Renée Spiewak, PhD
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respiewak.bsky.social
Renée Spiewak, PhD
@respiewak.bsky.social
770 followers 90 following 400 posts
Autistic astrophysicist/board-game-salesperson, Borealis (Bo)'s human, amateur sailor, pulsar enthusiast, and world traveler. Loves: cats, science, board games, books, and silence. She/Her.

Profile picture: me outside
Banner: Bo lounging on a workbench
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respiewak.bsky.social
I'm a bit surprised that any hours actually got her approval. My judgemental babby holds a grudge any time I go out of her sight (including into another room)
The judgemental babby herself. A multicolor tabby is lying on a grey plaid blanket with her face towards the camera but her eyes scrunched closed. Her footwork is excellent, with all 4 paws clustered near her tail, and a hint of the softest tummy you've never touched is visible. (Yes, it's always a trap)
October 11, 2025 at 7:03 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
They look like some of my first few photos of my baby, Bo (pictured). I definitely know that feeling of needing at least one good picture for posterity or to share the news with family and friends.
A photo of a tiny brown tabby kitten who is very definitely out of focus. She is wandering around a room near a rug and recycling bin. She is mostly out of the "potato" stage but still doesn't have much tail. A photo of a tiny brown tabby kitten who is quite out of focus. She is walking on the floor of an apartment, facing the camera, and possibly yelling at the person behind the camera A photo of a tiny brown tabby kitten who is still out of focus, but closer to the camera. She is climbing or leaning on the camera person's leg. She is very cute A photo of a tiny brown tabby kitten who is so out of focus that she's basically a blur. She is walking on the floor again near the rug, and the person's socked foot is visible now, in focus, and it's nearly the same size as her.
September 27, 2025 at 1:36 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
Times are tough, have an Enterprize (a replica of one of the first)
A gorgeous wooden ship with 2 tall masts and 3 sails visible but stowed on their yards and booms (6 if you look hard enough), all illuminated by the sun against a darker cloudy sky. The ship is in a marina of some kind, with several tall masts in the background. The image is taken from about 30 meters away, from the aft starboard side, so the stern is visible (in shadow), but the front ~2 meters of the jib boom is cut off.
September 22, 2025 at 12:33 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
I somewhat prefer being a springboard to Bo's habit of gnawing on my feet when I'm sitting (usually with my feet on the ground, not up)
A perfectly innocent sleeping tabby cat who is definitely not planning her next assault on my feet, hands, or other body parts. The gorgeous angel is snuggled next to her victim (past and future), lulling her into a false sense of security
August 5, 2025 at 1:49 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
I love the photo! My brown tabby loves flopping on concrete just like this!

Wish I could take them, but I'm a bit far away, and my spoiled little brat (cat) struggles to get along with just my sister's and mom's cats
A brown tabby cat is lying on her back on a concrete sidewalk while wearing a comfy purple harness that may or may not weigh a billion pounds. Her face is away from the camera, but her very soft belly is quite visible, and her front paws are in bunny position.
August 4, 2025 at 12:51 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
Not me actually remembering it's #caturday. Here's an orange himbo fighting a couch, a tiny demon princess trying to sleep on said couch, and a gremlin doing gremlin things
An orange cat caught in the act of fighting a brand new couch that sadly uses the perfect fabric for cats to scratch. The little weirdo has 3 paws engaged in clawing the fabric, he's biting a handle that's used to get at a storage space under the cushion, and one front paw is helping the mouth. A gorgeous kitty who has large white and tabby patches and the most dainty little paws, lying on a nice-looking brand new couch. She is looking towards the camera, and a shadow can be seen indicating the lighting is perfect for this baby angel (fallen) Gremlin. The tabby variety. She has claimed the optimal stair where she can keep an eye on the goings-on downstairs, have every opportunity to trip people walking up the stairs, or escape either upstairs or down as needed. (Photo literally just shows a cat on stairs, not looking at the camera. Just cat.)
June 21, 2025 at 7:02 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
Waterford has released a "we're looking into it" nothing statement.

