Jon F. Zeigler
@jfzeigler.bsky.social
Fantasy and science fiction author, tabletop game designer, amateur artist and cartographer, retired instructor and instructional designer in cybersecurity.
Blog: https://wordpress.sharrukinspalace.com
Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/sharrukinspalace
Blog: https://wordpress.sharrukinspalace.com
Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/sharrukinspalace
Pinned
Jon F. Zeigler
@jfzeigler.bsky.social
· Nov 18
Okay, let's try this. #promosky
- Obscure #sf / #fantasy writer
- Former #fanfiction writer
- Former #gurps & #traveller writer and editor
- #ttrpg designer
- #worldbuilding expert
- #tabletopgames & #videogames
- Classical music
- #hellenophile
- Left-leaning liberal politics
- #stoic philosopher
- Obscure #sf / #fantasy writer
- Former #fanfiction writer
- Former #gurps & #traveller writer and editor
- #ttrpg designer
- #worldbuilding expert
- #tabletopgames & #videogames
- Classical music
- #hellenophile
- Left-leaning liberal politics
- #stoic philosopher
First significant snowfall of the winter, but the roads were okay, so I took my daughter out to get lunch and a treat today.
Also banged out more material for the Cultural Evolution Game. Getting closer to my self-imposed milestone for the version 0.3 playtest release. (1/2)
#gamedesign #writing
Also banged out more material for the Cultural Evolution Game. Getting closer to my self-imposed milestone for the version 0.3 playtest release. (1/2)
#gamedesign #writing
December 5, 2025 at 10:38 PM
First significant snowfall of the winter, but the roads were okay, so I took my daughter out to get lunch and a treat today.
Also banged out more material for the Cultural Evolution Game. Getting closer to my self-imposed milestone for the version 0.3 playtest release. (1/2)
#gamedesign #writing
Also banged out more material for the Cultural Evolution Game. Getting closer to my self-imposed milestone for the version 0.3 playtest release. (1/2)
#gamedesign #writing
For the record, I do not believe in Hell.
On the other hand, the older I get and the more I have to watch the moral cripples in power, the more I understand why our ancestors invented the idea.
It would be a comfort to be able to believe justice will happen in the next world if not in this one.
On the other hand, the older I get and the more I have to watch the moral cripples in power, the more I understand why our ancestors invented the idea.
It would be a comfort to be able to believe justice will happen in the next world if not in this one.
December 5, 2025 at 4:15 AM
For the record, I do not believe in Hell.
On the other hand, the older I get and the more I have to watch the moral cripples in power, the more I understand why our ancestors invented the idea.
It would be a comfort to be able to believe justice will happen in the next world if not in this one.
On the other hand, the older I get and the more I have to watch the moral cripples in power, the more I understand why our ancestors invented the idea.
It would be a comfort to be able to believe justice will happen in the next world if not in this one.
Busy day today, although I didn't get any creative work done. Mostly because I'm having to spend time and energy fighting a completely unrelated situation. Tomorrow through Monday is all free days, though, so hopefully I can get some good #writing done.
December 5, 2025 at 1:40 AM
Busy day today, although I didn't get any creative work done. Mostly because I'm having to spend time and energy fighting a completely unrelated situation. Tomorrow through Monday is all free days, though, so hopefully I can get some good #writing done.
Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.
All these smiling white people standing behind this guy smirking dutifully while he delivers this disgusting, dishonest, racist tirade.
Trump: "It’s a hellhole right now. And those Somalians should be out of here. They've destroyed our country. And all they do is complain, complain, complain. You have her. She’s always talking about the Constitution provides me with – go back to your own country and figure out your constitution."
December 4, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.
Reposted by Jon F. Zeigler
Here's a chart to understand what astrobiology news means for the Fermi Paradox:
News like the Bennu sugars move us to the right. Discovering that the Solar Sytem is unique moves us to the left.
Zoom in!
News like the Bennu sugars move us to the right. Discovering that the Solar Sytem is unique moves us to the left.
Zoom in!
December 4, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Here's a chart to understand what astrobiology news means for the Fermi Paradox:
News like the Bennu sugars move us to the right. Discovering that the Solar Sytem is unique moves us to the left.
Zoom in!
News like the Bennu sugars move us to the right. Discovering that the Solar Sytem is unique moves us to the left.
Zoom in!
