies are now reportedly suing the Trump administration over tariffs and demanding refunds

A leading Catholic paper branded JD Vance a “moral stain” and accused the vice president of having a “twisted and wrongheaded view of Christianity” for his comments on Renee Good.

Californians can now use a government website to request that certain companies stop selling their personal information online. The Drop website, which stands for the “Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform”, launched on New Year’s Day as part of a state law aimed at enhancing data privacy.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva vetoed a bill passed by Congress cutting former President Jair Bolsonaro's 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election.

ICE’s approval rating has collapsed since Trump took office — from +16, according to YouGov/The Economist polling last February, to -14 as of November.

Democrats have retained two seats in Virginia's General Assembly after winning a pair of special elections by significant margins on Tuesday night.

Jimmy Kimmel won the Critics’ Choice Best Talk Show Award. In his acceptance speech he thanked Donald Trump, “without whom we would be going home empty-handed tonight.”

Visibility Brigade chapters did emergency actions across the country this weekend condemning Renee Good’s murder at the hands of ICE and honoring her name. AMAZING! (To see more check my Instagram feed—I posted a whole carousel of them!)

Thanks for reading Chop Wood, Carry Water! This post is public so feel free to share it.

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/extra-extra-111

Football Sunday

https://archiveofourown.org/works/77490656

Sunday, January 11th, 2026 10:50 am

We did finally get to the Chinese restaurant and it was pretty much a fail. Mostly the food was struggling to get to fair. BUT, good to know. We don't have to go back. It was a pleasant evening so no big loss.

This morning we had breakfast here and then did a short walk through the complex and now we're watching a football game.

Biggie is fairly fond of Bill's lap but Julio got up there just now to get some action. Julio sat for ear scratches from Bill for longer than any other human in his little life. But, then Biggie decided he was done and so then was Julio but it was amazing for a bit.

Our team is winning and I've got an idea for a new knit toy that I'm playing with.

Done Since 2026-01-04

$mdlbear: blue fractal bear with text "since 2002" (Default)$

mdlbear

Sunday, January 11th, 2026 04:02 pm

Not a great week. Many things to worry about. Spent a lot of time curled up on the couch wrapped in a fuzzy green blanket. On the other hand, I started the week by watching Flow, which I've had on my to-be-watched shelf ever since it arrived in July. (I'd pre-ordered the DVD in March, as a slightly-belated birthday present to myself.) Highly recommended. Sunday also has links to a couple of "making of" videos on YT. Note that it was made using the open-source 3-D animation program Blender. And I had a really good cancer support group session Wednesday evening.

On the gripping hand, Renee Good.

Breakfast this morning: Raisin Bread French Toast (for one person; scalable):

I started with two raisin bread buns, sliced vertically into about five 1cm slices. Use what you have.
Beat one egg with a little milk.
Pour the egg mix into a flat-bottomed bowl.
Melt a pat of butter in a non-stick skillet (cast iron counts).
Using a pair of tongs, dip a slice of bread in the egg mix, quickly flip it over to coat the other side, and transfer it to the skillet. Repeat as needed.
Use tongs to flip the toast to the other side and to transfer it to your plate when both sides are done
Add maple syrup, butter, raspberry jam, et. al. (I just used maple syrup this morning.)

Linkies: Pecorino Romano Recall Now Class I Over Listeria Grated Romano numerous brands, including Boar's Head, which was distributed throughout 20 U.S. states. "Dream Cat." Or how “Flow” reached the Oscars -- more under the cut on Sunday.

( Notes & links, as usual )

Current Mood: worried
Current Location: Schildhaven in Den Haag
Current Music: not much

Tags:

To Make a Place a Home

ao3_9worlds_feed

Sunday, January 11th, 2026 10:38 am

Posted by MorningBright

by MorningBright

After a suggestion from Fitzroy, Cliopher and Basil plant a tui tree together in Alinor.
Speculatively set sometime after things have settled down after the Big Events (Jubilee, Singing of the Waters, Fanoa ceremony.)

