Toni McLellan, she/her
@tonimc.bsky.social
Feral hag and word corvid at www.newtomephrases.com.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
I think we can all root for this.
January 18, 2026 at 2:43 PM
I think we can all root for this.
Who is this little guy? Find out next week! Sign up for my newsletter at www.newtomephrases.com
January 18, 2026 at 6:44 PM
Who is this little guy? Find out next week! Sign up for my newsletter at www.newtomephrases.com
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
AI can't take my job as a writer because I don't even have one
January 16, 2026 at 11:23 PM
AI can't take my job as a writer because I don't even have one
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
Wow, sure would be pretty crazy if a ton of experts in the artificial intelligence field relentlessly warned everyone about this state of affairs being inevitable over and over for years.
January 17, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Wow, sure would be pretty crazy if a ton of experts in the artificial intelligence field relentlessly warned everyone about this state of affairs being inevitable over and over for years.
"Minnesota nice" taking on a whole new meaning is one of the good things to come out of 2026 so far.
January 17, 2026 at 1:26 PM
"Minnesota nice" taking on a whole new meaning is one of the good things to come out of 2026 so far.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
Nice thing about Minneapolis being kinda small is that it’s hard to convince us protesters are being paid because you’d go out and oh there’s that kid from my high school who played Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha one year, and is that the pharmacist at my CVS over there, and there goes our realtor
January 17, 2026 at 6:10 AM
Nice thing about Minneapolis being kinda small is that it’s hard to convince us protesters are being paid because you’d go out and oh there’s that kid from my high school who played Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha one year, and is that the pharmacist at my CVS over there, and there goes our realtor
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
Even more bad library bills being proposed in state legislatures. Don't just read and understand what's at stake here–take action to help stop their progress.
Attempts to suppress LGBTQ+ books in libraries? They're not happening at the local level, folks.
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
Attempts to suppress LGBTQ+ books in libraries? They're not happening at the local level, folks.
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
Even More Bad Library Bills for 2026–and How to Fight Them Now
Two more bad bills have hit state legislatures in Indiana and Ohio. Here's what they are, what they do, and how to take action now.
buttondown.com
January 17, 2026 at 1:11 PM
Even more bad library bills being proposed in state legislatures. Don't just read and understand what's at stake here–take action to help stop their progress.
Attempts to suppress LGBTQ+ books in libraries? They're not happening at the local level, folks.
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
Attempts to suppress LGBTQ+ books in libraries? They're not happening at the local level, folks.
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
Wild being forced to be the bad guys by a demented leader on the world stage. How deeply embarrassing.
Copenhagen town hall square, Denmark right now.
Massive solidarity with Greenland demonstrations.
Source: dr.dk
Massive solidarity with Greenland demonstrations.
Source: dr.dk
January 17, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Wild being forced to be the bad guys by a demented leader on the world stage. How deeply embarrassing.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
The only good thing about all this is that it has brought to my attention that the Greenland flag frickin’ rules. #Erfalasorput
January 17, 2026 at 1:00 PM
The only good thing about all this is that it has brought to my attention that the Greenland flag frickin’ rules. #Erfalasorput
Unbreaking is doing vital work by tracking things the Trump admin is breaking, in the hope that one day we might restore it. It's an all-volunteer effort (I'm one of them) for anyone to use in reporting, research, other tracking efforts, etc. Subscribe to get weekly updates.
This week, we have a briefing on Immigration and quick updates from our Data Security, Federal Workforce, and Medical Research Funding teams: unbreaking.org/blog/this-we...
This week at Unbreaking, January 16 — Unbreaking
This week, we have a briefing on Immigration and quick updates from our Data Security, Federal Workforce, and Medical Research Funding teams.
unbreaking.org
January 17, 2026 at 1:04 PM
Unbreaking is doing vital work by tracking things the Trump admin is breaking, in the hope that one day we might restore it. It's an all-volunteer effort (I'm one of them) for anyone to use in reporting, research, other tracking efforts, etc. Subscribe to get weekly updates.