Reposted by Jon F. Zeigler
Help, this unlocked something and now I can't stop drawing them 🫠 Somebody hold me back, I got things to do😭
#StarTrekLowerDecks #lowerdecks #BeckettMariner #BradBoimler #StarTrek
#StarTrekLowerDecks #lowerdecks #BeckettMariner #BradBoimler #StarTrek
December 3, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Help, this unlocked something and now I can't stop drawing them 🫠 Somebody hold me back, I got things to do😭
#StarTrekLowerDecks #lowerdecks #BeckettMariner #BradBoimler #StarTrek
#StarTrekLowerDecks #lowerdecks #BeckettMariner #BradBoimler #StarTrek
Reposted by Jon F. Zeigler
My political philosophy abbreviates to AWAIT.
Authority Without Accountability Is Tyranny.
The secondary function of great wealth accumulation is immunity to accountability.
Authority Without Accountability Is Tyranny.
The secondary function of great wealth accumulation is immunity to accountability.
December 4, 2025 at 12:50 AM
My political philosophy abbreviates to AWAIT.
Authority Without Accountability Is Tyranny.
The secondary function of great wealth accumulation is immunity to accountability.
Authority Without Accountability Is Tyranny.
The secondary function of great wealth accumulation is immunity to accountability.
Billionaires should not exist.
The office of the US Presidency needs to be stripped of a *lot* of the powers that have accumulated to it over the past few decades, like right fucking now.
In general, the US has a really bad concentration-of-power problem. That needs to change. That's the fight.
The office of the US Presidency needs to be stripped of a *lot* of the powers that have accumulated to it over the past few decades, like right fucking now.
In general, the US has a really bad concentration-of-power problem. That needs to change. That's the fight.
December 4, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Billionaires should not exist.
The office of the US Presidency needs to be stripped of a *lot* of the powers that have accumulated to it over the past few decades, like right fucking now.
In general, the US has a really bad concentration-of-power problem. That needs to change. That's the fight.
The office of the US Presidency needs to be stripped of a *lot* of the powers that have accumulated to it over the past few decades, like right fucking now.
In general, the US has a really bad concentration-of-power problem. That needs to change. That's the fight.
Was struggling with minor illness today, again, but I still managed to get a bunch of writing done on the Cultural Evolution Game. I'm becoming increasingly confident that I'll have a partial draft version 0.3 ready for feedback by this weekend.
#gamedesign #writing
#gamedesign #writing
December 4, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Was struggling with minor illness today, again, but I still managed to get a bunch of writing done on the Cultural Evolution Game. I'm becoming increasingly confident that I'll have a partial draft version 0.3 ready for feedback by this weekend.
#gamedesign #writing
#gamedesign #writing
Tuesday is usually not a productive day, and I was feeling under the weather most of the day, but I still managed to get my astronomy assignment turned in and my planning message for December posted.
Then my little bar trivia team placed first out of nine teams tonight. I'll take the win.
Then my little bar trivia team placed first out of nine teams tonight. I'll take the win.
December 3, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Tuesday is usually not a productive day, and I was feeling under the weather most of the day, but I still managed to get my astronomy assignment turned in and my planning message for December posted.
Then my little bar trivia team placed first out of nine teams tonight. I'll take the win.
Then my little bar trivia team placed first out of nine teams tonight. I'll take the win.
Planning for December 2025
November was another mixed bag, due to a bout of illness and the need to finish preparing for Philcon 2025. I've been doing okay on staying ahead of schedule with my university courses - and getting top-notch grades, too, which is a morale booster! A couple of important…
November was another mixed bag, due to a bout of illness and the need to finish preparing for Philcon 2025. I've been doing okay on staying ahead of schedule with my university courses - and getting top-notch grades, too, which is a morale booster! A couple of important…
Planning for December 2025
November was another mixed bag, due to a bout of illness and the need to finish preparing for Philcon 2025. I've been doing okay on staying ahead of schedule with my university courses - and getting top-notch grades, too, which is a morale booster! A couple of important creative projects have been pushed to the back burner for a while, though.
wordpress.sharrukinspalace.com
December 2, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Planning for December 2025
November was another mixed bag, due to a bout of illness and the need to finish preparing for Philcon 2025. I've been doing okay on staying ahead of schedule with my university courses - and getting top-notch grades, too, which is a morale booster! A couple of important…
November was another mixed bag, due to a bout of illness and the need to finish preparing for Philcon 2025. I've been doing okay on staying ahead of schedule with my university courses - and getting top-notch grades, too, which is a morale booster! A couple of important…
There we go. Solid day's work, and now the astronomy assignment that's due on Thursday morning is done.
