Ben Emerson
@jbemerson.bsky.social
He/Him. PDX. 40-something choir kid. Newbie #DnD DM. #exvangelical. Work for the county library. Jack of all trades, master of none -- but sometimes better than a master of one. TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS.
Pinned
Here are things I like if you want to connect about them:
*In no particular order
🦅Birding / Bird watching
🎼Choral Music
🐉Dungeons & Dragons
🌈Parenting queer kids
🌅Post-evangelical life
🌳Cool nature stuff
Stop by and say hi!
*In no particular order
🦅Birding / Bird watching
🎼Choral Music
🐉Dungeons & Dragons
🌈Parenting queer kids
🌅Post-evangelical life
🌳Cool nature stuff
Stop by and say hi!
Reposted by Ben Emerson
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
December 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
Why does chat gpt sound like a youth pastor?
December 12, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Why does chat gpt sound like a youth pastor?
Not me making an NPC my players likely won't encounter for MONTHS.
Such is the life of a #dungeonmaster
#DnD
Such is the life of a #dungeonmaster
#DnD
December 12, 2025 at 12:58 AM
Not me making an NPC my players likely won't encounter for MONTHS.
Such is the life of a #dungeonmaster
#DnD
Such is the life of a #dungeonmaster
#DnD
I solemnly swear to never use AI to generate an idea. I just won't.
I'm going to trust that I am smart and creative enough to figure something out for myself . . . even if it is just rolling a d20 on a random table of level 1-4 forest encounters or 2 d100s to get the name of a tavern.
I'm going to trust that I am smart and creative enough to figure something out for myself . . . even if it is just rolling a d20 on a random table of level 1-4 forest encounters or 2 d100s to get the name of a tavern.
December 11, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I solemnly swear to never use AI to generate an idea. I just won't.
I'm going to trust that I am smart and creative enough to figure something out for myself . . . even if it is just rolling a d20 on a random table of level 1-4 forest encounters or 2 d100s to get the name of a tavern.
I'm going to trust that I am smart and creative enough to figure something out for myself . . . even if it is just rolling a d20 on a random table of level 1-4 forest encounters or 2 d100s to get the name of a tavern.
What's incredible about this is how stupid easy it is to make them look like idiots. all you have to do is ask A SINGLE, FACT-ORIENTED FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
If I was a journalist, I would be drooling for the chance to ask Trump to point out Minneapolis on a map.
If I was a journalist, I would be drooling for the chance to ask Trump to point out Minneapolis on a map.
GLASHEEN: Antifa is our primary concern right now. That's the most immediate violent threat we're facing
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
BENNIE THOMPSON: Where is antifa headquartered?
GLASHEEN: ... ... ... we are building out the infrastructure right now
THOMPSON: What does that mean?
December 11, 2025 at 5:31 PM
What's incredible about this is how stupid easy it is to make them look like idiots. all you have to do is ask A SINGLE, FACT-ORIENTED FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
If I was a journalist, I would be drooling for the chance to ask Trump to point out Minneapolis on a map.
If I was a journalist, I would be drooling for the chance to ask Trump to point out Minneapolis on a map.
I grew up VERY evangelical but my parents were not nearly as religious as me so I was spared from Dobson/FotF in my home.
All that to say, "A kind of tingly feeling?????"
That's . . . NOT how I would describe what is happening at that moment.
All that to say, "A kind of tingly feeling?????"
That's . . . NOT how I would describe what is happening at that moment.
SO many evangelical youth were forced to listen to James Dobson as their sex ed. Do you want to see how he explains sex to Christian teenagers? This might be most common description of intercourse that the majority of religious Americans ever got:
December 10, 2025 at 9:37 PM
I grew up VERY evangelical but my parents were not nearly as religious as me so I was spared from Dobson/FotF in my home.
All that to say, "A kind of tingly feeling?????"
That's . . . NOT how I would describe what is happening at that moment.
All that to say, "A kind of tingly feeling?????"
That's . . . NOT how I would describe what is happening at that moment.
Listening to a Billy Joel mix this morning and “And So It Goes,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and “Downeaster Alexa” played in one after the other.
Those songs are all on THE SAME ALBUM.
And it kind of blew my mind.
Those songs are all on THE SAME ALBUM.
