H. Austin Whitver
@majikmouse.bsky.social
Senior Instructor in English Lit at the University of Alabama. PhD in Early Modern Drama. Author of Tombs in Shakespearean Drama; Monumental Theater. Views are very much my own. I instablock any account that posts AI art. He / Him.
Pinned
H. Austin Whitver
@majikmouse.bsky.social
· Nov 20
a man sits in a red emirates chair during a soccer game
Alt: Pep having an animated conversation with absolutely no one during a soccer game
media.tenor.com
All you other charming folks: Bluesky is such a breath of fresh air. What a lovely community here!
Me, an autistic misanthrope with the charisma of a wet skunk who worked a decade to build up a small community of peculiar folks over on the other place:
Me, an autistic misanthrope with the charisma of a wet skunk who worked a decade to build up a small community of peculiar folks over on the other place:
Favorite Genres:
1. Harmony w/ distinct voices.
2. Whimsy!
3. Music soundmixed underwater.
4. Sad Boy.
5. Angry Girl.
6. Self-indulgent songwriter.
7. Implied Threat / Looming Clouds.
8. Earworm.
9. What happens when you build something new on the bones of bluegrass?
10. Wordplay!
1. Harmony w/ distinct voices.
2. Whimsy!
3. Music soundmixed underwater.
4. Sad Boy.
5. Angry Girl.
6. Self-indulgent songwriter.
7. Implied Threat / Looming Clouds.
8. Earworm.
9. What happens when you build something new on the bones of bluegrass?
10. Wordplay!
I'm drafting a post on listening practices, so I fucked around and made a list of my favorite genres (first ranked, remainder alphabetical, obvious choirgirl bias)
November 21, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Favorite Genres:
1. Harmony w/ distinct voices.
2. Whimsy!
3. Music soundmixed underwater.
4. Sad Boy.
5. Angry Girl.
6. Self-indulgent songwriter.
7. Implied Threat / Looming Clouds.
8. Earworm.
9. What happens when you build something new on the bones of bluegrass?
10. Wordplay!
1. Harmony w/ distinct voices.
2. Whimsy!
3. Music soundmixed underwater.
4. Sad Boy.
5. Angry Girl.
6. Self-indulgent songwriter.
7. Implied Threat / Looming Clouds.
8. Earworm.
9. What happens when you build something new on the bones of bluegrass?
10. Wordplay!
The heart of the problem with all current models that see growth (and exponential growth at that) as the only metric of value.
re: roblox dude's interview crashout. the thing he wants to say but can't is "at scale, kids are gonna get hurt. that is the price for scale." the thing nobody wants to say out loud is "maybe scaling to a level where harm isn't manageable is bad, and scale should be contained"
November 21, 2025 at 7:12 PM
The heart of the problem with all current models that see growth (and exponential growth at that) as the only metric of value.
Billy Collins on NPR saying Ginsburg will be forgotten because his poetry was too "topical" while he hawks his book on poetry about his friend's dogs. Just stratospheric lack of self awareness. Also, I normally do not believe in "bad writing," but the next to last poem he read has me rethinking.
November 21, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Billy Collins on NPR saying Ginsburg will be forgotten because his poetry was too "topical" while he hawks his book on poetry about his friend's dogs. Just stratospheric lack of self awareness. Also, I normally do not believe in "bad writing," but the next to last poem he read has me rethinking.
Rewatching this. Nolan needs to remake this exactly the same but with Eliot now. Have a bunch of small dudes and Tom Hardy looming over them all. It changes very little other than making one moment into the twink kiss it always was.
November 20, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Rewatching this. Nolan needs to remake this exactly the same but with Eliot now. Have a bunch of small dudes and Tom Hardy looming over them all. It changes very little other than making one moment into the twink kiss it always was.
Reposted by H. Austin Whitver
Not satisfied with just destroying their own brand goodwill, OS companies are now using AI to try to destroy the good names of the apps users install. (Scrivener taking out adds to explain how it has no AI but Apple adds some anyway.)
November 19, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Not satisfied with just destroying their own brand goodwill, OS companies are now using AI to try to destroy the good names of the apps users install. (Scrivener taking out adds to explain how it has no AI but Apple adds some anyway.)
