Alex
@alex-me-jones.bsky.social
Queer, bi, plant science prof (She/她/elle). I enjoy growing plants, lifting weights and trying to learn Chinese (普通话). Left leaning politics.
Work related stuff is over on LinkedIn (alex-jones-553a8818) passing chat with mostly IRL friends here.
Work related stuff is over on LinkedIn (alex-jones-553a8818) passing chat with mostly IRL friends here.
For learning simplified Chinese characters I've really been enjoying an app called Hanly (free!) but most of all I appreciate the kind, very human, little messages like this when I've not used it for a while. Unlike Duolingo's angry threatening owl.
August 7, 2025 at 6:14 PM
For learning simplified Chinese characters I've really been enjoying an app called Hanly (free!) but most of all I appreciate the kind, very human, little messages like this when I've not used it for a while. Unlike Duolingo's angry threatening owl.
Post an unusual sign if you feel like it
June 28, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Post an unusual sign if you feel like it
More garden bees. It's a little hard to see quite how many there are (lots). I love the full bright orange pollen baskets.
May 31, 2025 at 4:53 PM
More garden bees. It's a little hard to see quite how many there are (lots). I love the full bright orange pollen baskets.
Here it is. It's on the internet already so do as you will. I trust you to give this fake persona a good name, well at least a smokin' hot one. 😉
May 26, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Here it is. It's on the internet already so do as you will. I trust you to give this fake persona a good name, well at least a smokin' hot one. 😉
I'm really enjoying the variety of bees in my garden at the moment. Here are bumble bees on sage. Sound up for the buzzing!
May 26, 2025 at 9:54 AM
I'm really enjoying the variety of bees in my garden at the moment. Here are bumble bees on sage. Sound up for the buzzing!
I've been learning Mandarin for one year! So please indulge me as I use this thread to share my thoughts and experience so far on: 'is Duo enough?', what are graded readers?, a professor joined an undergraduate class, video lessons, is 50+ too old to learn?
#Duolingo #language #中文 #udemy #duchinese
#Duolingo #language #中文 #udemy #duchinese
April 20, 2025 at 9:09 AM
I've been learning Mandarin for one year! So please indulge me as I use this thread to share my thoughts and experience so far on: 'is Duo enough?', what are graded readers?, a professor joined an undergraduate class, video lessons, is 50+ too old to learn?
#Duolingo #language #中文 #udemy #duchinese
#Duolingo #language #中文 #udemy #duchinese
About 100 people showed up with good mix of people and the public were generally nice and quietly supportive.
April 19, 2025 at 4:28 PM
About 100 people showed up with good mix of people and the public were generally nice and quietly supportive.
One for @dougclow.bsky.social this is my old amaryllis that I had been treating rather badly. Your enthusiastic posts earlier this year prompted me to re pot it.
March 27, 2025 at 1:09 PM
One for @dougclow.bsky.social this is my old amaryllis that I had been treating rather badly. Your enthusiastic posts earlier this year prompted me to re pot it.
My week in London is going less well than I'd hoped because I've a nasty cold. But I went for a little walk on the common and enjoyed watching parakeets yesterday.
March 23, 2025 at 8:38 AM
My week in London is going less well than I'd hoped because I've a nasty cold. But I went for a little walk on the common and enjoyed watching parakeets yesterday.
Just had to correct this. Joe you are welcome.
February 21, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Just had to correct this. Joe you are welcome.
Good late gym today (trying to avoid driving on ice). Feeling fierce in my excellent t-shirt and extra tough with gloves (not visible) that protect my hand while it heals. Thermals on: now to walk a mile to my office. Ah it's only -1C out there.
January 10, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Good late gym today (trying to avoid driving on ice). Feeling fierce in my excellent t-shirt and extra tough with gloves (not visible) that protect my hand while it heals. Thermals on: now to walk a mile to my office. Ah it's only -1C out there.
Oh love. Sending paw paddles.
December 29, 2024 at 5:54 PM
Oh love. Sending paw paddles.
Today is my favourite celebration : I'escalade de Genève. Com. the defence of the city in 1602 with parades & chocolate cauldrons filled with marzipan that you smash and yell '"Ainsi périrent les ennemis de la République!"
I want a cauldron/marmite to smash!
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Esc...
I want a cauldron/marmite to smash!
