Exciting news! I got the final list of objects and papyri documents for the @thejohnrylands.bsky.social catalogue. It's got three magical amulets showing the full progression of change from 150BCE to 500CE Egypt. I can now write about the whole transition. #AcademicSky #ClassicsSky

So I didn’t get the fellowship I applied for. Haven’t managed to get any job (academic and not) I’ve applied for in 18 months of applying. Feeling kind of dreadful. Please don’t do the getting a job in academia is hard. It’s bollocks awful everywhere. #AcademicSky

I should be working on a book proposal, a catalogue essay, and a book chapter. My brain can't stop planning a book that's all about the Moomin House. A whole book.

I'm starting to think the spectre of Marx doesn't want me reading Specters of Marx. Or maybe it's another ghost. This week I've got a GP appointment to look at my dodgy foot (a real medical term). @lizgloyn.bsky.social @bigfridge224.bsky.social

We are now 50% funded! To get us through the next 50%: www.kickstarter.com/projects/str...

We dont often in life get to work with actual real-world heroes. That happened for us yesterday when Jenna and 300 of her brave #NIH colleagues allowed us to stand up with them against the Trump regime's war on science and health in America. TY Jenna & all #NIHheroes #StandUpForScience #SaveNIH

If I had money I would get one of these.

I'll say this for Derrida. He's horrible to read but the horror did compel me to go out for a run. So there's that. #AcademicSky #Hauntology

Yesterday I submitted the edits for my first academic article to Studia Scandinavica. Moomins ahoy! Now I have finally opened the review, edit, and notes on my proposal for @edinburghup.bsky.social's editors. With deep apologies for my procrastination. *Bows* #AcademicSky

A History of the World in Six Plagues explores the myriad ways in which people people exerted their agency during the pandemic lockdown.

My first academic article has been accepted for publication by Studia Scandinavica. It’s about Moominmamma’s handbag. Revisions due in three weeks. After @theconversation.com’s event last week I guess this makes me a Moominologist now. #academicsky

My not-hot take on the ‘why don’t UK universities aggressively pursue American academics cut adrift’ discussion is three-fold. One: there are a lot of brilliant un- and under-employed academics here already. Two: have you *seen* what’s happening in HE here? Three: immigrating isn’t that easy.

It's been a minute, but here I am writing about Moominmamma's handbag for @theconversation.com: theconversation.com/with-moominm...

'Archaeologists make breakthrough as life-size sculptures discovered in Pompeii tomb'

Crabs out here fighting the good fight.

@moudhy.bsky.social’s Between Two Rivers has me doing one of my favourite things: hunting museum online catalogues for stuff. Usually for me it’s papyri and terracottas. Now it’s cuneiform tablets. I want to LOOK AT THEM ALL.

I’m really only here to say I decided to pick up @chuckwendig.bsky.social’s Wanderers a couple of months back because it was on offer. It’s mind-bendingly good so far. Very much recommend.

No #DigitalFriday today because it is a public holiday in the UK; take that work/life balance seriously and I'll see you all next week ;)

Public voting for the 2025 Locus Awards is open till April 15. THE SENTENCE has been long-listed in the best SF novel category, along with a ton of great work. If you’re so inclined, the voting link (open to all) is available here: poll.voting.locusmag.com

This. I teach because being with the students and helping them learn is the best bit.

My favourite @thejohnrylands.bsky.social papyri discovery of the week: Proclus writes to Sarapion asking about his health. Everyone is worried for him. His daughter is annoyed she hasn’t had an update. “Can you tell dad to let me know he’s okay?” It’s so human and it’s 1700 yrs old. #skystorians

New plan. Add four more and attach them to each month. Your birth month is your hamster. Hamstomancy: predicting your future from your hamster chart.

I wasn’t going to attend @archaeobruja.bsky.social’s talk today because I was having a bad anxiety day. Then I did. It was so inspirational. Made me see I could combine storytelling with ancient research for this fellowship proposal. Now I’m all excited. #AcademicSky #Skystorians.

The Ancient Worlds, Modern Communities initiative provides mini-grants of up to $2,000 to support public engagement projects. The next deadline is May 16, 2025! To learn more about the initiative, please visit: classicalstudies.org/outreach/anc...

I’m supposed to be writing a research proposal but instead I am lying here crying with anxiety.

