Josh Call
@joshcall.bsky.social
English Prof. @GrandViewUniv Researching games, writing, and rhetoric. There will be food. Sweary Prof. He/Him. Lawful Good. Views are my own.
As a treat for myself, I have just ordered a warhammer.
As one does.
As one does.
January 28, 2026 at 6:23 PM
As a treat for myself, I have just ordered a warhammer.
As one does.
As one does.
My students in Visual Culture and Rhetoric this semester are feisty and creative. This gives me hope and joy.
January 27, 2026 at 9:00 PM
My students in Visual Culture and Rhetoric this semester are feisty and creative. This gives me hope and joy.
We have reached the stage of life where I am incredibly excited about getting new socks.
January 20, 2026 at 3:43 PM
We have reached the stage of life where I am incredibly excited about getting new socks.
My daughter is in her second year of college. Today, during her graphic design class, she played a game of "Cheese or Font."
She became so animated that her smartwatch registerd the class activity as a high-stress workout.
I love hearing these stories on our way home everyday.
She became so animated that her smartwatch registerd the class activity as a high-stress workout.
I love hearing these stories on our way home everyday.
January 13, 2026 at 12:26 AM
My daughter is in her second year of college. Today, during her graphic design class, she played a game of "Cheese or Font."
She became so animated that her smartwatch registerd the class activity as a high-stress workout.
I love hearing these stories on our way home everyday.
She became so animated that her smartwatch registerd the class activity as a high-stress workout.
I love hearing these stories on our way home everyday.
Office is cleaned and organized, syllabi are finished, Blackboard portals are built and done.
It's going to be a twenty-credit semester, but I've still managed to fit in some weekly writing time.
Now to make sure I also keep fitting in lunch and weight lifting for my health/sanity.
It's going to be a twenty-credit semester, but I've still managed to fit in some weekly writing time.
Now to make sure I also keep fitting in lunch and weight lifting for my health/sanity.
January 9, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Office is cleaned and organized, syllabi are finished, Blackboard portals are built and done.
It's going to be a twenty-credit semester, but I've still managed to fit in some weekly writing time.
Now to make sure I also keep fitting in lunch and weight lifting for my health/sanity.
It's going to be a twenty-credit semester, but I've still managed to fit in some weekly writing time.
Now to make sure I also keep fitting in lunch and weight lifting for my health/sanity.
Publication announcement! The two-volume collection on game genres is finally out today! Thanks to my co-editors @gerald-voorhees.bsky.social, @profmatthew.bsky.social, and @betsybrey.bsky.social for all the work and friendship.
Thanks also to our excellent contributors for their time and energy!
Thanks also to our excellent contributors for their time and energy!
January 8, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Publication announcement! The two-volume collection on game genres is finally out today! Thanks to my co-editors @gerald-voorhees.bsky.social, @profmatthew.bsky.social, and @betsybrey.bsky.social for all the work and friendship.
Thanks also to our excellent contributors for their time and energy!
Thanks also to our excellent contributors for their time and energy!
Doing some writing today, and I have no idea why it's taken me this long in life to realize that Phil Collins might just be some of the best writing music there is.
December 22, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Doing some writing today, and I have no idea why it's taken me this long in life to realize that Phil Collins might just be some of the best writing music there is.
I can't remember the last time a game made me laugh so hard as Dispatch.
December 12, 2025 at 9:00 AM
I can't remember the last time a game made me laugh so hard as Dispatch.
Got all the holiday shopping done early this year.
It's more fun shooping for my kids now that they are older and they want specific, nerdy things related to their interests. Also, all everyone really wants is the family tradition of a day at the bookstore followed by deep-dish pizza.
It's more fun shooping for my kids now that they are older and they want specific, nerdy things related to their interests. Also, all everyone really wants is the family tradition of a day at the bookstore followed by deep-dish pizza.
December 11, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Got all the holiday shopping done early this year.
It's more fun shooping for my kids now that they are older and they want specific, nerdy things related to their interests. Also, all everyone really wants is the family tradition of a day at the bookstore followed by deep-dish pizza.
It's more fun shooping for my kids now that they are older and they want specific, nerdy things related to their interests. Also, all everyone really wants is the family tradition of a day at the bookstore followed by deep-dish pizza.
I think the highlight of my day has been having a conversation on this platform using memes and quotes from the movie Predator.
December 3, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I think the highlight of my day has been having a conversation on this platform using memes and quotes from the movie Predator.
Anyone else having that non-specific end of semester anxiety? Everything is done, for the moment, but I keep looking for the things I'm forgetting...
December 3, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Anyone else having that non-specific end of semester anxiety? Everything is done, for the moment, but I keep looking for the things I'm forgetting...
Ordering a bunch of books to start a new thread of research around some long-running work.
It's always exciting when following a new idea down the rabbit hole!
It's always exciting when following a new idea down the rabbit hole!
December 1, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Ordering a bunch of books to start a new thread of research around some long-running work.
It's always exciting when following a new idea down the rabbit hole!
It's always exciting when following a new idea down the rabbit hole!
Heading into the holiday break with all of my grading finished, writing deadlines met, and personal obligations satisfied. Going to live in sweat pants for a week reading, playing some games, working on some new projects, and hanging out with my family.
Also, there will be several soups made.
