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Aphna

@aphna.bsky.social
614 followers 326 following 3.9K posts

Honestly just a bit of a mess. Sometimes a writer, mostly easily distracted. 🌍 Midlands, UK They/them #KDrama #MMRomance #3D No AI. benign-snails.co.uk

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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Here's a fun one. If you like going to the pub for major football matches, your pub might not be talking about the World Cup, even though they're showing the matches. They'll be talking around it. It's because FIFA have trademarked *everything* so no one really can without risking trouble.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
I can't get a photo of it because the sun's in the wrong place now, but I had to sit the doll on the end of the shelf I keep smol dog's treats on, which means the cuddly bunny on top was moved too. So now when the sun casts a certain ominous shadow, it looks like Yummy Bunny is ready to shank him.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
If you cast your mind back to the dim and distant start of the year, when I ordered a ball-jointed doll... That's what yesterday's missed delivery was. But the thing is... I didn't expect it because I was waiting for the ransom demand (customs fee letter). I didn't expect it to just... turn up. 😳
Photo of a three foot tall brown box with Chinese hanzi and the word "Ringdoll" on, beside three small polystyrene packages with the same text. Both sit on a small sofa beside several blankets (most of which are smol dog's).
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
"Hi Nescafé, I'd love to collaborate!" That's nice. Aside from the fact you're 4,991 followers away from the minimum you'd need... This isn't Nescafé. 🤦
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FieldExplores (Gator Days) @fieldexplores.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Dads Drinking Coffee - Gator Days
Dads Drinking Coffee - Gator Days

Characters

August - Alligator - A soft spoken single father who works in IT. Gustopher's dad.

Daryl - Bear - A big fellow who looks intimidating. Has a dry sense of humor. Seth's husband and Hannah's papa.

Panel 1

August is at Daryl's house to pick up his son after a play date. The kids are still cleaning up their things by Daryl takes this as an opportunity to invite August in for coffee.

Daryl: The kids are cleaning up their stuff. Want some coffee before you head out?

August: Sure.

Panel 2

August and Daryl are quietly sipping on their coffee. Daryl is holding a blue mug with pink lettering that says "His Cup" while August was given a pink cup with blue lettering that says "His Cup" but there's a "Her" in between the two words that has been crossed out. August starts thinking. Thinking is a dangerous thing to do. August has known Daryl's husband, Seth, for a long long time but hasn't interacted a lot with Daryl.

August (thinking): I've hardly been around Daryl. He's so intense.

Panel 3

August has gotten better at not overthinking these moments but he still falls into it every once in a while. The silence is starting to feel palpable.

August (thinking): He's hardly spoke. I hope I'm not making him uncomfortable.

Panel 4

Dang, let's see what Daryl is thinking.

Daryl (thinking): This is nice.

Daryl enjoys August's company and looks forward to the next time they can enjoy some coffee.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
"Dear Red Bull" You're not messaging Red Bull. Awkward.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
I got my Guild Wars account reactivated~
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Has anyone actually explained what the purpose of a forum is to the DAZ moderators? That they're there for people to discuss things, not for the moderators to go around removing discussions that're perfectly innocuous about management decisions? Bet I know whodunnit.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
I pretty much binge-watched Goddess Bless You From Death (fun Thai supernatural police drama) so I'm catching up on Light to the Night (which is no hardship; two episodes a day weren't enough). Dylan Wang is just so ridiculously pretty.
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FieldExplores (Gator Days) @fieldexplores.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Just Smile (Part 5/5) - Gator Days
Just Smile (Part 5/5) - Gator Days

Characters

Liam - Capybara - A quiet and introspective boy. He enjoys writing and learning about things. Ember's older brother.

Fern - Capybara - Mother to Dan, Liam, and Ember. She's a good listener.

Ember - Capybara - A LITTLE GIRL WHO LOVES SNACKS AND YELLS EVERYTHING! LIAM'S LITTLE SISTER!

Dan - Capybara - Liam and Ember's chill older brother. He's just happy to be here.

