iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Update, she now also knows Frida Kahlo. 🙌

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Ian M @ianm70.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Upon an Island in the Fog by Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social #September #Tolkien from the Beyond Bree calendar 2026.

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Things I’m excessively proud my 20-month-old can recognize and name: •hobbits •my home state of Hawaii •the Mona Lisa

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MGCoco★ @mgcoco.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Westmoot haul!!! I should have gave myself more luggage space 😅

A bunch of Tolkien themed goods on a blanket

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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

One thing I found deeply moving about resistance in the Twin Cities was the universalism of loving your neighbor, the philosophy driving the opposition to the ICE/BP invasion. I couldn't help but notice the contrast with the blood and soil-ism of Miller and Vance. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

Trump-administration officials and MAGA influencers have repeatedly called these activists “violent” and said they are involved in “riots.” But the resistance in Minnesota is largely characterized by a conscious, strategic absence of physical confrontation. Activists have made the decision to emphasize protection, aid, and observation. When matters escalate, it is usually the choice of the federal agents. Of the three homicides in Minneapolis this year, two were committed by federal agents.

“There’s been an incredible, incredible response from the community. I’ve seen our neighbors go straight from allies to family—more than family—checking in on each other, offering food and rides for kids and all kinds of support, alerting each other if there’s ICE or any kind of danger,” Malika Dahir, a local activist of Somali descent, told me.

If the Minnesota resistance has an overarching ideology, you could call it “neighborism”—a commitment to protecting the people around you, no matter who they are or where they came from. The contrast with the philosophy guiding the Trump administration couldn’t be more extreme. Vice President Vance has said that “it is totally reasonable and acceptable for American citizens to look at their next-door neighbors and say, ‘I want to live next to people who I have something in common with. I don’t want to live next to four families of strangers.’” Minnesotans are insisting that their neighbors are their neighbors whether they were born in Minneapolis or Mogadishu. That is, arguably, a deeply Christian philosophy, one apparently loathed by some of the most powerful Christians in America.

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Katy @katydiddance.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Don't know what to do? Read the link.

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Chaucer Doth Tweet @levostregc.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

HOTTE LOCAL SINGLES NEARE THEE are ynterested yn chess, falconrye, vernacular adaptaciouns of the Troy myth, gentle talke of the mysteryes and paynes of love, elaborate gardens.

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Christians for a Free Palestine @xians4palestine.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

“It’s not God’s peace without justice! Free Gaza Now!” These Christian leaders joined our Jewish kin today in beautifully living into the call of Psalm 101:1 and singing of God’s love and justice for Gazans and Palestinians.

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

@tacol0rd.bsky.social to our baby this morning: “if you like these high contrast cards you’re going to LOVE Caravaggio” #art #parenting

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More Perfect Union @moreperfectunion.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

The American Federation of Government Employees, the largest federal employee union, has now grown to a record size of 319,233 active members. 14,000 new members joined in the past five weeks. That’s nearly as many as the previous 12 months. minnesotareformer.com/2025/02/07/f...

minnesotareformer.com

Federal employees union grows to record size amid DOGE attacks — and other labor news • Minnesota Reformer

Take a seat in the Break Room, our weekly round-up of labor news in Minnesota and beyond. This week: Membership swells as federal employee unions confront DOGE attacks; dairy farmer faces rare crimina...

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Tea with Tolkien @teawithtolkien.com · 11/02/2025

“What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.” - Pope Francis

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Melissa Florer-Bixler @melissaf-b.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Me when ICE shows up during worship i.redd.it/16guw8ts4fi7...

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Guy Gavriel Kay @guygavrielkay.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

A group of 19th century poets walk into a bar. ‘Why the Longfellow?’ asks the judgmental bartender.

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Guy Gavriel Kay @guygavrielkay.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

I concede that on one level the ‘Gulf of America’ idiocy is just a toddler screaming in his sandbox. On another, I wrote a novel 35 years ago, TIGANA, about how tyrants erase (or try to) names, history, art to consolidate their control of people. So, it matters. Symbols do. So does acquiescence.

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

A delight to hear @emilyrcwilson.bsky.social and @madelinemiller.bsky.social speak last night about translation, interaction w/ ancient texts in the contemporary world, and about resistance to tyranny in every age. We’re excited to read both women’s writings with our baby Sylvia… never too early!

a view of an auditorium stage from a balcony during the event Q&A time. The event was held at St Mary’s College in South Bend, IN. On the stage in two armchairs are the moderator and featured speaker Emily Wilson. The other featured speaker, Madeline Miller, attended the event virtually, and appears behind them on a screen.

