cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
@turtlesoup.bsky.social
Cartoonist, illustrator, fanperson. Budding professional science writer & hobby naturalist/nature photographer. They/them. http://linktr.ee/alliekleber
Expect lots of bird photos (and sometimes plants, bugs, etc).
GenAI is not welcome here.
Expect lots of bird photos (and sometimes plants, bugs, etc).
GenAI is not welcome here.
Pinned
To my steady & confusing stream of new followers: welcome! I'm a sporadic poster who treats this as more of a personal account than anything publicity-oriented. I'm an enthusiastic amateur nature photographer, a somewhat lapsed cartoonist, and sometimes share political posts but try not to deluge.
Floods of fundraising messages are especially hard to cope with when you're in the middle of a period of financial hardship (in my case, due to ongoing pet health crises).
December 2, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Floods of fundraising messages are especially hard to cope with when you're in the middle of a period of financial hardship (in my case, due to ongoing pet health crises).
When you see this, post an image from your gallery describing your mental health
November 29, 2025 at 5:55 AM
When you see this, post an image from your gallery describing your mental health
Things are pretty bad right now.
I'm struggling with Gen's insulin dosing. Mistakes were made, he had a terrifying (and expensive) hypoglycemic crisis last week, his BG is all OVER the place, my vet has been either sick or mobbed, and now I'm in trouble with my asshole boss. I'm choking on anxiety.
I'm struggling with Gen's insulin dosing. Mistakes were made, he had a terrifying (and expensive) hypoglycemic crisis last week, his BG is all OVER the place, my vet has been either sick or mobbed, and now I'm in trouble with my asshole boss. I'm choking on anxiety.
November 28, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Things are pretty bad right now.
I'm struggling with Gen's insulin dosing. Mistakes were made, he had a terrifying (and expensive) hypoglycemic crisis last week, his BG is all OVER the place, my vet has been either sick or mobbed, and now I'm in trouble with my asshole boss. I'm choking on anxiety.
I'm struggling with Gen's insulin dosing. Mistakes were made, he had a terrifying (and expensive) hypoglycemic crisis last week, his BG is all OVER the place, my vet has been either sick or mobbed, and now I'm in trouble with my asshole boss. I'm choking on anxiety.
They're BACK. 🪶 Visiting the American Coots at Chestnut Hill Reservoir has become a significant highlight of November for me. Just as everything is getting really cold, dark and bare, these delightfully goofy #birds arrive and delight me with their antics. (Something I really needed this weekend.)
November 18, 2025 at 4:59 PM
They're BACK. 🪶 Visiting the American Coots at Chestnut Hill Reservoir has become a significant highlight of November for me. Just as everything is getting really cold, dark and bare, these delightfully goofy #birds arrive and delight me with their antics. (Something I really needed this weekend.)
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
From Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, we’re saying “We Ain’t Buying It” and asking Americans to hit pause on buying from corporations that enable Trump’s fascist agenda: weaintbuyingit.com/?utm_source=ind_wabi
November 18, 2025 at 1:48 AM
From Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, we’re saying “We Ain’t Buying It” and asking Americans to hit pause on buying from corporations that enable Trump’s fascist agenda: weaintbuyingit.com/?utm_source=ind_wabi
Hey friends. So, I just posted an update on Gen's GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/gen-sad-ki...
The tl;dr is that his surgery has had to be postponed because he is in diabetic relapse. This is ... very frustrating and exhausting, and also expensive. That said, we have a plan and it's not a disaster.
The tl;dr is that his surgery has had to be postponed because he is in diabetic relapse. This is ... very frustrating and exhausting, and also expensive. That said, we have a plan and it's not a disaster.
November 16, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Hey friends. So, I just posted an update on Gen's GoFundMe: www.gofundme.com/f/gen-sad-ki...
The tl;dr is that his surgery has had to be postponed because he is in diabetic relapse. This is ... very frustrating and exhausting, and also expensive. That said, we have a plan and it's not a disaster.
