Jesse Lansner
@jesse.lansner.com
There are plus sides to being too old to have a favorite bar anymore.
Everyone is a YIMBY until their favorite bar gets redeveloped
January 15, 2026 at 9:18 PM
There are plus sides to being too old to have a favorite bar anymore.
@jacobharr.is Just noticed this isn't in the feed, so I think Rusty needs to be added, whether he wants to or not.
January 15, 2026 at 5:47 PM
@jacobharr.is Just noticed this isn't in the feed, so I think Rusty needs to be added, whether he wants to or not.
Just discovered another 🐋 -related book that I now need to read: "an invented biography" of Herman Melville centered around Herman's dying father relating his own adventures.
Melvill - Open Letter
www.openletterbooks.org
January 15, 2026 at 3:02 PM
Just discovered another 🐋 -related book that I now need to read: "an invented biography" of Herman Melville centered around Herman's dying father relating his own adventures.
A possible explanation for Melville’s animosity towards canallers, from “Melville: His World and Work” by Andrew Delbanco. There’s no actual evidence as to why Herman didn’t get the canal job, but “struck his prospective employers as flighty or truculent” isn’t the worst guess. 🐋
January 15, 2026 at 2:45 PM
A possible explanation for Melville’s animosity towards canallers, from “Melville: His World and Work” by Andrew Delbanco. There’s no actual evidence as to why Herman didn’t get the canal job, but “struck his prospective employers as flighty or truculent” isn’t the worst guess. 🐋
Been waiting all morning for someone to make this joke. 🐋
January 15, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Been waiting all morning for someone to make this joke. 🐋
Melville’s clearly referencing Frankenstein here, right? 🐋🔩
January 14, 2026 at 11:57 PM
Melville’s clearly referencing Frankenstein here, right? 🐋🔩
In Beowulf, the poet uses “whale road” to refer to the sea. So:
Mad Max: Whale Road
🐋
Mad Max: Whale Road
🐋
*fake participating in "Month of Dick" even though I'm not actually rereading the book*
I wanna see Moby Dick rewritten as Mad Max: Fury Road homage…call it "Mad Dick: Ocean Road" 🐋
I wanna see Moby Dick rewritten as Mad Max: Fury Road homage…call it "Mad Dick: Ocean Road" 🐋
January 14, 2026 at 7:33 PM
In Beowulf, the poet uses “whale road” to refer to the sea. So:
Mad Max: Whale Road
🐋
Mad Max: Whale Road
🐋
I’m just imagining Martin Buber reading the chapter about Queequeg’s “Ramadan”. 🐋
January 14, 2026 at 7:19 PM
I’m just imagining Martin Buber reading the chapter about Queequeg’s “Ramadan”. 🐋
If true, this is still the least horrible
thing Columbus ever did.
thing Columbus ever did.
Just had a popup that said this day in history Columbus spotted mermaids which means on this day in history Christopher Columbus fucked a manatee
January 9, 2026 at 6:58 PM
If true, this is still the least horrible
thing Columbus ever did.
thing Columbus ever did.
Bulkington was originally supposed to have a larger role, but then the actor playing him got cast in another show and Melville had to quickly write him out. 🐋
Bringing back Bulkington to hype him up again and then say "oh yeah, he's going to die at sea and this chapter is his meager epitaph" is some typical Melville weirdness 🐋
January 7, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Bulkington was originally supposed to have a larger role, but then the actor playing him got cast in another show and Melville had to quickly write him out. 🐋
In addition to a lot of shows that dozens of people have already mentioned – including The Americans, Justified, and The Good Place – I would add You're The Worst.
Given that apparently the Stranger Things finale was meh (idk, didn't watch it, just the scuttlebutt) and we're not that far removed from the disastrous GOT finale that retroactively made everyone have never cared about the show:
What's the *best* ending to a show you've ever seen? Quote/reply etc
What's the *best* ending to a show you've ever seen? Quote/reply etc
January 6, 2026 at 11:47 PM
In addition to a lot of shows that dozens of people have already mentioned – including The Americans, Justified, and The Good Place – I would add You're The Worst.
