Kids are on their phones too much. I don't know why they don't use the many youth clubs, public swimming pools, community clubs or sports facilities successive governments and skint local authorities have underfunded, closed or sold to property developers.

If you need a smile today, here is a video of Abu going to the beach for the very first time

This one really hurts 💔

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Thought it was friday, it's actually thursday. Celebrating this small win with a coffee. How's your week going?

A depressing but essential read

My new #UrbanPrehistory blog post reporting on the horrible fate of the Bogleys Stone of Fife - Barn Storm. This contains a trigger warning for anyone who thinks our heritage - and megaliths - matter. With thanks to Sam McKeand theurbanprehistorian.wordpress.com/2026/05/19/b...

In non-work stuff, please enjoy this photo of Abu at the temple of Nodens

Outside of dissertations, which were marked a little earlier, I have/had 133 assignments to mark over the coming weeks (some more detailed and requiring more feedback than others). I have completely lost all sense of perspective and wondering how normal that amount is compared to my peers?

Proud to be the 489th Supporter 😎 on @BackerKit Crowdfunding for Lovecraft Investigations: The Call of Cthulhu! www.backerkit.com/c/projects/j...

When you've marked a million essays but you're still only a fraction done...

I’m currently accepting proposals for non-fiction pieces for the next issue of HELLEBORE: Yuletide Hauntings. *Please do not pitch me via DM. Instructions below: 👉🏼 helleborezine.com/pages/submissions

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Off to meet @mjpcuervo.bsky.social at the Temple of Nodens. This hoodie seems appropriate

Too excited by the democratic process to stand still #dogsatpollingstations

Why would we want to learn from our pasts, or ponder the power of the written and spoken word, or explore the deep questions of humanity? According to the University of Hertfordshire, we wouldn't. They've just cut all of our undergrad Humanities programmes

🚨 New blog post! 🚨 Is the UK’s Gen Z Christian “revival” overstated? Paul-Francois Tremlett (@paulftremlett.bsky.social) argues in the blog "The Resurgence That Never Was" that religion in the UK continues to decline: www.open.ac.uk/blogs/religi... @thebasr @informreligion @OU_FASS

Another good post-92 deciding that its students don’t deserve humanities.

@kjsoar.bsky.social I *loved* your Green Man article in @helleborezine.bsky.social ! It was delightful, well researched, and held the magic with the facts. Brilliantly done 🖤

A Garland for Mayday

Happy Light Jacket Day to all who celebrate

Started this morning sneezing with tree pollen, but spring brings compensation in the form of a new @helleborezine.bsky.social with a garland of beautiful articles by authors such as @mjpcuervo.bsky.social @kjsoar.bsky.social @drfrancisyoung.bsky.social @pjrobichaud.bsky.social Much here to relish

And that’s a brilliant article by @kjsoar.bsky.social too!

On our way...

'Hey Niall! We're in this!' I'm yelling out the door to my friend and colleague at Courtyard Books in Gloucester @helleborezine.bsky.social. Shout out also to @kjsoar.bsky.social who is also heavily represented here!

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Out now! I very much enjoyed working with Prof. Dawn Keetley as academic consultants to this fascinating and beautifully presented book from Dorling Kindersley

Nary two miles from where I grew up and I just found this (possible) standing stone (Crow Hill standing stone, Nottingham) #standingstonesunday

A little bit by me on green men in the latest @helleborezine.bsky.social. Look at the rest of the contributors! It's going to be a banger.

In The Green Issue you’ll find pieces by @pjrobichaud.bsky.social @kjsoar.bsky.social @drfrancisyoung.bsky.social @verityholloway.bsky.social @unheimlichmanvr.bsky.social Nick Freeman @mjpcuervo.bsky.social. Art by Lorenza Dapra and Sam Freeman. 👉🏼 helleborezine.com/products/the-green-issue

Research for this afternoon’s train journey to that there London @kjsoar.bsky.social 🙂

Very tired. Stuck beneath a dog. Send biscuits.

Amateurs think about the Roman Empire. Pros think about the Bronze Age city states.

Or, as some would call it Matt, democracy.

These days, it's rare that I wake up feeling relieved about world politics. Today I did! Well-done Hannah Spencer. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Happy anniversary @paulftremlett.bsky.social we have entered the Bronze Age 🖤

It's coming!

A selection of the approximately eleventy billion photos I've taken over the last few days 'for teaching purposes', and yet I know from long experience the only one which will actually appear in my powerpoint slides is the one with the dog in it

A (temporary) change of campus can be a very good thing

Is it wise to include instructions from the Demotic Magical Papyri on how to practice necromancy in a lecture to first years? Asking for... me 💀😄

Just have to find wood, iron, water, fire and stone and we can keep the dark from rising

Both the title, and entire content, of my hypothetical TED talk

Well, that optimism lasted less than a day

Welcome 2026

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting...

A final set of bookmarks from a few years ago, featuring the Ghost Bear of Hookland, the blue Owl of Hookland (also called the 'Holland Owl' by Hookland archeologist @kjsoar.bsky.social) a swan skull surrounded by fossilized sea urchins and a Hookland Crow #BookmarkoftheDay 🖤🐾🤍

Our ways are the old ways. Merry Christmas everyone.

Happy Solstice everyone

The Walker is abroad. And this night will be bad, and tomorrow will be beyond imagining.