Alex Yuschik
@alexyuschik.bsky.social
author | professor of mathematics | traveler | pigeon enthusiast | pronouns: any
Rep: Bridget Smith. Work in: Strange Horizons, Escape Pod, Glittership.
alexyuschik.com
Rep: Bridget Smith. Work in: Strange Horizons, Escape Pod, Glittership.
alexyuschik.com
Pinned
Alex Yuschik
@alexyuschik.bsky.social
· Nov 10
just realized I haven't announced it here yet, BUT: I'm thrilled to share that my short story "Endless Thirst, Undying Desert" will be appearing in an upcoming issue of @kaleidotrope.bsky.social! 🏜️🗡️❄️
I started taking dance classes again! I am enjoying them deeply! :)
At this time of “LOOK WHAT I DID LAST YEAR,” let’s do something different.
Not: I WROTE A BOOK; I BOUGHT A HOUSE; I WON AN AWARD
Rather: something small you’re proud of.
I’ll start
I’m better at having “no f*cks left to give”
I stopped owning other people’s judgements of me
Most of the time
You?
Not: I WROTE A BOOK; I BOUGHT A HOUSE; I WON AN AWARD
Rather: something small you’re proud of.
I’ll start
I’m better at having “no f*cks left to give”
I stopped owning other people’s judgements of me
Most of the time
You?
December 24, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I started taking dance classes again! I am enjoying them deeply! :)
me, after going through a harrowing week on multiple axes: finally, the perfect time to read gilgamesh
December 24, 2025 at 4:13 AM
me, after going through a harrowing week on multiple axes: finally, the perfect time to read gilgamesh
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
Orthoceras (big) and Lituites
December 23, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Orthoceras (big) and Lituites
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
that the Whos celebrate Christmas suggests some knowledge of Christ, but whether this is our anthropic Christ or a distinctive Who-Christ remains obscure; some have argued Christianity was introduced to them during their refuge with Horton, which of course turns us to the matter of Elephant Religion
December 23, 2025 at 4:10 AM
that the Whos celebrate Christmas suggests some knowledge of Christ, but whether this is our anthropic Christ or a distinctive Who-Christ remains obscure; some have argued Christianity was introduced to them during their refuge with Horton, which of course turns us to the matter of Elephant Religion
I wonder what this cute australian slang I've picked up means! I really like the way it sounds!
*looks it up, lays head in hands*
it means TORTURE
*looks it up, lays head in hands*
it means TORTURE
December 22, 2025 at 3:32 AM
I wonder what this cute australian slang I've picked up means! I really like the way it sounds!
*looks it up, lays head in hands*
it means TORTURE
*looks it up, lays head in hands*
it means TORTURE
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
When we say "no, everything hasn't been digitized," I need you to understand that we really mean is that virtually nothing has been digitized. This is because the realm of primary sources that historians use is incomprehensibly large.
Seems like it's worth posting this one again.
Why Do Historians Still Have To Go To Archives?
Why do historians go to archives? Hasn’t everything already been digitized?
contingentmagazine.org
December 22, 2025 at 1:40 AM
When we say "no, everything hasn't been digitized," I need you to understand that we really mean is that virtually nothing has been digitized. This is because the realm of primary sources that historians use is incomprehensibly large.
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
So anyway I don't have a right answer there but just
*throws up hands*
Please value translation more? This shit is so difficult (end)
*throws up hands*
Please value translation more? This shit is so difficult (end)
December 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
So anyway I don't have a right answer there but just
*throws up hands*
Please value translation more? This shit is so difficult (end)
*throws up hands*
Please value translation more? This shit is so difficult (end)
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
It appears as though SFWA has had a very quick change of heart and is now back on the right side of this. Shouldn't have happened in the first place. New Nebula Awards eligibility rules for generated text are now:
December 19, 2025 at 9:54 PM
It appears as though SFWA has had a very quick change of heart and is now back on the right side of this. Shouldn't have happened in the first place. New Nebula Awards eligibility rules for generated text are now:
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
2/2 Nor, when it comes to writing awards, will I nominate or vote to award, a piece of work partially or wholly written by LLM. Awards are for writers who make the effort, not those who offload the difficult aspects of creation to a program mining the work of others. Do the fucking work, people.