Transcript

Panel 1

Liam and his mom have just finished having a heart-to-heart about expressing emotions. Fern is putting away the "COOKIE JAIL" cookie jar as Ember triumphantly walks away with a liberated cookie. Fern is curious about why Liam is suddenly so worried about his expressions.

Fern: What made you so concerned about smiling?

Liam: The school put a picture of me on their website and edited my face.

Ember (to her cookie): SNACK!

Panel 2

Fern pauses. Now it's her turn to have a lot of thoughts running through her head all at once. She keeps smiling as not to alarm Liam.

Panel 3

Fern's smile grows wider as she shifts all of her energy into a plan of action. She decides that she needs to step outside for a moment. She does not want her children to hear what she has to say.

Fern: I have to make a call.

Panel 4

Dan, Liam, and Ember stand at the window and watch their mother yell at someone over the phone. Dan is concerned about this but Liam is happy that his mom has his back. Ember wants to be just like her when she grows up.

Dan: Why is Mom yelling?

Liam: She's expressing herself.
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Minimus @minimuslatin.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
#fabula murina (mouse story) 506 Minimus, Minima et Silvius diem Bellorum Stellarum celebrant (Minimus, Minima and Silvius are celebrating Star Wars day). vis tecum sit! (May the Force be with you!) #starwarsday #maythefourth #maythe4th
Photo of Minimus, Minima and Silvius, the Latin mice, dressed as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Yoda for Star Wars Day.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
I didn't realise until today it was even possible, but you can get a train from Derby to St. Ives. It'd be so tempting... if I didn't know staying in St. Ives was extremely expensive. 😭
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 02/05/2026
Walked to Great Wilne, then to the nature reserve at Church Wilne, which smol dog *loved.* Then walked from there to Sawley, stopped at a pub for a drink, then along the tow path to Shardlow and from there to home. About 11.5 miles. She is now a very smeepy pup.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
The moment I open an anime on Crunchyroll because the splash image looked interesting, only to remember that Gintama has ruined an entire portion of Japanese history for me...
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Smol dog has just hopped off her perch, walked across the room, delicately picked up an insole I removed from my sneaker, and walked off with it.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
The problem with kdramas and a few fancy cdramas is that I've become spoiled with getting two episodes a week (or a day, in the case of Mobius and Light To The Night). One episode a week of Dorohedoro is painful. 😭
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FieldExplores (Gator Days) @fieldexplores.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Just Smile (Part 2/4) - Gator Days
Just Smile (Part 2/4) - Gator Days

Characters

Liam - Capybara - A quiet and introspective boy. He enjoys writing and learning about things. Ember's older brother.

Fern - Capybara - Mother to Dan, Liam, and Ember. She's a good listener.

Transcript

Panel 1

Liam is looking at himself in the mirror. He has just found out that the school put his picture on the website for the school paper and they edited to give him a massive toothy smile. Liam isn't feeling good about this for multiple reasons. He's carefully looking at all the details of his face.

Panel 2

Liam tries to smile at the mirror. It's strained and doesn't look natural. It doesn't feel natural.

Panel 3

Liam stops smiling and stares a little longer. He's got a lot of thoughts and feelings going through his head at the moment.

Panel 4

Liam has gone to his mom, Fern, who is reading a book. He needs to talk to someone about what he's feeling.

Liam: Mom. I think I'm broken.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
I'm really enjoying We Are All Trying Here and I really like the characters, but I don't feel like it'll end on a happy note.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
The new Metric album arrived while I was out too, so I'm listening to it now I've finished If Wishes Could Kill (surprisingly good). First impressions are good.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Smol dog and I went for a nice walk to Great Wilne this morning. We now know where it is. (Still no idea on Church Wilne though.) We walked through a field of cows, which was Unpleasant as they were near the gates and they all stood up as we went by ("Yes yes I'm sorry, we'll walk over here...")...
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comrade @nowarbutclasswar.myatproto.social · 22/04/2026
Drowning meme, showing Bluesky leadership paying attention to AI while the codebase drowns, and why's phone dead at the bottom
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Started watching Sold Out On You, and I would be *fascinated* to know which conversation or misheard sentence led to the scriptwriter coming up with 'Matthew Lee' sounding like 'mechuragi' (shortened to 'mechuri' - 'mehchoo ree')... a.k.a. 'quail'. 🤣
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FieldExplores (Gator Days) @fieldexplores.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Picky Eater - Gator Days
Picky Eater - Gator Days

Characters

Young August - Alligator - August when he was around Gustopher's age. Picky about food

May - August's mother who just wants him to eat.

