iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 8h

Right. Every time I manage to write and send a long formal Italian letter I get some chocolate. I will get them done this afternoon. I will not put them off any longer. (This has been an accountability tweet.)

280

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Dr Stuart McKie @bigfridge224.bsky.social · 13h

This. And while we're on the subject I'll repeat my plea to permanent academics that they update their own pages. Writing job apps that fit a department profile is so much easier if you know what other people are *currently* working on.

043

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 14h

Work on the assumption that your institutional website will either (a) delete you without trace the day you leave or (b) somehow keep implying you work there forever, give people a non-functional email address to contact you on, and never update your achievements past 2015.

1337

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Isabella Lewis @irvlewis.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

On Saturday, 7 November, I will be running a Wikipedia Edit-a-thon around the theme of Byzantine women & genderqueer saints. I hope that this workshop will help to improve the coverage of women and LGBTQ+ history on Wikipedia. To attend, follow this link: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wiki-edit-...

eventbrite.co.uk

Wiki Edit-a-Thon: Byzantine Women & Genderqueer Saints

An in-person edit-a-thon that aims to improve the coverage of Byzantine women & genderqueer saints on Wikipedia. No prior experience needed.

32918

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

TIL that I've been getting the title of my own book wrong.

080

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Simon is on strike ✊🏻 @simonxix.com · 28/09/2026

My union branch, @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social, is resisting senior management’s wanton academic vandalism. You can support us by not crossing Edinburgh picket lines, by emailing the Principal (principal@ed.ac.uk), or by donating to the Fighting Fund (www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/hff-fundrais...).

284

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Joys of conker season: collecting conkers; taking many conkers to nursery for activities; my kids teaching kids who have just moved to the UK about conkers on the way home. #tinyjoys

White woman's hand holding two conkers (horse chestnuts). Autumn leaves are on the ground in the background.

5241

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Raising a glass to the students matriculating at Castle today, but also celebrating 5 years in Durham 🎉 and 20 years since I started university 😮😮. @durhamclassics.bsky.social

Students and staff in black academic gowns processing through the front gate of University College, Durham.

Students celebrate in the foreground. In the background is Castle college and a banner reading "Floreat Castellum"

0151

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Carausius @carausius286.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A Roman mosaic of snails escaping a basket. 🏛️ Basilica Patricale, Aquileia 🇮🇹 🕰️ 4th century AD #MosaicMonday

10477107

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

'Members of the University and Colleges union (UCU) will stop work until 30 October. The union said the cuts could lead to 1,800 job losses, and hundreds of staff had already lost work when contracts were not renewed. The university announced the closure of 90 courses earlier this month.'

bbc.co.uk

Edinburgh University lecturers begin five-week strike over cuts

Members of the University and Colleges Union are walking out in part of a long-running dispute over job and course cuts.

24526

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Matthew Scarborough 𓀀 @mattitiahu.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Cambridgecore: Not an online eBooks platform, but rather a bunch of tweed-clad students in a teashop on King's Parade.

192

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Plashing Vole @plashingvole.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

‘While Hamlet delivers his soliloquy, the ghost of his father hoovers in the background’.

819912

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

A big advantage to writing a short book (max word limit 30k) is that you CAN'T fit everything in. Just can't be done. And no one can expect you to. Chuck some of the best examples in and call it a day.

190

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Chasing down an image of a particular Venetic inscription has led to the discovery that a local archaeology/reenactment group have made a copy to display publicly. www.veicetia.org/wp/?p=862

150

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

One of my top writing tips (which I'm sure one of you gave me) is to have a separate document called "cuts" for the bits that don't quite work, so that you can fool yourself that you're not DELETING them you're simply MOVING them.

126614

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco @joshpizpom.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

EXC: 90 programmes in Edinburgh University's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences are to be closed. The casualties, which include 48 language and literature programmes, will be 'taught out', w/ no admissions after 2027. @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/news/2655839...

heraldscotland.com

Ninety programmes to close at leading university as savings plan takes shape

According to the document, a total of 90 programmes will be “taught out” over the next several years, including 48 in the School of Language.

17111150

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Dr Naomi Scott @drnaomiscott.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

It’s so depressing to see how many of my peers have minimal or no employment this academic year, when meanwhile every Classics department I know has more work than can reasonably (or safely) be accomplished by the number of staff they have left.

2384

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Argh, just noticed a repeated typo in something I wrote in 2021. 🤬

060

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Charlotte Lydia Riley @lottelydia.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I’m not sure how many skills I’ve really developed by being a professional historian, but my god I can eyeball a piece of written text and immediately give you a ballpark word count as if my life depended on it

61412

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Everyone's lovely enthusiasm is reminding me that I have seen the Bayeux Tapestry, but sadly I was an unimpressible teenager on a trip to Normandy.

1170

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Which will I finish first, book or jumper, that is the question.

Black knitted sleeve with needles visible at the top. Stitch markers in different colours are in a line in the fabric. Bright sunlight is coming in from a window on the left.

120

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I have about seven weeks left to finish this book. That sounds... just about possible.

2121

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Very few people where I actually live will have a frame of reference for this, so I'll say it here: Passing my original 90s American Girl doll on to the next generation has been incredibly heartwarming. Also, I had no idea so much of it had been discontinued!

