An articulation of a thing that bothers me has emerged from my mid-term grading marathon: Some students think that the point of assignments is to show (off) what they KNOW, when what I want is to see what they’ve LEARNED. Only took me 16 years to name, but will be useful going forward!

love when medieval texts use words that aren’t always as tied to gendered/sexed embodiment in ME as they are in modern English. tell me more about the Green Knight’s womb or the male dragon’s womb or maidens marrying maidens, I’m imagining beautiful trans and queer medieval worlds in my mind

Do you fucking promise, tho?

“More than half of the work done by women in the period between the 16th and 18th centuries took place outside of the home, and around half of all housework and three-quarters of care work was conducted professionally for other households” [England] phys.org/news/2025-10...

Writing groups are really such invaluable tools for making sure time gets carved out for your work. I’m making time for this one as often as I can; I hope I see some of y’all there:

mfer is literally named "rob tombs", did they summon the spirit of the british museum into an op ed writer

Potential workaround if you're already logged in and get prompted by the ToS notification: opening this "privacy policy" link www.academia.edu/privacytakes you to a page where you can access the drop-down menu and reach "account settings." From there I was able to delete my account without agreeing.

Acknowledging that, like, by definition all scams are scummy, the near-daily spam texts I am getting about “jobs” feels…just particularly scummy in this moment. Taking advantage of people who are desperate for work while all their options are being actively eroded…gross, gross, gross.

CRAFT FAIR FOR GAZA! Tomorrow! 629 Nostrand Ave. 12-6 PM

🚨🚨So excited that the Barnard Center for Research on Women is hosting the virtual launch for *Sweet Taste of Empire,* published by ‪@pennpress.bsky.social‬. We have an incredible lineup!!!!!! #RaceB4Race #ShakeRace 10.30.2025 | 6:30pm EST| register here! bcrw.barnard.edu/event/the-sw...

Bruh.

May I share with you the small joy that was my dog’s report card from daycare today? (Bonus content: the name of the last dog on her friends list.)

CFP for a special issue on #Medieval #Asexualities! call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/cfp/2025/06/...

Just finished knitting my first sweater, using Republic of Yarnia’s ( @isasaxonists.bsky.social ) merino Aran!! Extremely pleased with it; already looking forward to the next one

More people voted for Kamala in Texas (4.8 million votes) and in Florida (4.7 million) than in New York State (4.6 million). California had nearly the same number of Trump '24 voters (6.08 million) as Florida (6.11 million), and had only 300k less than Texas. Does anyone else see the problem here?

*Out now in paperback* 'Shakespearean Biofiction on the Contemporary Stage and Screen' edited by @edelsemple.bsky.social &‬ Ronan Hatfull is the first edited collection to explore Shakespeare's life as depicted on the modern stage and screen. bit.ly/3ZcDet2

A couple years ago, I was in a workshop at SAA on using Shakespeare in times of political unrest. And as we moved to including the auditors, someone asked what they could do to support those of us who had done the workshop, almost all of whom worked in red states.

"I asked ChatGPT" "I asked Grok" ok well I asked Gandalf and he said he has not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm

historians is it good when the robe Nobles are able to buy the positions and honors typically reserved for the sword Nobles?

I’m processing garden greens, and it has led me to some Questions!

Why do I have a note on my calendar for tomorrow that reads “Zoom draft”? What does that mean? What could that beeeee?

Today is a work-from-home today, and I have accidentally left my planner on campus, and I cannot believe I was 30 before anyone figured out I had ADHD.

About to kick off the single most ambitiously scheduled conference day I’ve ever tackled (and it’s not as if the last two have been, uh, light). Highlights so far like Trans Milton and yesterday’s plenary suggest it will be worth it; time to get the day-that-doesn’t-end started at #shax2025 #RSA2025

I am usually actually decently happy with the balance I've found in my job, but today is a day where an opportunity for service with a larger org came through my inbox that I would enjoy and would be good at--and I'm in my feelings about just knowing I do NOT have the time.

