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Carolyn E Holmes

@carolyneholmes.bsky.social

4.4K followers 890 following 3.5K posts

Assistant Professor of Political Science. African Politics, Nationalism, and Democracy. Also quilting. Lots of quilting.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · Nov 1

New quilt! All made of home-dyed cyanotypes, with plants I collected.

It’s been about 2 years in the making, and I’m so pleased with how it’s coming out.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 11h

Level: unpossible

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 12h

Yummmm! I made acorn bread

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 12h

I, for one, am *shocked* that the “activist” who was personally responsible for drumming up a frenzy over social media posts that led to the firing of an anthropology professor (and have gotten her targeted by extremist groups) at my university would be anything less than an upstanding worker.

BronSays @bronsays.bsky.social · 12h

www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

"A prominent anti-DEI campaigner appointed by Meta in August as an adviser on AI bias has spent the weeks since his appointment spreading disinformation about shootings, transgender people, vaccines, crime, and protests."

Meta AI adviser spreads disinformation about shootings, vaccines and trans people

Critics condemn Robby Starbuck, appointed in lawsuit settlement, for ‘peddling lies and pushing extremism’

www.theguardian.com

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 13h

“Your research: suddenly relevant.”

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 14h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

Archives banned making copies.

Natasha Simonova @philistella.bsky.social · 15h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

New library catalogue website.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 16h

I’m trying to send him to the post office to do in person verification, but to do that, I need to verify his cellphone number.

Problem? The cellphone is one he hasn’t had in years

So then you try to call and see if it can be changed. Not without verification. How to verify? With the old phone…

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 16h

Right?? I’m just trying to get my Dad logged in to see his benefits. Not sign up.

I’d happily send him to the post office, but I can’t even do that without verifying his cellphone, which is linked to an old number he hasn’t had in years.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 17h

I'm honestly considering booking a flight myself. I've been trying to do it for 3 days remotely. It's ridiculous.

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 17h

Hi yes, the Social Security Administration's Online re-verification of Identity is absolutely ridiculous, and asking senior citizens to photograph their IDs and take a selfie is a pretty significant hurdle.

I'm just saying.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 1d

I just think the guy doing the “arrest me, Daddy” bit to the National Guard is *hysterically* funny.

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

Signed,
A Hetero-married, quilting and baking enthusiast, with two great kids.

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

I honestly hate it SO MUCH.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

The whole “Taylor’s a would-be trad wife” discourse just makes me earnestly wish for the time to do my politics-of-online-crafting-communities project that I’ve been dreaming of…

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

You can also make your own, to suit your space, and make it look a bit nicer.

www.diaryofaquilter.com/how-to-build...

How to Build a Quilt Design Wall | quilting | Diary of a Quilter

Top US quilting blog, Diary of a Quilter, features a tutorial on how to make your own DIY Quilt Design Wall. Click now for step-by-step instructions!

www.diaryofaquilter.com

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

That’s it, exactly! It’s just a felted side with a printed grid, and the felt has enough friction to (sort of) hold up the blocks, but I also used to put pins through it for security.

I had it in our old house. We don’t have the space for it in our current setup, but a design wall is really so fun.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

Yes! So I seam ripped out the background on the big star, then y-seamed the little stars into the angles there, and then just sort of cut-as-you-go to make it into a square, and then a square-in-a-square (to put the center medallion on point)

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

Thank you so much!

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

Thank you!!

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

Some quilts just belong on beds! I started it maybe 2.5 years ago, inspired by an old wild star quilt I saw in a book. I abandoned it when it was all separate stars (picture 4), because I didn’t know what to do with it…In my finish-it-Fall-2025, I decided to take it apart and put it back together.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 3d

Next bit of hatemail I get, I'm just going to respond:

No one has hated my own writing more than me in the third round of revisions. Get. in. line. Sir.

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 4d

I’m just researching the length of the runway at Mswati International Airport…

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 4d

The implications here for US-South Africa relations are…enormous.

Noah Lanard @nlanard.bsky.social · 4d

Some background on the absolute monarchy where the Trump administration is now paying to imprison people deported by ICE

Story here: www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 4d

I mean, I'm pretty sure I got a job because of my winning online personality**

**may not apply in all situations, and certainly does not translate IRL. Terms and conditions apply. Void where prohibited.

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 5d

Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?

Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 5d

Absolutely plain salted pasta.

Faine Greenwood @faineg.bsky.social · 6d

What foods do you love that you fully acknowledge make you a pervert for loving them?

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 5d

I *know* its politically productive and an unqualified good to build a big tent coalition. I also know that giving people an off ramp is vital to de-radicalization. I that welcoming people in is right.

BUT ALSO.

like...You definitely *did vote* for /the guys/ who *said* they would do all of this.

Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 6d

“I voted for none of this."

Prominent influencers, including Theo Von, Joe Rogan, and Andrew Schulz, are starting to distance themselves from the president they helped propel to the White House.

Story: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

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Carolyn E Holmes @carolyneholmes.bsky.social · 5d

I feel like everyone up in arms about Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl should just be sent a copy of Daniel Immerwahr’s book.

www.nytimes.com/2019/02/13/b...

‘How to Hide an Empire’ Shines Light on America’s Expansionist Side (Published 2019)