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Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

2.2K followers 420 following 4.9K posts

AKMA is a priest, lecturer (New Test., Greek, Early Church, Crit Theory), writer, gamer; Glasgow, Oxford, now parish ministry in Abingdon-on-Thames. Will not try [in vain?] to take away the pain of being a hopeless unbeliever.

http://akma.disseminary.org

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Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

My daughter, on her birthday —

A freehand-drawn bandarole on which is written, Dear Dad, Thank you for the fountain pens!

November 27, 2025 at 10:41 AM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

In case this helps anyone at #sblaar25 —

Map of the Back Bay Conference Centre area, with conference holtels highlighted in highly visible white type.

November 21, 2025 at 6:26 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Minke and Flora bark and cower —

Elderly biblical scholar with two dogs in his lap, in the foreground the head of Flora, a white-haired Lhasa Apso/Maltese mix (whose jaw is offest to the right oif her nose, poor dear), and between Flora and the old man is Minke, a sandy brown-grey Yorkshire terrier, anxious, barky and annoying.

November 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Minke (background, a sandy brown-and-grey Yorkshire terrier) and Flora (a grey-and-white Lhasa Apso/Maltese mix) gazing upward at the hand that might offer them a doggie treat.

November 17, 2025 at 6:52 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

At first I thought it was altogether gone, but as of August '24, you could still make out the faint traces of 'Hope'… (Original image added for comparison)

A grey stone in an exterior wall of the University of Glasgow’s main campus, with the very faint image of the chalked word 'Hope'

A stone wall from an exterior stairwell in the University of Glasgow, with the word 'Hope' plainly chalked on a stone in the middle of the wall.

November 14, 2025 at 5:35 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Foolish dogs Friday:

Minke, a Yorkshire terrier, and Flora, a Lhasa Apso/Maltese mix, appealing to you for treats.

November 14, 2025 at 3:11 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Happy International Fountain Pen Day, everyone!
Your pen doesn’t have to be gilt or sparkly or a collector’s edition or anything but satisfying to you (this has a wee burn in the plastic on the back, lest you think I’m getting hoity-toity with a Special Edition).

Lamy Safari fountain pen, a deep red that may be their Terra Red or
Scarlet, with black clip and nib. Inked with whatever was in the converter....

November 7, 2025 at 10:33 AM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Restful day at Enock House, starring Flora and Minke.

Flora, a white and grey Maltese/Lhasa Apso mix with a wicked side-eye.

Minke, our very light golden-brown and grey Yorkshire Terrier, having a wee nap between me and the arm of a chair.

November 5, 2025 at 6:08 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Because I have a marvellous thing to say,
A certain marvellous thing
None but the living mock,
Though not for sober ear;
It may be all that hear
Should laugh and weep an hour upon the clock.

November 2, 2025 at 8:12 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

At Christ Church midday for the Licensing of Lay Ministers…

Tom Quad of Christ Church, Oxford, with Tom Tower at the centre (against blue sky, with scattered clouds), the Mercury Fountain visible at centre right, and in the foreground the yearly memorial for Christ Church scholars who died in the Great War.

November 1, 2025 at 4:10 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Are you sure they aren’t trying to drive your cattle mad?

A screen shot of the Liddell/Scott/Jones Greek lexicon definition of the word βοοσσόος, transliterated ‘boossoos’, which the lexicon defines as ‘driving oxen wild, of the gadfly’ citing Nonnus’s Dionysiaca 11.191.

November 1, 2025 at 8:01 AM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Hey, I know there’s nothing hotter on bsky than historical documents from the Church of England, so in order to bring all the weird Anglicans to my tl, I herewith submit a transcription and digital semi-facsimile of the Cheshire Petition. IFKYK.

A reproduction of roughly what the Cheshire Petition looked like. It reads:

The Cheshire Petition for establishing the Common-Prayer-Booke, and suppression of Schismatiques, presented to the Kings Majestie, and from him recommended to the House of Peers by the Lord Keeper.

To the Kings most Excellent Majestie, and to the Right Honourable the Lords, and the Honourable the House of Commons Assembled in Parliament.