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Indrapramit Das @indrapramitdas.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

Marah & Motaz lost their home and work & were displaced with their baby Miela by the genocide in Gaza. They're still starving, freezing, and sick after a year of Israel's famine & siege. Please share & give to help, Marah's ill in the cold--they urgently need shelter, essentials & healthcare:

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

Very much enjoying this episode, as I knew I would! Such a great walk through of the history of feminist crit in Tolkien studies (delivered by my MA supervisor 🩷)

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Robinson Meyer @robinsonmeyer.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

Murkowski says call volume to the Senate is now 40x higher than normal:

A facebook post from Lisa Murkowski: I want to thank Alaskans who have been reaching out to my offices in D.C. and across Alaska. The U.S. Senate phone system has been receiving around 1,600 calls each minute, compared to the 40 calls per minute we usually receive, which has disrupted our call systems. Thank you for your patience as my staff works to review your messages and share them with me. We’re all working to get this issue resolved as quickly as possible.

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Ebony Elizabeth Thomas @ebonyteach.blacksky.app · 05/02/2025

As I have been telling my family since January 20, there's always tomorrow. And there will be a tomorrow where they don't win. That is wisdom that I learned from my parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles. They learned it from their elders, and so on. And now I teach it to the next generations.

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Charlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

Senator Andy Kim just went to the USAID building, talked to the security guard there to confirm employees are being barred entry, and then did a press gaggle right there in front to call it out. This is doing something. This is making an effort on messaging. Other Democratic lawmakers: take notes.

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Abby @arobertswrites.com · 03/02/2025

Also, when you’re writing to your electeds, mention that Musk has access to the payment system that handles Medicare and Social Security, as many electeds live in abject fear of something happening to either of those programs. Especially red state electeds.

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Aunt Mony @m-scott.bsky.social · 02/02/2025

Must read. Musk has taken control of all of our money!

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Tom Emanuel @realtomemanuel.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

For Black History Month, did you know that one of our foundational Tolkien scholars is a Black woman? Melanie Rawls wrote "The Feminine Principle in Tolkien" (1984), among THE seminal works on women and Tolkien. She's written on JRRT and Ursula Le Guin among others and is a fantasist herself.

The writer and Tolkien scholar Melanie Rawls, an African American woman in a blue button-up shirt, glasses with thick black rims, and a dapper fedora.

The article "The Feminine Principle in Tolkien" by Melanie Rawls, published in Mythlore 38 (Spring 1984). Above the title and author, a pen-and-ink drawing depicts three powerful women from Tolkien's mythology.

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

My book "Illustrating The Lord of the Rings in the Soviet Bloc" has a cover! Featuring artwork by the most excellent Yassen Panov, illustrator of the 1990-1991 Bulgarian #LOTR translation Vlastelinat Na Prastenite. The book is currently scheduled for release on September 18th #Tolkien

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Evan @marx-photography.com · 27/01/2025

Another day of trying to replace the terrible news on your feed with beautiful landscape photography 📸 Cannon Beach, Oregon #photography #longexposure #ocean #oceanscape #oregon #oregoncoast

Sea stacks at cannon beach, Oregon at sunset

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Oooh, I’ll pull an oldie out of my archives. This tiny sketch of Tintern Abbey is from 2018. We visited again this year while it was under repairs (which was actually cool to see as well!). Tagging: @miriamellis.bsky.social @mgcoco.bsky.social #artshare

A small watercolor painting showing a corner of the picturesque ruin Tintern Abbey. We look down a green corridor with pillars on the right side, and face a window showing more green behind it and blue sky above (there is no roof).

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The Oatmeal @theoatmeal.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

“In 150 characters or less” by @nikitagill.bsky.social

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Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg @theradr.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

THIS (some of) IS WHAT CLERGY ARE TO DO NOW (video at link) You don't cozy up to power You speak prophetic truth to those who have power when you have the mic You use your voice and position to demand moral reckoning, safety, care, love, protection. YOU. TAKE. RISKS. It's your damn job.

nbcwashington.com

Bishop at inaugural service pleads for Trump to ‘have mercy' on LGBTQ people, migrants

At the inaugural prayer service, the Right Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, made a direct appeal to President Donald Trump to have mercy on the LGBTQ community and undocumented ...

