Without downloading any new pics what’s your energy going into 2025

I put together this woefully incomplete starter pack of California journalists. Ping me if want to be added here, or to Pack #2 once this one hits the max 150.

go.bsky.app/Bsj7Wq9

It was just pointed out to me that a recent update to the Bluesky client now allows you to block bots, trolls and chuds directly from their obnoxious comments via the right click menu, so I checked and sure enough, there it is (highlighted in the picture). Truly this is an age of wonders.

tell drake. i want him to know it was me. i played that shit 837283 times

That's all folks! The first two editions of the Verified Bluesky Press List are now full! That's 300 reporters, news outlets, TV folks, and other media types who have been Officially, Personally, and Artisanally Verified by yours truly!
bsky.app/starter-pack...
bsky.app/starter-pack...

One thing I find interesting about the echo chamber complaint is that an echo chamber just won a presidential election.

Put aside the convo of whether it’s “good” or “bad” for a moment. The far right has devoted enormous resources + time to building echo chambers & loathes spaces they don’t control

Bluesky focusing on feeds over trends is a smart decision.

Lists were the most under rated feature on Twitter

Trends just give you gossip from random people abt a topic whereas feeds allow you go interact & learn w experts on that given topic

Its like having a library of human books in your hand

Protect this place at all costs.

Don't let it become a hellsite. Treat it like any other public space you deeply care about. Starve the trolls. Cleanse the timeline with selfies, pets, beautiful things, and your latest accomplishment. If you're a lurker, lurk away.

Above all, choose kindness.

Little pro Tip for new users. If you are worried about people seeing your account from clearsky etc you can go to your moderation tab and go to the bottom and select the discourage tab and it will make it harder for those not on the app to see your content. It makes it harder to screencap etc.

The great @barbrastreisand.bsky.social is Verified On Bluesky.

Bluesky has "the juice."

go.bsky.app/CTkQxBY

newskies, some culture notes:

don't be a jerk
don't quote-skeet to dunk on ppl
don't do stuff for clout / clicks
don't argue with dinguses, just mute/block/report
(this is NOT a nazi bar)
amplify good folks
cheer ppl on
we're glad to cheer you & your work on
you are not a brand
be a human being

another curmudgeonly thread for the many of you who will be entering organizing spaces.

all other things being equal, when confronted with one team of people recruiting you to Be a Thing and another team recruiting you to Do a Thing, please give serious thought to joining the second.

I would like to recommend to you the Timeline Cleanse feed, which pulls in every post that has the phrase “timeline cleanse” in it:

Hi! Are you new here and looking for more cat accounts to follow? Here is a starter pack I made of cat accounts that use ALT text and are run by real people - no bots or image scrapers! go.bsky.app/J8yqxnN

My therapist just recommended the DBT acronym PLEASE if this helps anyone during crisis:

Of course, these are the hardest things when you feel like shit:

Doing my part!

There are so many excellent journalists here, but here's a start, via Bluesky's own starter pack