The tl;dr is that his surgery has had to be postponed because he is in diabetic relapse. This is ... very frustrating and exhausting, and also expensive. That said, we have a plan and it's not a disaster.
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
Time to swear in Adelita Grijalva, let her cast the final vote to release the Epstein files!
November 10, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Time to swear in Adelita Grijalva, let her cast the final vote to release the Epstein files!
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
10/10 take. No notes.
November 7, 2025 at 5:49 PM
10/10 take. No notes.
LRS: I will admit, I got a state ID with an "X" on it, because I was so tired of feeling like I didn't exist. But I've come to believe that the thinking was flawed.
I still refuse to change it BACK to an F, because that feels painfully invalidating, but I want the whole field gone.
I still refuse to change it BACK to an F, because that feels painfully invalidating, but I want the whole field gone.
November 6, 2025 at 11:13 PM
LRS: I will admit, I got a state ID with an "X" on it, because I was so tired of feeling like I didn't exist. But I've come to believe that the thinking was flawed.
I still refuse to change it BACK to an F, because that feels painfully invalidating, but I want the whole field gone.
I still refuse to change it BACK to an F, because that feels painfully invalidating, but I want the whole field gone.
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
This is why when folks were fighting to get an X gender marker on government ID, I went so hard on the idea that government ID ~shouldn’t have any gender on it at all~ It serves absolutely no purpose other than discrimination.
"without subjecting anyone to differential treatment."
This is flatly false! Trans people with a passport that does not match with their plain appearance when presented to a border agent is subject to additional hassle compared to a cis person presenting a passport.
This is flatly false! Trans people with a passport that does not match with their plain appearance when presented to a border agent is subject to additional hassle compared to a cis person presenting a passport.
NEW: On the shadow docket, the Supreme Court lets Trump resume misgendering trans Americans on their passports, claiming "the government is merely attesting to a historical fact without subjecting anyone to differential treatment." All three liberals dissent. www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...
November 6, 2025 at 11:09 PM
This is why when folks were fighting to get an X gender marker on government ID, I went so hard on the idea that government ID ~shouldn’t have any gender on it at all~ It serves absolutely no purpose other than discrimination.
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
Zohran was polling at six percent in January. Nothing is impossible
November 5, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Zohran was polling at six percent in January. Nothing is impossible
I'm so happy for you, NYC friends. Thank you for showing all of us that no really, it IS possible to get it right.
November 5, 2025 at 3:55 AM
I'm so happy for you, NYC friends. Thank you for showing all of us that no really, it IS possible to get it right.
It feels a little early to be calling Weird Duck Time just yet, but then again ... hooded mergansers are here now. And they're quite possibly my favorite weird/winter resident ducks of all, with their delightful hairdos and absurd courtship displays. 🪶
November 4, 2025 at 4:35 PM
It feels a little early to be calling Weird Duck Time just yet, but then again ... hooded mergansers are here now. And they're quite possibly my favorite weird/winter resident ducks of all, with their delightful hairdos and absurd courtship displays. 🪶
Why does S.T. Gibson keep writing vampire books which imply that they are adaptations of classic works, but actually have absolutely nothing to do with those works except character names or a bit of set dressing? Leave Stoker and LeFanu ALONE and just let your books be YOUR BOOKS, please! /grump
November 3, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Why does S.T. Gibson keep writing vampire books which imply that they are adaptations of classic works, but actually have absolutely nothing to do with those works except character names or a bit of set dressing? Leave Stoker and LeFanu ALONE and just let your books be YOUR BOOKS, please! /grump
Perfect afternoon: an hour and a half walking around a sunny pond surrounded by fall foliage, with the first hooded mergansers of the season working hard at their courtship displays, followed by several hours cozy art/crafts time with good friends and company. Bike rides in between. I needed that.
November 2, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Perfect afternoon: an hour and a half walking around a sunny pond surrounded by fall foliage, with the first hooded mergansers of the season working hard at their courtship displays, followed by several hours cozy art/crafts time with good friends and company. Bike rides in between. I needed that.