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"Online Rent-a-Sage" Bret Devereaux @bretdevereaux.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

You know who was really obsessed with race, like way more than any 'woke' person? American enslavers. Those guys - totally focused on race. And yet for some reason, no one complains that a race based system of slavery is obviously a form of 'identity politics.'

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CTBbent @ctbbent.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Please take a moment to sign a petition to add Hellbenders to the Endangered Species list. They are one of only three Giant Salamander species in existence (and the only North American one!), and they are insanely cool creatures that deserve to keep existing. Snot Otters forever!

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

Putting my shop on vacay mode in a few days for maternity leave. Don’t want to get stuck with orders to ship *and* a new baby 🤣 so anyway, last chance to purchase for a few months! emilyaustindesign.etsy.com

emilyaustindesign.etsy.com

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Gabriel Schenk @gabrielschenk.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Social media platforms as Oxford pubs: • Threads: Lamb & Flag. Always busy but so noisy you can't have a proper conversation. • Bluesky: Royal Oak. Few people but with lots of rooms and nooks and a good buzz. • X: Swan & Castle (Wetherspoons). Makes me feel ill. Owner is a politics twat. /1

Lamb & Flag: pub with a sign outside showing a lamb with an English flag

Royal Oak pub: a large building with cream-coloured walls and a dark roof

The Swan & Castle: a plain modern building with blue-framed windows

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Last day to get stuff at a discount! Also, in the next week or so I’ll be shutting down my shop for maternity leave. TBD when exactly it will reopen. So grab stuff while you can. 😉

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

I also just watched this vid. Thanks Marcel for following up with more resources. Very helpful!

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Tom Emanuel @realtomemanuel.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

You will never find a bigger Paul McCartney fan than myself, but even I cannot deny that "Wonderful Christmastime" poses a challenge to any serious theodicy.

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Indrapramit Das @indrapramitdas.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Adham is raising funds for his family to survive and escape the ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has left them homeless and without income, and in dire need of scarce and expensive essentials under imposed famine. Progress is very slow. Please share or give if you can.

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Anna Smol @annasmol.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

How do you say “Bandersnatch” or “Tumtum tree” in Old English? Take a look at Tolkien’s recently discovered Old English translation of Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky.” A few of my favourite phrases in the link. #TolkienTuesday #TolkienTrewsday #Tolkien.

annasmol.net

How do you say “Bandersnatch” in Old English?

How do you say Bandersnatch in Old English? On Tolkien’s translation of Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky” into Old English. In Collected Poems of J.R. R. Tolkien edited by Chris…

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Prof. Dimitra Fimi @dimitrafimi.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

2 December on the #fantasyadvent: Winter gatherings and celebrations at Brambly Hedge! (Yes, that’s a prime example of miniature fantasy, what my next book is about!) More on the Brambly Hedge books here: bramblyhedge.com/brambly-hedg... @UofGFantasy 🎄🐁 🎄🐁🎄🐁

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Emily Austin @emilyaustindesign.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

Next feature from my shop sale, winter Hobbiton cards! emilyaustindesign.etsy.com/listing/7384...

Image shows a stack of four cards with my illustration “A Very Snowy Hobbiton” on it. The painting includes a series of three hobbit homes under a single hill. They are blanketed with snow and cheerful light spills from their windows. A full moon shines over a blue evening sky. In the foreground, a tiny hobbit mom and child are walking to one of the homes.

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Joel Merriner @joelmerriner.bsky.social · 27/11/2024

In the early 1990s Sergei Iukhimov created a number of First Age Tolkien depictions heavily inspired by the decadent fin de siècle aestheticism of Aubrey Beardsley. Sadly the mists of time have rendered many of the reproductions hazy, but here's one that goes hard nonetheless...Túrin's death (1993).

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Ryan Austin, CFP, WMCP, RICP @tacol0rd.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Adventures in creation care… drilling holes in a stump for bees

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Roxane Gay @roxanegay.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Bluesky has made it. I can once again explain very online things to my not very online wife and have her stare at me, bewildered. We’re back baby!!!!

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Johnathan Perkins @johnathanperk.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Read to your children. To this day, my mom credits my sisters and my intelligence on both parents reading to us, long after we could read for ourselves, into our early tween years. On long road trips, mom used to read full novels, even historic non-fiction to the family from the passenger seat.

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