Leah Shaffer
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leahshaffer.bsky.social
Leah Shaffer
@leahshaffer.bsky.social
11K followers 1.5K following 8.8K posts
Science writer, mostly puttering about the garden.
she/her
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leahshaffer.bsky.social
counter argument : The argument meme
The classic American Chopper meme, any nerdy argument can use this meme. 5 photos stacked on top of eachother depicting a scene from reality show American Chopper mustache asshole yells from his chair: "I'm so tired of hearing people ask why the hobbits didn't ride the giant eagles to mordor" hat asshole yells back: It's a plot hole! why wouldn't they ride them. It would have saved time and lives! mustache asshole YELLS FROM CHAIR: THE EYE OF SAURON WOULD HAVE SEEM THEM COMING FROM MILES AWAY AND SENT HIS WINGED HELLBEASTS TO DESTROY THEM AND GOTTEN BACK THE RING then throws his chair at hat asshole who yells, "YOU'RE JUST MAKING EXCUSES FOR POOR SCREENWRITING. mustache asshole points and yells: THE EAGLES WERE THEIR OWN PROUD RACE AND NOT A TAXI SERVICE FOR HOBBITS.
November 17, 2025 at 9:24 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
@ecarlen.bsky.social is the keeper of such things
Here are my puffed up hardy Chicago pigeons. 🪶
three Chicago pigeons, hunkering at a train stop on a frosty morning, puffy grey and black birds
November 17, 2025 at 8:57 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
I'm pretty sure drinking a second pot of coffee will fix me. Pretty pretty sure
A percolator about to be filled with Kaldi grounds, mmm good coffee
November 17, 2025 at 3:34 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
I actually bagged all my leaves one year, we ended up with 70 bags! Now, I just mow over it a couple times. Doesn't have to be perfect.
A bare magnolia tree having recently dumped its leaves, yard is mowed and still pretty crunchy but good enough.
November 16, 2025 at 7:59 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Indeed
A bunch of college kids holding a crawdad fight. The crustaceans are battling and everyone is yelling and every person and crawdad is labeled "leftists"
November 16, 2025 at 3:59 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Weird ass new normal warm November. Atleast the kale is happy 🌱🥬 #GardenSkt
Fresh dwarf kale out of the ground, bright green
November 15, 2025 at 9:03 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
My son insisted we purchase this singular velvet bow tie with a bell for the lady of the house. I guess I am doing parenting right.
A tortoise shell cat with a velvet green bowtie standing in a carpeted living room. She resents the bowtie and plots revenge.
November 14, 2025 at 8:46 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Evergreen mood
a smol crab holding a smol steak knife
November 14, 2025 at 6:17 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Includes photos from Olah et all!
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
a giant "spider" at the center of a web Ha ha! Tricked ya, a tiny spider just made a giant spider puppet from the bodies of its prey, as you do
November 13, 2025 at 5:18 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
ain't no money in this soap dispenser #AI
"legacy software companies adding an ai chatbot to their product" and it's a picture of a soap dispenser standing uselessly on a bar of soap.
November 12, 2025 at 5:28 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Anyways, maybe this meme will help.
A photo of a crying little girl coloring with a crayon: Some days, I just want to reply to emails with 'ok' and this photo
November 12, 2025 at 4:40 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
I've already written this fanfiction. James Bond will be played by Rose Byrne who goes by both James Bond and "Katie" (if ya nasty). Her CIA contact is played by Melissa McCarthy who will channel her character from Spy. The title of the movie:
The Immortal James Bond: AntiFa
Rose Byrne looks like a evil "Dolphin Trainer" to quote Spy
November 11, 2025 at 5:35 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
puffy vests never go out of fashion
Marty McFly in the classic orange puffy vest
November 11, 2025 at 3:07 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
whimsical egg sac
illustration of spider egg sac of Charlotte's web
November 11, 2025 at 1:38 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Frosty ass pigeons in Chicago, doing their commute
A frosty L train stop in Chicago, tall buildings, tracks Fat fluffy Chicago pigeons, 3 huddled at a train stop
November 10, 2025 at 2:37 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Funny detail from one of our #SciWri25 sessions on bridging the editor/writer divide. On the page of "frustrating editor behaviors," an edit.
Pages of handwritten notes. One says "Frustrating Writer Behavior" and another says "Frustrating editor behavior" A writer complaint: asking a question that is only answerable with a 5 second Google search. And there is an editing mark on that comment fixing the grammar.
November 9, 2025 at 7:04 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Chicago giving science writers a big cold wet kiss. #SciWri25
Snow flurries in Chicago, thanks Lake Effect!
November 9, 2025 at 6:21 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Platonic life partners/science wives, will get drunk, maybe weepy, definitely sleepy.
@maggiek.bsky.social
A red head woman throws her arm over her platonic journalist life partner, a brown haired woman. It's Maggie and Leah
November 9, 2025 at 3:30 AM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
one more. I find myself saying this constantly.
My next Mamdani style sign says: What a Time for us to be alive!
November 8, 2025 at 8:59 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
My Mamdani style sign says "Nap Time for Meee"
November 8, 2025 at 8:55 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Advice column session at #SciWri25 with @laurahelmuth.bsky.social who has a @slate.com work advice column. These can be a good way to get subscribers. I want to start one called "Ask a mad scientist"
A middle aged white woman at a podium. It's Laura Helmuth! She is very clever
November 8, 2025 at 7:46 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Times are lean, get extra donuts.
Stan's Donuts in a Chicago, beautiful pink neon sign
November 8, 2025 at 3:12 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
This city is so beautiful #SciWri25
Chicago, at State, cool curvy architecture next to gothic spires
November 6, 2025 at 10:51 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
See you soon #SciWri25
A middle aged woman wearing glasses and a mask, on the elevated train of Chicago.
November 6, 2025 at 10:16 PM
leahshaffer.bsky.social
Spotted @tkingfisher.com in a lucrative slot for the airport bookshop. Twisted Ones is scary as hell, I recommend it.
Stephen King books, including The Long Walk, soon to be movie, fill a shelf at an airport bookshop. With author T. Kingfisher sharing space. Now go read The Twisted Ones.
November 6, 2025 at 6:45 PM