THIS.
People: “You don’t seem autistic, like it really doesn’t come off as if you need more processing time or whatever.”
Me:
Me:
November 19, 2025 at 8:16 PM
THIS.
In one class today, a student was wearing an Elliot Smith “Figure 8” t-shirt, and I earned points with another for knowing “Andrew in Drag.” Say what one will about streaming / Spotify, but the current generation has a chronological breadth / depth of music knowledge I have not seen before.
November 17, 2025 at 8:24 PM
In one class today, a student was wearing an Elliot Smith “Figure 8” t-shirt, and I earned points with another for knowing “Andrew in Drag.” Say what one will about streaming / Spotify, but the current generation has a chronological breadth / depth of music knowledge I have not seen before.
Just realized my 12 year old had not heard "American Pie." Rectified that situation and was struck again about how (however uncool this may be to say), it deserves its place in the pantheon of great songs. Great to listen to and fantastic impressionistic lyrics. Had him singing along by the end.
November 17, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Just realized my 12 year old had not heard "American Pie." Rectified that situation and was struck again about how (however uncool this may be to say), it deserves its place in the pantheon of great songs. Great to listen to and fantastic impressionistic lyrics. Had him singing along by the end.
Been loving the KMSU marathon of They Might Be Giants today. Now they are capping it off with a live performance from Nashville during their soundcheck.
November 14, 2025 at 11:26 PM
Been loving the KMSU marathon of They Might Be Giants today. Now they are capping it off with a live performance from Nashville during their soundcheck.
Them: Electric scooters make it easier to get around campus.
Me, trying to walk to my office:
Me, trying to walk to my office:
November 14, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Them: Electric scooters make it easier to get around campus.
Me, trying to walk to my office:
Me, trying to walk to my office:
Just tripped walking into the kitchen with groceries, dropping the bag containing only a brand new dozen eggs. How is your day going?
November 10, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Just tripped walking into the kitchen with groceries, dropping the bag containing only a brand new dozen eggs. How is your day going?
Made fresh Chimichurri just now for steak rice bowls tonight. Holy shit. Why have I never done this before?
November 4, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Made fresh Chimichurri just now for steak rice bowls tonight. Holy shit. Why have I never done this before?
This is incredible. "Distraction" is both overused AND useless as a term. "Conspiracy" makes you sound like a nut. But this? This is a great way to get at the core of what is really being done.
i made a template you can use to think about what "frame/negation/kirby" looks like for other issues.
For example:
Frame: DOGE is a govt efficiency project to save $
Negation: Actually it made things less efficient and cost $
Kirby: DOGE was a project to break and privatize federal bureaucracy
For example:
Frame: DOGE is a govt efficiency project to save $
Negation: Actually it made things less efficient and cost $
Kirby: DOGE was a project to break and privatize federal bureaucracy
October 29, 2025 at 6:46 PM
This is incredible. "Distraction" is both overused AND useless as a term. "Conspiracy" makes you sound like a nut. But this? This is a great way to get at the core of what is really being done.
One of the wild things I have discovered after realizing I am autistic is how many autistic folks are teachers/profs (complementary, encouraging people to be the best versions of themselves) and how many are teachers/profs (pejorative, rule bound, effectively cops). And how I was both (2, then 1).
October 28, 2025 at 1:38 AM
One of the wild things I have discovered after realizing I am autistic is how many autistic folks are teachers/profs (complementary, encouraging people to be the best versions of themselves) and how many are teachers/profs (pejorative, rule bound, effectively cops). And how I was both (2, then 1).
Oof. Also, if somehow, impossibly, I end up in some position where Chotiner wants to interview me, I will be angry at any person claiming to be my friend that does not just shoot me first.
anyway imo the most devastating part isn't even in any of the interview questions and responses
October 28, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Oof. Also, if somehow, impossibly, I end up in some position where Chotiner wants to interview me, I will be angry at any person claiming to be my friend that does not just shoot me first.
Reposted by H. Austin Whitver
Why does everyone keep calling it “The Epstein Ballroom?” Please stop repeating “The Epstein Ballroom” because it is not called “The Epstein Ballroom!” Don’t tell the news that it’s called “The Epstein Ballroom” and please don’t repost this!!!!!