August - Alligator - A soft spoken single father who works in IT. Gustopher's dad.

Gustopher - Alligator - An easily excitable child who loves making friends. August's son.

Transcript

Panel 1

Narration: Long ago.

A younger August is at the dinner table and hesitant to eat. His mother is fed up with his behavior.

Young August: This looks gross.

May: I hope someday you have a kid as picky as you.

Panel 2

Narration: Present day

An adult August is having dinner with his son. He has corn on his plate along with some round meat colored item that is possibly meat. We will probably never know for sure. Gustopher is holding a bottle of mayonnaise that has "Real Egg" written on it and a hot sauce bottle that appropriately says "HOT".

Gustopher: I'm putting mayonnaise and hot sauce on my corn!

August: Okay.

This is not something August would do with his corn but he guesses it's a pretty normal.

Panel 3

Gustopher now holds a can of sardines and a jam jar. Gustopher is partially covering the jar but "SPACE JA" can be seen on the label. Clearly, this must be "SPACEY JAN" brand jam and not a reference to movie where cartoon animals play basketball.

Gustopher: And sardines! And jam!

August: You have to eat that.

Gustopher: I will!

Panel 4

Gustopher holds out a spoon towards August. It has corn, mayo, hot sauce, sardine, and jam all in one spoonful. August's face is filled with concern.

Gustopher: It tastes so weird! Try it!

August thinks back to his mother having wished that he would have a child as picky as him. He wishes that were the case.

August (thinking): This is worse.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Took smol dog for a walk. I meant to go to Shardlow, walk down the tow path, then go to the pub and walk back. I saw an interesting footpath I'd not noticed before, and the next thing I knew, I was in Breaston and had to catch two buses back home.
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Terri Windling @terriwindling.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
I'm making one last push to let people know about this online talk -- sponsored by the British Library in conjunction with their current exhibition on fairy tales. The live stream starts at 7:30 tonight, but if you buy a ticket *before* the event you can watch it any time over the next 7 days.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
Testing out Mousso's new character, ForlornVoid's new hair, JoeLeGecko's new lights and Luthbellina's new straps.
3D render of a white man with long brown hair wearing silvery ribbon straps bound around his neck and chest. He looks down and to the left thoughtfully with his lips parted, both hands relaxed in front of his waist.
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Merchant Adventurers’ Hall @merchantshallyork.org · 20/04/2026
We’re very sorry sir but you cannot bring your emotional support dragon in here.
We are looking at a painting of St Liphardus - a 6th-century lawyer, hermit and abbot in Meung-sur-Loire near Orléans, France. He is wearing bishops clothing including a surplus and mitre and is holding a crook. On a lead is a small knee high green and blue dragon.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Audible is trying to get me to preorder the new Murderbot book that I... uh, already preordered, and it knows this (I double-checked), but it's still waving its hopeful little flag anyway,
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FieldExplores (Gator Days) @fieldexplores.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Kids Say Things - Gator Days
Kids Say Things - Gator Days

Characters

Bolero

Bolero - Blue Frog - A little speaker of profound things. Some might call him weird. We all know he's deep. And weird. You can be deep and weird.

Tammy - Green Frog - Bolero's mother. She loves her son and thinks he's the best.

Charlie - Red Frog - Bolero's father. He loves his son and thinks he's the the greatest.

Transcript

Panel 1

Bolero's family is getting their day going. His parents greet him cheerful smiles and inquires about his night. Bolero's dad, Charlie, has a mug that says "Big Boy Mug". As he is a big boy, he has found this mug to be suitable to his needs.

Tammy: Good morning, Bolero.

Charlie: Did you sleep well.

Panel 2

Bolero stares off into the distance. He looks as if he has experienced a thousand life times. He speaks.

