Thomas Parrott
@parrotttom.bsky.social
Former tie-in author, cat enthusiast, and all around lover of storytelling and games of many kinds. Always a work in progress, always trying to be better than yesterday. Living with MDD & BPD. He/him
Profile pic by @juanochoa.bsky.social
Profile pic by @juanochoa.bsky.social
they then proceeded to accidentally create the Philosopher's Stone by simulating the conditions at the singularity of a black hole
Scientists mimicking the Big Bang accidentally turn lead into gold
Scientists mimicking the Big Bang accidentally turn lead into gold
Scientists mimicking the Big Bang accidentally turn lead into gold
www.independent.co.uk
January 20, 2026 at 5:05 PM
they then proceeded to accidentally create the Philosopher's Stone by simulating the conditions at the singularity of a black hole
I'm just really worn out. Part of that's probably some SAD (an eternally funny acronym to me). Part of it is being burnt out at work. The lingering cough from my recent illness isn't helping. And always, always there's... You know... The dumpster fire that is my home nation.
a man with a cigarette in his mouth and green paint on his face
ALT: a man with a cigarette in his mouth and green paint on his face
media.tenor.com
January 18, 2026 at 10:11 AM
I'm just really worn out. Part of that's probably some SAD (an eternally funny acronym to me). Part of it is being burnt out at work. The lingering cough from my recent illness isn't helping. And always, always there's... You know... The dumpster fire that is my home nation.
I see so many people like "oh I hate if I get a male shopper, they're awful" and let me tell you I would ROCK YOUR GROCERY WORLD. I'm talking keen, surgical substitutions that may even *improve* on your plans. I know a shallot from a green onion. Ingles should have hired me when I applied.
January 17, 2026 at 11:33 AM
I see so many people like "oh I hate if I get a male shopper, they're awful" and let me tell you I would ROCK YOUR GROCERY WORLD. I'm talking keen, surgical substitutions that may even *improve* on your plans. I know a shallot from a green onion. Ingles should have hired me when I applied.
It is so wearisome seeing fellow Americans being like "OMG, Canada and Europe are turning to other alliances now, how dare they"
Like yes, dumb fucks. That's the consequence of Trump's bullshit. We're not seizing global leadership. We're ceding it.
Like yes, dumb fucks. That's the consequence of Trump's bullshit. We're not seizing global leadership. We're ceding it.
January 17, 2026 at 6:12 AM
It is so wearisome seeing fellow Americans being like "OMG, Canada and Europe are turning to other alliances now, how dare they"
Like yes, dumb fucks. That's the consequence of Trump's bullshit. We're not seizing global leadership. We're ceding it.
Like yes, dumb fucks. That's the consequence of Trump's bullshit. We're not seizing global leadership. We're ceding it.
Hazard of the life, I fear.
January 17, 2026 at 2:13 AM
Hazard of the life, I fear.
I know wit is everything on social media, but I really don't have anything clever to say. The way my country is behaving is disgusting. Events both foreign and domestic have me sick with worry. I feel powerless and afraid.
January 15, 2026 at 9:00 AM
I know wit is everything on social media, but I really don't have anything clever to say. The way my country is behaving is disgusting. Events both foreign and domestic have me sick with worry. I feel powerless and afraid.
I love space stuff. From the real science to the fiction to just the pretty pictures. But one thing that proves more and more true with time is that as my personal understanding of astronomy and its sister sciences grows, so too does my appreciation of what a beautiful marvel our Earth is.
January 14, 2026 at 11:32 AM
I love space stuff. From the real science to the fiction to just the pretty pictures. But one thing that proves more and more true with time is that as my personal understanding of astronomy and its sister sciences grows, so too does my appreciation of what a beautiful marvel our Earth is.
Fantasy pantheons tend to work one of two ways:
God of Magic
God of Mages
One is presented as the literal source/controller of magic as a concept. The other is more of an archetype or patron, worshipped by those who study magic.
Thoughts? Is there a version you like more between the two?
God of Magic
God of Mages
One is presented as the literal source/controller of magic as a concept. The other is more of an archetype or patron, worshipped by those who study magic.
Thoughts? Is there a version you like more between the two?
January 11, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Fantasy pantheons tend to work one of two ways:
God of Magic
God of Mages
One is presented as the literal source/controller of magic as a concept. The other is more of an archetype or patron, worshipped by those who study magic.
Thoughts? Is there a version you like more between the two?
God of Magic
God of Mages
One is presented as the literal source/controller of magic as a concept. The other is more of an archetype or patron, worshipped by those who study magic.
Thoughts? Is there a version you like more between the two?
brachistochrone is a fun word
brachistochrone
brachistochrone
January 11, 2026 at 1:21 AM
brachistochrone is a fun word
brachistochrone
brachistochrone
I know I'm old now because I like everything in the Chex mix bag
January 10, 2026 at 9:01 AM
I know I'm old now because I like everything in the Chex mix bag
On the list of things I do not get used to no matter how long I do this job:
Gangrene/necrosis
Still gives me the absolute heebie-jeebies.
Gangrene/necrosis
Still gives me the absolute heebie-jeebies.
January 9, 2026 at 10:51 AM
On the list of things I do not get used to no matter how long I do this job:
Gangrene/necrosis
Still gives me the absolute heebie-jeebies.