Your Petitioners will with all cheerfulness and contentation, affying in the happy settlement of the distractions both of Church and State by His Majesties pious care, and the prudent and religious endevours of this Honourable Assembly, & with due humility and obedience, submitting to the unanimous conclusions thereof, yet conceive themselves bound in duty,

Humbly to represent to your mature considerations, that the present disorders of many turbulent and ill disposed spirits, are such, as give not onely occasion of present discontent to your Petitioners but seeme to import some ill event without early prevention.
The pure seed of our faith, (the doctrine of the true Reformed Protestant Religion, established by so many Acts of Parliament, and so harmoniously concurring with the confessions of all other Reformed Churches, being tainted with the Tares of divers Sects and Schismes lately sprung up amongst us.
Our pious, laudable, and ancient forme of Divine Service, composed by the holy Martyrs, and worthy instruments of Reformation established by the prudent Sages of State (your religious Predecessors) honored by the approbation of many learned forraigne Divines, subscribed by the Ministery of the whole Kingdome, and with such generall content received by all the Laity, that scarce any family or person that can read, but are furnished with the Bookes of Common Prayer: In the conscionable use whereof many Christian…

(and continues from there. For full text, go to link in the first comment

October 25, 2025 at 7:59 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Just came across a note I made of this exchange (on the other place — not Cambridge), and was delighted that it stuck in @isaactsoon.bsky.social’s memory…

Isaac T. Soon, PhD: Yup!!!! I still remember being in your office as you saying “I’m not dischronic...or synchronic...I’m just chronic man!!”

October 23, 2025 at 11:23 AM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

'The man who lives under a threat of death needs no pity. From the depths of that cool shadow he looks out on life as on a burning bush. Colour, form, and desire are all heightened; he “looks his last on all things lovely every hour.”’ — H. Emerson Tuttle (internal quotation from Walter de la Mare's poem, ‘Fare Well’)

October 23, 2025 at 10:35 AM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

October 22, 2025 at 8:17 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Two steel bowls with large chunks of hard dog kibble with Parmesan cheese scattered over them, and a grater over one with a chunk of Parmesan resting on it.

October 20, 2025 at 2:39 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

We discovered that the dogs, who scorn the new megakibble they’ve been prescribed for their teeth, will gobble them down if we grate a little Parmesan over their meal.
So now I feel like a supporting character in a bizarre alternate version of The Bear…

Two hungry dogs, a grey and white Maltese/Lhasa Apso mix and a light brown and grey Yorkshire Terrier

October 20, 2025 at 11:10 AM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

An Asian fountain pen in chrome on a brass chassis, heavy, with an iridium nib — closer to WF than a strict F, and a bit toothy (but satisfactory when I worked at the nib for a while).

This is an anormous Asian fountain pen that the amiable Deb Gibson once denominated ‘so ugly that you could use it to discipline naughty children’. I picked it up in a mercato dell’usato opposite the Chinese di San Salvatore in Ognisanti, in Florence.
It may be ugly to Deb, but it reminded me of industrial Italian futurism…
So that's me out €5.

October 17, 2025 at 5:19 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Back from the London Fountain Pen Show, where I showed championship restraint and came home with several small utility items (pen stands, Waterman CF carts, converters) 2 bottles of ink (1 a gift), and a notebook for my dear one.

Helpful signage for the London Pen Show inviting visitors to view vintage and modern pens, consult vendors on collecting, valuation, repairs, nibs, and so on, and that then doesn’t say ‘Prepare to spend more than you thought you could afford’.

I came home with two black pen rests, three small sample vials, a box of Waterman CF cartridges, and two bottles of Diamine shimmering ink special to Hong Kong: Kong Girls purple, and Enkindle (a honey-gold).

A crowd with tables and tables of ink, paper, and pen vendors and hungry shoppers.

The crowd at the pen show from a different angle

October 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

On holiday in Italy last month, I sought out an Italian fountain pen for a birthday present. Most were out of my range, but this Delta Intesa 2.0 was (barely) in range, and a striking bright red that would remind me of Florence and our friends there whenever I bring it out. Fine nib, smooth writer.

Bright red Delta Intesa 2.0 fountain pen in swirly resin, chrome furniture, fine nib. The ink is Diamine Winterberry, a sharp pink-red.

September 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

This is not advancing the cause of the homily I’m writing for Saturday, but at least it may amuse my bsky friends…

An old priest sitting in a wingback armchair with a close-up view of the faces of two small dogs in his lap, a grey-white Lhasa Apso/Maltese mix and a Yorkshire Terrier.

September 24, 2025 at 3:10 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

Here’s a black Esterbrook SJ with its 9556 nib, inked with Diamine Nutmeg. Old School Esties were my gateway to collecting; this one is special because of the ‘Property of Ft Wayne Community Schools’ imprint. These pens turn up moderately often; it must have been a lucrative contract for Esterbrook.

Black Esterbrook SJ fountain pen with a nib inscribed 9556, inked in Diamine Nutmeg, a greyish ink that shows gold-toned shimmer in a wider line, but which here just looks grey.

September 20, 2025 at 2:50 PM

Same Old AKMA

@akma.bsky.social

My Sheaffer Targa 1020 fountain pen, Imperial Brass with a fine nib, inked with Diamine Cosmic Glow. It’s a great writer and very handsome, apart from a lamentable stain around the barrel. If anyone knows what can be done to remedy that problem, I’d be deeply grateful.