Bolero: I dreamed that everybody looked like me and I didn't know who I was and I was everyone and no one.

Panel 3

Bolero looks blankly in a random direction. Tammy looks at her husband with concern. Charlie is entirely unsure what they are supposed to do in this situation.

Panel 4

Bolero looks back to his parents and asks an extremely important question.

Bolero: Can we have chocolate pancakes?

Tammy throws her arms into the air in celebration.

Tammy: YES!

Charlie: I'll start it now!

The family had a fine morning.
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jess m. ☕🍂 @jametc.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Fuck the blender donut guy. There are much better tutorials and even aside from being an AI shill, he's a creep
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 19/04/2026
I'm (more) depressed and not in the mood to cook, so it's jin-jjajang ramyun with the handy warning "Product is very hot after heating" for dinner. This ramen pot is genuinely one of the best things I've ever bought.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Affinity: We totally didn't sell out when we got bought by Canva! Canva: *currently running ads about how well they work the creepy privacy-invading Meta Ray-Bans* Yeah. Totally didn't sell out there.
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Crystal Frasier @amazonchique.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
In 1999, I was playing a decker in Shadowrun, and tried to distract a guard by hacking a water fountain to overflow, and my GM said "why would a water fountain be on the network? That's fucking stupid. No you can't try." Well it's 2026 and I just want you to know, Phil, that I FUCKING CALLED IT!
A flatscreen display on a "smart" water fountain, demanding to be reconnected to the internet.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Yet again bksy's trending list is an absolute embarrassment. Is this that vibe-coding shit they're apparently suddenly very big on? Or just general incompetence? It's so hard to tell with this lot.
The feed for the trend "A Knight's Tale".


‪Solar London‬ ‪@london.solar.v.cx‬ · 47m
The sun will rise in #London #England tomorrow at 5:58, 127 seconds earlier than the day before.
It will set at 20:00, 100 seconds later than the day before.

‪Velvet Smoke‬ ‪@smokey347.bsky.social‬ · 2m
#PinkFloyd Pulse 1995 #LiveAlbum #Album #LiveConcert #LiveMusic #BlueSkyMusic #SkyMusic #Smokey347Music #Concert #Art #PsychedelicRock #ProgressiveRock #London #England #90s
[Image of a beach with the tide coming in with some pyramids to the right, a large blue iris with a rocky planet aiming at the pupil, a flock of birds against a sea-and-sky-scape and clouds.]
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
#AprilAdventure Yve thinks his enemy is the group of suited individuals that keep following him around and trying to grab him, but there's someone in the shadows who might just pose a greater threat... A shame it's not like Yve can remember why.
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FieldExplores (Gator Days) @fieldexplores.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
One small task
Field Comic

Panel 1

A determined Field has slammed their hands on the desk and is determined to do the things that need to be done.

Field: OKAY! I just have one small task to do.

Panel 2

A stressed Field is staring blankly at a blank screen.

Narration Box: -Stares at nothing for two hours instead-
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
I'd love to know what goes through bsky staff's heads when they curate their trending lists. 'Indie Books' leads with several tradpubbed bestsellers, and 'Spring Blooms'? Look at all the spring flowers. 🙄 (Not the photographer's fault. It's a fantastic photo.)
Screenshot of Bluesky's 'Spring Blooms' trending feed, showing a dramatic monochromatic image of the Waldorf Astoria in New York, taken from a low angle and aimed upwards. There is not a spring bloom to be seen, which is not the fault of the photographer in the slightest as they didn't ask to be in this feed.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
I saw the new season of Dorohedoro was on Netflix, which reminded me I wanted to try the show. I... did not expect it to be this delightfully unhinged. The characters are incredibly sturdy (especially Noi and Nikaido) and weirdly likeable. Caiman is such a himbo. It's insane and I love it.
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FieldExplores (Gator Days) @fieldexplores.bsky.social · 06/04/2026
Helpful Reminders - Gator Days
Helpful Reminders - Gator Days

Characters

August - Alligator - A soft spoken single father who works in IT. Gustopher's dad.

