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Thekla K

@theklaken.bsky.social
74 followers 161 following 79 posts

Writer, broadsword fencer, cat dad. Fan of weird history | he/him| 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 | Scotland | #amWriting #amQuerying

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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
Happy Friday, have a kitten
A fluffy white and beige ragdoll cat sits on a William Morris print bedspread in front of an orange wall.
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Emily Herring @emilyherring.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
This piece was greenlit and then killed by a British newspaper, so I’ve decided to publish myself instead. Trans People Deserve Better. "Gender critical" feminism doesn't help women but it does help the far right open.substack.com/pub/wellread...
open.substack.com
Trans People Deserve Better
"Gender critical" feminism doesn't help women but it does help the far right
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Dr Lindsey Fitzharris @drlindseyfitz.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
Victorian medicine chest, which contains medications for pain relief, such as opium. It also includes a set of scales, weights, a pill tile, and a spatula. It was probably used in the home or by an apothecary. Photo: Wellcome Collection, London
A photo of the Victorian medicine chest. It is open at the front to reveal glass bottles inside and various drawers containing instruments.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Editing* is going great why do you ask *Integrating all my line edits that I marked up earlier. Admittedly I marked up five(?) chapters tonight before integrating them all into the draft. Don't worry about it.
Screenshot of a discord message from user 'pro-radiation poisoning'. The message is entirely emoji. There is a collection of custom emoji in various states of feralness, as well as biting emoji and emoji of teeth surrounded by hearts. There is then a string of emoji regional indicators, spelling out 'I EDITED TWENTYFIVE CHAPTERS TONIGHT AND FEEL SO VERY VERY NORMAL. The next line, in larger regional indicator emoji, reads 'CARY PIXEL.' The final line shows a figure in bed, followed by the ZZZ emoji.
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The Black Country Dying Museum @bcdyingmuseum.bsky.social · 04/11/2025
Medieval tiles from Bordesley Abbey in the vestry at St Stephen's Redditch. #tilesontuesday
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
It's always good fun to think about what you're going to do if the state of trans rights gets any worse in the UK, only to realise that realistically you have very few options available
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
Just got followed by an account proudly advertising their AI prompting packs so that people could 'make images like [they] do!' so this is your unfriendly reminder that if you use AI you can fuck right off. Do not interact with me, do not follow me, I will block you.
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Jenni Coutts (she/her) @jennicoutts.bsky.social · 11/10/2025
Keeping up with Drawtober, my latest #art was for the prompt ‘mushroom fairy’, and tbh I’m pretty proud of this one! It’s my first time drawing mushrooms and fungi, and it took absolutely forever…
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☠️ Skulls and Sheets 👻 @skullsandsheets.bsky.social · 10/10/2025
A Mari watching the autumn leaves fly past while sitting on an arch.
A mari sits on a lesge watching the autumn leaves blow past under the moonlight
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🌈 Hailey Piper 🌈 @haileypiperfights.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
No exceptions. If you use Gen A I in any capacity whatsoever, you suck. Yes, the way you're using it too. You're not special. "She probably doesn't mean me" I do.
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Dr. Damien P. Williams, dread portent down from a mountain cave @wolven.blacksky.app · 05/10/2025
"Move fast and break things" and "better to ask forgiveness than permission" get us a whole suite of "AI" literally built out of consent violation and coerced control, where human consent is not meaningful a possibility, and uses that suit to try to coerce or replace anyone who might tell them "no."
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Hillary Monahan @hillarymonahan.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
The moment you concede some lives are acceptable losses--I'm speaking specifically about trans people rn--you're adding a gray area to who deserves bodily autonomy and safety in a society. Once you concede some people are acceptable losses, you've established other lives are ALSO negotiable.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 04/10/2025
When I started medically transitioning back in 2019, I was **lucky** that I only had to wait 1 year for my first appointment in Glasgow. Things were going downhill even then, but this is absurd.
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Natacha @natacha.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
The Starmer government is REALLY running scared of this petition, now at 2.75 million, to the extent that it has responded 3 months early, in a transparent attempt to spike it. So please, under no circumstances should you sign it and share it widely. Starmer & his boss McSweeney would not like it.
petition.parliament.uk
Petition: Do not introduce Digital ID cards
We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.