280

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Day 1 of ebike ownership, and I fear I'm about to become a very annoying bike evangelist.

4130

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Thoroughly enjoyed the opening weekend events (and cakes) at The Light, Durham.

050

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Hedgehog update: found it again in our garden looking distressed and took it to the rescue. Turns out it was just a hoglet and couldn't manage on its own.

1100

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Hedgehog! Not sure I've ever seen one in the daytime. (Did keep an eye on it till it had snuffled its way away from the road...)

050

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Dr Vanessa @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

“If you want research led teaching then at a minimum you have to allow teaching staff time to *read* and incorporate new research” I say every year as I object, again, to a workload model that allows 50mins prep per 1 hour teaching.

022958

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Dan Diffendale @diffendale.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

and if you do carve them into stone, I recommend not using tuff or sandstone, or some limestones. Also I've occasionally seen things inscribed in conglomerate - like, guys, what were you thinking?

1133

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Coriolanus Being Told Off By His Mum, 1869

Image shows Orlai Petrich's painting 'Coriolanus'. A woman in dark clothes points behind her, looking annoyed. Coriolanus, sitting on the right, looks like he doesn't want his mum to be so angry with him in front of his friends.

041

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Only taken me five years to reach Hadrian's Wall. Btw, the solution for nationwide drought is clearly for me to visit Cumbria and not take a coat. Works every time.

A section of Hadrian's wall - a low wall in grey stone. The wall extends away from the viewer through an overgrown field. The sky above is grey and cloudy.

Three sheep hang out near the remains of Birdoswald fort. The sky is still very cloudy.

0131

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Idk, I think we should bring this back, it's pleasing

240

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

This is a lovely site which helps remind us of much of what we take for granted in material progress ordinaryabundance.com (HT @aveek18.bsky.social)

ordinaryabundance.com

Ordinary Abundance

A walk through a modern apartment, through the eyes of the people for whom everything in it was new.

10469211

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

I'm sure I am guilty of this myself at some point, but it's always fascinating when a reviewer insists you MUST cite this VERY IMPORTANT work which you have MISSED, and when you go to follow up the topic under discussion does not appear in said important work.

2100

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Dr Allison Andrews’ monster @doctorallisona.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Reminder for UK folks that there is a BIG solar eclipse this Wednesday! Gonna be happening between about 6pm and 8pm Wednesday evening, with maximum coverage (about 90-96% sunlight blocked) at around 7.10pm.

1118

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

depths of wikipedia @depthsofwikipedia.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

not to be confused with quesadilla

5581061804

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Re-reading my own notes today: "a temple in the form described by Vesuvius". Sure, something like that.

040

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Alexandra Sills @belovedofoizys.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Idly imagining dozens of Athenians loudly reciting their think pieces in the agora and tearing each other to shreds because a Euripides play riffing on the Trojan cycle didn't please every single citizen simultaneously.

411816

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 29/07/2026

Overnight, a masked bandit broke into our kitchen. Armed with opposable thumbs, he proceeded to sample everything on offer. I’d just visited the farmers market, so the menu was extensive. I can now share a highly specific peer-reviewed list of what this particular raider did & did not enjoy. 🧵

static.klipy.com

Raccoon's Evil Smile: 'Good, Good'

Alt: Raccoon's Evil Smile: 'Good, Good'

852136706

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Mateusz Fafinski @calthalas.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Half the planet is having a massive fight about how to correctly interpret an Ancient Greek poem but go ahead, close some more humanities departments.

3558911659

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Monday: bad writing day, couldn't concentrate Tuesday: good writing day! It's all coming together! Wednesday: wait, did I miss something really important? *Pause for small breakdown* Wait it's ok I think, found the thing I needed by total fluke. Lunch.

2100

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

I actually really enjoyed it, but also this. I ALSO really enjoy reading everyone's various nerdy expert takes on the boats, the weaving, the archery, the geography - so please keep on with all that, thank you. 😄

1266

Katherine McDonald @katherinemcdon.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

This Reddit comment (on a post about whether it's appropriate to knit during a showing of the Odyssey) made me chuckle.

Text of comment reads: What could be more Odyssey than working on a textile (and frogging later if needed) during said odyssey?

0152

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Yoïn van Spijk @yvanspijk.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

It won’t be too big of a surprise that ‘of’ and ‘off’ come from the same Old English word. However, if we go further back in time, it turns out they’re part of a huge word family that includes ‘after’, ‘ebb’, German ‘von’, ‘aber’, and Ancient Greek ‘apó’. Click my new graphic to learn more:

119622

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Anna P. Judson @annapjudson.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

4) come on, Nolan, you got *that close* to actually name-checking Linear B... 5) thank god I'm not teaching my archaeology course next year, I'm not sure I could cope with what all the students would write in the essay about the "Late Bronze Age collapse" 😄😭🤣 #ClassicsBluesky 🏺

2211

Reposted by Katherine McDonald

Anna P. Judson @annapjudson.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Thoughts of a Bronze Age Aegeanist watching the #Odyssey 1) nice pottery 2) Palace of Ithaca on the outside is totally the Evans concrete version of Knossos, right? 3) Polyphemus lives in the Cave of Nestor! 4) Nolan appears to think you can walk to Pylos from Ithaca? ... #ClassicsBluesky 🏺

2251