David A. Conrad, Ph.D.
@davidaconrad.bsky.social
Author of AKIRA KUROSAWA AND MODERN JAPAN (2022)
Essayist for RAN 40th anniversary Blu-ray (2025)
New book on postwar Asia in progress
Part-time stay-at-home dad, adjunct, historian, old movie fan
Essayist for RAN 40th anniversary Blu-ray (2025)
New book on postwar Asia in progress
Part-time stay-at-home dad, adjunct, historian, old movie fan
I taught a bit of this Thoreau piece today, and that's now two days in a row I've been moved to share it in response to some bullshit.
October 31, 2025 at 12:45 AM
I taught a bit of this Thoreau piece today, and that's now two days in a row I've been moved to share it in response to some bullshit.
Remember when the celebrity political chatterers of the day weren't abject cowards?
October 29, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Remember when the celebrity political chatterers of the day weren't abject cowards?
It's been a buggy few days around here.
October 18, 2025 at 2:13 PM
It's been a buggy few days around here.
"Better a pig than a fascist."
(We painted rocks with the kids today.)
(We painted rocks with the kids today.)
October 12, 2025 at 10:45 PM
"Better a pig than a fascist."
(We painted rocks with the kids today.)
(We painted rocks with the kids today.)
You could try to be as nightmarishly wrong as AI-generated alt text, and you would fail.
October 10, 2025 at 2:38 AM
You could try to be as nightmarishly wrong as AI-generated alt text, and you would fail.
@harryblankscp.bsky.social "...the Gigantomachy, a mythical battle pitting order against chaos..." - September must be near.
August 6, 2025 at 12:45 PM
@harryblankscp.bsky.social "...the Gigantomachy, a mythical battle pitting order against chaos..." - September must be near.
Just a brilliant, clever piece of software. I forgot to add "-AI" to the end of my search, so I get this. As a treat.
July 26, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Just a brilliant, clever piece of software. I forgot to add "-AI" to the end of my search, so I get this. As a treat.
On day 8 of this month's sumo tournament, there was a guy nearly in the front row wearing a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine t-shirt. That is taste.
July 26, 2025 at 4:44 PM
On day 8 of this month's sumo tournament, there was a guy nearly in the front row wearing a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine t-shirt. That is taste.
In other words, the job-getting value of a degree is minimal. There may be long-term divergences and job-type differences, but at the outset, when the loans start coming due, the feeling is that it did nothing.
I designed a history syllabus recently and made sure to factor in job-use potential.
I designed a history syllabus recently and made sure to factor in job-use potential.
July 13, 2025 at 1:48 PM
In other words, the job-getting value of a degree is minimal. There may be long-term divergences and job-type differences, but at the outset, when the loans start coming due, the feeling is that it did nothing.
I designed a history syllabus recently and made sure to factor in job-use potential.
I designed a history syllabus recently and made sure to factor in job-use potential.
This Wikipedia contributor should write all plot synopses.
July 2, 2025 at 7:05 PM
This Wikipedia contributor should write all plot synopses.
It's so wrong that it's almost beautiful. Just a perfect little capsule of pure, artificial wrong-ness.
June 27, 2025 at 5:29 PM
It's so wrong that it's almost beautiful. Just a perfect little capsule of pure, artificial wrong-ness.
When you can't find your incense holder but your kids are really into collecting shells.
June 20, 2025 at 11:24 AM
When you can't find your incense holder but your kids are really into collecting shells.
@ryannorth.ca McDonalds' current happy meal activity book looks a bit familiar.
February 22, 2025 at 3:38 PM
@ryannorth.ca McDonalds' current happy meal activity book looks a bit familiar.
This was a very cool thing to do with a friend visiting Austin: the Cowboy Bebop score played live by a big brass and percussion band, accompanied by a well-edited clip video. If you have the chance to see the Bebop Bounty Big Band, do it. They're great fun and big fans of that transcendent anime.
