Carrie Gaffney
@carriegaffney.bsky.social
Writing, reading, and living in the Midwest.
It is an unspoken obligation that I have to watch Glory every time it’s on and sob uncontrollably for three hours afterward. So it has been for 30 years.
February 6, 2026 at 9:57 PM
It is an unspoken obligation that I have to watch Glory every time it’s on and sob uncontrollably for three hours afterward. So it has been for 30 years.
I share a birthday with Elmo, and I don’t know; it feels fitting.
February 3, 2026 at 9:39 PM
I share a birthday with Elmo, and I don’t know; it feels fitting.
I was on the board of a national social justice org for a while. One time I remarked I was surprised they had chosen so many Midwesterners because of our conservative rep. The woman in charge said, ‘Midwesterners who do this work lead with love and do not quit.’
I will never forget that.
I will never forget that.
January 25, 2026 at 1:09 PM
I was on the board of a national social justice org for a while. One time I remarked I was surprised they had chosen so many Midwesterners because of our conservative rep. The woman in charge said, ‘Midwesterners who do this work lead with love and do not quit.’
I will never forget that.
I will never forget that.
Guys, we’re misspelling ‘Axis of Evil 2.0’
January 20, 2026 at 4:07 AM
Guys, we’re misspelling ‘Axis of Evil 2.0’
Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Taken Summer, 2016.
January 19, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church. Taken Summer, 2016.
Everything is awful, so a random thought to consider: if you’ve ever been driving and stuck behind a bus, you *probably* could be on that bus instead. Something to consider in the new year.
January 16, 2026 at 1:16 AM
Everything is awful, so a random thought to consider: if you’ve ever been driving and stuck behind a bus, you *probably* could be on that bus instead. Something to consider in the new year.
Anticipating the moment when my doctor asks me without irony if I’m getting enough bacon. 🤷🏻♀️
January 8, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Anticipating the moment when my doctor asks me without irony if I’m getting enough bacon. 🤷🏻♀️
The nuanced debate around problematic systems/ stakeholders in the college football bracket has me wondering why we can’t apply that same nuance to *other* problematic systems/stakeholders. Like maybe human-type stuff. 🤷🏻♀️
December 9, 2025 at 12:10 PM
The nuanced debate around problematic systems/ stakeholders in the college football bracket has me wondering why we can’t apply that same nuance to *other* problematic systems/stakeholders. Like maybe human-type stuff. 🤷🏻♀️
I was one of the teachers who welcomed students from Afghanistan when they arrived in 2021. Their trauma was immense, and all of us felt the gravity of our responsibility to center their humanity first and foremost every day. And now what?
November 27, 2025 at 3:34 PM
I was one of the teachers who welcomed students from Afghanistan when they arrived in 2021. Their trauma was immense, and all of us felt the gravity of our responsibility to center their humanity first and foremost every day. And now what?
Today is rainy and gross.
But yesterday was glorious.
But yesterday was glorious.
November 18, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Today is rainy and gross.
But yesterday was glorious.
But yesterday was glorious.
Columbine happened during my student teaching, so I have never worked in a world where I wasn’t worried I might have to die at school. I am physically ill that the AG of my state thinks it is acceptable in any way, shape, or form to release a child to anyone except a parent or guardian. Shameful.
November 7, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Columbine happened during my student teaching, so I have never worked in a world where I wasn’t worried I might have to die at school. I am physically ill that the AG of my state thinks it is acceptable in any way, shape, or form to release a child to anyone except a parent or guardian. Shameful.
The ID domestic abuse marathon coupled with commercials where it’s 4 pm and the mom feels pressure to figure out dinner… I don’t know. I don’t like it.
October 26, 2025 at 9:27 PM
The ID domestic abuse marathon coupled with commercials where it’s 4 pm and the mom feels pressure to figure out dinner… I don’t know. I don’t like it.
Irvington going hard early.
October 25, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Irvington going hard early.
If this is true… Midwest writers are about to have their moment. 🤞🏻🤞🏻
Vibe shift in the culture towards earnestness
October 19, 2025 at 7:33 PM
If this is true… Midwest writers are about to have their moment. 🤞🏻🤞🏻
I love the east side of Indy all the time, but today was a great day to renew my vows.
October 17, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I love the east side of Indy all the time, but today was a great day to renew my vows.
When did alphabetical order start going by first name? Because what? And no.
October 16, 2025 at 7:53 PM
When did alphabetical order start going by first name? Because what? And no.
Sometimes I forget I live in the city.
October 12, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Sometimes I forget I live in the city.
Indy to Bloomington on the Flix bus. Hoosier luxury.
September 4, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Indy to Bloomington on the Flix bus. Hoosier luxury.
Kevin was my friend. Losing him was a loss for the city, a city he loved and advocated for every day he was here. As a city and state, we have a responsibility to keep our people safe.
Ban police chases
Carmel police chased a stolen Kia into Indianapolis. It ended in tragedy as an innocent 47-year-old father was killed in a collision with the fleeing suspect.
August 26, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Kevin was my friend. Losing him was a loss for the city, a city he loved and advocated for every day he was here. As a city and state, we have a responsibility to keep our people safe.
It’d be sweet if the city of #Indy and #Indygo could collaborate 2X per year to boost ridership… a program akin to IndyPL’s summer reading. It’d be a way to reward current users for what they’re already doing and perhaps entice some transit-curious folks. I’m thinking Sept and April. 🚍🚍
August 18, 2025 at 11:33 AM
The words ‘deal’ and ‘government’ in the same sentence continue to leave me deeply unsettled. Not sure how to reconcile that. 🤷🏻♀️
July 31, 2025 at 12:59 PM
The words ‘deal’ and ‘government’ in the same sentence continue to leave me deeply unsettled. Not sure how to reconcile that. 🤷🏻♀️
Me every Monday: It would be really cool if I went to work this morning and the Michigan/ New York 2-way conversion was done.
Everyone else:
Everyone else:
a cartoon of a horse with the words no that is definitely not happening
ALT: a cartoon of a horse with the words no that is definitely not happening
media.tenor.com
July 28, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Me every Monday: It would be really cool if I went to work this morning and the Michigan/ New York 2-way conversion was done.
Everyone else:
Everyone else:
I needed this so hard today!
The words do not need to come out in order. That's for editing and that's for another day when these words may not even survive the night on the page. You can do whatever you want. Draw the boundaries later
July 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
I needed this so hard today!
On one hand, we all know kids never do the assigned reading anyway. But on the other hand, cruel, dehumanizing erasure is a terrible, terrible default environment.
June 27, 2025 at 6:44 PM
On one hand, we all know kids never do the assigned reading anyway. But on the other hand, cruel, dehumanizing erasure is a terrible, terrible default environment.
I took my students to the central library today so they could learn databases. There was free face painting, which meant every kid had their face painted instead of doing the work I wanted them to do. I believe the children are our future. 🌸🌸
June 10, 2025 at 12:45 AM
I took my students to the central library today so they could learn databases. There was free face painting, which meant every kid had their face painted instead of doing the work I wanted them to do. I believe the children are our future. 🌸🌸