Heather Braum
@hbraum.bsky.social
Kansan. Librarian. Oliver and Charis’ (cat) Mom. Kids health policy, including Medicaid, CHIP, & immunization policy, esp for #ksleg. Forever recovering techie. Opinions+content=my own.
This guy. And his sister (not pictured). Glad to come home to them tonight. (Even as he whines for his beloved feather toy)
July 3, 2025 at 11:03 PM
This guy. And his sister (not pictured). Glad to come home to them tonight. (Even as he whines for his beloved feather toy)
I have no words to share this morning. So here’s a photo of Charis curling up with me before I finally get moving this morning. Thankful for her.
July 3, 2025 at 11:56 AM
I have no words to share this morning. So here’s a photo of Charis curling up with me before I finally get moving this morning. Thankful for her.
Posting this for so many reasons today. Too many leaders — and humanity — have lost sight of this purpose.
June 27, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Posting this for so many reasons today. Too many leaders — and humanity — have lost sight of this purpose.
From @hcrichardson.bsky.social’s latest. Was also my thoughts when I saw last night’s headlines. Don’t get distracted from Congress considering largest cuts ever to Medicaid+SNAP & numerous other harmful proposals that will hurt (or worse) people AND state budgets. open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
June 5, 2025 at 11:49 AM
From @hcrichardson.bsky.social’s latest. Was also my thoughts when I saw last night’s headlines. Don’t get distracted from Congress considering largest cuts ever to Medicaid+SNAP & numerous other harmful proposals that will hurt (or worse) people AND state budgets. open.substack.com/pub/heatherc...
I love these kitties and their silliness—even when they’re trying to drink my milk that I’m thoroughly enjoying bc it’s from the only place with the best milk, of course!. (1-Charis. 2-Oliver. 3-Charis. 4-Oliver).
April 29, 2025 at 2:48 AM
I love these kitties and their silliness—even when they’re trying to drink my milk that I’m thoroughly enjoying bc it’s from the only place with the best milk, of course!. (1-Charis. 2-Oliver. 3-Charis. 4-Oliver).
Happy Caturday. ❤️Oliver.
April 26, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Happy Caturday. ❤️Oliver.
Friday night timeline cleanse. Got a new phone with a much better camera and already capturing amazing photos of Oliver. (Can you spot his tiny fang and adorable toe beans?)
April 25, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Friday night timeline cleanse. Got a new phone with a much better camera and already capturing amazing photos of Oliver. (Can you spot his tiny fang and adorable toe beans?)
Congressional leaders in DC are proposing massive cuts to Medicaid, & it’s time for Kansans to use our voices & tell our representatives about how cuts & changes to Medicaid will affect our everyday lives. Meetings in Topeka, Wichita, Salina, & KC next week! Register expandkancare.com/events/
April 14, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Congressional leaders in DC are proposing massive cuts to Medicaid, & it’s time for Kansans to use our voices & tell our representatives about how cuts & changes to Medicaid will affect our everyday lives. Meetings in Topeka, Wichita, Salina, & KC next week! Register expandkancare.com/events/
Having a front row seat/lap to watching Oliver willingly seek out attention/scritches/my lap & finally truly trust is amazing. It’s taken us 6mo to get here but I now see the significant shift all at once. Adopting a traumatized adult kitty from a rescue isn’t easy but I’m privileged to be his mom.
April 12, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Having a front row seat/lap to watching Oliver willingly seek out attention/scritches/my lap & finally truly trust is amazing. It’s taken us 6mo to get here but I now see the significant shift all at once. Adopting a traumatized adult kitty from a rescue isn’t easy but I’m privileged to be his mom.
Today sucked on numerous levels. But I’m winning tonight with Oliver getting more and more comfortable hanging out on my lap more often and even briefly rolling around (talk about trust!!). He’s come a long way in trust in six months!!
April 11, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Today sucked on numerous levels. But I’m winning tonight with Oliver getting more and more comfortable hanging out on my lap more often and even briefly rolling around (talk about trust!!). He’s come a long way in trust in six months!!
Does anyone else say this to their cats, “Oliver, quit eating the bug!” (The green thing that was a plastic bug — that is the second one he’s slowly eaten apparently….)
April 11, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Does anyone else say this to their cats, “Oliver, quit eating the bug!” (The green thing that was a plastic bug — that is the second one he’s slowly eaten apparently….)
How threatened federal IMLS and humanities funding impacts Kansas libraries and cultural groups.
April 5, 2025 at 1:56 PM
How threatened federal IMLS and humanities funding impacts Kansas libraries and cultural groups.
(This is also a reminder adults should update their own Tdap protection every 10 years!) When I started in immunization policy, nurses told me to go watch videos of babies w pertussis/whooping cough—that it is one of the worst things listening to them try to breathe. Their descriptions were enough….