Think I'll come back to it tomorrow, triple-check all my reasoning and math, and then fire it off to Milton Keynes.
#studying
Think I'll come back to it tomorrow, triple-check all my reasoning and math, and then fire it off to Milton Keynes.
#studying
December 1, 2025 at 10:46 PM
There we go. Solid day's work, and now the astronomy assignment that's due on Thursday morning is done.
Think I'll come back to it tomorrow, triple-check all my reasoning and math, and then fire it off to Milton Keynes.
#studying
Think I'll come back to it tomorrow, triple-check all my reasoning and math, and then fire it off to Milton Keynes.
#studying
I didn't do it for this reason, but I'm certainly glad that my current effort to earn new academic degrees is working through an overseas institution.
Because *damn* if American higher education doesn't seem to be slitting its own throat at an astonishing rate.
Because *damn* if American higher education doesn't seem to be slitting its own throat at an astonishing rate.
December 1, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I didn't do it for this reason, but I'm certainly glad that my current effort to earn new academic degrees is working through an overseas institution.
Because *damn* if American higher education doesn't seem to be slitting its own throat at an astonishing rate.
Because *damn* if American higher education doesn't seem to be slitting its own throat at an astonishing rate.
Today was mostly spent on getting a chapter finished for the current therapy-writing project.
Tomorrow I need to focus on a planning message for December and finishing an assignment for my astronomy class. Then I can swing back to working exclusively on the Cultural Evolution Game for a few days.
Tomorrow I need to focus on a planning message for December and finishing an assignment for my astronomy class. Then I can swing back to working exclusively on the Cultural Evolution Game for a few days.
December 1, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Today was mostly spent on getting a chapter finished for the current therapy-writing project.
Tomorrow I need to focus on a planning message for December and finishing an assignment for my astronomy class. Then I can swing back to working exclusively on the Cultural Evolution Game for a few days.
Tomorrow I need to focus on a planning message for December and finishing an assignment for my astronomy class. Then I can swing back to working exclusively on the Cultural Evolution Game for a few days.
Better day today. About 1,500 words of narrative prose, a little new material for the Cultural Evolution Game, and I got started on the astronomy assignment that's due next Thursday.
Feel like I'm finally getting back to a normal work cycle after the convention last week.
#studying #writing
Feel like I'm finally getting back to a normal work cycle after the convention last week.
#studying #writing
November 30, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Of all the people I've ever met who go on at length about "Western civilization," I'm reasonably confident they weren't *all* racist shitbags.
Definitely some correlation, though.
Personally I tend to go with the statement (probably incorrectly) ascribed to one Mohandas K. Gandhi on the subject.
Definitely some correlation, though.
Personally I tend to go with the statement (probably incorrectly) ascribed to one Mohandas K. Gandhi on the subject.
November 29, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Of all the people I've ever met who go on at length about "Western civilization," I'm reasonably confident they weren't *all* racist shitbags.
Definitely some correlation, though.
Personally I tend to go with the statement (probably incorrectly) ascribed to one Mohandas K. Gandhi on the subject.
Definitely some correlation, though.
Personally I tend to go with the statement (probably incorrectly) ascribed to one Mohandas K. Gandhi on the subject.
Reposted by Jon F. Zeigler
Because @lollardfish.bsky.social wants us to promote our books:
While I'm the editor and publisher, this is a book that's gotten rave reviews, and might be the first game book with academic citations.
It's used by two astronomy classes I know to teach planet formation.
While I'm the editor and publisher, this is a book that's gotten rave reviews, and might be the first game book with academic citations.
It's used by two astronomy classes I know to teach planet formation.
Architect of Worlds: Comprehensive Rules for Worldbuilding — Ad Astra Games
THE GALAXY IS YOURS WITH ARCHITECT OF WORLDS . We live in a golden age in astronomy. Fifty years ago, our understanding of our own planetary system was just being upended by NASA missions. We could...
www.adastragames.com
November 29, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Because @lollardfish.bsky.social wants us to promote our books:
While I'm the editor and publisher, this is a book that's gotten rave reviews, and might be the first game book with academic citations.
It's used by two astronomy classes I know to teach planet formation.
While I'm the editor and publisher, this is a book that's gotten rave reviews, and might be the first game book with academic citations.
It's used by two astronomy classes I know to teach planet formation.
I was singularly unmotivated today. I got about five words of new narrative prose down, and nothing on the Cultural Evolution Game.