Do we really have to endure all of this ::gestures wildly:: AND barrel-leg jeans?
January 8, 2026 at 11:15 PM
Do we really have to endure all of this ::gestures wildly:: AND barrel-leg jeans?
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
holodeck hard reset
January 5, 2026 at 7:49 PM
holodeck hard reset
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
In 2026 I want all of the decent people to remember one thing.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all.
January 1, 2026 at 10:30 PM
In 2026 I want all of the decent people to remember one thing.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all.
You aren’t meant to be this disciplined, this self-sacrificing to survive. The environment is supposed to support good living. We can have that. You are not a failure. That is politics.
That is all.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
This absolute DIVA walked up to our breakfast table and struck this pose on a stage. Bow down.
January 1, 2026 at 11:20 PM
This absolute DIVA walked up to our breakfast table and struck this pose on a stage. Bow down.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
Never seen this so devastatingly and lucidly articulated.
Essentially, I think that LLM-generated dialogue only makes sense if you believe that the product of writing is words.
But the product of writing isn't words, any more than the product of justice is prisoners, or the product of love is weddings. The product of writing is meaning.
But the product of writing isn't words, any more than the product of justice is prisoners, or the product of love is weddings. The product of writing is meaning.
I had five fascinating conversations for this RPS piece, gathering perspectives on genAI chatbots in games, as seen in Where Winds Meet. Thanks to @meghna.bsky.social, @pyrofoux.bsky.social, @maxkreminski.bsky.social, and @chrisgardiner.bsky.social www.rockpapershotgun.com/horrible-bor...
December 26, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Never seen this so devastatingly and lucidly articulated.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
The incredibly corrupt, lawless, & unconstitutional nature of the entire DOGE enterprise requires Elon Musk and lots of other people to spend the rest of their lives in jail.
The Wisconsin component of the analysis here is revealing. Evidence is consistent with DOGE strategically delaying contract terminations in WI until after the 2025 state Supreme Court elections to mitigate electoral risk.
December 26, 2025 at 1:30 PM
The incredibly corrupt, lawless, & unconstitutional nature of the entire DOGE enterprise requires Elon Musk and lots of other people to spend the rest of their lives in jail.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
TL;DR AI shills don’t know or care why people connect with art. Their experience of art is as little posts scrolling by with numbers affixed to them, and they think that’s all there is. Sad, clueless dilettantes at life.
There’s lot to be said about how little AI shills know about art, but not enough is said about how little they think of fandom, of community, of all the people who bring the art to each other. That’s why it’s never gonna happen like they want. They’ll never have the adulation they crave.
December 25, 2025 at 10:51 PM
TL;DR AI shills don’t know or care why people connect with art. Their experience of art is as little posts scrolling by with numbers affixed to them, and they think that’s all there is. Sad, clueless dilettantes at life.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
Hey it's early Sunday morning, how about preordering my little zine of writing from the year. shop.dansinker.com/products/the...
They Can't Take Us All - zine preorder
I think physical objects are pretty great, and so I'm collecting my favorite writing from 2025's blog posts into a little perfect-bound zine called "They Can't Take Us All." It will feature pieces li...
shop.dansinker.com
December 21, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Hey it's early Sunday morning, how about preordering my little zine of writing from the year. shop.dansinker.com/products/the...
Here, for your heart: A decent human being doing good with his wealth in his community.
It’s the “season of love and giving”…but this year, doesn’t it seem more like a “season of fear and taking”? Like many of you, I’ve been saddened by the human impact of draconian government budget cuts and how angry many housed Americans are at unhoused Americans.
🧵 1 of 9
🧵 1 of 9
December 21, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Here, for your heart: A decent human being doing good with his wealth in his community.