(Age is not the enemy. No, really.)
Maybe it was way more than seven million? "8% of Americans say they participated in a No Kings protest on October 18."
p.s. Older people are really showing up.
p.s. Older people are really showing up.
November 1, 2025 at 4:26 PM
(Age is not the enemy. No, really.)
Happy Halloween! 🫰🏻🫰🏻
October 31, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Happy Halloween! 🫰🏻🫰🏻
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
Tough week. Here are a few shots from a restorative walk I took on Sunday, featuring a great blue heron (with lunch), maple foliage, an American red squirrel (I love them! it's not mutual), and a surprisingly late black-and-white warbler. I would like to be back there now. 🪶
October 30, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Tough week. Here are a few shots from a restorative walk I took on Sunday, featuring a great blue heron (with lunch), maple foliage, an American red squirrel (I love them! it's not mutual), and a surprisingly late black-and-white warbler. I would like to be back there now. 🪶
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
"I DON'T NEED YOU TO FUCKING REWRITE WHAT I'VE JUST WRITTEN!"
October 28, 2025 at 10:46 AM
"I DON'T NEED YOU TO FUCKING REWRITE WHAT I'VE JUST WRITTEN!"
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
It’s still remarkable that Disney produced - and released - this segment in 1940. A horror short that should rank with its Universal monster movie contemporaries… The animation is lush and experimental, and really shows off the Disney special animated effects team…
October 24, 2025 at 3:28 AM
It’s still remarkable that Disney produced - and released - this segment in 1940. A horror short that should rank with its Universal monster movie contemporaries… The animation is lush and experimental, and really shows off the Disney special animated effects team…
Help Babs move and get some handy art reference! Plus, feel good about helping someone delightful!
Hello! I'm moving! Like a very sudden, gotta move in like a month, move! I know I post a lot of free poses on here, but if you'd like to help me out by buying a Google drive folder of almost 300 poses for figure drawing, I'd really appreciate it!
ko-fi.com/s/fdb4f9c631
#figuredrawing #lifedrawing
ko-fi.com/s/fdb4f9c631
#figuredrawing #lifedrawing
Big Folder of Poses - Babs New's Ko-fi Shop
Link to a Google Drive folder of almost 300 (soon to be over 300) poses for figure drawing!
ko-fi.com
October 25, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Help Babs move and get some handy art reference! Plus, feel good about helping someone delightful!
Please help if you can. ❤️ RB is a delightful human as well as a talented wildlife photographer and she and her daughter are in a tight spot.
Sorry to ask for help again but my total amount of SNAP benefits which I'm totally dependent on for food is $250 per month. If you can donate, it would be greatly appreciated. Best way is with a Walmart gift card. [email protected]. [email protected] for PayPal. Thank you vry much. 🥹❤️🪶
Donate to Please Support Mom and Me Through a Crisis, organized by Megan Rowell
Through no fault of our own, Mom and I have lost a major portion of our income… Megan Rowell needs your support for Please Support Mom and Me Through a Crisis
gofund.me
October 22, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Please help if you can. ❤️ RB is a delightful human as well as a talented wildlife photographer and she and her daughter are in a tight spot.
Reposted by cranky ol’ Auncle Allie
Subscribe to this list 👇 and preemptively block the GOP .gov accounts who have suddenly appeared over here en masse - before they can screenshot and hassle you here and/or elsewhere: bsky.app/profile/did:...
Remember folks. The original bluesky ethos by us bluesky elders (apparently I count?) is block and move on.
Don't quote dunk, don't pick fights.
Block, and move on.
This is what made this site unpalatable to the right early on, and we can continue to make it unpalatable to them.
Don't quote dunk, don't pick fights.
Block, and move on.
This is what made this site unpalatable to the right early on, and we can continue to make it unpalatable to them.
October 18, 2025 at 12:32 AM
Subscribe to this list 👇 and preemptively block the GOP .gov accounts who have suddenly appeared over here en masse - before they can screenshot and hassle you here and/or elsewhere: bsky.app/profile/did:...