And it kind of blew my mind.
December 10, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Listening to a Billy Joel mix this morning and “And So It Goes,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and “Downeaster Alexa” played in one after the other.
Those songs are all on THE SAME ALBUM.
And it kind of blew my mind.
Those songs are all on THE SAME ALBUM.
And it kind of blew my mind.
NY, you know what to do.
I’m running for Congress because we need leaders who will fight, not fold. I recognize this moment, and I’m ready to meet it. #FightDontFold #LanderForNYC #LanderForCongress
December 10, 2025 at 2:20 PM
NY, you know what to do.
I listened to this last night while doing the dishes and I was DYING.
Will Arnett was on Conan and told a story about how Conan dealt with the death of his parents by accusing Jason Bateman of killing them. It’s so funny.
December 9, 2025 at 6:08 PM
I listened to this last night while doing the dishes and I was DYING.
after hundreds of thousands of years, humans will finally learn how to raise their young.
Jimmy Fallon: "And do you use ChatGPT when raising your baby?"
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
Sam Altman: "I cannot imagine figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT."
December 9, 2025 at 4:05 PM
after hundreds of thousands of years, humans will finally learn how to raise their young.
Reposted by Ben Emerson
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.
The relative contribution of close-proximity contacts, shared classroom exposure and indoor air quality to respiratory virus transmission in schools - Nature Communications
The relative importance of close-proximity interactions, shared space and air quality to the transmission of respiratory viruses is not well understood. Here, the authors investigate this question by ...
www.nature.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:23 AM
We're half a decade into studies finding that improving airflow in classrooms will reduce disease transmission enormously, and that bleaching surfaces etc. does very little. And yet nothing changes. Waves of flu and colds wash over schools, and the schools pretend it's an act of God.
I like to think that the very existence of my family is a big middle finger to these gremlins.
then, the transphobes , feeling victorious at how many people they have made unhappy and despairing in the previous week, move on to anything else that has a spectrum and the possibility of more colours than they can conceive - such hateful people - they cannot understand anything that is not THEM
December 8, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I like to think that the very existence of my family is a big middle finger to these gremlins.
None of these people look even remotely real.
December 7, 2025 at 6:55 PM
None of these people look even remotely real.
I have listened to this record every single Christmas since I was born. It's perfect.
This year will be the first year listening without my dad. Pretty sure "When the River Meets the Sea" is gonna wreck me.
This year will be the first year listening without my dad. Pretty sure "When the River Meets the Sea" is gonna wreck me.
me: religion is so embarrassing
me listening to John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together: god is real and he made a little frog puppet to tell us to be good to each other
me listening to John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together: god is real and he made a little frog puppet to tell us to be good to each other
December 6, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I have listened to this record every single Christmas since I was born. It's perfect.
This year will be the first year listening without my dad. Pretty sure "When the River Meets the Sea" is gonna wreck me.
This year will be the first year listening without my dad. Pretty sure "When the River Meets the Sea" is gonna wreck me.
Reposted by Ben Emerson
Red Lobster never released a commercial with a jingle that went “Shrimply having a wonderful Fishmastime.” That’s why they went bankrupt.
December 5, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Red Lobster never released a commercial with a jingle that went “Shrimply having a wonderful Fishmastime.” That’s why they went bankrupt.
Reposted by Ben Emerson
Rape is bad. Racism is bad. Grifting is bad. Destroying public institutions and programs is bad. Wrecking the economy is bad. Kidnapping people is bad. Building camps is bad. Committing war crimes is bad. We need to offer people a reason to show up, but I believe that a majority are against *this*.
December 5, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Rape is bad. Racism is bad. Grifting is bad. Destroying public institutions and programs is bad. Wrecking the economy is bad. Kidnapping people is bad. Building camps is bad. Committing war crimes is bad. We need to offer people a reason to show up, but I believe that a majority are against *this*.
I HATE when people call my library asking for random book titles like "difficult to use" and the whole purpose is to train LLMs.
I absolutely refuse to say the words they want.
I absolutely refuse to say the words they want.
December 4, 2025 at 11:12 PM
I HATE when people call my library asking for random book titles like "difficult to use" and the whole purpose is to train LLMs.
I absolutely refuse to say the words they want.