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Esc...
December 12, 2024 at 8:32 AM
Today is my favourite celebration : I'escalade de Genève. Com. the defence of the city in 1602 with parades & chocolate cauldrons filled with marzipan that you smash and yell '"Ainsi périrent les ennemis de la République!"
I want a cauldron/marmite to smash!
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Esc...
I want a cauldron/marmite to smash!
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Esc...
I had my A1 Chinese test today and I think it went ok. Not perfect but probably not a disaster. I've treated myself to this book as a reward. Obvs it's super serious and professorial. Pleased that Mars is the fire star 火星 and one name is a pun
马天明 😁(ma tian ming)
马天明 😁(ma tian ming)
December 6, 2024 at 6:36 PM
I had my A1 Chinese test today and I think it went ok. Not perfect but probably not a disaster. I've treated myself to this book as a reward. Obvs it's super serious and professorial. Pleased that Mars is the fire star 火星 and one name is a pun
马天明 😁(ma tian ming)
马天明 😁(ma tian ming)
Looks great! I've just renewed my membership of the amaryllis club. Here's my new white one in bud and my old red one who I'll try to be nicer to
December 6, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Looks great! I've just renewed my membership of the amaryllis club. Here's my new white one in bud and my old red one who I'll try to be nicer to
Is the smash ball hurled at the wall? I love those (just 9 kg). But when they refurbished our uni gym they didn't reinforce the walls, but kept the balls...
Btw I didn't do the damage below.
Btw I didn't do the damage below.
December 6, 2024 at 4:44 PM
Is the smash ball hurled at the wall? I love those (just 9 kg). But when they refurbished our uni gym they didn't reinforce the walls, but kept the balls...
Btw I didn't do the damage below.
Btw I didn't do the damage below.
Wonderful and important news everyone! The bluesky cat pics feed is fixed! Hurrah! Biscuit has been waiting patiently.
December 4, 2024 at 8:46 PM
Wonderful and important news everyone! The bluesky cat pics feed is fixed! Hurrah! Biscuit has been waiting patiently.
I really enjoy #duolingo and I think their Chinese course is excellent. I'm also pretty happy with this result (or maybe I spend too much time poking my phone? It beats doomscrolling)
December 2, 2024 at 4:42 PM
I really enjoy #duolingo and I think their Chinese course is excellent. I'm also pretty happy with this result (or maybe I spend too much time poking my phone? It beats doomscrolling)
Seriously #Duolingo What's wrong with you? First the horrible melting face to shame us into using you daily. Now end of year threats and judgement? Am I safe from you indeed.
I want you to be my cute, friendly, supportive buddy please. I can do shame, pressure and guilt all on my own thanks.
I want you to be my cute, friendly, supportive buddy please. I can do shame, pressure and guilt all on my own thanks.
December 2, 2024 at 4:20 PM
Seriously #Duolingo What's wrong with you? First the horrible melting face to shame us into using you daily. Now end of year threats and judgement? Am I safe from you indeed.
I want you to be my cute, friendly, supportive buddy please. I can do shame, pressure and guilt all on my own thanks.
I want you to be my cute, friendly, supportive buddy please. I can do shame, pressure and guilt all on my own thanks.
Lovely long weekend visiting family in Northumberland. Here's the local beach at 9 am this morning. Remarkable how low the sun is!
November 25, 2024 at 6:31 PM
Lovely long weekend visiting family in Northumberland. Here's the local beach at 9 am this morning. Remarkable how low the sun is!
Just a fluffy cat pic for you. This is Mr Fluffy (he had other names ), the lovely cat of my lovely in-laws.
November 23, 2024 at 7:32 PM
Just a fluffy cat pic for you. This is Mr Fluffy (he had other names ), the lovely cat of my lovely in-laws.
I might be enjoying doing homework a bit too much. I'm happy to get a good reaction from my teacher. 😂
See alt text for translation.
See alt text for translation.
November 21, 2024 at 4:13 PM
I might be enjoying doing homework a bit too much. I'm happy to get a good reaction from my teacher. 😂
See alt text for translation.
See alt text for translation.
One sweaty post gym photo to warm you up this snowy morning! I hope you are all warm and safe today.
November 19, 2024 at 9:51 AM
One sweaty post gym photo to warm you up this snowy morning! I hope you are all warm and safe today.