Field Archaeologists at all levels Archaeological Research Services Salary: £24,730 - £34,980 ( Pay Award Pending ) Closing Date: 31/05/25 Location: UK wide www.bajr.org/job-ad/field...

"research activity conducted by Universities is fantastically loss-making," Vivien Stern, @universities-uk.bsky.social on BBC4 today Reckless choice of word to describe a public good, produced by public service institutions, charities and their workforce. This is what got us into this mess.

I’ll be speaking on speculative fiction and alternative futures this Friday evening, in Bhopal. Please drop by if you’re free.

How to drag a queen like a queen. Essentially, humans have been putting stuff off since the beginning of humans and have also been telling each other off for it for about as long.

Well, look what showed up today. Author gratis print copies! Book releases April 16. Available on that e-commerce site (tinyurl.com/4b5kzh82) w/ book preview at publisher (tinyurl.com/46bmaxcj). #AcademicSky #EduSky #HigherEd

A guide to the unusual wildlife of a VERY unusual forest. Get your copy of Dragons of the Dark Woods here: dragonsofwales.etsy.com/listing/9478...

I wish I could do a direct to brain thing while I'm on a run so all my thoughts were transcribed and I could find the useful ones when I finish. Except I don't want a tech bro to do this because I've read The Dream Hotel and also I wouldn't want my run interrupted with the inevitable ads.

Our speaker for today’s @learningmet.bsky.social seminar is our own Dr Dawn Cavanagh, speaking about her organisation’s work for people with learning disabilities & autistic people in locked wards and for independent living. Stolen Lives, Activism & the Role of Academia in Defending Human Rights. 🧵

Civilised nations should not be negotiating deals with this USA

My autobiography is going to involve a very sudden twist at the end where I pivot from 19th century Marxist geography through the materiality of ancient magic to the Moomins and everybody will be like how the hell did that happen? And so will I, to be honest.

GODDAMIT. IT’S NOT A RESURRECTED DIRE WOLF. 20 edits in 19,000 genes. IT’S NOT GOING TO AID CONSERVATION. EVERY WRITE UP THAT SWALLOWS AND REGURGITATES THIS GUFFERY WOLFSHIT IS DOING PR FOR A FUNDING ROUND.

Apropos those dire wolf stories, y'all know that the Nazis were going to bring back extinct species, right? One of those moments when history rhymes? undark.org/2017/05/30/n...

Having a bit of a mentally sucky day. Trying not to spiral so I did a stupid 10 mile run for my stupid mental health. Now going to grade those last two papers. #AcademicSky #HigherEd

🌐✨ Join us in supporting open access in archaeology! We want to support researchers who have no institutional backing to cover publishing and archiving costs, especially those whose data may be at risk of being lost. Find more information on how to apply via this link: buff.ly/Ix1hqXN

My general experience of “we welcome autistic people in our workplace/school” turns out to be “as long as you can behave exactly like a neurotypical person at all times with no consequences to yourself or others ever.” #Autistic #Autism #AcademicSky

If we make it through all this to better times, historians are going to be spending a thousand years repeatedly telling everyone that getting into power or having money doesn’t make you smart. “They were mostly pretty stupid, actually…”

Whistleblowing memo by anonymous food industry execs in the UK via @insidetrackuk.bsky.social Link to full memo and media coverage here. It’s addressed to investors in the hopes they use their influence to demand action insidetrack.org.uk/foodmemo

the guests of the White Lotus hotels would be much better off by simply coming to The Museum of English Rural Life

I think I might be about to mention Moominmamma's handbag in a fellowship application that's all about Christian protective amulets from Roman and Late Antique Egypt. Proof that if it exists, you can make it about Moomins. #AcademicSky #skystorians #Moomins

Oh the intense frustration of discovering that an article I want is in a journal to which the library does not subscribe. Institutional access means I can look longingly at the abstract and nothing else. Unless I pay €35. Which I can't afford. Because I have to eat. #AcademicSky

This is the sentiment of the day.

It’s called “Giving Herodotus a run for his money”.

How Trump is following Project 2025’s radical roadmap to defund science

I’ve started tracking political actions affecting museums in 2025 here. Please add your own links so we can build a comprehensive record of the actions happening to the field. #Museums #GLAM #MuseumEthics 📜🏛️ drive.proton.me/urls/7CRNDY5...