Jess W-G
@frogsandgrubs.bsky.social
Middle school science teacher, entomologist, snow lover in NC. Begrudging Swiftie and jazz fan because of my family. Beyoncé lover in my soul. Cornell alum (wtf??) and NC State
Dad on the left six sevening with his middle schooler
Science confirms hand gestures make you seem more persuasive www.popsci.com/health/hand-...
Science confirms hand gestures make you seem more persuasive
Go ahead! Use appropriate hand gestures when debating your family.
www.popsci.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Dad on the left six sevening with his middle schooler
Even if it’s not Tressie McMillan Cottom being referred to here, the idiocy that people bring to her and then Keep. On. Holding. a stupendously vapid take while she destroys them is wild.
It’s very reminiscent of gotcha conversations with middle school boys. It’s a type.
It’s very reminiscent of gotcha conversations with middle school boys. It’s a type.
Some of you really like bringing soft, empty thinking to the virtual doorstep of one of the smartest scholars working. It’s FASCINATING.
November 26, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Even if it’s not Tressie McMillan Cottom being referred to here, the idiocy that people bring to her and then Keep. On. Holding. a stupendously vapid take while she destroys them is wild.
It’s very reminiscent of gotcha conversations with middle school boys. It’s a type.
It’s very reminiscent of gotcha conversations with middle school boys. It’s a type.
N.K. Jemison’s “The Fifth Season” is SO GOOD. I’m 1/3 through and I want everyone I know to read it with me and do nothing else. Thank you @scalzi.com for bringing her work to my attention.
November 26, 2025 at 7:49 PM
N.K. Jemison’s “The Fifth Season” is SO GOOD. I’m 1/3 through and I want everyone I know to read it with me and do nothing else. Thank you @scalzi.com for bringing her work to my attention.
Ah yes. Gut health being the primary driver for my Thanksgiving meal planning
Skipping meals before a big holiday feast probably isn’t the best idea for gut health, experts say. Here’s how to prevent overeating on an empty stomach—and tips for if you do
Why ‘Saving Room’ for Big Holiday Meals Can Be Bad for Gut Health
Skipping meals before a big holiday feast probably isn’t the best idea for gut health, experts say. Here’s how to prevent overeating on an empty stomach—and tips for if you do
www.scientificamerican.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Ah yes. Gut health being the primary driver for my Thanksgiving meal planning
I have somehow been with my husband for 18 years as of November 30th? How? Uh oh. Time happens.
November 25, 2025 at 2:15 AM
I have somehow been with my husband for 18 years as of November 30th? How? Uh oh. Time happens.
There were new character limits on our report card comments this trimester and I found out AFTER I had written 93 personalized comments all over the limit in a spreadsheet and was copy-pasting them in. Yay.
November 25, 2025 at 1:47 AM
There were new character limits on our report card comments this trimester and I found out AFTER I had written 93 personalized comments all over the limit in a spreadsheet and was copy-pasting them in. Yay.
Also shout out to the lady on the plane today who briefly discussed the merits of an EdD vs PhD in education and her trajectory from science teacher to education professor. Quality of the program, career goals, lower ceilings with the EdD, and more. It was super helpful!
November 24, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Also shout out to the lady on the plane today who briefly discussed the merits of an EdD vs PhD in education and her trajectory from science teacher to education professor. Quality of the program, career goals, lower ceilings with the EdD, and more. It was super helpful!
I (recently) told the customer service people that their niche in the Durham/Chapel Hill store is designed like that because it used to be photo processing and a damned laundromat in the stores in Rochester and she was just like “Ok. Thanks!”. Maybe I expected applause?
Niche food-related post, but it's important to remember that in 1993, Danny Wegman, CEO of Wegmans grocery stores, announced a partnership with Xerox, with one of the most powerful mullet-tie combos in history
November 24, 2025 at 1:05 AM
I (recently) told the customer service people that their niche in the Durham/Chapel Hill store is designed like that because it used to be photo processing and a damned laundromat in the stores in Rochester and she was just like “Ok. Thanks!”. Maybe I expected applause?
The Diplomat season 3 sure seems like a soap opera
November 22, 2025 at 8:53 PM
The Diplomat season 3 sure seems like a soap opera
Just over here planning a day trip from Lancaster to Philly next week and hoping to see the Squidmobile
November 22, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Just over here planning a day trip from Lancaster to Philly next week and hoping to see the Squidmobile
My hill to die on is that anyone who works with older middle schoolers long enough will learn that it is an incredible age but the first pass as a middle schooler is garbage and the first pass as a teacher is guaranteed extra hot garbage.
Middle schoolers are amazing and we owe them better.
Middle schoolers are amazing and we owe them better.
Just your friendly middle school teacher reminder that 7th graders will burst into spontaneous games of tag if you give them the 4 minute opportunity to “Do whatever you want. Cartwheels, tag, I don’t care.” while you let everyone (yourself included) burn off bad vibes walking around a field.
November 19, 2025 at 2:25 AM
My hill to die on is that anyone who works with older middle schoolers long enough will learn that it is an incredible age but the first pass as a middle schooler is garbage and the first pass as a teacher is guaranteed extra hot garbage.
Middle schoolers are amazing and we owe them better.
Middle schoolers are amazing and we owe them better.
Just your friendly middle school teacher reminder that 7th graders will burst into spontaneous games of tag if you give them the 4 minute opportunity to “Do whatever you want. Cartwheels, tag, I don’t care.” while you let everyone (yourself included) burn off bad vibes walking around a field.