I absolutely refuse to say the words they want.
I mean, does it even matter anymore to point out that TRUMP PARDONED ALL OF THEM????????????????????????
Patel on J6 arrest: "When you attack American citizens, when you attack our institutions of legislation, when you attack our nation's Capitol, you attack the very being of our way of life."
December 4, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I mean, does it even matter anymore to point out that TRUMP PARDONED ALL OF THEM????????????????????????
Reposted by Ben Emerson
I’ve been rewatching The Simpsons with our middle kid and we just started season 3, the first season Conan was in the room, and the show accelerates to such an extent it feels like entering comedy hyperspace
December 4, 2025 at 5:18 AM
I’ve been rewatching The Simpsons with our middle kid and we just started season 3, the first season Conan was in the room, and the show accelerates to such an extent it feels like entering comedy hyperspace
Elder Millennial here:
Last week I used my lunch break to walk around the new release room at Powell's and found like 8 books I thought were interesting. Put a chunk of them on hold at the library on the spot.
A completely delightful experience.
Last week I used my lunch break to walk around the new release room at Powell's and found like 8 books I thought were interesting. Put a chunk of them on hold at the library on the spot.
A completely delightful experience.
There was an article in The Guardian a few weeks back about how Gen Z find bookshops preferable to online shopping, and a key factor was that an algorithm will offer you 6000 books identical to the one you just finished whereas a bookseller will offer you three that are different but meet the vibe.
November 30, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Elder Millennial here:
Last week I used my lunch break to walk around the new release room at Powell's and found like 8 books I thought were interesting. Put a chunk of them on hold at the library on the spot.
A completely delightful experience.
Last week I used my lunch break to walk around the new release room at Powell's and found like 8 books I thought were interesting. Put a chunk of them on hold at the library on the spot.
A completely delightful experience.
I love when prepping for the next #DnD session generates an idea for an entirely new plot line my players can encounter.
All from flipping through the monster manual in alphabetical order.
All from flipping through the monster manual in alphabetical order.
November 30, 2025 at 12:36 AM
I love when prepping for the next #DnD session generates an idea for an entirely new plot line my players can encounter.
All from flipping through the monster manual in alphabetical order.
All from flipping through the monster manual in alphabetical order.
When I was 20 I probably would have made the same argument but with significantly more elegance.
I can only hope this student is able to grow and unlearn the harmful things they believe.
I can only hope this student is able to grow and unlearn the harmful things they believe.
Turning Point at OU posted this girl's essay in full and man is it rough
November 29, 2025 at 6:02 PM
When I was 20 I probably would have made the same argument but with significantly more elegance.
I can only hope this student is able to grow and unlearn the harmful things they believe.
I can only hope this student is able to grow and unlearn the harmful things they believe.
Always knew there was a reason I liked this dude.
Always love to see great talent using their platform for unabashed good.
'F*** Off And Let People Be': David Tennant Doubles Down On Support For Trans People
"People are trying to create division... and it's so f***ing unnecessary."
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Always knew there was a reason I liked this dude.
Pluribus, man.
I mean . . .
I mean . . .
November 28, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Pluribus, man.
I mean . . .
I mean . . .
Reposted by Ben Emerson
I'm old.
If you're not, listen to this.
Get a guitar or some drums, or a trumpet. Pick up a brush, a pencil, some clay or a welder.
Just make shit. It doesn't have to be good (eventually it will be) just make music, art or write or whatever.
It's literally never been more important.
If you're not, listen to this.
Get a guitar or some drums, or a trumpet. Pick up a brush, a pencil, some clay or a welder.
Just make shit. It doesn't have to be good (eventually it will be) just make music, art or write or whatever.
It's literally never been more important.
November 27, 2025 at 4:21 AM
I'm old.
If you're not, listen to this.
Get a guitar or some drums, or a trumpet. Pick up a brush, a pencil, some clay or a welder.
Just make shit. It doesn't have to be good (eventually it will be) just make music, art or write or whatever.
It's literally never been more important.
If you're not, listen to this.
Get a guitar or some drums, or a trumpet. Pick up a brush, a pencil, some clay or a welder.
Just make shit. It doesn't have to be good (eventually it will be) just make music, art or write or whatever.
It's literally never been more important.