Rufus King and the impacted families have a straightforward request: accountability. If the incident was as serious as I've been told (by a secondhand source), they could demand more, but here's their form letter. (Alt text split)
Subject: Demand for Accountability Following Racist Incident at Track Meet on May 7, 2025 Dear [Superintendent/Principal/Athletic Director/School Board Members], I am writing as a concerned citizen and advocate for equity in our schools to express deep concern and outrage over the racist remarks reportedly directed at student athletes from Rufus King High School during the track and field meet held on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Such behavior is not only morally reprehensible but also constitutes a direct violation of both the Waterford Union High School Student-Athlete Code of Conduct and the WIAA (Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association) Student-Athlete Code of Conduct, which explicitly prohibit harassment, bullying, and discriminatory language of any kind. Per the WIAA Code of Conduct, athletes are expected to "show respect for opponents and officials and refrain from any behavior that would reflect negatively on themselves, their team, or their school." The Waterford Union High School Code of Conduct reinforces these expectations by stating that all athletes are to uphold values of sportsmanship, integrity, and respect for all individuals, regardless of race or background. We demand the following immediate actions: 1. Public Identification and Disciplinary Action: All athletes and individuals involved in the racist behavior must be identified and face swift, transparent disciplinary consequences in alignment with your own code of conduct. 2. Public Statement from Waterford Union High School: The school must issue a formal and unequivocal statement condemning this racist behavior and affirming its support for the Rufus King High School student athletes who were targeted. 3. Commitment to Anti-Racism and Equity: We urge the district to review its athletic programs, provide mandatory anti-racism and bias training for student athletes and coaches, and reaffirm its commitment to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all students. !! Continued Placeholder for alt text continued: Racism has no place in our schools, in our sports, or in our communities. We must hold our youth and institutions accountable if we hope to foster an educational environment where all students especially Black students-feel safe, respected, and valued. We look forward to your prompt response and action on this urgent matter. Sincerely, [Your Full Name] [Your City, State] [Your Contact Information, optional Next page: Email addresses Mr. Michael Schoenfeld, School Board President mschoenfeld@wuhs.us Lucas Francois, Superintendent lfrancois@wuhs.us Jill Stobber, Director of Athletics and Activities jstobber@wuhs.us
May 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
I actually *have* space art! That I made! It may be more utilitarian than decorative, but that doesn't matter (I say to myself)
I crocheted these pillow/stuffies for my niece. The Sun, eight planets (with the moon attached to the earth), and Pluto-Charon (connected). Sadly no asteroid belt was made
A layout of 10 crocheted objects on a table as seen from above. A yellow "Sun" is in the center, with a dark grey sphere nearby, followed, in distance from the "Sun" by a larger brown sphere, a mottled blue sphere with a white cap connected with a black string to a much smaller grey sphere, a red sphere with a white cap, a striped brown and tan sphere with a visible red spot near the middle, a mottled orange and yellow sphere with sizeable white rings, a light teal sphere with small white rings, a dark blue sphere, and a tiny connected pair of spheres in mottled brown and tan, and grey. The smaller spheres are not in a line but places as if orbiting the "Sun" at their own paces. Three crocheted objects lined up on a blanket. Furthest from the camera is a light yellow "Sun" that looks like a flat-ish pillow with barely visible triangular "rays" around it. Next closest is "Jupiter": a sphere about half the radius of the "Sun" with stripes of different yarn in brown and tan (with specks of various colours) and a patch near the equator in bright red. Closest to the camera is "Saturn", which has irregular patches of orange and yellow but sports a wide white ring at its equator, which is a bit wobbly and definitely makes the "planet" look like a sunny-side-up egg. A single crocheted object held in a person's hand. The "sphere" is obviously not very spherical, like someone squished it. The "planet" is a solid light teal colour with a small white ring around the equator.
April 12, 2025 at 2:30 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
She looks so much like my sister's cat, Nyla, but in her case the belly is absolutely a trap, of death.
A very sleepy white and tabby cat, partly covering her face with her front paws while curled up on the foot of a recliner. The toe beans of 2 paws can be seen, and they are magnificent! She looks very soft, but do not disturb!
April 6, 2025 at 2:31 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
Here's a picture my sister took last night, darth, of my mom's dog and cat. The cat was there first, of course, but I think he didn't really mind
A mid-sized (OK, she's a bit of a chonk, but it's mostly fur) dog lying kind of on top but more next to a very orange cat on a couch. The cat is looking somewhat annoyed by the intrusion as the dog checks on her buddy by shoving her nose in his face. They are both very sweet and loving
March 29, 2025 at 2:56 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
Repost with alt text.