Important Month of Dick update: I have given up on my giant copy of the book (even though I love the illustrations) and replaced it with this a new printing that includes the Rockwell Kent illustrations but is also actually portable. 🐋
http://www.topfivebooks.com/books-moby-dick.html🐋
January 6, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Important Month of Dick update: I have given up on my giant copy of the book (even though I love the illustrations) and replaced it with this a new printing that includes the Rockwell Kent illustrations but is also actually portable. 🐋
If we're Muppet-casting "Moby Dick", Peleg and Bildad obviously have to be played by Statler and Waldorf. But maybe there's a quick cutaway gag of Dr. Teeth looking at the ship. 🐋
January 6, 2026 at 3:42 PM
If we're Muppet-casting "Moby Dick", Peleg and Bildad obviously have to be played by Statler and Waldorf. But maybe there's a quick cutaway gag of Dr. Teeth looking at the ship. 🐋
Q: So, on Rokovoko –
I: I thought you said it was called Kokovoko?
Q (sweating): Um, people use both names?
I: And where is this island of yours on the map here?
Q (fully panicking): Like they say, “true places aren’t found on maps”
I: Who says that?
Q: Oh look, time for me to meditate silently!
🐋
I: I thought you said it was called Kokovoko?
Q (sweating): Um, people use both names?
I: And where is this island of yours on the map here?
Q (fully panicking): Like they say, “true places aren’t found on maps”
I: Who says that?
Q: Oh look, time for me to meditate silently!
🐋
The more I see of the way people behave around Queequeg, the more my Georgette Heyer-addled brain thinks that he is pretending to be a cannibal who doesn't speak English, the way that Hugo in The Unknown Ajax pretends to be a simple Yorkshire lad. 🐋
January 6, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Q: So, on Rokovoko –
I: I thought you said it was called Kokovoko?
Q (sweating): Um, people use both names?
I: And where is this island of yours on the map here?
Q (fully panicking): Like they say, “true places aren’t found on maps”
I: Who says that?
Q: Oh look, time for me to meditate silently!
🐋
I: I thought you said it was called Kokovoko?
Q (sweating): Um, people use both names?
I: And where is this island of yours on the map here?
Q (fully panicking): Like they say, “true places aren’t found on maps”
I: Who says that?
Q: Oh look, time for me to meditate silently!
🐋
🐋
I made some Moby Dick memes, if anyone wants to share them with their favorite harpooneer.
January 5, 2026 at 8:40 PM
🐋
The real treasure is the friends we made along the way. 🐋
where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
January 5, 2026 at 1:58 PM
The real treasure is the friends we made along the way. 🐋
Happy chowder day, to everyone reading along. 🐋
a cartoon character in a tuxedo says " say it frenchy say chowdah "
Alt: Clip from “The Simpsons”: an obnoxious man in a purple shirt is yelling at a waiter in a tuxedo: "Say it Frenchy, say chowdah!”
media.tenor.com
January 5, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Happy chowder day, to everyone reading along. 🐋
Ishmael looks like he’s trying to sell Queequeg life insurance. 🐋
Classics Illustrated is aggressively low-key. Nothing to see here! Move along! 🐋
January 4, 2026 at 11:34 PM
Ishmael looks like he’s trying to sell Queequeg life insurance. 🐋
Interesting to read this bit while I’m also reading “On Repentance and Repair” by @theradr.bsky.social. 🐋
January 4, 2026 at 10:50 PM
Interesting to read this bit while I’m also reading “On Repentance and Repair” by @theradr.bsky.social. 🐋
Trying hard to take him seriously, but “Mapple” sounds like the name of a cheap breakfast syrup trying to trick customers into thinking it has actual maple in it. 🐋
January 4, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Trying hard to take him seriously, but “Mapple” sounds like the name of a cheap breakfast syrup trying to trick customers into thinking it has actual maple in it. 🐋
What Ishmael imagines when the landlord says that Queequeg is trying to sell his head. 🐋
Labyrinth Chilly Down
YouTube video by Fica, Tem Bolo!
youtu.be
January 2, 2026 at 7:36 PM
What Ishmael imagines when the landlord says that Queequeg is trying to sell his head. 🐋
I was thinking of The Spouter-Inn when I wrote this joke last winter. 🐋
[Herman Melville tries to tell a joke.]
January 2, 2026 at 7:28 PM
I was thinking of The Spouter-Inn when I wrote this joke last winter. 🐋