December 19, 2025 at 6:54 PM
2/2 Nor, when it comes to writing awards, will I nominate or vote to award, a piece of work partially or wholly written by LLM. Awards are for writers who make the effort, not those who offload the difficult aspects of creation to a program mining the work of others. Do the fucking work, people.
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
If your story was written by AI, you didn’t actually write it, and that’s why I don’t want it or think it should be eligible for awards.
If your story was assisted by AI, you used tools that are built on plagiarism, and that’s why I don’t want it or think it should be eligible for awards.
If your story was assisted by AI, you used tools that are built on plagiarism, and that’s why I don’t want it or think it should be eligible for awards.
December 19, 2025 at 7:07 PM
If your story was written by AI, you didn’t actually write it, and that’s why I don’t want it or think it should be eligible for awards.
If your story was assisted by AI, you used tools that are built on plagiarism, and that’s why I don’t want it or think it should be eligible for awards.
If your story was assisted by AI, you used tools that are built on plagiarism, and that’s why I don’t want it or think it should be eligible for awards.
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
Very disappointed in the new Nebula Award eligibility information from SFWA that allows partially-generated works to be on the ballot. See 9.11.2.
www.sfwa.org/complete-neb...
This shouldn't be difficult. #noAI
www.sfwa.org/complete-neb...
This shouldn't be difficult. #noAI
December 19, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Very disappointed in the new Nebula Award eligibility information from SFWA that allows partially-generated works to be on the ballot. See 9.11.2.
www.sfwa.org/complete-neb...
This shouldn't be difficult. #noAI
www.sfwa.org/complete-neb...
This shouldn't be difficult. #noAI
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
Going into 2026, a reminder for everyone who's fallen off the creative wagon, game dev, writing, art, music, whatever, no matter how long:
December 16, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Going into 2026, a reminder for everyone who's fallen off the creative wagon, game dev, writing, art, music, whatever, no matter how long:
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
Maybe it's because I learned musical instruments from a young age. Maybe it's because I'm a scientist by training. Maybe it's because I also do coding, but I struggle to understand how people don't get this:
In order to get good at something, you first have to suck at it. A LOT, in some cases. 2/4
In order to get good at something, you first have to suck at it. A LOT, in some cases. 2/4
December 14, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Maybe it's because I learned musical instruments from a young age. Maybe it's because I'm a scientist by training. Maybe it's because I also do coding, but I struggle to understand how people don't get this:
In order to get good at something, you first have to suck at it. A LOT, in some cases. 2/4
In order to get good at something, you first have to suck at it. A LOT, in some cases. 2/4
*chaotically submits grades at midnight* and with that, the 2025 season comes to an end #academicsky
December 14, 2025 at 5:45 AM
*chaotically submits grades at midnight* and with that, the 2025 season comes to an end #academicsky
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
“AI is clearly sticking around so you have to get used to it” wrong. I don’t have to get used to shit. I am a practiced hater and I can keep this going for decades if I am required to
December 1, 2025 at 11:29 PM
“AI is clearly sticking around so you have to get used to it” wrong. I don’t have to get used to shit. I am a practiced hater and I can keep this going for decades if I am required to
dentist: wow
dentist: is your blood pressure normally this bad
dentist: because you don't look like it should be this bad
me: probably not, I am just anxious and incredibly mad
dentist, checking cuff again, shaking head: wow
dentist: is your blood pressure normally this bad
dentist: because you don't look like it should be this bad
me: probably not, I am just anxious and incredibly mad
dentist, checking cuff again, shaking head: wow
December 2, 2025 at 4:40 AM
dentist: wow
dentist: is your blood pressure normally this bad
dentist: because you don't look like it should be this bad
me: probably not, I am just anxious and incredibly mad
dentist, checking cuff again, shaking head: wow
dentist: is your blood pressure normally this bad
dentist: because you don't look like it should be this bad
me: probably not, I am just anxious and incredibly mad
dentist, checking cuff again, shaking head: wow
the greek chorus of the roaring twenties scion was his devoted valet send skeet
rich dudes got freakier after butlers fell out of fashion, like say what you will about having domestic servants but clearly it was some sort of moderating force on old rich dudes having a fancy man follow you around saying shit like "oh dear sir, that wouldn't be very becoming"
December 1, 2025 at 4:24 AM
the greek chorus of the roaring twenties scion was his devoted valet send skeet
unable to visit my out-of-state family for thanksgiving, a friend invited me to celebrate with her family bubble. we fed her turtle lettuce as her very pittsburgh parents poked fun at each other over a delightful meal. I felt like I was stepping into an AU where I grew up in the city and I loved it
What's a charming memory you have from the worst period of the pandemic?
