Mike Timonin
@bookreadingguy.bsky.social
He/Him Book Geek, History Prof, Social Justice Sage. dungeon/game master for hire, in person and online. [email protected] https://startplaying.games/gm/dingo_dad_games
Lou Wilson et al could have told a wacky story about cheese heists in space, but noooo...
EARTH SUSHI?!
Ep. 2 of Flight of the Icaron is out NOW on your favorite podcasting platforms!
Join us by the fireside: www.patreon.com/posts/public...
Ep. 2 of Flight of the Icaron is out NOW on your favorite podcasting platforms!
Join us by the fireside: www.patreon.com/posts/public...
January 27, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Lou Wilson et al could have told a wacky story about cheese heists in space, but noooo...
Reposted by Mike Timonin
There's also a petition for the illustration and concept art program.
I took the intro to concept art at Algonquin back in 2013 (its precursor), which lead me into the animation industry with a job. Seeing this get axed as well would be incredibly awful.
c.org/C75xgLXj6f
I took the intro to concept art at Algonquin back in 2013 (its precursor), which lead me into the animation industry with a job. Seeing this get axed as well would be incredibly awful.
c.org/C75xgLXj6f
January 26, 2026 at 8:26 PM
There's also a petition for the illustration and concept art program.
I took the intro to concept art at Algonquin back in 2013 (its precursor), which lead me into the animation industry with a job. Seeing this get axed as well would be incredibly awful.
c.org/C75xgLXj6f
I took the intro to concept art at Algonquin back in 2013 (its precursor), which lead me into the animation industry with a job. Seeing this get axed as well would be incredibly awful.
c.org/C75xgLXj6f
All of this. It's not a sport, this isn't little league, you're not running up the score - get them all.
Exactly right.
Bovino's leaving? Great, get Noem to resign.
Noem resigns? Great, defund and dismantle ICE.
Go after Stephen Miller too. Bring charges against ICE thugs at the state and local level. Lawsuits. New state laws restricting them.
Every possible angle.
Bovino's leaving? Great, get Noem to resign.
Noem resigns? Great, defund and dismantle ICE.
Go after Stephen Miller too. Bring charges against ICE thugs at the state and local level. Lawsuits. New state laws restricting them.
Every possible angle.
They are wounded and flailing. Press the advantage.
January 27, 2026 at 1:38 AM
All of this. It's not a sport, this isn't little league, you're not running up the score - get them all.
I was right, the disaster about undid me. A delightful read that took me back to my undergrad and reminded me why I'm at a community college instead of a 4 year (and mostly happy) and an adjunct instead of tenured (not so happy about that).
God damn it, @charliejane.bsky.social - I'm 71 pages into _Lessons in Magic & Disaster_, fully invested, and I kinda hate how inside my head you are (in terms of the rolling disaster that is academia in the US)
January 26, 2026 at 11:02 PM
I was right, the disaster about undid me. A delightful read that took me back to my undergrad and reminded me why I'm at a community college instead of a 4 year (and mostly happy) and an adjunct instead of tenured (not so happy about that).
Fun fact: In 2nd grade, my friends decided that Timbit was my wrestling name, and someone drew me as the Timbit mascot.
@ltimonin.bsky.social sometimes use Timbit as a nickname for our children.
@ltimonin.bsky.social sometimes use Timbit as a nickname for our children.
This year, the Timbit turns 50 years old.
It is estimated that Canadians have eaten enough Timbits to go to the Moon and back five times over the past half century.
But what is the history of the Timbit?
This is the story.
🧵 1/6
It is estimated that Canadians have eaten enough Timbits to go to the Moon and back five times over the past half century.
But what is the history of the Timbit?
This is the story.
🧵 1/6
January 25, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Fun fact: In 2nd grade, my friends decided that Timbit was my wrestling name, and someone drew me as the Timbit mascot.
@ltimonin.bsky.social sometimes use Timbit as a nickname for our children.
@ltimonin.bsky.social sometimes use Timbit as a nickname for our children.