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Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 01/10/2025
We are thrilled to announce that our NEW Large Language Model will be released on 11.18.25.
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FRUITBLUSH @fruitblush.bsky.social · 21/09/2025
Oilspill Prints in bio
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Happy Tuesday, have a kitten
A white and beige ragdoll cat lying on a dark green sofa
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Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera @pantibliss.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
Trans people have been around your whole life. You’ve been sharing bathrooms with them your whole life. They’ve been in your communities your whole life. They’ve even been playing sport your whole life. And you didn’t care *at all* till a few years ago when every right wing org decided you should
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Surgeons' Hall Museum @surgeonshall.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
This glass bottle dates from the 1870s. The label on it reads "Glass vessel for holding carbolic acid solution 1 in 20 of a Lister's antiseptic spray."
A cylindrical clear glass bottle with a small chip around the rim. There is a large label attached to the bottles neck which reads "Glass vessel for holding carbolic acid solution 1 of 20  of a Lister's antiseptic spray
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
Why is querying agents so incredibly scary? I feel like I'm being hunted for sport
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Surgeons' Hall Museum @surgeonshall.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
This medicine chest dates from the 18th century. The chest includes 2 pewter containers & 10 glass bottles, 9 of which have pewter tops and one that has a glass top. The design of this bottle is slightly different and may be a replacement, it would have contained peppermint oil.
A relatively small wooden chest. The lid opens up to reveal spaces for 8 glass bottles. There are also two doors on the front of the chest which have spaces for 2 bottles each. The open doors reveal 2 small drawers in the body of the chest.
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Ars Technica @arstechnica.com · 27/08/2025
AI advocates have warned that if every author in the class action filed a claim, it would "financially ruin" the entire industry.
arstechnica.com
Authors celebrate “historic” settlement coming soon in Anthropic class action
Advocates fear such settlements will “financially ruin” the AI industry.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
Happy Tuesday, have a kitten
A fluffy white and beige ragdoll cat perched on the end of a wooden bedframe, looking towards the camera. The room behind her is dark, but the cat is brightly lit.The same cat in the same location, now looking away from the camera.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 21/08/2025
@bechillcomedian.bsky.social Hello! I'm the fella with the mesiodens. Just finished listening to the latest episode, love the podcast, blah blah blah, just wanted to let you know I'll be seeing your show this Saturday and will be bringing the tooth with me 🦷
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Ardath Whynacht @ardathjean.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
Friendly reminder that AI data centers are working overtime to help cook the planet. If the fires are scaring you— start using ‘-AI’ at the end of all Google searches to cut out any AI response to your query. Refusal is possible & responsible. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
OpenAI will not disclose GPT-5’s energy use. It could be higher than past models
Experts working to benchmark resource use of AI models say new version’s enhanced capabilities come at a steep cost
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Happy monday, have a kitten (with bonus Julie)
A white and grey ragdoll kitten peers out from beneath a red rug. In the background, mostly hidden by the lighting, a fluffy black cat sits on top of the same rug
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Anyone else ever disgust themselves with how stunningly corporate their work emails are?
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
More custom endpapers for more wonderful books! This time, The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li! I was so happy when I dug into my paper stash (okay, collection of wrapping papers) and found I already had the perfect one!
A half-open hardback copy of The Manor Of Dreams by Christina Li. The cover is black with bold, dark-pink text and a pattern of pink roses and green leaves. Beneath the cover, the books endpapers can be seen. The endpapers are a pattern of pink roses and pale green leaves on an off-white background.The same book, fully open to the same endpapers.
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WOLFSKULLJACK @wolfskulljack.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Happy Werewolf Wednesday, heathens.
My art, digital. Comic page style, human and wolf shapeshifting
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Tom Freeman @tomfreeman.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
Happy 15th anniversary of the peak achievement of literary criticism, to all who celebrate
Amazon review of Pride and Prejudice, left by carlton p morgan on 30 July 2010: "Just a bunch of people going to each other's houses"
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 30/07/2025
A friend recently told me that they couldn't believe I have a computer science degree because I have so much 'theatre kid energy' and let just say: yeah no they've got a point
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Surgeons' Hall Museum @surgeonshall.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
GPs and midwives in the 20th century commonly carried a medical bag such as this. From 1833, all medical graduates were required to study midwifery. This was vital as prior to 1915, 95% of births still took place in the home. Therefore, travelling obstetric kits were essential.