December 1, 2025 at 2:02 AM
unable to visit my out-of-state family for thanksgiving, a friend invited me to celebrate with her family bubble. we fed her turtle lettuce as her very pittsburgh parents poked fun at each other over a delightful meal. I felt like I was stepping into an AU where I grew up in the city and I loved it
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
Professors who see teaching as a skill, a trust & a responsibility are the ones who are burned out by these conditions. The ones who care about students’ well-being are the ones whose methodologies are unsustainable in these conditions. It’s agonizing.
November 30, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Professors who see teaching as a skill, a trust & a responsibility are the ones who are burned out by these conditions. The ones who care about students’ well-being are the ones whose methodologies are unsustainable in these conditions. It’s agonizing.
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
It was Downey who coined the phrase in the LEVERAGE writers room “future episodes do not win out over present episodes”. Trust me, you’ll have more ideas. You’ll die full of them.
WRITING TIP, something simple but it catches many of us out: if you have a great/fun idea for your story, *use it now*.
Don’t save your ideas for some nebulous other story you might write tomorrow. I promise you’ll have more.
Break your story’s status quo. Go a step further. Use the big idea.
Don’t save your ideas for some nebulous other story you might write tomorrow. I promise you’ll have more.
Break your story’s status quo. Go a step further. Use the big idea.
November 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
It was Downey who coined the phrase in the LEVERAGE writers room “future episodes do not win out over present episodes”. Trust me, you’ll have more ideas. You’ll die full of them.
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
Slop Evader is a tool from artist and researcher Tega Brain that lets you search the web for results exclusively before November 30, 2022—the day that ChatGPT was released to the public.
'Slop Evader' Lets You Surf the Web Like It’s 2022
Artist Tega Brain is fighting the internet’s enshittification by turning back the clock to before ChatGPT existed.
www.404media.co
November 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Slop Evader is a tool from artist and researcher Tega Brain that lets you search the web for results exclusively before November 30, 2022—the day that ChatGPT was released to the public.
Reposted by Alex Yuschik
I'm editing an anthology about unlikable characters and seeking work from younger writers, 15-21. If you know of one such writer who might want to submit their work for consideration, please share this call for submissions: audacity.substack.com/p/acquired-t...
Acquired Tastes: A Call for Submissions
For younger writers, ages 15-21
audacity.substack.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I'm editing an anthology about unlikable characters and seeking work from younger writers, 15-21. If you know of one such writer who might want to submit their work for consideration, please share this call for submissions: audacity.substack.com/p/acquired-t...
dreamed I got an email I was waiting for and when I woke up I was lowkey disappointed in myself for having such a boring dream and then double disappointed that I did not in reality have that email
November 23, 2025 at 4:04 AM
dreamed I got an email I was waiting for and when I woke up I was lowkey disappointed in myself for having such a boring dream and then double disappointed that I did not in reality have that email