November 19, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Just your friendly middle school teacher reminder that 7th graders will burst into spontaneous games of tag if you give them the 4 minute opportunity to “Do whatever you want. Cartwheels, tag, I don’t care.” while you let everyone (yourself included) burn off bad vibes walking around a field.
Reposted by Jess W-G
Aaaaand it’s now local. Time to step up.
ICE just hit Durham, community is activating, message me if u wanna help
November 18, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Aaaaand it’s now local. Time to step up.
I left an asshole’s lab who treated me like garbage once I got my NSF GRF award. I wrote the proposal by myself while I was his tech. He told me to stop acting like I was smarter than everyone else. He wasn’t hitting on me but turned on me when he realized I was, in fact, possibly smarter than him.
If women are underrepresented in STEM, it's at least partly because men like this offer mentoring, then embarrass themselves by assuming their mentees must be into them, then decide the best solution is to cut ties, which sends the signal to other faculty that the mentee must not be good enough.
The emails have Summers reporting to Epstein about his attempts to date a Harvard economics student & to hit on her during a seminar she was giving.
November 16, 2025 at 12:58 AM
I left an asshole’s lab who treated me like garbage once I got my NSF GRF award. I wrote the proposal by myself while I was his tech. He told me to stop acting like I was smarter than everyone else. He wasn’t hitting on me but turned on me when he realized I was, in fact, possibly smarter than him.
To read later
A lot of education discourse is at root an inability to decide whether the purpose of our education system is to 1) teach material and measure learning 2) reward students who work hard 3) separate the smart kids (destined for smart guy jobs) from the dumb kids (destined to serve the smart guys)
November 16, 2025 at 12:08 AM
To read later
I know Erin Hunter isn’t one person but the Warrior Cats (girl fandom) universe and the Wings of Fire author breakout of Tui T. Sutherland continues to be absolutely WILD to me. Both the scale of its popularity and how neither have had blockbuster adaptations but Dogman (boy fandom) has.
November 15, 2025 at 5:20 PM
I know Erin Hunter isn’t one person but the Warrior Cats (girl fandom) universe and the Wings of Fire author breakout of Tui T. Sutherland continues to be absolutely WILD to me. Both the scale of its popularity and how neither have had blockbuster adaptations but Dogman (boy fandom) has.
Just say no to rotavirus. Noooooo. Be gone. Even with the toddler and the big kid being vaccinated, it wiped out the whole house.
November 15, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Just say no to rotavirus. Noooooo. Be gone. Even with the toddler and the big kid being vaccinated, it wiped out the whole house.
Cars continues to be a top tier middle schooler movie. Got 8th grade boys that need to want to hang out in your room during non-instructional time? Cars
Also Paddington. And for girl buy-in (and boys like it too) Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse
Also Paddington. And for girl buy-in (and boys like it too) Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse
November 13, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Cars continues to be a top tier middle schooler movie. Got 8th grade boys that need to want to hang out in your room during non-instructional time? Cars
Also Paddington. And for girl buy-in (and boys like it too) Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse
Also Paddington. And for girl buy-in (and boys like it too) Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse
I made the mistake of looking at the neighborhood Facebook group today to see about some HOA drama. No good can come from that. I only did it because I was home with a sick toddler.
Also, folks, you’re not going to win a legal battle against a NC mega HOA without spending an extraordinary amount
Also, folks, you’re not going to win a legal battle against a NC mega HOA without spending an extraordinary amount
November 12, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I made the mistake of looking at the neighborhood Facebook group today to see about some HOA drama. No good can come from that. I only did it because I was home with a sick toddler.
Also, folks, you’re not going to win a legal battle against a NC mega HOA without spending an extraordinary amount
Also, folks, you’re not going to win a legal battle against a NC mega HOA without spending an extraordinary amount
Stuck under a sick toddler right now and I made the mistake of opening LinkedIn. Can’t people just pick up a book or go for a walk in the woods instead of posting there?
My kindle is out of reach. I would like to read my book!
My kindle is out of reach. I would like to read my book!
November 11, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Stuck under a sick toddler right now and I made the mistake of opening LinkedIn. Can’t people just pick up a book or go for a walk in the woods instead of posting there?
My kindle is out of reach. I would like to read my book!
My kindle is out of reach. I would like to read my book!
Ok nerds. What gives? Why does the American Red Cross push blood donations after 8 weeks while the NHS says women need to wait 16 weeks (men 12 weeks)?
Which evidence backs up which? #MedSky
Which evidence backs up which? #MedSky
November 11, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Ok nerds. What gives? Why does the American Red Cross push blood donations after 8 weeks while the NHS says women need to wait 16 weeks (men 12 weeks)?
Which evidence backs up which? #MedSky
Which evidence backs up which? #MedSky
My almost two years postpartum, still nursing body is so close to my normal but not quite.
November 9, 2025 at 6:40 PM
My almost two years postpartum, still nursing body is so close to my normal but not quite.
Paying someone else to recaulk my walk-in shower while I was at work was worth every penny. It also no longer looks like a frathouse bathroom because the stuff living under that split caulk was gross.
November 8, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Paying someone else to recaulk my walk-in shower while I was at work was worth every penny. It also no longer looks like a frathouse bathroom because the stuff living under that split caulk was gross.
What Cornell idiocy. JFC.
November 7, 2025 at 6:52 PM
What Cornell idiocy. JFC.