Karen McGrane

Hostile information architecture

I can confirm this is real, just took my own screenshot

Think WIAD Philadelphia won't be enough community and nerd stuff? Don't worry! IAC is back in Philadelphia this April, and look! One of local faves @karenmcgrane.bsky.social is co-conducting a workshop! Find more details at theiaconference.com.

The worst airline meal I ever had was on a United flight from Tel Aviv to Newark. (It was 12 years ago, don’t yell at me.)

Fish pasta. Seemed like it might be okay? Absolutely disgusting, I still remember it all these years later.

In general, I believe that when you fly an American carrier back to the US the food is better because it’s coming from a supplier in your departing country.

This American flight from Italy has really put that theory to the test. Italy! Your food is supposed to be better than this!

I'm leading a reading group on liberal-to-lefist ethics in the European antifascist tradition (think Weil and Arendt to Gramsci and Fanon). We're reading one short book a month w/ongoing discussions from now until December. No pressure! If you're interested and a mutual, DM me for a Slack invitation

I have been in this hotel for two weeks and I am almost to the point where I can consistently choose one of the (many, MANY) light switches to turn on the light I want. Maybe up to 90% accuracy, starting from near zero. We leave Friday, maybe tomorrow I’ll figure it all out.

I remain in Rome, the eternal city, the endless vacation

The MOST married. None more married.

You like me

The bill for storing so much information online in formats designed for printing rather than in HTML was always going to come due, although I confess this wasn’t how I imagined it

Look who else loves oranges

Our Roman hotel brings us a little treat every day and I’m so disappointed when it’s tiramisu and not fruit. That’s how good the fruit is.

When the melon outshines the kiwi that’s when you know the kiwi sucks (the melon was amazing)

Please let us also express our gratitude for the amazing, wonderful, helpful and delightful @di-trnr.bsky.social, who is the world’s best travel agent. She’s saved us TWICE on this trip from the agony of cancelled flights. If you are going anywhere you should hire her and you will have the BEST trip

I mean, hard to argue

He captioned it “Ladies” and I cannot believe that worked

My new health insurance plan has a “Rewards Program.” So far I’ve earned $30 just for using healthcare!

I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to wonder if capitalism might be bad?

Hotel bed decorated with heart shape and dotted with paper rose petals

Paper rose petals neatly gathered up and placed in the trash can so the housekeepers don’t have to pick them up off the floor

I like to tell my team at Contentful that we need to “win HR” which to me means that whatever weird shit they throw at us with good but maybe misguided intentions we handle with commitment and grace

Here’s me and @tcarmody.bsky.social winning housekeeping here on Valentine’s Day

It’s a FUCK YOU FRIDAY A 75-YEAR STUDY OF HARVARD MEN SHOWED CONCLUSIVELY THAT LOVE IS THE #1 REQUIREMENT FOR A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE oh is that all It's a good thing they didn't say owl bables or ball lightning or something that Is KIND OD HARD TO GET WHO WANTS MY NICENESS! WHO WANTS MY NICENESS! WHO PERRRMANENTLY WANTS MY NICENESS!

I bought Tim a signed framed copy of this Achewood, mostly because he did a dramatic interpretation of the entire comic for me (quite enthusiastically) but also because, well, it’s true

You can see what I’m missing here

Me: I am celebrating my five year anniversary with the love of my life in Rome, in an amazing hotel suite where the staff wants to know when we’re leaving so presumably they can scatter Valentines rose petals

Also me: Where are my updates on what the dog is doing, I crave them

Fortunately it’s not like ball lightning or owl babies or something that is KIND OF HARD TO GET

“How’d you meet?” “Well, he moved in to my house and has never left.” We’ve spent the past five years and one week basically spending our lives together 24/7 (with very occasional work travel) and we’re happier than ever each and every day.

It’s 2026. Everyone is talking about a hyperpersonalized, AI enabled future.

Every time I leave the country they still show me ads in the local language, which I do not speak

We had three copies at one point, that’s how much @tcarmody.bsky.social loves me

It’s just another chance for you to appreciate how right I am about things

THANK YOU I feel validated

I said all this last night but I don’t write for a sports blog

Hotel room in Zurich with a variety of words on the wall, including “jawn” the universal Philadelphia noun

Excuse me?