Mishell Baker thankfully
@mishellbaker.bsky.social
Author of the Arcadia Project trilogy etc. Terminal cancer, incurable optimist. Currently 39% Novelist 23% Vidyagamer 2% Polyglot 36% Dungeon Master
Enjoy life. Be someone you would love. Make things better.
Enjoy life. Be someone you would love. Make things better.
Pinned
"Thoughts on Gaming, Parenting, and Writing Stuff, spiced with Infrequent Life Wisdom Nuggs from a Not-Dead-Yet Gamer"
There you go, there's the blurb for my Bluesky account.
One more thought on science and religion and why it's not either/or. Plus language nerdery!
Russian has two words for "why." Почему and зачем. Why two different words? Because "why" actually means two different things; we just don't think about it consciously because we use the same word. 1/?
Russian has two words for "why." Почему and зачем. Why two different words? Because "why" actually means two different things; we just don't think about it consciously because we use the same word. 1/?
November 11, 2025 at 6:09 AM
One more thought on science and religion and why it's not either/or. Plus language nerdery!
Russian has two words for "why." Почему and зачем. Why two different words? Because "why" actually means two different things; we just don't think about it consciously because we use the same word. 1/?
Russian has two words for "why." Почему and зачем. Why two different words? Because "why" actually means two different things; we just don't think about it consciously because we use the same word. 1/?
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Sunset walk along the river at the foot of Mt Tamalpais with @anniefox.com and Gracie the Dog. #MarinRowingAssociatiin teams in the background.
November 11, 2025 at 4:44 AM
Sunset walk along the river at the foot of Mt Tamalpais with @anniefox.com and Gracie the Dog. #MarinRowingAssociatiin teams in the background.
OMG I just found out that @themattmcd.bsky.social KNOWS the guy who voiced Tristan Rao in Outer Worlds 2?? I love that big dummy so much!!! Uh, the character, I mean, not the guy, who I'm sure is not a dummy, and whose size is unknown to me.
November 11, 2025 at 2:36 AM
OMG I just found out that @themattmcd.bsky.social KNOWS the guy who voiced Tristan Rao in Outer Worlds 2?? I love that big dummy so much!!! Uh, the character, I mean, not the guy, who I'm sure is not a dummy, and whose size is unknown to me.
Every now and then something tangentially reminds me that there was a bad guy in Guild Wars named "Lumps Ruinator," and all in my mind becomes unfettered delight for one shining moment.
November 11, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Every now and then something tangentially reminds me that there was a bad guy in Guild Wars named "Lumps Ruinator," and all in my mind becomes unfettered delight for one shining moment.
It's apparently award eligibility post season in the SF/F world!
I am delighted to say that I am eligible for absolutely nothing, so you can vote for whatever you want without crushing my dreams!
I am delighted to say that I am eligible for absolutely nothing, so you can vote for whatever you want without crushing my dreams!
November 11, 2025 at 2:25 AM
It's apparently award eligibility post season in the SF/F world!
I am delighted to say that I am eligible for absolutely nothing, so you can vote for whatever you want without crushing my dreams!
I am delighted to say that I am eligible for absolutely nothing, so you can vote for whatever you want without crushing my dreams!
I don't say a lot of political stuff, because I don't know as much about it as a lot of the folks already talking, but...
I've been watching my senator Adam Schiff for a while, and this guy is not fighting. He's doing the "brand" of fighting while making sure that he incurs no risk whatsoever.
I've been watching my senator Adam Schiff for a while, and this guy is not fighting. He's doing the "brand" of fighting while making sure that he incurs no risk whatsoever.
November 11, 2025 at 2:18 AM
I don't say a lot of political stuff, because I don't know as much about it as a lot of the folks already talking, but...
I've been watching my senator Adam Schiff for a while, and this guy is not fighting. He's doing the "brand" of fighting while making sure that he incurs no risk whatsoever.
I've been watching my senator Adam Schiff for a while, and this guy is not fighting. He's doing the "brand" of fighting while making sure that he incurs no risk whatsoever.