If you live in one of the TWENTY-ONE (WTAF) states who want to tell you what you can and cannot read by banning library books, call your attorney general. Talking points for calling are in this post. This is disturbing. Get mad. Get loud. Don't let up.
This week, we learned 21 states are eager to dismantle your First Amendment Rights.
It should be bigger news.
Here's the story, and here's what you can be doing about it. These are YOUR RIGHTS that the states want to steal from you.
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
It should be bigger news.
Here's the story, and here's what you can be doing about it. These are YOUR RIGHTS that the states want to steal from you.
buttondown.com/wellsourced/...
The Blueprint of Censorship In 2026 Is Florida, Right Now
This week, we learned 21 states are eager to dismantle your First Amendment Rights. It should be bigger news.
buttondown.com
December 20, 2025 at 1:55 PM
If you live in one of the TWENTY-ONE (WTAF) states who want to tell you what you can and cannot read by banning library books, call your attorney general. Talking points for calling are in this post. This is disturbing. Get mad. Get loud. Don't let up.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
I love my two blackout drunk Minnesota sons
December 18, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I love my two blackout drunk Minnesota sons
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
Each summer, I lead a week-long creative retreat for environmental researchers & academics on Catalina Island. We develop your most ambitious project ideas. It's truly life-changing.
Applications for the 2026 Storymakers fellowship are now open! Deadline is Feb 1. dornsife.usc.edu/wrigley/enga...
Applications for the 2026 Storymakers fellowship are now open! Deadline is Feb 1. dornsife.usc.edu/wrigley/enga...
Storymakers Program - Wrigley Institute for Environment and Sustainability
Creating a more sustainable and environmentally just future for our planet and all who live on it
dornsife.usc.edu
December 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Each summer, I lead a week-long creative retreat for environmental researchers & academics on Catalina Island. We develop your most ambitious project ideas. It's truly life-changing.
Applications for the 2026 Storymakers fellowship are now open! Deadline is Feb 1. dornsife.usc.edu/wrigley/enga...
Applications for the 2026 Storymakers fellowship are now open! Deadline is Feb 1. dornsife.usc.edu/wrigley/enga...
I can't believe we made it to 150 editions of New-To-Me Phrases, but we did it! If you love learning new things and silliness, this is the newsletter for you. Check it out!
www.newtomephrases.com/p/ntmp-150-p...
www.newtomephrases.com/p/ntmp-150-p...
NTMP 150: Polar Vortex Core
It's the farty nits we made along the way.
www.newtomephrases.com
December 14, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I can't believe we made it to 150 editions of New-To-Me Phrases, but we did it! If you love learning new things and silliness, this is the newsletter for you. Check it out!
www.newtomephrases.com/p/ntmp-150-p...
www.newtomephrases.com/p/ntmp-150-p...
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
Sam Altman: hey I made a machine that stole literally all your stuff in order to make CSAM of your child actors, sometimes it encourages people to kill themselves
Disney: Holy shit here's a billion dollars
Altman: the machine loses more than that each week but thank you. Soon it will become god.
Disney: Holy shit here's a billion dollars
Altman: the machine loses more than that each week but thank you. Soon it will become god.
December 12, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Sam Altman: hey I made a machine that stole literally all your stuff in order to make CSAM of your child actors, sometimes it encourages people to kill themselves
Disney: Holy shit here's a billion dollars
Altman: the machine loses more than that each week but thank you. Soon it will become god.
Disney: Holy shit here's a billion dollars
Altman: the machine loses more than that each week but thank you. Soon it will become god.
Reposted by Toni McLellan, she/her
One of my neighbors has been putting up these fish facts posters. All kinds of different fish, marine, freshwater, deep, shallow, all kinds. This is a good one. “Stg this real fish” took me out. Good work, neighbor.
December 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM
One of my neighbors has been putting up these fish facts posters. All kinds of different fish, marine, freshwater, deep, shallow, all kinds. This is a good one. “Stg this real fish” took me out. Good work, neighbor.