Words: 2968, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Nine Worlds Series - Victoria Goddard
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Cliopher "Kip" Mdang, Basil White, Artorin Damara | Fitzroy Angursell
Relationships: Cliopher "Kip" Mdang & Basil White, Artorin Damara | Fitzroy Angursell & Cliopher "Kip" Mdang
Additional Tags: Spoilers for The Hands of the Emperor, Spoilers for At the Feet of the Sun, Spoilers for The Return of Fitzroy Angursell, Spoilers for Artorin Damara's Secret Name, Post-Canon, Speculation, canon typical angst, post-jubilee, post-ATFOTS, tui tree, Discussion of Home, Not Beta Read

https://archiveofourown.org/works/77490656

Gosh, isn't it great

conuly

Monday, January 12th, 2026 07:57 pm

when you finally confess your love to the guy you've been pining after for half your life, and it turns out that you have a perfectly aligned and complementary set of kinks? Nobody has to compromise and agree to sometimes do the thing they're not that into or, conversely, never do the thing they're totally into. Nobody's turned off by the mere thought of any of it, every conversation is an ongoing saga of "yes, and".

I guess that's one more advantage of being fictional!

***********

( Read more... )

Organized with capital O

A list of weekend protests

Saturday, January 10th, 2026 01:03 pm

My brother is down in his room so I just scanned in the few papers I have on hand that need to go to the CPA for tax info. Then I took the small stack that I need to deal with (check sheet, info sheet, etc) and then scan, into one envelope and the done ones into another. I'll leave them here near my table til it all goes off to the CPA which won't be until the end of February because the investment companies can wait that long, so do. But, I'm ready.

I held open house for my wonderful new storage area after elbow coffee this morning. All were suitably impressed.

Before that Bill and I went to the Issaquah Cafe for breakfast. Timber Ridge does not serve breakfast on Saturdays but the Issaquah Cafe is a favorite so it was fine.

Last night we had dinner with Gayle and Jim and it was lovely. Bill and Jim had a lot to talk about. Jim grew up very near where Bill lives now and they were both in the Navy. It was nice dinner.

Bill and I watched Episode 1 of The Hunting Party on Peacock. They just released Season 2 and we had not seen any of it. We watched til the end of the episode and were left wondering how the fuck they even got anyone interested in Episode 2, much less Season 2. It's a turkey of the first order.

Next up is Chinese dinner with Bonny at the dim sum place downtown. But, not til 5. I might just put my feet up and knit for a bit.

I had the weirdest dream the other day

conuly

Saturday, January 10th, 2026 05:12 pm

You'll laugh, it was that weird.

I dreamed that I was going to sleep. I had found a bed - not my actual bed, just a bed! - and snuggled down to sleep. And then I woke up a little (really woke up, not dream woke up) in my own bed, snuggled up nice and cozy, and drifted between the two beds, real and dream, for a little bit before falling back asleep for real.

****************

( Read more... )

PSA

conuly

Sunday, January 11th, 2026 05:25 am

Soooooo productive

https://archiveofourown.org/works/77397086

Friday, January 9th, 2026 03:55 pm

I got the package from the CPA yesterday for taxes. I just had a break in my day so I was reading over it and hit a Very Big Snag. I need documentation for the sale of my condo. Found it!! BUT then read more closely and discovered I also need documentation for the purchase of the condo... ARUGH. It's all in a giant folder with the HOA declaration that I left in the condo for the new owner. Happily, I know the guy but arugh. But then I went to Gemini and asked what exactly do I need for IRS documentation and how is the best way to get it.

All I need is the deed and the excise tax papers - here's the link - search by name or a bunch of other ways. Found both immediately and now have PDF's of each in my Taxes>2026 folder and I'm feeling very accomplished. And holy macaroni, there are a shit ton of Susan Dennis's in this county alone! I am not feeling special name wise.

My brother is down in his room taking a nap.

This morning we went to Target and got a rubber duck and two storage bins that were exactly the size we needed. Then we went to UPS to finish returning all the shelves we didn't need. The on to the parking lot between the vet and the pot shop. I went and picked up Biggie's drugs and Bill went to pick up some gummies for his wife.

Then we got gas and then we came home and got out the hair clippers and he shaped up the back of my hair.

And the ToDo List for January 2026 was completed.

When you open the door to my refrigerator often, the gasket holds it and you end up pulling your arm off and also slamming the door against the wall. Normal door stops don't stick out enough so my brother thought of sticking a rubber duck to the wall. And we found a Rubber Duck with chef's hat and apron to do the job.

You can zoom in to see his details. He's adorable. I cannot wait for someone to ask me why I have a rubber duck on the wall.

