Rachael P

A closeup photo of a dragon at Chicago's Lunar New Year parade. A blue sky with thin clouds is in the background

A photo of people walking at the Lunar New Year parade in Chicago. The person at the front is wearing a yellow coat and holding a large bladed weapon. Behind them are people in dragon costumes.

Things are really dark right now so it's important to find joy where you can. Chicago's Lunar New Year Parade was a really good choice today.

Tabby cat with stripes and dots sitting on a couch

Jolene contemplates the mystery of Caturday

Cuddles

Cozy-while-it-storms insomnia isn’t so bad.

My cats Jack and Jolene photographed from behind, sitting together looking out an open window with blue curtains

The air smells good

My mother is telling me how, in the 50’s, he mother would take her to a pharmacy in Marshal Fields where they would give her paregoric, aka an opium derivative, to cure her stomach aches. She’d get sleepy then be good to tag along shopping all day.

My favorite part of being awake in the middle of the night is participating in the secret lives of cats.

Closeup of a Tabby cat with a white chest laying on me while I’m on the couch

He’s up too

My insomnia likes for me to be awake at 3:33. The witching hour.

My tabby cat Jolene curled up and looking off into the distance

Take a break from scrolling and imagine yourself running your hand through Jolene’s thick fur, feeling the vibrations of her purr. Happy Caturday.

January Chicago CriticalMass bike ride tonight. Come out & ride. 6PM Daley plaza

Rahm Ordered to Testify About CPD’s ‘Code of Silence’ During Trial Over Botched Raid A trial, set to start Monday, will decide whether CPD officers traumatized two women and four children in August when a CPD SWAT team broke down the door of their apartment, pointed assault rifles dir...

BREAKING: A federal judge ordered former Mayor Emanuel to testify about allegations that a “code of silence” among CPD officers led to a botched 2018 raid of a Back of the Yards apartment that violated the civil rights of a family with 4 children — ages 4, 8, 11 and 13. @wttw.bsky.social

A photo of a person speaking at a vigil surrounded by people

I'm outside the Jesse Brown VA in Chicago for the second second time this week, where once again hundreds of people have gathered for a vigil for Alex Pretti, who was executed by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Alex Pretti from his early days working at the VA

Alex from our time working together, while he was in nursing school. Later, he moved to ICU, working as a nurse to support critically ill Veterans. He had such a great attitude. We’d chat between patients about trying to get in a mountain bike ride together. Will never happen now

Amazon's Ring to partner with Flock, a network of AI cameras used by ICE, feds, and police | TechCrunch Agencies that use Flock can request that Ring doorbell users share footage to help with "evidence collection and investigative work."

It was inevitable.

Tabby cat sitting curled up on a blanket on a couch

Found one! Reaching that 5am wall where it’s time to stop pretending more sleep is possible and just make coffee.

Cat shaped pillows custom printed to look like our two tabby cats

This is my first insomnia night since I started my new job and I can’t find any cats. Not one.

A tabby cat walking towards me on the couch

Jolene is looking for some love

100%, they're campaigning for a national general strike on May Day 2028.

The UAW and American Federation of Teachers are advocating for every union with a contract expiring soon to align their next contract expiry dates on May 1, 2028 - and to all strike together.

One of the most improbable scores I’ve ever seen in the NFL. GO #BEARS!!!

Let’s go!

The annual North Lawndale Racial Justice Ride, hosted by @equiticity.bsky.social , will take place on the Dr. King holiday. Ride Illinois is pleased to assist with planning and spreading the word about this meaningful event ☮️

👉 Register for free at bit.ly/2026KINGRIDE

In my ideal world, there’s a gigantic protest outside of Soldier Field before the game, shut down LSD and make everybody in the country watch. Shut down the game, fuck it

A person in a Frog costume faces down several military dressed men with riot helmets in a painting

The guy who first dressed as Portland Frog, a major symbol of our protest and then other national protests, has been arrested while peacefully protesting. Prints of this painting by Simran Gleason are being sold to support his defense. www.simrangleason.com/prints/p/por... #pdx #protest

"If Prizker, Johnson, etc don't have the courage to step up then get the fuck out of our way"

Commission member says "we need to trust our police department." Crowd responds with a lot of angry boos. One person shouts "abolish the police" to loud applause.

The line to attend this public safety and accountability commission meeting in Chicago stretches around the block from the venue, Thalia Hall in the city's Pilsen neighborhood.

It's raining hard and people in line are being urged to attend the meeting on zoom from local bars/restaurants.

The room is full in Pilsen as community members gather to talk ICE and CPD.

The Number of Times CPD Officers Used Force Against People Increased 10% During 1st Half of 2025: Data The report published by the Chicago Police Department acknowledges that the number of times officers used force against members of the public “continues to trend upward.”

Chicago police officers used force against members of the public 1,645 times during the first six months of 2025, an increase of nearly 10% as compared with the first half of 2024, according to Chicago Police Department data published Tuesday. @wttw.bsky.social