Predatory journals are SO funny to me, because I have emails like "invitation to publish in Journal of Functional Biomaterials" and, like, what if I did???

I would like everyone to appreciate the brilliance that is the subheading "Reputation (Sappho's Version)" in this student paper.

Hey, #RenSA24 , when I dropped by the book display this copy was still available AND AUP had dropped the display copies to $20!! Just under two hours to pick up that steal

It was wonderful to chat to Dr Rebecca Quoss-Moore about the Devonshire MS and women writers in Tudor England. Among other things, we discussed the practice of communal reading and writing, and the role women played in manuscript creation and circulation. Tune in! talkingtudors.podbean.com

Hey, look: it's me, on another podcast! I had a great chat (partly about the book, but also about Other Things Tudor) with Natalie on Talking Tudors; give it a listen! (An especially good snow day activity!) talkingtudors.podbean.com/e/episode-23...

Okay, I'm not sure I have the reach to get much traction on this, but: my library's winter reading challenge starts today. And I got ambitious after a Weirdly Specific theme started emerging in my TBR list and decided to add an additional element to my challenge list this year.

I'm v. excited to share my first-ever appearance on a podcast with #earlymodern Bsky; check out this brand-new episode of Tudors Dynasty: open.spotify.com/episode/3uXm...

Okay, #earlymodern feed, it’s almost the end: today I’m covering the last chapter for my “about the book” posts—which you can see over the last couple months on my page, with all the interruptions I should have expected once the semester really got going.

One million dollars (metaphorical) and undying gratitude (real) to anyone who can help me understand why I have an all-caps note in my calendar that reads "KALE ARCHIVES."

Hello, #earlymodern feed! I'm on schedule this week with my "about the book" thread, where we're moving into the last section, which may be my favorite.

Hello, #earlymodern feed! I'm wrapping up my second section (translation), in this week’s “about the book” post, and so tackling my longest chapter. (I say "this week"--my schedule is set by the demands of a 4/4 load, so...posts appear when they appear!)

I was surprised to see this, but not at all surprised by what it says. www.usnews.com/education/ar...

Okay, we are picking my "about the book" posts back up, after One of Those Times in the semester; with a bold new foray into actually using hashtags, here; and with a move into the second section of the book! #earlymodern

…how have I not seen anything say anything about this man’s name? (My spouse: “are you making an argument for nominative determinism?” Me: I GUESS)

After 3+ years of intense (& difficult) research, my first publication is out! Available early open-access at the link below. (and very humbled to share it's been awarded the 2023 Gender & History Graduate Student Essay Prize!) ❤️ onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

I’m continuing my “about the book” posts with my second chapter—and a quick note on structure!

Bc of my work @daenacoaching.bsky.social I got a DM from a colleague reviewing job apps who shared trends that are hurting candidates’ chances for an interview, hoping I’ll discuss what they can’t publicly. Can I hear from more of you who’ve served on search committees re what you’ve noticed?

Okay, so: last week I posted that I was going to re-post my "about the book" series over here. So, if you follow me on other socials, just a heads up that my posts here are a couple of weeks behind--rather than post a deluge all at once, I'm keeping to "one chapter a week."

Come work with me! LSU English will be doing assistant professor searches this year in Renaissance/Early Modern Literature, 19th C./Victorian Literature, Multiethnic U.S. Literature, and English Education. Due Nov 15 Ads are shared below. (Will share 4th ad when available)

So, since I've decided to share the "about the book" posts, I...might as well do that? No time like the present, etc.

I think I'm going to import my weekly "about the book" posts from the (many!) other platforms over here. They aren't very high-engagement posts...but my logic in doing them was that I like when other people offer these easy-to-access previews, so why not ensure they're in as many spaces as possible?

My author copies have arrived; she is an actual book I can touch with my real, human hands!

Delighted to be there, and many thanks to @cristinalalfar.bsky.social for the hookup. Happy to have found so many early modernists so much more quickly than on Threads!