April 5, 2025 at 1:50 PM
(This is also a reminder adults should update their own Tdap protection every 10 years!) When I started in immunization policy, nurses told me to go watch videos of babies w pertussis/whooping cough—that it is one of the worst things listening to them try to breathe. Their descriptions were enough….
Impt story by @bymatthewkelly.bsky.social. www.kansascity.com/news/politic... This is also the bill that includes buried language loosening KS’ religious exemption for vaccine requirements in child care settings. See this for why that’s troubling— www.immunizekansascoalition.org/documents/Ka...
April 3, 2025 at 11:25 PM
Impt story by @bymatthewkelly.bsky.social. www.kansascity.com/news/politic... This is also the bill that includes buried language loosening KS’ religious exemption for vaccine requirements in child care settings. See this for why that’s troubling— www.immunizekansascoalition.org/documents/Ka...
What does government look like? It looks like this. Thank you to the NWS weather forecasters, tech staff, & every single person involved in efforts tonight to track & issue warnings on all of these storms across so many areas — & do their best to preserve lives as much as feasible. www.weather.gov
April 2, 2025 at 11:27 PM
What does government look like? It looks like this. Thank you to the NWS weather forecasters, tech staff, & every single person involved in efforts tonight to track & issue warnings on all of these storms across so many areas — & do their best to preserve lives as much as feasible. www.weather.gov
Dumb weather. Charis is ready though if I have to quickly pack the kitties up to take shelter tonight. Please don’t let this be a night of her and Oliver’s first tornado (with me, anyway)…
April 2, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Dumb weather. Charis is ready though if I have to quickly pack the kitties up to take shelter tonight. Please don’t let this be a night of her and Oliver’s first tornado (with me, anyway)…
6mo ago tomorrow I had to say goodbye to Storm, after 16.5 yrs together. I thought I wouldn’t recover from the loss for a long time. Then a week later I met Oliver & Charis at the local cat cafe & brought them home 5mo ago last week. Grateful for how they make me laugh after v long days like today.
March 19, 2025 at 2:02 AM
6mo ago tomorrow I had to say goodbye to Storm, after 16.5 yrs together. I thought I wouldn’t recover from the loss for a long time. Then a week later I met Oliver & Charis at the local cat cafe & brought them home 5mo ago last week. Grateful for how they make me laugh after v long days like today.
Um. Did someone order an apocalypse? Very creepy looking sky tonight thanks to dust and wildfires from high winds today in NE KS. These are from downtown Topeka, early evening.
March 14, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Um. Did someone order an apocalypse? Very creepy looking sky tonight thanks to dust and wildfires from high winds today in NE KS. These are from downtown Topeka, early evening.
Timeline cleanse. Oliver at golden hour last night.
March 12, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Timeline cleanse. Oliver at golden hour last night.
Happy Friday night from Oliver and also from a photo-bombing Charis. He still doesn’t do this often so each time remains special. (Although now he’s sitting on top of and tussling with his sister before he then fell off the chair—and the tussling continues on the floor now.)
March 1, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Happy Friday night from Oliver and also from a photo-bombing Charis. He still doesn’t do this often so each time remains special. (Although now he’s sitting on top of and tussling with his sister before he then fell off the chair—and the tussling continues on the floor now.)
In good news tonight….Oliver crawled into my lap for the first time in weeks all on his own and is now currently fast asleep. Apparently he knew it was needed tonight.
February 26, 2025 at 1:29 AM
In good news tonight….Oliver crawled into my lap for the first time in weeks all on his own and is now currently fast asleep. Apparently he knew it was needed tonight.
Sunday afternoon w the kitties.
February 23, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Sunday afternoon w the kitties.
I am proud to work for KAC and on behalf of so many Kansans, especially this week.
Read the opening of our newsletter this week below, and finish it here: www.kac.org/2025_stateho...
Read the opening of our newsletter this week below, and finish it here: www.kac.org/2025_stateho...
February 14, 2025 at 11:09 PM
I am proud to work for KAC and on behalf of so many Kansans, especially this week.
Read the opening of our newsletter this week below, and finish it here: www.kac.org/2025_stateho...
Read the opening of our newsletter this week below, and finish it here: www.kac.org/2025_stateho...
Friday night hanging out w Oliver…I think he’s enjoying watching old figure skating videos as much as I am!
February 8, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Friday night hanging out w Oliver…I think he’s enjoying watching old figure skating videos as much as I am!
Tonight. Cannot wait. Sharon McMahon. My soul needs this tonight after the last two weeks of ksleg.
February 7, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Tonight. Cannot wait. Sharon McMahon. My soul needs this tonight after the last two weeks of ksleg.