Literally counting the days until I get to go to Lare's in Santa Monica and eat some cilantro-free Mexican food for the first time in a couple of years.
It's five days, if anyone's counting.
(I'm counting.)
It's five days, if anyone's counting.
(I'm counting.)
November 11, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Literally counting the days until I get to go to Lare's in Santa Monica and eat some cilantro-free Mexican food for the first time in a couple of years.
It's five days, if anyone's counting.
(I'm counting.)
It's five days, if anyone's counting.
(I'm counting.)
Varying difficulty levels.
November 11, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Varying difficulty levels.
It's probably time for the regular advisory:
If you assume any non-atheist is a duped idiot of some kind, it would be best for you to unfollow me. I respect your beliefs about the big picture or lack thereof, but I'm not interested in interacting with those who don't respect mine.
If you assume any non-atheist is a duped idiot of some kind, it would be best for you to unfollow me. I respect your beliefs about the big picture or lack thereof, but I'm not interested in interacting with those who don't respect mine.
November 11, 2025 at 1:28 AM
It's probably time for the regular advisory:
If you assume any non-atheist is a duped idiot of some kind, it would be best for you to unfollow me. I respect your beliefs about the big picture or lack thereof, but I'm not interested in interacting with those who don't respect mine.
If you assume any non-atheist is a duped idiot of some kind, it would be best for you to unfollow me. I respect your beliefs about the big picture or lack thereof, but I'm not interested in interacting with those who don't respect mine.
I have adjusted the percentages in my bio to reflect my current priorities. 😂
November 11, 2025 at 1:23 AM
I have adjusted the percentages in my bio to reflect my current priorities. 😂
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Come work here at Illinois! We have two Diversity Residency Visiting positions open. I'm chairing one of the two searches:
www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/resi... #libraryjobs
www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/resi... #libraryjobs
Library Diversity Residency Program – General Information – U of I Library
www.library.illinois.edu
November 10, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Come work here at Illinois! We have two Diversity Residency Visiting positions open. I'm chairing one of the two searches:
www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/resi... #libraryjobs
www.library.illinois.edu/geninfo/resi... #libraryjobs
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
![Comic. Someone is claiming to predict the exact date of a future earthquake. Should you listen? [flowchart: start] → NO (There are big earthquakes constantly, so if anyone ever *does* figure this out, it will be immediately obvious that their method works and then the world’s seismologists will not shut up about it. You won’t need this flowchart.)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreic7wdqg4w6qfevbqzzq4esd6237pojsnpwsrbb7gaxsxobqaiwazm@jpeg)
November 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Happy There Is A Circulatory System Walking Through The Kitchen Day to all who celebrate.
November 10, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Happy There Is A Circulatory System Walking Through The Kitchen Day to all who celebrate.
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
I find academics particularly awkward about telling audiences something some people might already know, even though I've found that when someone repeats some things I already know as background it enhances my perception of their credibility
Don't fear the repetition, embrace it!
Don't fear the repetition, embrace it!
November 10, 2025 at 8:33 PM
I find academics particularly awkward about telling audiences something some people might already know, even though I've found that when someone repeats some things I already know as background it enhances my perception of their credibility
Don't fear the repetition, embrace it!
Don't fear the repetition, embrace it!
Inaction is not always the same thing as denial. Sometimes there is literally no action to take on a thing, and so your choices are 1) flail around in anguish doing nothing, or... 2) do something unrelated.
If you see someone skipping 1 and going straight to 2, it doesn't mean they don't care.
If you see someone skipping 1 and going straight to 2, it doesn't mean they don't care.
November 10, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Inaction is not always the same thing as denial. Sometimes there is literally no action to take on a thing, and so your choices are 1) flail around in anguish doing nothing, or... 2) do something unrelated.
If you see someone skipping 1 and going straight to 2, it doesn't mean they don't care.
If you see someone skipping 1 and going straight to 2, it doesn't mean they don't care.