So, to clarify, the EO halted funding. A DC District Court judge put a restraining order on that, effectively reinstating funding. The SC Chief Justice put a stay on *that* order, re-pausing the funding. Now, the full SC has rescinded the stay, meaning funding is back on.
Cite as: 604 U. S. (2025) SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES No. 24A831 DEPARTMENT OF STATE, ET AL. v. AIDS VACCINE ADVOCACY COALITION, ET AL. ON APPLICATION TO VACATE THE ORDER ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA [March 5, 2025] On February 13, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia entered a temporary restraining order enjoining the Government from enforcing directives pausing disbursements of foreign development assistance funds. The present application does not challenge the Government's obligation to follow that order. On February 25, the District Court ordered the Government to issue payments for a portion of the paused disbursements-those owed for work already completed before the issuance of the District Court's temporary restraining order by 11:59 p.m. on February 26. Several hours before that deadline, the Government filed this application to vacate the District Court's February 25 order and requested an immediate administrative stay. THE CHIEF JUSTICE entered an administrative stay shortly before the 11:59 p.m. deadline and subsequently referred the application to the Court. The application is denied. Given that the deadline in the challenged order has now passed, and in light of the ongoing preliminary injunction proceedings, the District Court should clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order, with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines. The order heretofore entered by THE CHIEF JUSTICE is vacated.
March 5, 2025 at 4:54 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
Tag yourself. I'm a Crazy Cat Lover/Pirate Quartermaster/Telescope Kid
A 4 by 3 grid of lego minifigs in various costumes. Top row: Bogeyman (monster with horns holding a book), Wolfpack Beastmaster (strong eyebrows, cape with hood, sword, shield with a wolf image, and a wolf sidekick), Steampunk Inventor (moustache guy with a monocle and top hat holding a device that possibly controls time), and Longboarder (skater with green hair holding a skateboard). Middle: Plush Toy Collector (pink hair and clothes holding two round "creatures"), Telescope Kid (kid with afro with a telescope), Cupid (picture Cupid after way too much hairspray and possibly drugs), and Jetpack Racer (racer like for NASCAR but with a jetpack). Bottom: Hamster Costume Fan (they didn't want to say "furry"), Crazy Cat Lover (short hair and glasses, wearing a sweater covered in cats, holding a ball of yarn, with a white cat), Pterodactyl Costume Fan (this one's not a furry, just a weirdo in a pterodactyl costume), and Pirate Quartermaster (badass female pirate with an afro held back by a headband, holding a cutlass in one hand and a Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo in the other because of course its that bird)
January 20, 2025 at 4:45 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
The game won lolsob
A terrible photo of a game titled The Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring Trick-Taking Game with "A cooperative quest through Middle-earth" at the top of the box, next to a small promo for the game titled The Gifts of Galadriel. The items are very shiny with artwork resembling stained glass.
January 17, 2025 at 10:06 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
I woke up today and chose violence (towards cats). Dress-up and claw trimmings.
A gorgeous tabby cat wearing a cute Christmas cape with a hood. The cape is red with white trim. The cat is on the edge of a half wall playing with the ribbon at the front of the cape. An angelic white-and-tabby cat peeking out of a cute Christmas cape (the same cape). The hood is up slightly over the cat's head. The cat is lying on a bed looking off to the side of the camera. A confused orange tabby wearing a cute Christmas cape (also the same cape). The cat is standing on a wood floor looking down as if politely wishing he could leave.
December 18, 2024 at 9:25 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
Good job trying! I'm sure your cat held you captive despite any resistance, as he should.

Here's a photo of mine being an absolute goober (when she's not trying to go outside, too)
An absolute goober of a cat. How to even describe this one? The cat is upside down, on her back that is, but the perspective of the photo also is such that her butt is at the top of the image. And you can see her butt very clearly. The photo is mostly cat butt. The cat's face is quite visible between all of her paws; her front paws are posed very cutely as if she had been holding something that was taken from her (my arm). The cat appears to be tipped back so that her butt is higher than her head, making her back legs stick out, near her head. The tail is not in use, so the entire butt area is on display. She's very cute, though, with her eyes looking at you like that and her fur just so very strokable.
December 15, 2024 at 3:54 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
Trying to find the orange cat brain cell. It's not here
A lovely orange tabby. I wouldn't say he's stupid, but he certainly doesn't use... thoughts. In this photo, he's looking towards the camera while lying curled up on a comfy chair. His pose is a modified shrimp, with one front leg gripping(?) his back leg. I don't know how cats work.
November 25, 2024 at 1:47 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
Wow, being in a starter pack is weird; I suddenly have a bunch of followers. Hi!