October 22, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Why does everyone keep calling it “The Epstein Ballroom?” Please stop repeating “The Epstein Ballroom” because it is not called “The Epstein Ballroom!” Don’t tell the news that it’s called “The Epstein Ballroom” and please don’t repost this!!!!!
Nearly 40 years now of thinking Penny’s computer book from Inspector Gadget is the pinnacle of tech and desperately wanting one.
October 19, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Nearly 40 years now of thinking Penny’s computer book from Inspector Gadget is the pinnacle of tech and desperately wanting one.
Reposted by H. Austin Whitver
The same smug dinks in your comments going “America doesn’t even HAVE a king” all day today spent the third quarter of 2024 saying “he doesn’t even KNOW ABOUT Project 2025” with exactly the same stupid-faced energy
October 19, 2025 at 2:19 AM
The same smug dinks in your comments going “America doesn’t even HAVE a king” all day today spent the third quarter of 2024 saying “he doesn’t even KNOW ABOUT Project 2025” with exactly the same stupid-faced energy
I hope the "women don't like the vehicle" guy has some idea of how fast his comment has spread to all corners of the internet, how it will be his sole legacy, how it will outlive him and his children of doubtful provenance and then outlive his gilded monument with that line as his epitaph.
October 16, 2025 at 9:45 PM
I hope the "women don't like the vehicle" guy has some idea of how fast his comment has spread to all corners of the internet, how it will be his sole legacy, how it will outlive him and his children of doubtful provenance and then outlive his gilded monument with that line as his epitaph.
A student compared my teaching writing skills to training them to use carrier pigeons if you want to know how my day is going.
October 15, 2025 at 5:54 PM
A student compared my teaching writing skills to training them to use carrier pigeons if you want to know how my day is going.
Not to sincere-post, but I honestly think “we are the Full-Sized Candy Bar People because we can be, and if you can, why wouldn't you” is the ethos missing from so many right now.
Prepping for Halloween. We never get any kids at the house (because we live out of town at the end of a long driveway) but kids show up at the church for trick or treat, so we'll be ready. And indeed we are the Full-Sized Candy Bar People because we can be, and if you can, why wouldn't you.
October 13, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Not to sincere-post, but I honestly think “we are the Full-Sized Candy Bar People because we can be, and if you can, why wouldn't you” is the ethos missing from so many right now.
Reposted by H. Austin Whitver
It's hard to help Americans left behind because so much of US identity is rooted in individualism. The average American conservative holds all three positions at once:
— Virtue signals about supporting US manufacturing
— Against raising the minimum wage
— Buys foreign imports because they're cheap
— Virtue signals about supporting US manufacturing
— Against raising the minimum wage
— Buys foreign imports because they're cheap
October 12, 2025 at 9:38 PM
It's hard to help Americans left behind because so much of US identity is rooted in individualism. The average American conservative holds all three positions at once:
— Virtue signals about supporting US manufacturing
— Against raising the minimum wage
— Buys foreign imports because they're cheap
— Virtue signals about supporting US manufacturing
— Against raising the minimum wage
— Buys foreign imports because they're cheap
Reposted by H. Austin Whitver
If you all would have included truthful Black History as part of American History, you wouldn't be so "shocked" by what is happening right now. In fact, what is happening now likely wouldn't be happening because you would have been able to see it coming with knowledge of history.
October 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
If you all would have included truthful Black History as part of American History, you wouldn't be so "shocked" by what is happening right now. In fact, what is happening now likely wouldn't be happening because you would have been able to see it coming with knowledge of history.
I am so stoked about our new place, but actually moving to a new house is the absolute pits.
October 11, 2025 at 2:21 AM
I am so stoked about our new place, but actually moving to a new house is the absolute pits.
Reposted by H. Austin Whitver
Dolly Parton Shares Video Confirming Sister A Shit-Stirring Bitch https://theonion.com/dolly-parton-shares-video-confirming-sister-a-shit-stirring-bitch/
October 9, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Dolly Parton Shares Video Confirming Sister A Shit-Stirring Bitch https://theonion.com/dolly-parton-shares-video-confirming-sister-a-shit-stirring-bitch/