Tonight we're having dinner with Jim (down the hall - different than Jim across the hall) and his girlfriend, Gayle. Jim Down The Hall is originally from the smallish town in Texas where my brother lives now and he's also retired Navy like my brother so I though it would be fun to have a visit.

We did not get to Chinese last night because Bonny didn't want to go out in the rain. Which was fine. The three of us ate in the cafe downstairs. We may do Chinese tomorrow.

I feel like we have really gotten so much done. I'm using 'we' liberally. My brother did all the work and is so good at providing advice and helping me decide shit. I'm so lucky that he's so willing!

Playmaker

ao3_9worlds_feed

Friday, January 9th, 2026 09:19 pm

Posted by Leah_The_Laudable

by Leah_The_Laudable

Obligatory Hockey AU

Or:

What happens when the Red Company challenges the Council of Princes to a game of Ystharian Ice Hockey

Words: 5686, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Nine Worlds Series - Victoria Goddard
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Categories: Gen
Characters: The Red Company (Nine Worlds Series), Prince Rufus (Nine Worlds Series), Princess Oriana (Nine Worlds Series), My Lord the Iguana (Nine Worlds Series), Ballory the Unicorn (Nine Worlds Series), Jemis Greenwing, Roald Ragnor, Peregrine Dart, Cliopher "Kip" Mdang, Artorin Damara | Fitzroy Angursell, Conju an Vilius, Ludvic Omo, Rhodin an Gaiange, Raphael Amian | Lord of Ysthar, Jullanar of the Sea | Mrs. Etaris, Pali Avramapul
Relationships: Artorin Damara | Fitzroy Angursell/Cliopher "Kip" Mdang
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Hockey, Hockey AU, i guess, technically, Announcer!Jemis, Announcer!Roald, Announcer!Mr.Dart, silly fic, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, this is the stupidest thing i've ever written, i love it though, No beta we fall like Astandalas

https://archiveofourown.org/works/77397086

Chop Wood, Carry Water 1/9

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-19-cb0

Friday, January 9th, 2026 05:42 pm

Posted by Jess Craven

Another extraordinary banner from a Visibility Brigade chapter, this one in Woodland Hills, CA

Hi, all, and happy Friday.

Welcome to the end of a truly horrendous week. You did it again! It’s astonishing, really, to consider that we’ve survived almost a year of this nightmarish administration. But we did! And not only have we survived, but we’ve fought like warriors and scored a stunning number of wins. While we’re nowhere close to being out of this mess, we have made huge progress. It’s important to acknowledge that. I’m deeply proud of you. So many have chosen to bury their heads in the sand. You have chosen to stand up. It redounds to your honor.

A couple of miscellaneous things:

First, a reader posted a link in the comments this week to a magnificent spread sheet which contains contact information for not just all members of Congress, but Cabinet members, the Supreme Court, news organizations, and so much more. It’s extraordinary. I’m not sure who put it together—if you know please let us know in the comments—but it’s a magnificent and hugely useful document. Please bookmark it and share it widely.

Second, the House passed a three-year ACA premium tax credit extension bill yesterday. SEVENTEEN Republicans sided with Democrats on the final vote. This is hugely encouraging, and we must credit Hakeem Jeffries, with whom I often disagree, on getting this vote through. It’s also really important to thank the Republicans who bucked their colleagues and voted the right way on this. Those Republicans are Robert Bresnahan, Mike Carey, Monica De La Cruz, Brian Fitzpatrick, Andrew Garbarino, Jeff Hurd, Dave Joyce, Tom Kean Jr., Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Ryan Mackenzie, Carol Miller, Zach Nunn, María Elvira Salazar, David Valadao, Derrick Van Orden, and Rob Wittman. If one of them is your rep make sure to thank them!

Finally, Renee Good’s wife just released a statement talking about who Good was. It’s gorgeous and heartbreaking and I truly hope you’ll share it. The full statement is here, but here’s an excerpt:

Renee sparkled. She literally sparkled. I mean, she didn’t wear glitter but I swear she had sparkles coming out of her pores. All the time. You might think it was just my love talking but her family said the same thing. Renee was made of sunshine.
Renee lived by an overarching belief: there is kindness in the world and we need to do everything we can to find it where it resides and nurture it where it needs to grow. Renee was a Christian who knew that all religions teach the same essential truth: we are here to love each other, care for each other, and keep each other safe and whole.

