Penultimate session of our gothic plague house themed homebrew #DnD campaign #WhatMovesInTheDark courtesy of our DM. Thoroughly enjoying being back in the groove of our Tuesday games night post PhD life. #TTRPG #roleplay #collaborativestorytelling #storytelling #stories

This month I have had the most rewarding emails from students. Teaching can feel like an underpaid slog, but the students make it worth it. A timely reminder to myself of the excellent reasons why I love this work, and why I am so passionate about putting so much in. #AcademicSky #Academicbsky

I’ve recently started playing #HorizonZeroDawn and it is beautiful. The graphics, the story, everything. I’m in love. Unfortunately, this has resulted in poor choices on my part, such as gaming until 1am two nights in a row, when my 3yo will undoubtedly be waking me up at 6am. #onpoint #parenting

My daughter just whispered “for gods sake” under her breath in frustration with me (she got the tone and the occasion perfectly to be fair), and whilst I feel a bit bad about it, I’m mostly just relieved she didn’t say “for fucks sake”. #parenting

The Resistance of a Cow produced by Radiolab overcast.fm/+ABGanTABgz4 ⚡️🐄

the hungry observatory

I promise you none of the people who manage your local bookstores would say the same. www.nbcnews.com/business/ceo...

The message is clear: Muslims are fair game in this country.

The Times published 3 smear articles about Misan Harriman ... in one day. Don't let rightwing newspapers get away with spreading false, hateful narratives. Stand with Misan 👇 https://goodlawproject.org/petition/misan-harriman-handraiser/

Waiting in minor injuries for an X-ray on my elbow from where I shattered it on a doorframe three weeks ago. Did not think anything of it (other than the expletives and tears at the time) but it would seem my bones went snap, crackle, pop… #Tuesday

NEW Fears over the spread of Palantir’s influence after ‘Big Brother’ Met police project extended The staff surveillance pilot was due to expire in April, but the Nerve has established that it was in fact extended to today, May 15. There is no indication what happens next… Link ⤵️

This is why we join together the letters L, G, B, T, Q, I, A - because an attack on one ALWAYS ends up being an attack on all.

Although the Renters’ Rights Act is a move in the right direction, without serious action to address unaffordability of rents it’s not enough. I know people are still going to be forced out of their homes by uncontrolled price hikes. This has to stop. We need rent controls now.

If only there was a very recent and highly prescient example for Sinn Fein to draw on here. Like the story of a supposed left wing party imploding because it disenfranchised its core voter base in a futile effort to woo non existent right wing swing voters. But where would you even start to look?

Having finished marking, I now have 2wks to blitz my corrections before more marking lands. Shovelling snow while it’s still snowing! Waking up this morning to #TheSoloRoleplayersPodcast ep.11 looking at #IronswornStarforged overcast.fm/+ABKbvWFCL1o #AcademicSky #AcademicChatter #TTRPG #SoloTTRPG

Today I received what will inevitably be the first of many rejected applications for a research post. Ouch. I was so enthusiastic about the project and genuinely so proud of my application. Nonetheless, it is what it is, and other platitudes. Tonight there will be vino, and tomorrow is a new day.

Started playing Cartograph today. Excellent vibes. Highly recommend for solo play or cosy multiplay. I'm playing with a friend during WFH breaks. Very easy pick up & play, well suited to learn-as-you-go which suits us both! the-ravensridge-press.itch.io/cartograph-a... #CartographAtlasEdition

Resubmerging myself in the world of solo TTRPG's and mini indie games. I played this through half way(ish) on my lunch break and it is gorgeous. Harrowing and a bit scary. Hoping to revist and finish another day anamerzlaya.itch.io/ignore-the-b... #IgnoreTheBlackbird #AnaMerz

We're hiring! The Aristotelian Society is recruiting a new Managing Editor. This is a demanding part-time role suitable for a current graduate student to undertake alongside their studies. Deadline: Monday 18th May 2026. Read more here: mailchi.mp/9ec3fa312725...

Just seen #JessicaFostecew at the #CityVarietiesMusicHall in Leeds. Laughed so much and so hard. Highly recommend catching her tour #IconicBreath if you can!

Recently finished #Expectations by Anna Hope. The book follows three hetero, middle class, white cis women in their 30s in London, and how they navigate the expectations around work, life, and motherhood. Now reading Angela Carter’s collection of fairy tales, and it is a beaut. #folklore #fairytales

Brilliant podcast from #Rigour&Flow once again, this time on adult friendship. Just finished listening to part 1 and now tuning in for part 2 overcast.fm/+ABOaTGxPYcM

Today’s poem is called ‘How Hard It Is to Be the Moon’.

Currently reading a plethora of books: #Expectations by Anna Hope, Angela Carters Book of Fairy Tales, #TheDevils by Joe Abercrombie, amongst a few others that I’ve nearly finished. Also podcast land is rich rn: #Ologies with Alie Ward, #Rigour&Flow with Aiwan & Tamanda, and BBC’s You’re Dead to Me.