I'm Renee (she/her). I have a PhD in astrophysics and currently work at a board game store! I mostly post about my cat (Borealis, pictured) or whatever random stuff hits my brain.

No reposts without alt-text
A cat lying on a couch and leaning forward to sniff a dog's paw. The cat, a brown tabby, is definitely suspicious of the dog (the paw has medium-length white fur). A human is under the pets, with one foot visible at the end of a black legging, and one additional toe behind the cat's head. The cat's claws appear to be slightly tensed, into the human leg.
November 24, 2024 at 9:30 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
My movie buddy tonight
One adorable orange tabby lying partially curled up on a pile of blankets and towels on a couch. His front legs are straight, pushing against something (my legs, actually) at the edge of the photo.
November 24, 2024 at 4:31 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
Milwaukee, WI. The upper block is majority Black, and the lower block is majority Hispanic/Latinx.
Time to pressure the Mayor on this...
A screenshot of the WIRED article, specifically the map. It is zoomed in on the Milwaukee and south-eastern Wisconsin area. Many red dots on the map form 2 groups: one large roughly square area north of highway I94 and west of highway I43, and a smaller sparse area south of I94
November 11, 2024 at 8:10 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
So true! In my home, the eldest cat will eat all the food he can and still not gain weight, my young lady will eat all the food she's allowed and gain all the weight, and the little one (in size, not sure age) is rather picky and doesn't eat enough to maintain her weight 🤦🏼‍♀️
2 of the cats mentioned in the text. An orange tabby curled up on a bed near a tabby-and-white cat who appears much larger. The perceptive might notice the hexagons on the bedspread and infer that the nearby tabby-and-white cat is not actually much larger than the orange guy The third cat. A brown tabby is lying outside on a concrete sidewalk. She is very happy, lying on her back kind of twisted as if rolling around vigorously with the sun shining on her very soft belly. She is not an outdoor cat but sometimes insists on getting out for a little concrete treat
November 10, 2024 at 6:07 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
Apparently these are "dogs"
A photo of a random footpath near a canal (I think it was in the Netherlands), and there are clearly two cats on the path. Neither of them looks like a dog; they're quite cute and cat-shaped.
November 9, 2024 at 9:23 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
Obligatory cats
A photo of a bed on which 2 cats are comfortably sprawled. There is a set of pajamas on which the brown tabby is lying, while the orange tabby appears to be leaving against a pillow or something under the top blanket. It also looks like he may be missing his front legs but that is a calculated deception and they can be found right up against his body.
November 9, 2024 at 8:59 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
Here's my (first?) contribution to #SomethingBeautiful: the Mackinac Bridge, one of my favourite iconic bridges
A photo of the Mackinac Bridge as seen from a ferry approaching to go beneath it. The far end of the bridge is very far away; the land is barely a line between the peaceful water and grey-blue sky. The entire image is very quiet and still.
November 3, 2024 at 3:04 PM
respiewak.bsky.social
I just got my copy of AwkwardYeti's #QuietBrain activity book, and it's so lovely! The first few activities I've looked at are nice and quite varied, with great illustrations ❤
A photo of the top of a page from an activity book. There is an image of a happy Heart character listening to music with eyes closed, a big smile, and a relaxed pose, with the earbuds sticking in the anatomically approximate vena cava and aorta? The text reads: Date: ... Check when complete (a box) Doodle in this box while listening to one of your current favorite songs Just let the music guide your pen or pencil. You can even close your eyes if you want.
November 3, 2024 at 3:13 AM
respiewak.bsky.social
Endorsed by Borealis, a firm believer in "if I'm here, you should be, too"
A very comfy cat stretched out on a plaid blanket that looks quite soft. The tabby cat is also glaring at you for some reason, but her belly looks very soft and tempting anyway
November 2, 2024 at 8:28 PM