Long leather bag with metal clasps to open and close the bag.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
I took 2 weeks off my normal broadsword class and came back today to the silliest, most utterly delightful nautical cutless mini-course. We played tug-of-war in our warmup. In one exercise two people were 'the tide' pulling the fencers around to simulate ship movement. Silly swordy wonderful fun! ⚔️🌊
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 18/07/2025
Draft one of my kelpie story is finally complete! Now to take a break, go back to my previous project, give it another round of polishing, then return to querying agents, take ANOTHER break, and THEN it'll be time to reread kelpie draft one and make notes for draft two!
A screenshot of a word count, showing 96,073 words total.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Being gender non-conforming in public means that sometimes people shout slurs at you, but also sometimes a visibly queer person makes eye contact with you and smiles, and you know that all the shouts and jeers are worth it
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METR @metr.org · 10/07/2025
We ran a randomized controlled trial to see how much AI coding tools speed up experienced open-source developers. The results surprised us: Developers thought they were 20% faster with AI tools, but they were actually 19% slower when they had access to AI than when they didn't.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
Growing up, no one warns you what an absolute bloody nightmare curtain shopping is. Why are they all hideous?!?!?!
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Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
'researchers...say that Annie Walker – a Victorian woman who began working at the observatory in 1879, when she was only 15 – ...observed thousands of stars herself....Walker was the first British professional female astronomer...paid a living wage by an observatory in the UK to chart the stars.'
theguardian.com
Unsung observatory worker was UK’s first professional female astronomer, experts say
Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy is trying to find a photo of Annie Walker, who died in 1940, to give her star billing
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 23/06/2025
The fun thing about dressing like an eccentric is that your pride look can be the same as your corporate tech office job look from last Thursday
A full-body mirror selfie showing the author. He is a white man with short brown hair, dressed in an ankle-length belted short-sleeved black shirtdress, a chainmail necklace, round sunglasses, black cowboy hat, and black Victorian walking boots.The same as the previous picture, without the cowboy hat.
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julie gourinchas @literaryfey.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
"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
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
Happy Tuesday. Have a kitten (hardback book for scale)
A fluffy white ragdoll kitten loafing next to a dark blue hardback book. The kitten is only slightly larger than the book.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
Currently sitting forlornly at my corporate office job wishing more than anything that I could go home and WRITE
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
Today's writing research tabs: - Headcollar make-along part 1 - 3.5mm to inches - Inch to fraction converter - Leather thickness and weight chart - Leather thickness for different projects This is for two sentences
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
The awful thing about writing what you want to read is that at some point you'll be overwhelmed with a burning desire to read it, only to realise that, unfortunately, you still need to write it first
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Alan Baxter @alanbaxter.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
The two hardest things in writing are starting and finishing. So many people want to, but so few start. Then of all the people who start, so few finish. Start the thing, then finish the thing. Everything else comes after. Finished can be made good, but it must be finished first.
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
Not as strong a showing as last month, but any words are better than no words!
A sum cell from a google sheet, showing a total of 18,268
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Thekla K @theklaken.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
I recently took myself to London on a sister visit/research trip/birthday treat to myself! I was only there briefly but I had a blast and learned some useful things for my current project. I also got very excited at @oldoptheatre.bsky.social and saw some lovey tack at the housebold cavalry museum.
A large Victorian-style building constructed in white stoneAn old medical leech jar. The jar is white porcelain with blue and gold decorations. It says 'LEECHES' across the front in large letters. The lid has multiple small holes in it to allow fresh air to enter.A selfie of myself, looking extremely happy in the Old Operating Theatre Museum. I am a white man with short brown hair wearing a white blouse. Behind me you can see a replica historical surgery table, as well as tiered rows of observation stands.A complex bridle being worn by a black horse statue.
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julie gourinchas @literaryfey.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
absolutely this.
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