Renee Babcock
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renegade500.bsky.social
Renee Babcock
@renegade500.bsky.social
Elder goth, nerd, cat lover. Compulsive reader. I love opera & football, hate driving & early mornings. Coffee in the AM before talking!

Award winning academic advisor to aerospace engineeing students at UT Austin.

Unabashedly progressive. Chaotic good.
Pinned
I'm being stingy with my time right now. I was at a conference yesterday and the keynote speaker talked about how we all have so much coming at us, bother personally and professionally right now. And we're all doing the equivalent of doom-scrolling, not exactly healthy.
It was definitely both cats sleeping with me weather last night. (And still sleeping while I get started on my PT exercises.)
November 30, 2025 at 3:21 PM
My favorite present under the Gothmas tree.
November 30, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The Gothmas tree is up for the season. It especially looks dramatic when it's dark out and the tree lights are the only source of lighting.
November 28, 2025 at 10:40 PM
13 years ago I bought a house. (And hoping to sell it in about 2.5 years.) Errands this morning including Central Market which wasn't too bad. But I now have what I need for turkey carcass soup. (Except for the carcass.)

Now enjoying my favorite tacos! (Migas from Veracruz All Natural.)
November 26, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Comes back from England with $400 worth of tea.

Opens today's email with notice of The Steeping Room's holiday sale.

Am I buying more tea? Heck yeah! I love TSR's Christmas blend. It's my absolute favorite.
addams from the addams family is holding a cup of tea and asking if she is ready for tea time .
Alt: addams from the addams family is holding a cup of tea and asking if she is ready for tea time .
media.tenor.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:53 PM
In Brighton, England, and it is very beautiful here. This is day 5 for me in England and I have to say I like it here very much.
October 30, 2025 at 11:00 AM
I've had several misadventures today but I ended up in a pub near my hotel with good food and football. The day has certainly ended well.
October 26, 2025 at 6:50 PM
I'm at the Austin Airport heading to London for World Fantasy (which is in Brighton later next week). The TSA agents are working hard and they currently aren't getting paid. What Trump and his government are doing is absolutely shameful with how federal employees are being treated.
October 25, 2025 at 8:36 PM
I am officially in the losing my mind with how much stuff I have to do before international travel phase of the week. Much of it actually Day Jobbe stuff. I've spent the last 30 minutes making a list of things to do/follow up on.
October 22, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Jfc this us chilling. I am physically not able to protest today but am there in spirit with everyone! Fight the good fight and please be safe!
Hi, I'm the ProPublica reporter who's been tracking an unusual stat: U.S. citizens grabbed by immigration agents.

I did it because the government isn’t.

This is what I found.
October 18, 2025 at 3:25 PM
After PT today I stopped at T Mobile and added a 10 day international Pass to my mobile plan to start when I land in London.

Only 9 more sleeps to go before heading to London!
October 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Buying a ticket to see NIN in March was so much easier and less stressful (and cheaper!) than trying to get Lady Gaga tickets. I have secured a ticket to see NIN. Can't wait! (Still hoping I manage to get a ticket to Lady Gaga but I'm not paying resellers $$$$$ prices. I'll keep checking for those.)
October 8, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I'm starting work on the fall 2026 course schedule, so that our students have classes to take next year. It's not exciting work, very complex and detailed. So I'm streaming Lady Gaga while I work on it, and my supervisor was bopping outside my hallway to the music.
October 8, 2025 at 2:43 PM
I made a new friend at the game watch. He's an 11 month old puppy.
October 5, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Large turnout for the Miami/FSU game watch at Freddo ATC. Never been here, but the menu looks good. Of course I'm having an orange drink (Aperol spritz). Happily the weather is great this evening.
October 4, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Just got my flu and covid shots. I don't usually experience side effects so hoping the trend continues. But scheduled them for a Friday just in case (and since Monday is my wfh day).

I go to England in 3 weeks!
October 3, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Hegseth is a racist, misogynistic POS. To sit there in that room people with decades of experience, calling them fat (and implying lazy), telling them they're returning to a "gender neutral male standard" is like a JV qb telling Dan Marino how to be a qb. Also male standard isn't gender neutral!
September 30, 2025 at 6:53 PM
It wasn't pretty but I'll take that W.

#DolfanForLife
September 30, 2025 at 2:58 AM
UT is very proud of their record-breaking fall enrollment (55k!). My dept enrollment is up around 5%. Anyone in a student-facing role is fast heading towards burnout, because we certainly aren't getting any extra support for the increased workload.

news.utexas.edu/2025/09/18/u...
UT Sets All-Time Highs for Enrollment and Student Performance
AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin set seven new highs for key enrollment indicators in the 2025-2026 academic year that reflect soaring
news.utexas.edu
September 22, 2025 at 6:31 PM
September 22, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Reposted by Renee Babcock
🚨NEW: "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" just dropped its first response to ABC, FCC chair, and Disney firing Jimmy Kimmel.

Trump ain't sleeping tonight. 🤣

This is a must-watch. 🔥
September 19, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Every now and then I get something in my HEB curbside order that I didn't order. Usually don't discover it until I get home. Last week it was 18 eggs so I had lots of eggs this week. Today it was a $15 salmon. I called the store and they said keep it or donate it. Guess I'm having salmon for dinner.
September 14, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Much as I want to see Lady Gaga, I'm not willing to pay $500+ for severe nosebleed tickets during a pre-sale. I'll try on Monday during the general sale.
September 12, 2025 at 5:55 PM
The world is shit today but I have a ticket to see the new Downton Abbey film tonight (bought about 6 months ago), and a Pimm's Cup to start off with. So I'll enjoy a few hours away from all the shit that will still be around tomorrow.
September 10, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Just got home from dentist, had to get 2 old fillings replaced.

Can I just say how much I *love* nitrous!

That's it, that's the post.
September 9, 2025 at 8:43 PM