Kurosawa's Muppets Take Manhattan
Michael Bay's Kramer vs Kramer
Penny Marshall's Platoon
January 25, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Kurosawa's Muppets Take Manhattan
Reposted by Mike Timonin
Reposted by Mike Timonin
Also, may I say that I don’t agree with people saying ICE and CBP need “more training.” They’re doing exactly what this administration has trained them to—impose a reign of fear in blue cities. They don’t need more training. They need to be ripped up root and branch.
January 24, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Also, may I say that I don’t agree with people saying ICE and CBP need “more training.” They’re doing exactly what this administration has trained them to—impose a reign of fear in blue cities. They don’t need more training. They need to be ripped up root and branch.
God damn it, @charliejane.bsky.social - I'm 71 pages into _Lessons in Magic & Disaster_, fully invested, and I kinda hate how inside my head you are (in terms of the rolling disaster that is academia in the US)
January 24, 2026 at 8:48 PM
God damn it, @charliejane.bsky.social - I'm 71 pages into _Lessons in Magic & Disaster_, fully invested, and I kinda hate how inside my head you are (in terms of the rolling disaster that is academia in the US)
Reposted by Mike Timonin
In solidarity with today's ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA blackout, MinnMax is donating $1 to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota for every share of this Bluesky post for the next hour.
January 23, 2026 at 4:01 PM
In solidarity with today's ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA blackout, MinnMax is donating $1 to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota for every share of this Bluesky post for the next hour.
I think I saw it first in Harry Harrison's _Stainless Steel Rat_ - he presented the idea of a meme as the cultural equivalent of a gene; a little bit of cultural memory passed down from one generation to the next, often without context. 1/2
IN FACT I remember the first time I ever heard of the concept of a "meme" which was in the novel Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. That was, like, 1992 or so.
I'm so old, the memes from my youth weren't even called memes.
January 22, 2026 at 4:26 PM
I think I saw it first in Harry Harrison's _Stainless Steel Rat_ - he presented the idea of a meme as the cultural equivalent of a gene; a little bit of cultural memory passed down from one generation to the next, often without context. 1/2
Reposted by Mike Timonin
Alt Text: Heavenly Nostrils the Unicorn, a trans flag hanging from her horn, frowns and says: "We SAID TRANS RIGHTS!"
Her human kid, hands on hips, stands with her and says, "Did you not hear us?"
Her human kid, hands on hips, stands with her and says, "Did you not hear us?"
January 21, 2026 at 6:31 AM
Alt Text: Heavenly Nostrils the Unicorn, a trans flag hanging from her horn, frowns and says: "We SAID TRANS RIGHTS!"
Her human kid, hands on hips, stands with her and says, "Did you not hear us?"
Her human kid, hands on hips, stands with her and says, "Did you not hear us?"
Hey #skystorians, how are you conducting in class discussions of readings? 🗃️
January 19, 2026 at 9:29 PM
Hey #skystorians, how are you conducting in class discussions of readings? 🗃️
My Christmas mix tape that year collected music from all the musicians who died that year. It was an awesome mix, sadly:
tidal.com/playlist/d5e...
tidal.com/playlist/d5e...
January 19, 2026 at 3:32 PM
My Christmas mix tape that year collected music from all the musicians who died that year. It was an awesome mix, sadly:
tidal.com/playlist/d5e...
tidal.com/playlist/d5e...
The statement "we don't all agree about AI" - but 94% of respondents seem to agree that they don't want it - that's pretty comprehensive...
Duckduckgo has a survey for pro/anti-AI and I cackled so hard at the (current) results
https://voteyesornoai.com
https://voteyesornoai.com
Are you YES AI or NO AI? Vote now.
Big Tech doesn't care if you want AI or not. They should.
voteyesornoai.com
January 18, 2026 at 6:05 PM
The statement "we don't all agree about AI" - but 94% of respondents seem to agree that they don't want it - that's pretty comprehensive...
One of my off campus teaching classes is a Reacting to the Past game about the beginning of WWI - Europe on the Brink. And I told my students on Thursday that it was a game about inevitabilities. And also that historians don't believe in inevitability. Nothing in inevitable until it actually happens
it remains nuts to me that the argument for Newsom is that he's inevitable while he's not even the polling favorite
January 18, 2026 at 2:16 PM
One of my off campus teaching classes is a Reacting to the Past game about the beginning of WWI - Europe on the Brink. And I told my students on Thursday that it was a game about inevitabilities. And also that historians don't believe in inevitability. Nothing in inevitable until it actually happens
This soup turned out so much better than it had any reason or right to; a hotel room minestrone.
