It takes a lot to rouse me from the deep depression of the past year. Apparently, misrepresenting Japanese archaeology will do it...rivaled only by deleting comments, which I’ll share the gist of below. Who knows? Maybe this has incited me to finally start creating content again.

The Ancient Japanese Tombs Even Archaeologists Can't Touch

YouTube video by For The Love of History

youtube.com

I’ve been quiet this past year, mostly because of the thesis grind. But the year has also been marked by loss, health issues, and an erosion from verbal abuse, neglect, and a lack of support. I’m torn about staying in academia and whether I’m “enough.” Mostly, I just want somewhere safe to land.

One out of 12 rams is uninterested in females. Deemed “non-procreative" by farmers, they're typically sent to slaughter. German farmer Michael Stücke rescues the gay rams. His company Rainbow Wool, sells fabulous wool products from his flock of gay sheep. rainbow-wool.com

2026🎠🎍

Just making sure that 2025 is definitely over

Jamin Warren interviewed me for Killscreen about my background as a field archaeologist, my current video game archaeology research, and why we should preserve contemporary play experiences for the future! 🏺 www.killscreen.com/mapping-the-...

How I Use Archaeology to Map Your Favorite Videogames

Archaeologist Florence Smith Nicholls discusses "archaeogaming," mapping the digital traces of Elden Ring, and the hopeful act of "anticipatory archaeology."

killscreen.com

"This shit isnt going away" is such a moronic thing to say. They are pushing ai in every part of our lives because they NEED their investments to work. The billionaires need ai to work. It's wildly unpopular, they are hoping we roll over and take it.

Karl Bode@karlbode.com · 8mo ago

this shit, despite its faults, is not going anywhere and people are going to have to pick their battles

もともと「太古の宇宙飛行士」説を提唱していたソ連（当時）のSF作家アレクサンドル・カザンチェフがCBAの遮光器土偶=宇宙服の宇宙人説を自説の最適例として取り上げて世界中に広まっちゃったんだよね　秋に宮城の縄文展でいっぱい遮光器土偶見てきた

Writers who use genAI for illustrations are class traitors. We all have to fight this beast TOGETHER. We are not just trying to save SOME of our livelihoods.

Phil McAndrew@philmcandrew.bsky.social · last yr.

Self-published authors are unfortunately very rapidly becoming my most-blocked demographic on here due entirely to the rampant use of hideous AI generated book covers

土偶好き好き

The recent 7.6 offshore earthquake near Aomori has impacted the Jōmon World Heritage Sites in the region. I found an article online discussing damage to artifacts from the Futatsunomori Shell Midden (north of Hachinohe). Local staff are working with university partners to respond to the damage.

Gender is a performance and I refuse to put on a good show for a bad audience.

nothing is more validating than seeing this post from a linguist

Dr. Wes Robertson@scriptingjapan.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Based on a real life experience

My first-ever piece for @unseenjapan.com ⤵

Unseen Japan@unseenjapan.com · 8mo ago

Supporters of marriage equality in Japan faced a setback on November 28th that surprised many. After a series of favorable court rulings across the country, the Tokyo High Court ruled that the lack of recognition of same-sex marriage was constitutional. buff.ly/HlG6HWe

Despite a disappointing ruling, the crowd yells "we don't give up!" while applauding the plaintiffs and legal team of the second Tokyo High Court case for same-sex marriage.

This is how you get that archaeologist you’ve been into to lick you

Bruno J. Navarro@brunojnavarro.bsky.social · 8mo ago

is the ap now the onion

Cardiff University has done a short piece about the work that my PhD student, Emily Bush, is doing. The research explores ecocriticism through Japanese disaster narratives. #Japan #DisasterStudies #DisasterNarratives #Ecocriticism You can read the article here: www.cardiff.ac.uk/stories/expl...

Exploring ecocriticism through Japanese disaster narratives

PhD student Emily Bush is exploring ecocritical perspectives in media about historical Japanese disasters.

cardiff.ac.uk

I’m dealing with some sudden financial strain, so I’m looking for a bit of freelance work. If you know anyone who needs illustration or design work, I’d really appreciate referrals. I’m also planning to open commissions and update my ko-fi/carrd soon. I appreciate the support! amasugiru.carrd.co

ama

a site to connect all my forms of social media and gallery

amasugiru.carrd.co

Was just thinking: will future archeologists be able to date human remains based on the amounts of microplastics built up in them?

“Closeups show human faces distorted beyond recognition, sprouting extra appendages. The bodies of what appear to be dogs horrifically merge with human figures. Happy holidays indeed.”

Town's Huge Christmas Mural Was Generated Using AI, Resulting in Ghastly Chthonic Horrors

An enormous new mural near London, depicting a crowded Christmas scene, has drawn outrage and mockery from passersby.

futurism.com

Trying to decide if it's worth sharing my final thoughts on Ghost of Yotei. Maybe, if anything, it would help contextualize the game somewhat and continue the dialogue. Lately, I've had such a difficult time finding the motivation to post on social media, but I do miss sharing thoughts and art.

I'm feeling gloomy about not sticking to Inktober, but I've been drawing more for myself lately. As much as I enjoy engagement on social media, I've been thinking of trying a different format. How do people feel about mail clubs? I want to draw landscapes... tie it in to archaeology... make friends.

Once again urging archaeologists to critically assess the AI push into archaeology. There is a huge swath of problematic ethical issues that come with the AI tech & tech lords & we don't have to make it easier for them to insert themselves in archaeology by welcoming them in. Don't be complicit. 🏺

Elon Musk says AI research into ancient Rome will ‘rewrite history’

The world’s richest man is financing a new age of archaeological projects that seek to use artificial intelligence to fill in knowledge gaps

thetimes.com

Steph Halmhofer@cultarchaeo.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Whether it's Musk, whether it's OpenAI, it is concerning to see big tech pushing its way into the heritage fields. Esp. the right-wingers, for which there is a lot out there about why they're interested in these fields, etc. It's DEEPLY disappointing seeing archaeologists opening the door for them.🏺

‘Bone Box’ by Haida artist Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas at the Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, BC. “Fabricated out of discarded trays that once stored archeological collections, this interactive work calls for us to engage with one another.”

One thing I noticed during my tour of the northern Jomon sites were the facilities, specifically the bathrooms. Japan is notorious for its state-of-the-art toilets, but they also have squat toilets. I spent part of the trip comparing them and wondering if its tied in with funding distribution.

In regards to city foxes, I don’t hear enough about those that call Sapporo home. The Shinkansen construction destroyed a large green space in the city, but it seems they still move through its remains. Luckily the botanical gardens and luxury housing grounds offer sanctuary in the immediate area.

I went to Sushiro in Sapporo with a friend. It was my first and last time there. I had the approximation of fish. The katsuo was the sushi equivalent of three kobolds in a trenchcoat. The fish was translucent hot pink with a faux char on the edges. Not gonna talk about the tobiko. It was upsetting.

Met up with a friend who gave me a belated birthday present. She was worried I always got archaeology themed gifts. I told her that I, frankly, do not get enough, especially since Japan has top tier goods. I love my new bag charms.