I did finish my reading for an astronomy module, so that's something at least. Should be able to finish the research assignment over this weekend.
#studying #writing
I did finish my reading for an astronomy module, so that's something at least. Should be able to finish the research assignment over this weekend.
#studying #writing
November 29, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Reposted by Jon F. Zeigler
Headless bodies hint at why Europe’s first farmers vanished. www.science.org/content/arti...
Headless bodies hint at why Europe’s first farmers vanished
Wave of mass brutality accompanied the collapse of the first pan-European culture
www.science.org
November 26, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Headless bodies hint at why Europe’s first farmers vanished. www.science.org/content/arti...
A bit of #selfpromotion, this time for some of my therapy #writing. Most of my fiction for the past year has been "Lower Decks" fan-fic.
This is one of the ones I've been happiest with. Elevator pitch is "Beckett Mariner drives chariots in the Roman circus" . . .
archiveofourown.org/works/65858080
This is one of the ones I've been happiest with. Elevator pitch is "Beckett Mariner drives chariots in the Roman circus" . . .
archiveofourown.org/works/65858080
Panem et Circenses - Chapter 1 - Sharrukin - Star Trek: The Original Series [Archive of Our Own]
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
archiveofourown.org
November 27, 2025 at 8:31 PM
A bit of #selfpromotion, this time for some of my therapy #writing. Most of my fiction for the past year has been "Lower Decks" fan-fic.
This is one of the ones I've been happiest with. Elevator pitch is "Beckett Mariner drives chariots in the Roman circus" . . .
archiveofourown.org/works/65858080
This is one of the ones I've been happiest with. Elevator pitch is "Beckett Mariner drives chariots in the Roman circus" . . .
archiveofourown.org/works/65858080
Worked on my astronomy course today, and got a bit of writing done on the Cultural Evolution game.
Also spent a few hours playing "Dispatch." Which is delightful.
Also spent a few hours playing "Dispatch." Which is delightful.
November 27, 2025 at 12:03 AM
Worked on my astronomy course today, and got a bit of writing done on the Cultural Evolution game.
Also spent a few hours playing "Dispatch." Which is delightful.
Also spent a few hours playing "Dispatch." Which is delightful.
First tutor-marked assignment came back for my mathematics course, and it was a 95. Another morale-booster!
Next few days, now that Philcon is over, I'm going to be catching up on both university courses. Don't think I have another math assignment due until next year, though.
#studying
Next few days, now that Philcon is over, I'm going to be catching up on both university courses. Don't think I have another math assignment due until next year, though.
#studying
November 25, 2025 at 8:51 PM
First tutor-marked assignment came back for my mathematics course, and it was a 95. Another morale-booster!
Next few days, now that Philcon is over, I'm going to be catching up on both university courses. Don't think I have another math assignment due until next year, though.
#studying
Next few days, now that Philcon is over, I'm going to be catching up on both university courses. Don't think I have another math assignment due until next year, though.
#studying
I just backed The Pioneer RPG: Explore the Solar System on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/mon...
(This is looking like a *very* neat Traveller-adjacent game.)
#ttrpg
(This is looking like a *very* neat Traveller-adjacent game.)
#ttrpg
The Pioneer RPG: Explore the Solar System
Pioneer – a new RPG set 10–20 years into the future as humanity explores the Solar System, based on the popular Traveller rules.
www.kickstarter.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:30 PM
I just backed The Pioneer RPG: Explore the Solar System on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/mon...
(This is looking like a *very* neat Traveller-adjacent game.)
#ttrpg
(This is looking like a *very* neat Traveller-adjacent game.)
#ttrpg
First day back from the convention, and I'm kind of taking it easy, unpacking my things and getting back into a more normal round of work. I have been working on the next unit in my astronomy course, so there's that getting checked off the list. (1/2)
#studying
#studying
November 24, 2025 at 6:16 PM
First day back from the convention, and I'm kind of taking it easy, unpacking my things and getting back into a more normal round of work. I have been working on the next unit in my astronomy course, so there's that getting checked off the list. (1/2)
#studying
#studying
Back from Philcon 2025. Good con, had fun, got to talk to some neat people and get some good promotion in for my work. Going to bed now, cuz I am *thoroughly* beat.
November 24, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Back from Philcon 2025. Good con, had fun, got to talk to some neat people and get some good promotion in for my work. Going to bed now, cuz I am *thoroughly* beat.