Dave Bartkowiak

@treetreed
64 Followers
36 Following
383 Posts
It’s a long story
Catnip for the soul #CatsOfMastodon #caturday #cats

> Samantha: This town has a weird smell that you're all probably used to...but I'm not.

> Mrs Krabappel: It'll take you about six weeks, dear.

-The Simpsons, "Bart's Friend Falls in Love," S3E23, May 7, 1992

--

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2026/01/14/sole-and-despotic/#world-turned-upside-down

1/

@paparatti Detroit, with chair
@Moss weird my son and I just found a few old baseball cards in a wooded area. Cards from this same era …
@astronomerritt when I was a child I had a couple accidental pet crows that would hang out with me at my school bus stop in the morning. This was in the suburbs. Amazingly smart birds. Just incredible, honestly. Loads of respect for the crow.
@astronomerritt also, if you’re in an urban area you’re probably not gonna see a raven. It’s a crow. In a world of crows, be a raven … is a saying I just made up
@dshan @fesshole he just said football
@fesshole well, in fact some cars are programmed to increase the stereo volume if it detects an increase in ambient noise, or even increased speed. I’m not sure if this is still a thing in newer cars, but that was a thing in the past. Just saying
@the_etrain I used to work at a video rental store in high school (like Blockbuster but a regional chain) and that’s all we had behind the counter. Definitely makes me feel ancient, and I’m only 39. Wouldn’t consider myself that old 😬