Praise-Abby Barebone
@arobertswrites.com
BSFA-nominated essayist. SFF author you’ve never heard of. SocDem. Tolkien nerd. Armchair medievalist. She/her. Header by chorischia.bsky.social.
Website: arobertswrites.com
Newsletter: buttondown.email/arobertswrites
Website: arobertswrites.com
Newsletter: buttondown.email/arobertswrites
Pinned
Praise-Abby Barebone
@arobertswrites.com
· Apr 21
What Lies and Threats — Speculative Insight
Abby Roberts examines the use of national myth-making in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
www.speculativeinsight.com
For $0.00 you can read what Bret Devereaux (of ACOUP fame) called an "absolute banger of a Tolkien essay" and what my mom (of giving birth to me fame) called "very timely and relevant": "What Lies and Threats: Nationalist Myth-Making in The Lord of the Rings" on @speculativeinsight.bsky.social!
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
I’m having this belated realization that there are places in this country where people don’t hear Spanish and other languages spoken all the time (at the grocery store, the post office etc), don’t see store signs in Spanish or other languages. I’m glad I don’t live that way.
February 10, 2026 at 2:34 PM
I’m having this belated realization that there are places in this country where people don’t hear Spanish and other languages spoken all the time (at the grocery store, the post office etc), don’t see store signs in Spanish or other languages. I’m glad I don’t live that way.
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
Kissing in the Middle Ages www.medievalists.net/2022/02/kiss... #kiss
Kissing in the Middle Ages - Medievalists.net
For medieval people, a kiss represents far more than the romantic.
www.medievalists.net
February 10, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Kissing in the Middle Ages www.medievalists.net/2022/02/kiss... #kiss
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
Here is a quick drawing of angry fairy and silly frogs.
February 10, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Here is a quick drawing of angry fairy and silly frogs.
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
Sheela na Gig • Killinaboy • Clare
This sheela na gig is set over the southern door of the ruined medieval church of Killinaboy.
These figures typically date between the late 12th – 16th century, and they can be found on medieval town walls, towerhouses, and churches like here at Killinaboy.
This sheela na gig is set over the southern door of the ruined medieval church of Killinaboy.
These figures typically date between the late 12th – 16th century, and they can be found on medieval town walls, towerhouses, and churches like here at Killinaboy.
February 10, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Sheela na Gig • Killinaboy • Clare
This sheela na gig is set over the southern door of the ruined medieval church of Killinaboy.
These figures typically date between the late 12th – 16th century, and they can be found on medieval town walls, towerhouses, and churches like here at Killinaboy.
This sheela na gig is set over the southern door of the ruined medieval church of Killinaboy.
These figures typically date between the late 12th – 16th century, and they can be found on medieval town walls, towerhouses, and churches like here at Killinaboy.
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
HOOOOOO boy.
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.): "Do you consider yourself a religious man?"
Lyons: "Yes ma'am."
McIver: "How do you think Judgement Day will work for you with so much blood on your hands?"
"Do you think you're going to hell, Mr. Lyons?"
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.): "Do you consider yourself a religious man?"
Lyons: "Yes ma'am."
McIver: "How do you think Judgement Day will work for you with so much blood on your hands?"
"Do you think you're going to hell, Mr. Lyons?"
February 10, 2026 at 5:31 PM
HOOOOOO boy.
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.): "Do you consider yourself a religious man?"
Lyons: "Yes ma'am."
McIver: "How do you think Judgement Day will work for you with so much blood on your hands?"
"Do you think you're going to hell, Mr. Lyons?"
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.): "Do you consider yourself a religious man?"
Lyons: "Yes ma'am."
McIver: "How do you think Judgement Day will work for you with so much blood on your hands?"
"Do you think you're going to hell, Mr. Lyons?"
When I am universal empress this will be punishable by jail time
i heard both of these today:
"what are we solutioning here"
"we don't have a solve for that"
nouns and verbs, two ships passing in the night
"what are we solutioning here"
"we don't have a solve for that"
nouns and verbs, two ships passing in the night
February 10, 2026 at 8:18 PM
When I am universal empress this will be punishable by jail time
“Father” is such a weird name for a son.
#OnThisDay in 1952, #Tolkien writes to Father John Tolkien.
Tolkien writes to his son John about a meal that he had with Lewis, which they called the 'ham-feast'.
Tolkien writes to his son John about a meal that he had with Lewis, which they called the 'ham-feast'.