Also, there will be several soups made.
November 21, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Heading into the holiday break with all of my grading finished, writing deadlines met, and personal obligations satisfied. Going to live in sweat pants for a week reading, playing some games, working on some new projects, and hanging out with my family.
Also, there will be several soups made.
Also, there will be several soups made.
Academic friends, we're looking for a new Graphic Design colleague to join us in the Art and Design Program here at Grand View. It's a tenure-track position in a small, highly collaborative department with areas in Graphic Design, Studio Arts, and Game Design.
www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.p...
www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.p...
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design
...
www.paycomonline.net
November 20, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Academic friends, we're looking for a new Graphic Design colleague to join us in the Art and Design Program here at Grand View. It's a tenure-track position in a small, highly collaborative department with areas in Graphic Design, Studio Arts, and Game Design.
www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.p...
www.paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.p...
Watching my game capstone students collaborate to make really interesting work, and it reminds me why I love this job.
November 18, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Watching my game capstone students collaborate to make really interesting work, and it reminds me why I love this job.
Keep thinking about this poster and how true it is. Mighht be time to hang it back up in my office.
November 6, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Keep thinking about this poster and how true it is. Mighht be time to hang it back up in my office.
Everyone around me is excited for Spoopy Season.
Meanwhile, I'm over here cheering for soup season.
Thinking of making some lasagne pesto soup this weekend.
Meanwhile, I'm over here cheering for soup season.
Thinking of making some lasagne pesto soup this weekend.
October 31, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Everyone around me is excited for Spoopy Season.
Meanwhile, I'm over here cheering for soup season.
Thinking of making some lasagne pesto soup this weekend.
Meanwhile, I'm over here cheering for soup season.
Thinking of making some lasagne pesto soup this weekend.
Saw a student walking across campus today dressed as a Wookie.
The kids are alright.
The kids are alright.
October 31, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Saw a student walking across campus today dressed as a Wookie.
The kids are alright.
The kids are alright.
My son earned his Eagle Scout rank this week. This has been an adventure four years in the making. I'm incredibly proud of him and his dedication to his interests, but it's also a reminder that he's definitely getting older.
Parenting is often bittersweet. I wish my father could have seen this.
Parenting is often bittersweet. I wish my father could have seen this.
October 28, 2025 at 4:15 AM
My son earned his Eagle Scout rank this week. This has been an adventure four years in the making. I'm incredibly proud of him and his dedication to his interests, but it's also a reminder that he's definitely getting older.
Parenting is often bittersweet. I wish my father could have seen this.
Parenting is often bittersweet. I wish my father could have seen this.
Per one of my students: "Does the rapture count as an excused absence?"
September 23, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Per one of my students: "Does the rapture count as an excused absence?"
Of all the things I thought I'd be buying in my late 40's, never did I imagine a golf cart on the list.
And I don't play golf.
And I don't play golf.
September 8, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Of all the things I thought I'd be buying in my late 40's, never did I imagine a golf cart on the list.
And I don't play golf.
And I don't play golf.
This has been a project long in the making, and evolving from several years of conversations with good friends and colleagues. I'm beyond proud to have worked with everyone to help bring these to life.
Genre is inherently political. It captures the sensibilities of contemporary life and strategies for responding to the present that cultivate different futures
Updated/Final covers for a passion-project w/ @joshcall.bsky.social, @profmatthew.bsky.social, and @betsybrey.bsky.social
Out Jan 2026!
Updated/Final covers for a passion-project w/ @joshcall.bsky.social, @profmatthew.bsky.social, and @betsybrey.bsky.social
Out Jan 2026!
September 5, 2025 at 2:52 AM
This has been a project long in the making, and evolving from several years of conversations with good friends and colleagues. I'm beyond proud to have worked with everyone to help bring these to life.
All those constitutional literalists about the second amendment of the last 20+ years have suddenly become highly invested in post-structural semantics when it comes to due process.
April 16, 2025 at 3:38 PM
All those constitutional literalists about the second amendment of the last 20+ years have suddenly become highly invested in post-structural semantics when it comes to due process.
Took my son snowshoeing this weekend for one of his last scout merit badges. It's been a while since I did that myself, and I'm definitely feeling it in the arthritis today.
It was worth every step for a good afternoon helping him get closer to his goals.
Still gonna old-man grumble today...
It was worth every step for a good afternoon helping him get closer to his goals.
Still gonna old-man grumble today...
February 17, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Took my son snowshoeing this weekend for one of his last scout merit badges. It's been a while since I did that myself, and I'm definitely feeling it in the arthritis today.
It was worth every step for a good afternoon helping him get closer to his goals.
Still gonna old-man grumble today...
It was worth every step for a good afternoon helping him get closer to his goals.
Still gonna old-man grumble today...
Of all the things that exhaust me working in higher education, the emotional labor of aggressively angry students is perhaps the most taxing.
I could not have predicted how much of my teaching life would be so similar to working as a bouncer.
I could not have predicted how much of my teaching life would be so similar to working as a bouncer.
February 13, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Of all the things that exhaust me working in higher education, the emotional labor of aggressively angry students is perhaps the most taxing.
I could not have predicted how much of my teaching life would be so similar to working as a bouncer.
I could not have predicted how much of my teaching life would be so similar to working as a bouncer.