I study the anthropology of magic, objects, and people. Moomins. Writing a book about making magical objects in Roman Egypt. I also write fantasy fiction and building a model of the Moomin House. Autistic. joelyblack.substack.com.https://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lsgoz4jv2223Exciting news! I got the final list of objects and papyri documents for the @thejohnrylands.bsky.social catalogue. It's got three magical amulets showing the full progression of change from 150BCE to 500CE Egypt. I can now write about the whole transition. #AcademicSky #ClassicsSky25 Jun 2025 13:15 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lsgoz4jv2223https://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lrxi55x3us22So I didn’t get the fellowship I applied for. Haven’t managed to get any job (academic and not) I’ve applied for in 18 months of applying. Feeling kind of dreadful. Please don’t do the getting a job in academia is hard. It’s bollocks awful everywhere. #AcademicSky19 Jun 2025 12:02 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lrxi55x3us22https://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lrsgs7rock2hI should be working on a book proposal, a catalogue essay, and a book chapter. My brain can't stop planning a book that's all about the Moomin House. A whole book.17 Jun 2025 11:55 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lrsgs7rock2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lrsgho556s2hI'm starting to think the spectre of Marx doesn't want me reading Specters of Marx. Or maybe it's another ghost. This week I've got a GP appointment to look at my dodgy foot (a real medical term). @lizgloyn.bsky.social @bigfridge224.bsky.social17 Jun 2025 11:49 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lrsgho556s2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lravhll6fk2xIf I had money I would get one of these. [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Jun 2025 12:30 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lravhll6fk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lramonhkgc2pI'll say this for Derrida. He's horrible to read but the horror did compel me to go out for a run. So there's that. #AcademicSky #Hauntology10 Jun 2025 09:52 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lramonhkgc2phttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lrammbpmyk2pYesterday I submitted the edits for my first academic article to Studia Scandinavica. Moomins ahoy! Now I have finally opened the review, edit, and notes on my proposal for @edinburghup.bsky.social's editors. With deep apologies for my procrastination. *Bows* #AcademicSky10 Jun 2025 09:51 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lrammbpmyk2phttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lqa37uqbx22wMy first academic article has been accepted for publication by Studia Scandinavica. It’s about Moominmamma’s handbag. Revisions due in three weeks. After @theconversation.com’s event last week I guess this makes me a Moominologist now. #academicsky28 May 2025 11:15 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lqa37uqbx22whttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lo3ufjftj22iIt's been a minute, but here I am writing about Moominmamma's handbag for @theconversation.com: https://theconversation.com/with-moominmama-tove-jansson-created-a-hero-who-wields-a-handbag-instead-of-a-sword-25533201 May 2025 08:12 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lo3ufjftj22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lnhstn5y722tCrabs out here fighting the good fight. [contains quote post or other embedded content]23 Apr 2025 08:50 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnhstn5y722thttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lnbcymb6kc2r@moudhy.bsky.social’s Between Two Rivers has me doing one of my favourite things: hunting museum online catalogues for stuff. Usually for me it’s papyri and terracottas. Now it’s cuneiform tablets. I want to LOOK AT THEM ALL.20 Apr 2025 18:51 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lnbcymb6kc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3ln4ihtzowk2yI’m really only here to say I decided to pick up @chuckwendig.bsky.social’s Wanderers a couple of months back because it was on offer. It’s mind-bendingly good so far. Very much recommend.18 Apr 2025 20:46 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3ln4ihtzowk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lmotkd5sec2rThis. I teach because being with the students and helping them learn is the best bit. [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Apr 2025 10:27 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmotkd5sec2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lmosoy3oy22rMy favourite @thejohnrylands.bsky.social papyri discovery of the week: Proclus writes to Sarapion asking about his health. Everyone is worried for him. His daughter is annoyed she hasn’t had an update. “Can you tell dad to let me know he’s okay?” It’s so human and it’s 1700 yrs old. #skystorians13 Apr 2025 10:11 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmosoy3oy22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lmomfz6i3s2rNew plan. Add four more and attach them to each month. Your birth month is your hamster. Hamstomancy: predicting your future from your hamster chart. [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Apr 2025 08:19 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmomfz6i3s2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lmksee2tws22I wasn’t going to attend @archaeobruja.bsky.social’s talk today because I was having a bad anxiety day. Then I did. It was so inspirational. Made me see I could combine storytelling with ancient research for this fellowship proposal. Now I’m all excited. #AcademicSky #Skystorians.11 Apr 2025 19:55 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmksee2tws22https://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lmk3futid22cI’m supposed to be writing a research proposal but instead I am lying here crying with anxiety.11 Apr 2025 13:04 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmk3futid22chttps://bsky.app/profile/autisticalchemyst.bsky.social/post/3lmhkm7jfus2dHow to drag a queen like a queen. Essentially, humans have been putting stuff off since the beginning of humans and have also been telling each other off for it for about as long. [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Apr 2025 12:58 +0000at://did:plc:v652pidrfda4npso4lvalllw/app.bsky.feed.post/3lmhkm7jfus2d