Guide to Tolkien's Letters: J.R.R. Tolkien to Father John Tolkien
Tolkien writes to his son John about a meal that he had with Lewis, which they called the 'ham-feast'.
www.tolkienguide.com
February 10, 2026 at 8:17 PM
“Father” is such a weird name for a son.
This sort of encapsulates an issue I have with broader U.S. governance discourse tho. “We should have a government program that does __” a lot of the time we do but it’s been fighting for its life since the 80s.
I’m going back through the presidential budget request for FY 2026 and another thing that stands out is how often the administration wanted to eliminate funding for preexisting agencies/programs and redirect it to new ones that would do the same thing but worse.
Doing work stuff and I hate that “Cuts to Woke Programs,” “Defunding the Open Border,” and “Ending the Green Nee Scam” are things written on the official White House website.
February 10, 2026 at 6:48 PM
This sort of encapsulates an issue I have with broader U.S. governance discourse tho. “We should have a government program that does __” a lot of the time we do but it’s been fighting for its life since the 80s.
I’m going back through the presidential budget request for FY 2026 and another thing that stands out is how often the administration wanted to eliminate funding for preexisting agencies/programs and redirect it to new ones that would do the same thing but worse.
Doing work stuff and I hate that “Cuts to Woke Programs,” “Defunding the Open Border,” and “Ending the Green Nee Scam” are things written on the official White House website.
February 10, 2026 at 6:45 PM
I’m going back through the presidential budget request for FY 2026 and another thing that stands out is how often the administration wanted to eliminate funding for preexisting agencies/programs and redirect it to new ones that would do the same thing but worse.
Can’t stress enough the extent to which we’re being governed by spite.
Doing work stuff and I hate that “Cuts to Woke Programs,” “Defunding the Open Border,” and “Ending the Green Nee Scam” are things written on the official White House website.
February 10, 2026 at 6:40 PM
Can’t stress enough the extent to which we’re being governed by spite.
Doing work stuff and I hate that “Cuts to Woke Programs,” “Defunding the Open Border,” and “Ending the Green Nee Scam” are things written on the official White House website.
February 10, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Doing work stuff and I hate that “Cuts to Woke Programs,” “Defunding the Open Border,” and “Ending the Green Nee Scam” are things written on the official White House website.
Wondering if I have to buy a Microsoft Office subscription again or if I can get away with just using Google Docs.
February 10, 2026 at 6:05 PM
Wondering if I have to buy a Microsoft Office subscription again or if I can get away with just using Google Docs.
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
today in demonology: selections from @sararonis.bsky.social’s wonderful book on demonological discourses in pre-rabbinic and rabbinic sources.
highly recommended this book. it’s sharp, incisive, and beautifully written.
highly recommended this book. it’s sharp, incisive, and beautifully written.
Demons in the Details by Sara Ronis - Hardcover
Scholarship is a powerful tool for changing how people think, plan, and govern. By giving voice to bright minds and bold ideas, we seek to foster understanding and drive progressive change.
www.ucpress.edu
February 10, 2026 at 2:44 PM
today in demonology: selections from @sararonis.bsky.social’s wonderful book on demonological discourses in pre-rabbinic and rabbinic sources.
highly recommended this book. it’s sharp, incisive, and beautifully written.
highly recommended this book. it’s sharp, incisive, and beautifully written.
Evidently Buddhist monks have no problem with social media tho.
When I visited the Cistercian monastery last fall, the group I was with had a brief q&a with the abbot. Someone suggested that the monks should do social media marketing, which the abbot declined politely while looking as if he’d perhaps rather die.
Also has huge “web design is my passion!!1!” energy
February 10, 2026 at 2:38 PM
Evidently Buddhist monks have no problem with social media tho.
Missed the monks and their dog, they were gone before I fully gained consciousness.
Uuuuuuugh so much for getting an early start to the day.
February 10, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Missed the monks and their dog, they were gone before I fully gained consciousness.
Ever since someone pointed out that AI generated videos have unnaturally perfect camera work, more perfect than what you’d expect from a nonprofessional filming with their phone, I’ve been much more appreciative of shaky/blurry/out of focus videos.
February 10, 2026 at 2:33 PM
Ever since someone pointed out that AI generated videos have unnaturally perfect camera work, more perfect than what you’d expect from a nonprofessional filming with their phone, I’ve been much more appreciative of shaky/blurry/out of focus videos.