Gustopher - Alligator - An easily excitable child who loves making friends. August's son.

Mewbert and Nougat - Cat - Animal - August and Gustopher's pet cats.

Transcript

Panel 1
August and Gustopher have a place they need to be later. August is making a note to keep track of the time so they don't end up being late. Gustopher is eager to assist with this.

August: We have to leave 5:00. I should keep an eye on the time.

Gustopher: I'll help.

August's did not set an alarm. His destiny is set at this point.

Panel 2

Gustopher is playing a video game on his bed. Nougat is keeping him company. Gustopher notices the time and decides it's a good moment to yell a reminder to his Dad who is in another room.

Gustopher: DAD! WE LEAVE IN FIVE HOURS!

August: Thank you!

Panel 3

Gustopher is now petting Mewbert on the couch. An hour has gone by and so Gustopher decides to give his dad another reminder. He's being extra helpful today.

Gustopher: WE LEAVE IN FOUR HOURS!

August: Got it.

Panel 4

Gustopher hasn't given his Dad a reminder in a while. He has gone into the office to let him know.

Gustopher: We were supposed to leave ten minutes ago.

August: WHA-!?

August mentally reminds himself to set an alarm in the future. He probably won't.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
*flails* Oh my gods, a new Machinae Supremacy album!
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 07/03/2026
I only meant to go for a little sulk. 😂 Then I realised that since my day job is 80% social media, I was happier not doomscrolling. Then I just forgot to come back. 😅 I'll probably dip in and out, but I don't think I'll be busy here any more. Have a render of Crow I meant to post, uh, last month.
3D render of the Crow Prince, a young white man with floppy black hair, dark brown eyes, and a glossy black crow's wing for a left arm. He wears a billowing red sash covering his chest and hips and has a cracked, glowing halo over his head. He is smiling at the camera and makes a little heart gesture with his right hand.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Ahah, it's fun being so shit I can't even give books away. 🤦
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Nicole "Ashrah" Hidalgo 😈🧄👻 @sayaashrah.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
#SFFChat Q4. After leaving the Netherrealm, Ashrah starts studying concepts so far unknown to her. (Yes, she calls him "Master Kurtis Stryker" every single time 🤷🏽‍♀️) #ChroniclesOfTheRealms #SayaAshrah #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #QueerWriters
“What is love, Master Kurtis Stryker?”

He opened his mouth. Closed. Fixed his gaze back on the road ahead, his forehead creased in thought. “Love…” He glanced at the golden ring around his finger, and Ashrah assumed he was thinking about the man who rode the tiger. “When you love someone, you want to protect them against all harm, even if, deep down, you know that’s not always possible. It’s someone you may fight with, sometimes over petty things, but who, at the end of the day, is your greatest ally. An ally that you may have never imagined having, that may be completely different from you in every way, and yet they’re there with you, and you’re there with them, no matter what, and because of them, you’re a better person.”
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weird medieval guys @weirdmedieval.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
It was believed in medieval times that hedgehogs had spikes so they could roll over fruit to carry home to their children, which is not true but is a really cute idea
A medieval illustration of a hedgehog with grapes skewered on its spines
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Todd Dillard @toddedillard.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
oh look they made a toy about writers’ social media versus writers’ work
a box featuring a toy bear on the cover with the name PICNIC BEAR versus the same box opened and the picnic bear looks like a hollowed-eye withered version of a bear who was witnessed THE HORRORS and nothing in this life can spare him from the memory of it
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Patrick Ness @patricknessbooks.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Trans kids are dying, will die (these are proven facts) for no purpose other than the distaste of powerful people who have zero experience or apparently empathy.
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Well this was fun! 💀 I think it's working now... This is the first finished video I've successfully made in DaVinci Resolve, and it took *forever.* If you want to make me feel a bit better, you can read my short and gay Valentine's story. 😉 itch.io/s/151940/val...
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Aphna @aphna.bsky.social · 12/02/2026
Bsky won't let me upload a video. Keeps running into a processing error. So I upload it to YouTube (bleh) and link to it instead. Won't post. Server error. What even is the point of this fucking website?
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