Gangrene/necrosis
Still gives me the absolute heebie-jeebies.
tom why do you have a thing for women who could just as soon snap you in half
that's so weird isn't it no idea man anyway
my formative years:
that's so weird isn't it no idea man anyway
my formative years:
January 9, 2026 at 9:53 AM
tom why do you have a thing for women who could just as soon snap you in half
that's so weird isn't it no idea man anyway
my formative years:
that's so weird isn't it no idea man anyway
my formative years:
There is a whole sequence in the CRPG I'm playing where your character can shame someone for "looting the dead", and your paladin party member will gently be like "hey is that who you really want to be" to them.
It is very funny to me.
It is very funny to me.
January 5, 2026 at 12:10 PM
There is a whole sequence in the CRPG I'm playing where your character can shame someone for "looting the dead", and your paladin party member will gently be like "hey is that who you really want to be" to them.
It is very funny to me.
It is very funny to me.
I keep kneejerk wanting to fall back on some wry witticism, but like... this is bad. Like really bad, in a broad international stability sense.
January 3, 2026 at 12:53 PM
I keep kneejerk wanting to fall back on some wry witticism, but like... this is bad. Like really bad, in a broad international stability sense.
i fear i must update common vernacular, in this case the devil's threesome. i can now confirm that having the flu and covid at the same damn time is in fact the most infernal threesome on record.
December 28, 2025 at 10:10 AM
i fear i must update common vernacular, in this case the devil's threesome. i can now confirm that having the flu and covid at the same damn time is in fact the most infernal threesome on record.
Broad rule: under tradpub structuring, if money is flowing from you as the author, you are being scammed.
Other people will get paid *upstream* from you from the book's proceeds, but you shouldn't have to be writing people checks.
Other people will get paid *upstream* from you from the book's proceeds, but you shouldn't have to be writing people checks.
Ok, since this has come up four times in the last three days:
REPUTABLE LITERARY AGENTS WILL NOT CHARGE YOU MONEY.
IF A LITERARY AGENT WANTS TO CHARGE YOU FOR AN "EXPEDITED ACCESS PACKAGE" THIS IS A SCAM.
REPUTABLE LITERARY AGENTS WILL NOT CHARGE YOU MONEY.
IF A LITERARY AGENT WANTS TO CHARGE YOU FOR AN "EXPEDITED ACCESS PACKAGE" THIS IS A SCAM.
December 27, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Broad rule: under tradpub structuring, if money is flowing from you as the author, you are being scammed.
Other people will get paid *upstream* from you from the book's proceeds, but you shouldn't have to be writing people checks.
Other people will get paid *upstream* from you from the book's proceeds, but you shouldn't have to be writing people checks.
Tiny Tim, who lies dead but dreaming in forgotten Rl'yeh, where with strange aeons even death may die...
Tiny Tim, who reloaded from his last save,
December 26, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Tiny Tim, who lies dead but dreaming in forgotten Rl'yeh, where with strange aeons even death may die...
A procedure mask box converted into a candy bowl #justERthings
December 25, 2025 at 7:24 AM
A procedure mask box converted into a candy bowl #justERthings
This is a v. cool thread even beyond interest in the game itself.
A lot of games of all types do place violence as, if not the default option, than certainly as a primary option.
Others try to discard it altogether.
Neither is *wrong*, but it's interesting to consider violence as a failure state.
A lot of games of all types do place violence as, if not the default option, than certainly as a primary option.
Others try to discard it altogether.
Neither is *wrong*, but it's interesting to consider violence as a failure state.
December 19, 2025 at 11:36 AM
This is a v. cool thread even beyond interest in the game itself.
A lot of games of all types do place violence as, if not the default option, than certainly as a primary option.
Others try to discard it altogether.
Neither is *wrong*, but it's interesting to consider violence as a failure state.
A lot of games of all types do place violence as, if not the default option, than certainly as a primary option.
Others try to discard it altogether.
Neither is *wrong*, but it's interesting to consider violence as a failure state.
me and my decade long project took that personally
Realistically, tabletop RPGs are no more capable of emulating the experience of playing a video game than video games are capable of emulating the experience of playing a tabletop RPG, but at least with the former it's fun to see how they fail.
December 14, 2025 at 6:56 AM
me and my decade long project took that personally
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is such a good comic series, and seeing bits of it brought to life in the teaser trailer is amazing. Like the line "Krypton didn't die in a day, the gods are not that kind." gives me goosebumps knowing the context in the series.
December 13, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is such a good comic series, and seeing bits of it brought to life in the teaser trailer is amazing. Like the line "Krypton didn't die in a day, the gods are not that kind." gives me goosebumps knowing the context in the series.
This is irresponsible coverage. You are not making the choice to speak with your loved one. You are making the choice to have a bot puppeteer their image. They are still dead and gone.
IN DEPTH | If you could speak to your dead grandmother forever, would you?
If you could speak to your dead grandmother forever, would you?
www.independent.co.uk
December 11, 2025 at 4:42 AM
This is irresponsible coverage. You are not making the choice to speak with your loved one. You are making the choice to have a bot puppeteer their image. They are still dead and gone.
This has been a wildly stressful 30 days, but I appear to be coming out the other side intact so hey. A win is a win.
December 9, 2025 at 4:35 PM
This has been a wildly stressful 30 days, but I appear to be coming out the other side intact so hey. A win is a win.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 7, 2025 at 9:37 AM
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?
I'm just so pleased for capitalism that it finally found the sawdust to put in the bread that was art. And now we all get to consume it, wondering what percentage is what.
November 28, 2025 at 12:44 AM
I'm just so pleased for capitalism that it finally found the sawdust to put in the bread that was art. And now we all get to consume it, wondering what percentage is what.