These past few months have been a blur. Leading & lecturing two modules, & running seminars for another. Passed my viva. Bought a house & renovated it brutally in a short but intense stint of four weekends. Now living in our own first home. Walls need painting, but there is so much heart. Exhausted.

Finished reading #Furies yesterday. A collection of short stories from a range of authors, reflecting on and inspired by the words branded on women/other over the centuries. Reshaping, retelling, and reclaiming these narratives. The book is a journey and I loved following the tumultuous curves 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Film club night, Sew Torn, ⭐️⭐️⭐️. Divided the room intensely with scores ranging from ⭐️⭐️ to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Nice indie film, low cerebral energy, fun metaphors, thematic, excellent acting, and good pace.

“Palantir is working on a tool for ICE that populates a map with potential deportation targets, brings up a dossier on each person, and provides a ‘confidence score’ on the person’s current address” https://www.404media.co/elite-the-palantir-app-ice-uses-to-find-neighborhoods-to-raid/

"They drag people out of their houses at any hour of the day and night…families are torn apart. Men, women, & children separated…children come home from school to find that their parents have disappeared.” - Anne Frank, 1942

Israeli genocide has dropped right off the legacy media's radar. Not one of the campaigners and groups we work with, however, has shown the same level of forgetfulness

First day back at work and I am starting with an IT course on #NVivo. Already it is so obvious to me how wildly easier my research and data management throughout my PhD would have been with this piece of software.

Cyril and Joe run the “school” and “library” at the commune. Most of the books are self published and the “school” has a huge focus on “free play”. Apparently the children’s innate moral compass will guide them. Cyril and Joe are very proud of their philosophy degrees.

The rule books and character sheets for #ForbiddenLands are stunning. Narratives in their own right before the adventure has even begun. Adapting solo rules so we can play a DMless duet. #TTRPG #HappyNewYear

what does everyone use for bookmarks now that train tickets are mostly digital?

2026 sees the start of a film club. So far we’ve watched ’The Phoenician Scheme‘ (⭐️⭐️⭐️) which divided the room, and ‘Oppenheimer’ (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) which left us all with lots to discuss.

Today at around 430pm I submitted my PhD thesis. I let my 3yo goblin press the submit button. It was beautiful and wild. It was also immensely anticlimactic as I was met with an error message saying I didn’t have the correct permissions to follow through on the request. I am not joking! #AcademicSky

If words have consequences (and they do) and if it is right to restrict some expressions and slogans after Bondi massacre, then must also be right to restrict some Islamophobic and white supremacist speech, given the use of murderous violence by the far right. But Labour are stalling on this.

HR: "Please sign this contract." Me: "Sure, but what's the work schedule it refers to?" HR: "Ohh, we'll confirm that after you've signed." Me: "But won't I then be contractually obliged to fulfill it?" HR: "Yes." Me: "So can I see the details first?" HR: "..." Me: "Please?" HR: "..." #AcademicSky

SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going— SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti— SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE

Is it just me, or is writing any academic paper at least 60% looking up words in a dictionary to ensure they have the exact meaning you want to elicit*? #AcademicSky *Not just academia it would seem. I looked up ‘elicit’ 2mins ago just incase. Good job too as I was originally typing ‘illicit’.

Today's study music comes from a genre I'm going to call Battle Opera. And I love it. Highly recommend the album 'Runaljod - Ragnarok' by Wardruna. Especially loving the song 'Odal'. #NowListening #AcademicSky @wardruna.music-social.com

Yesterday my mother-in-law, who is proofreading my thesis for me, rang me to tell me that a core idea of my thesis is wrong. I appreciate her proofreading immensely, but not her academic or editorial suggestions… sigh! #AcademicSky

Delivering some lectures and seminars for a different university this coming January onwards, and their admin makes my home institution look practically saintly by comparison. #AcademicSky

Fantasy vs reality WFH with 3yo. Fantasy: 3yo sits by me drawing &/or listening to her Yoto while I type away. Reality: 3yo is stressed by my need to WFH again, I am under a pile of soft toys, my back is agony, Sarah & Duck is on. Only 2wks to go. This is the final push. #AcademicSky #StudentParent

Over 1 in 4 of police forces in England and Wales still haven’t implemented basic policies for investigating sexual offences. That’s why we’re supporting Nina Cresswell to hold the police force that failed her to task: https://goodlaw.social/4w3n

I have just come across Black Violin for the first time and I am absolutely obsessed tidal.com/artist/36439... #BlackViolin #NowListening

December is the month when I try to finish reading all my half started books in order to start afresh in January. On track for my reading target of 2025 but OH MY DAYS I’m not convinced I’ll clear this backlog before the new year!