It is possible to acknowledge that a thing is horrific and inexcusable without making your whole day about it.
If you have the ability to improve the thing, you should definitely make some days about it. Otherwise, what harm in making your day about something you can improve, instead?
If you have the ability to improve the thing, you should definitely make some days about it. Otherwise, what harm in making your day about something you can improve, instead?
November 10, 2025 at 7:44 PM
It is possible to acknowledge that a thing is horrific and inexcusable without making your whole day about it.
If you have the ability to improve the thing, you should definitely make some days about it. Otherwise, what harm in making your day about something you can improve, instead?
If you have the ability to improve the thing, you should definitely make some days about it. Otherwise, what harm in making your day about something you can improve, instead?
If you accuse someone of "shaming" you, you're admitting that you've granted them control over your feelings.
November 10, 2025 at 7:36 PM
If you accuse someone of "shaming" you, you're admitting that you've granted them control over your feelings.
The Eye Situation I finally went to the doctor and got an ointment for (a visibly clogged eyelid gland that wasn't bothering me much for the entire month it continued but I figured I'd proactively try to prevent it from getting worse) is now ITCHING LIKE MAD.
Healing is fun!
Healing is fun!
November 10, 2025 at 7:33 PM
The Eye Situation I finally went to the doctor and got an ointment for (a visibly clogged eyelid gland that wasn't bothering me much for the entire month it continued but I figured I'd proactively try to prevent it from getting worse) is now ITCHING LIKE MAD.
Healing is fun!
Healing is fun!
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Went shopping this afternoon. Taking a shortcut on foot through a small local park, I encountered a fluffy white cat with very blue eyes walking its owner on a leash. It owned the footpath and *absolutely* wanted me to respect its right of way.
(Next time I shall take a photo.)
(Next time I shall take a photo.)
November 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Went shopping this afternoon. Taking a shortcut on foot through a small local park, I encountered a fluffy white cat with very blue eyes walking its owner on a leash. It owned the footpath and *absolutely* wanted me to respect its right of way.
(Next time I shall take a photo.)
(Next time I shall take a photo.)
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
Me: All right, time to focus. Lots of work to do this afternoon on the book and other brain-intensive activities.
My Brain: Hey, remember that really ignorant thing you said twenty-five years ago? How about we run that on a loop for a while, instead?
My Brain: Hey, remember that really ignorant thing you said twenty-five years ago? How about we run that on a loop for a while, instead?
November 10, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Me: All right, time to focus. Lots of work to do this afternoon on the book and other brain-intensive activities.
My Brain: Hey, remember that really ignorant thing you said twenty-five years ago? How about we run that on a loop for a while, instead?
My Brain: Hey, remember that really ignorant thing you said twenty-five years ago? How about we run that on a loop for a while, instead?
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
This holiday season, give Jeff Bezos and Amazon the gift of zero dollars. 🥰
November 10, 2025 at 6:47 PM
This holiday season, give Jeff Bezos and Amazon the gift of zero dollars. 🥰
Reposted by Mishell Baker thankfully
girl who's training for a job on a spaceship: hey why's there a "self-destruct sequence" why do we have that? when is that ever going to be something we want to do? I think I quit, actually
November 10, 2025 at 6:55 PM
girl who's training for a job on a spaceship: hey why's there a "self-destruct sequence" why do we have that? when is that ever going to be something we want to do? I think I quit, actually
I loved this game SO much and still dream of all the additions that could be made to it. This reminds me... I should replay it sometime soon!
Nine years ago, Tyranny invited players to rule a world conquered by evil. Today we celebrate its 9th anniversary and every Fatebinder who brought justice (or ruin) to the Tiers. ⚖️
Fatebinder, when was the last time you visited the world of Terratus? store.steampowered.com/app/362960/Tyranny/
Fatebinder, when was the last time you visited the world of Terratus? store.steampowered.com/app/362960/Tyranny/
November 10, 2025 at 7:25 PM
I loved this game SO much and still dream of all the additions that could be made to it. This reminds me... I should replay it sometime soon!