So I tried to not get wound up for this trip and overplan. Which means we have hit the one week mark with anxious overspend from hunger and boredom.
So after a so so complementary hotel breakfast and an overpriced but necessary and tasty early lunch - we are trying leftover soup because we are at
So after a so so complementary hotel breakfast and an overpriced but necessary and tasty early lunch - we are trying leftover soup because we are at
January 18, 2026 at 3:01 AM
This soup turned out so much better than it had any reason or right to; a hotel room minestrone.
Accountability post:
I ordered and received the only book on the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps - _Iron Riders_, which is a not terrible book, but it's also fairly thin, and 26 years old. So there's room for something deeper - an article, at least. 1/2
I ordered and received the only book on the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps - _Iron Riders_, which is a not terrible book, but it's also fairly thin, and 26 years old. So there's room for something deeper - an article, at least. 1/2
January 18, 2026 at 1:53 AM
Accountability post:
I ordered and received the only book on the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps - _Iron Riders_, which is a not terrible book, but it's also fairly thin, and 26 years old. So there's room for something deeper - an article, at least. 1/2
I ordered and received the only book on the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps - _Iron Riders_, which is a not terrible book, but it's also fairly thin, and 26 years old. So there's room for something deeper - an article, at least. 1/2
Reposted by Mike Timonin
Just a wee mouse having a hot bowl of snowberry soup.
January 17, 2026 at 10:14 PM
Just a wee mouse having a hot bowl of snowberry soup.
Hey, I know that guy!
January 17, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Hey, I know that guy!
Fantastic thread. I came up playing a game using the HERO System, and I've been fascinated with "generic" systems ever since, even though I mostly run and play games in non-generic systems.
1/2
1/2
It's early and this is a truly atrocious cup of coffee, so it seems like a good time to pick a fight with the world.
"System doesn't matter" is a valid, reasonable, and *critically important* argument which has been rendered ragebait and a punchline by pedantry.
"System doesn't matter" is a valid, reasonable, and *critically important* argument which has been rendered ragebait and a punchline by pedantry.
January 17, 2026 at 2:29 AM
Fantastic thread. I came up playing a game using the HERO System, and I've been fascinated with "generic" systems ever since, even though I mostly run and play games in non-generic systems.
1/2
1/2
Reposted by Mike Timonin
it should not surprise anybody who follows my work that I wrote a bunch more songs last year. (Peter Balkan was written in 2024.) Here's one we're releasing early in honor of Bob Weir. Enjoy -- we're donating proceeds to the American Cancer Society. themountaingoats.bandcamp.com/track/going-...
Going to Fennario, by the Mountain Goats
track by the Mountain Goats
themountaingoats.bandcamp.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:09 PM
it should not surprise anybody who follows my work that I wrote a bunch more songs last year. (Peter Balkan was written in 2024.) Here's one we're releasing early in honor of Bob Weir. Enjoy -- we're donating proceeds to the American Cancer Society. themountaingoats.bandcamp.com/track/going-...
I switched to Tidal. There's a feature which transfers all of your "liked" tracks, it's super easy. It's not free. It is fully equivalent to the paid Spotify
Switch to another platform.
If for some reason you can't (the ICE ads and AI slop weren't enough?), go buy some merch from your favorite artists.
If for some reason you can't (the ICE ads and AI slop weren't enough?), go buy some merch from your favorite artists.
In April 2024, Spotify implemented a new scheme: songs with less than 1k streams per year would no longer receive royalties.
The data for 2025 was just released via Luminate, and 88% of songs have been demonetized.
Read it again: 88% of songs on Spotify have been demonetized.
The data for 2025 was just released via Luminate, and 88% of songs have been demonetized.
Read it again: 88% of songs on Spotify have been demonetized.
January 16, 2026 at 2:54 PM
I switched to Tidal. There's a feature which transfers all of your "liked" tracks, it's super easy. It's not free. It is fully equivalent to the paid Spotify