March 6, 2024 at 5:34 AM
This was a very cool thing to do with a friend visiting Austin: the Cowboy Bebop score played live by a big brass and percussion band, accompanied by a well-edited clip video. If you have the chance to see the Bebop Bounty Big Band, do it. They're great fun and big fans of that transcendent anime.
It's wrong if you're inside the house, too, so no excuses here.
March 6, 2024 at 5:29 AM
It's wrong if you're inside the house, too, so no excuses here.
Oh, hm, yes, hm, who could have foreseen, whomst could have known.
February 20, 2024 at 1:32 AM
Oh, hm, yes, hm, who could have foreseen, whomst could have known.
I feel like, no matter what kind of doctor's office it is, no doctor's office should have VERTIGO art on their wall.
January 30, 2024 at 3:05 PM
I feel like, no matter what kind of doctor's office it is, no doctor's office should have VERTIGO art on their wall.
MIDNIGHT MASS (2021), dir. Mike Flanagan
January 29, 2024 at 6:29 AM
MIDNIGHT MASS (2021), dir. Mike Flanagan
I've been waiting for this. @letterboxd.social
January 25, 2024 at 5:33 AM
I've been waiting for this. @letterboxd.social
On the old site I had a thread of upside-down Texas flags, which I always take pictures of when I see. This one today was in downtown Austin.
January 12, 2024 at 2:10 AM
On the old site I had a thread of upside-down Texas flags, which I always take pictures of when I see. This one today was in downtown Austin.
Pretty proud of the Santas we did while drawing with the kids tonight. One of them had a bit more help from the kids than the other.
December 1, 2023 at 3:57 AM
Pretty proud of the Santas we did while drawing with the kids tonight. One of them had a bit more help from the kids than the other.
And I hesitate to post this even better one, a huge elephant getting closer and closer, because I simply cannot do it justice with my little phone camera. It's a true masterpiece. Astonishing that he did this multiple times in one comic, even a full-page comic.
November 23, 2023 at 4:50 AM
And I hesitate to post this even better one, a huge elephant getting closer and closer, because I simply cannot do it justice with my little phone camera. It's a true masterpiece. Astonishing that he did this multiple times in one comic, even a full-page comic.
Back on the old site I started posting some of my favorite panels from the giant Taschen book of Windsor McCay's LITTLE NEMO, which I got last Christmas. I continue here with this amazing fire - remember, he was only working with four colors, plus black and white. Great contrast with the gondola.
November 23, 2023 at 4:45 AM
Back on the old site I started posting some of my favorite panels from the giant Taschen book of Windsor McCay's LITTLE NEMO, which I got last Christmas. I continue here with this amazing fire - remember, he was only working with four colors, plus black and white. Great contrast with the gondola.
Went hiking on a beautiful Hill Country day and found a hidden gnome by a huge oak. The kids named the gnome "Chris," probably after Chris Kratt of THE WILD KRATTS, their current obsession.
Took the kids to feed koi at a local garden center. Making the most of a very clement Texas autumn!
Took the kids to feed koi at a local garden center. Making the most of a very clement Texas autumn!
November 11, 2023 at 1:33 AM
Went hiking on a beautiful Hill Country day and found a hidden gnome by a huge oak. The kids named the gnome "Chris," probably after Chris Kratt of THE WILD KRATTS, their current obsession.
Took the kids to feed koi at a local garden center. Making the most of a very clement Texas autumn!
Took the kids to feed koi at a local garden center. Making the most of a very clement Texas autumn!
Also enjoyed Halloween with a 4-year-old black and green cat (his own invention) and a 2-year-old Cakey from Gabby's Dollhouse (her great idea and Mama's great outfit skills.) I made a chili with chorizo that didn't win the chili cookoff at daycare but that I will definitely be making again.
November 11, 2023 at 1:21 AM
Also enjoyed Halloween with a 4-year-old black and green cat (his own invention) and a 2-year-old Cakey from Gabby's Dollhouse (her great idea and Mama's great outfit skills.) I made a chili with chorizo that didn't win the chili cookoff at daycare but that I will definitely be making again.