1. #Redrawthebalance. “When a real-life firefighter, surgeon, and fighter pilot drop in on a classroom, these kids have their assumptions turned around.”

2. “This isn’t about politics, it’s about basic human decency.” “Michelle Obama took to the campaign trail to call out the Republican nominee for President of the United States on his disgusting behavior.” Such a great speech from an amazing woman. In related news, Physically Attacked by Donald Trump – a PEOPLE Writer’s Own Harrowing Story, which reminds me of what Maya Angelou said, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” In other related news, Grab Her — “We are done.” And, It’s Not Okay, and The Thing All Women Do That You Don’t Know About, and 6 Steps To Calming Yourself From Incessant Attacks Until The Election.

3. Penguin Bloom: how a scruffy magpie saved a family. I follow this Instagram account but didn’t know the whole story. Postscript: they recently rescued two more babies who fell 100 feet out of their nest.

4. Black Women Physicians Are Coming Together to Defy Stereotypes with #WhatADoctorLooksLike. In related news, Discrimination 30,000 Feet Above and Plane Crew Nearly Lets Passenger Die Because They Couldn’t Believe A Black Woman Was A Doctor.

5. The Italian cycling champion who used his hero status to save Jews during WW2.

6. Famed Ringling circus elephants arrive in Florida for retirement. Yay!

7. Students expelled after Facebook group calls for ‘execution’ of Jews, black people. This happened in Boulder, Colorado, “an ultra-liberal city known for its ‘hippy culture’ and tolerance.”

8. I’ve Experienced Fat Shaming And Thin Shaming And I Can Tell You Which Is Worse.

9. Excuse me. Having a puppy meltdown. From Meghan Tonjes. Welcome to my life: Every. Damn. Day.

10. Recipes I want to try: spinach and chickpeas and Slow Cooker Hasselback Apple Pork Loin.

11. Meet Emilia and her otter half, Olivia. “The 5-month-old otters are receiving treatment from our Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital veterinarians.” So cute!

12. You need to read what this woman has to say. It will better your life. from Yes Yes Marsha.

13. This portable robot can print your documents at any time. Cool.

14. This farm grows 50,000 lbs of fruits and vegetables – on top of a building.

15. This 10-year-old boy donated his hair to create wigs for young cancer patients.

16. Do What You Love For A Living Before You DIE!! from KevOn Stage.

17. this cup is already broken. A beautiful meditation on death, or rather: life.

18. Unhappy At Work: Why Midlife Makes Us Cranky. Seriously, y’all — I’m having a mid-life crisis.

19. You can rest.

20. Why I’m Voting for Trump, an interesting collection of the various whys.

21. The well of goodwill, great advice from Jamie Greenwood.

22. A Method for Dealing with Feeling Stressed & Overwhelmed from Zen Habits.

23. Amy Goodman Is Facing Prison for Reporting on the Dakota Access Pipeline. That Should Scare Us All. What the fuckity fuck?!

24. Rescue dogs see their new four acre enclosure for the first time.

25. #wearemanystoriesproject with Sas Petherick. She posted to Instagram, starting this hastag with a post that made me say a “hell yes,”

Do you ever get readers block? I read A LOT of fiction and self-help (blergh, I know) and 99% of the authors are white. Most are women, most are just like me. And it just feels samey and dull as shit. I’ve decided to shake things up a bit and I’m embarking on a mission to read 100 books by humans not like me. I’m starting with Julia Ostuka’s The Buddha in the Attic – it’s about Japanese brides who immigrated to the US in the 1920s. It’s a prose poem and it’s made me cry twice. Unlike anything I’ve ever read before. This is going to be fun!

26. Cool art: Watercolor Cherry Blossom Animals and Floral Anatomy Embroideries.