Renee Good will not have died in vain, friends. Not on my watch. Not on yours. Today, and this weekend, and going forward, we take our actions for her, and for every victim of this administration’s lawless and brutal rule.

We will defeat them. We will do it by loving each other, just as Renee Good said we should. And, in the end, we will prove that love is more powerful than fear.

Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.

First, ICE needs to be abolished. They’ve always been notorious for brutal and undisciplined behavior, but that has escalated this week to an unacceptable and terrifying level. Our rights are being trampled and people are being killed. Congress must get rid of ICE and replace it with an agency structured around lawful and non-political enforcement of the country’s immigration laws. [H/T]

Second, please tell the Senator I expect them to pass the three-year ACA premium tax credit extension. We can’t wait. We need this help now.

Finally, Donald Trump and his entire administration need to be impeached and removed. They’re endangering our democracy, encouraging violence on civilians, and flouting the Constitution. Thanks.

Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.

Second, please tell the Congressmember I expect them to pass a War Powers resolution to stop Trump’s war on Venezuela—or any other country. His administration is failing to help Americans in any way. The idea that they are capable of running another country when they can’t even run ours is insane.

Finally, Donald Trump and his entire administration need to be impeached and removed. They’re endangering our democracy, encouraging violence on civilians, and flouting the Constitution. Thanks.

Extra Credit ✅

The terrific put out an action page today with phone scripts and a Resistbot (PTCKBJ) urging congressional action to stop an invasion of Greenland. Please use and share it!

Get Smart! 📚

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS with the ACLU—Friday, January 9, 8:00 PM ET

This weekend, people across the country are taking to the streets to demand accountability, honor Renee Good’s life, and make visible the human cost of ICE’s actions. Before you take action, learn your rights and how to stay safe and peaceful. Join the ACLU’s Protest Safety, Know Your Rights and De-Escalation Training on 1/9/26 at 8 PM ET.

This training will give you the tools to take action safely, confidently, and with key de-escalation strategies in hand. You’ll learn how to protect yourself, your community, and stand up for your rights.

Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣

put out a social media toolkit to help advertise this weekend’s “ICE Out For Good” actions. Please use it and spread the word!

Link to the toolkit is here.

Give 💰!

There is a Go fund Me page for Renee Nicole Good’s wife and child. If you feel moved to give the link is here. People have already given over a million dollars!

Indivisible is also encouraging us to donate to the Immigrant Defense Network. I concur!

Get in the Streets! 🪧

Indivisible, MoveOn, Working Families Party, and many others are organizing an “ICE Out For Good” weekend of action THIS WEEKEND. Find your event—or plan one—in this doc. You can also find a recording to yesterday’s emergency ICE response call there—if you missed it it was pretty awesome.

Win Races! 🗳

Help reach North Carolinians voters on the Registration Repair List.

There are almost 72,000 voters on this list, with an ID number missing from their registration. The list is nothing more than a ploy by the Republican-controlled Board of Elections to make it more difficult to vote, but voters on the list must “repair” their registrations or risk having to vote a provisional ballot.

The North Carolina Democratic Party is spearheading the effort to help “repair” these registration. It’s slow work to reach these folks, so every effort makes a difference!

Join a phone bank (from anywhere!) on 1/15. Sign up here.

Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻

[To: all 3 reps] [H/T] [Text SIGN PIGHHN to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]

(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.)

As your constituent, I am urging you to stand up for families that need access to child care in face of the Trump administration’s threats to freeze funding and impose burdensome paperwork requirements. Access to reliable child care is crucial in the United States and enables millions of parents and guardians -- especially mothers -- to enter or remain in the workforce.

There is no evidence of widespread fraud that was claimed erroneously by a YouTube influencer who targeted child care centers run by Somali immigrants in Minnesota. Threats to freeze funding cause uncertainty for millions while punishing children and working families nationwide. Right now, child care centers have not been given clear instructions on procedures they must follow; if funding is slowed or stopped because of unnecessary administrative burdens, parents will lose jobs and some child care centers will close.

There is a long history of bipartisan support for child care assistance in Congress. Please push back against this attack on families by the Trump administration. Child care is critical to working families and our economy.

OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.

Talk soon.

Jess

https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-19-cb0

Girl Genius for Friday, January 09, 2026

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20260109

Friday, January 9th, 2026 05:00 am

The Girl Genius comic for Friday, January 09, 2026 has been posted.

http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20260109

All that's left is your haircut...