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
St Scholastica herself was a 6th-Century saint whose life represents the Benedictine virtues of work, education, and community.
Her feast day was meant to be peaceful... Oxford, in 1355, did not get the memo!
(Shelfmark: MS. Tanner 17, fol. 021r)
[3/3]
Her feast day was meant to be peaceful... Oxford, in 1355, did not get the memo!
(Shelfmark: MS. Tanner 17, fol. 021r)
[3/3]
February 10, 2026 at 2:25 PM
St Scholastica herself was a 6th-Century saint whose life represents the Benedictine virtues of work, education, and community.
Her feast day was meant to be peaceful... Oxford, in 1355, did not get the memo!
(Shelfmark: MS. Tanner 17, fol. 021r)
[3/3]
Her feast day was meant to be peaceful... Oxford, in 1355, did not get the memo!
(Shelfmark: MS. Tanner 17, fol. 021r)
[3/3]
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
#OnThisDay in 1355, Oxford erupted into what became known as the St Scholastica Day Riot.
It started when two students complained about the quality of wine.
Over the following days, tensions between townspeople and students exploded into one of the deadliest riots in Oxford's history.
[1/3]
It started when two students complained about the quality of wine.
Over the following days, tensions between townspeople and students exploded into one of the deadliest riots in Oxford's history.
[1/3]
February 10, 2026 at 2:25 PM
#OnThisDay in 1355, Oxford erupted into what became known as the St Scholastica Day Riot.
It started when two students complained about the quality of wine.
Over the following days, tensions between townspeople and students exploded into one of the deadliest riots in Oxford's history.
[1/3]
It started when two students complained about the quality of wine.
Over the following days, tensions between townspeople and students exploded into one of the deadliest riots in Oxford's history.
[1/3]
Age verification? I remember livejournal.
Age verification? I know what's on Channel 3
February 10, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Age verification? I remember livejournal.
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
Happening now!
enchantedrealm_co 's Enemies to Lovers Lane is live with 50+ books! MERE FLESH is part of the event + RENDER TO SILVER will be on sale for the duration as well. Happy book hunting! 💖
MERE FLESH - www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQVR7L63
RENDER TO SILVER - www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK932CX6
enchantedrealm_co 's Enemies to Lovers Lane is live with 50+ books! MERE FLESH is part of the event + RENDER TO SILVER will be on sale for the duration as well. Happy book hunting! 💖
MERE FLESH - www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQVR7L63
RENDER TO SILVER - www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK932CX6
February 10, 2026 at 1:50 PM
Happening now!
enchantedrealm_co 's Enemies to Lovers Lane is live with 50+ books! MERE FLESH is part of the event + RENDER TO SILVER will be on sale for the duration as well. Happy book hunting! 💖
MERE FLESH - www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQVR7L63
RENDER TO SILVER - www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK932CX6
enchantedrealm_co 's Enemies to Lovers Lane is live with 50+ books! MERE FLESH is part of the event + RENDER TO SILVER will be on sale for the duration as well. Happy book hunting! 💖
MERE FLESH - www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQVR7L63
RENDER TO SILVER - www.amazon.com/dp/B0CK932CX6
Gotta be dog heaven. So much room to run and so many people to chase you.
Everybody knows that Pupper just won Downhill Gold
February 10, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Gotta be dog heaven. So much room to run and so many people to chase you.
Uuuuuuugh so much for getting an early start to the day.
February 10, 2026 at 2:05 PM
Uuuuuuugh so much for getting an early start to the day.
Reposted by Praise-Abby Barebone
i knew that the Romans had pipe organs and that Vitruvius talked about them, but had forgotten they had them in amphitheatres so they could go 'doot-da-dooo-da-doo' as you watched the instant replay mosaic of a gladiator being killed
February 10, 2026 at 12:54 PM
i knew that the Romans had pipe organs and that Vitruvius talked about them, but had forgotten they had them in amphitheatres so they could go 'doot-da-dooo-da-doo' as you watched the instant replay mosaic of a gladiator being killed
Did not work on monk WIP last night but I got close to finishing my newsletter. Inshallah it will be done this week, just in time to start working on the next.
Speaking of being haunted by symbols, I’d better get some writing done.
February 10, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Did not work on monk WIP last night but I got close to finishing my newsletter. Inshallah it will be done this week, just in time to start working on the next.
It’s gonna get up to 44 F today bless
February 10, 2026 at 1:04 PM
It’s gonna get up to 44 F today bless