Jo McKenna-Aspell
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mckasp.bsky.social
Jo McKenna-Aspell
@mckasp.bsky.social
150 followers 160 following 130 posts
Postdoc researcher at the University of Sheffield: libraries, politics and the public. Views are my own. She/her 🏳️‍🌈
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mckasp.bsky.social
It’s my two year gym birthday. September 2023, I was so scared to use the gym. Found a great, friendly local one and haven’t looked back.
Some progress pics because I’m one of those annoying gym people now.

#Gym #StrengthTraining #FitInYourForties
Me September 2023 (left) vs me September 2025 (now). Me in August 2023 (left) vs me in August 2025 (right).
September 5, 2025 at 5:44 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
When you want a coffee. But you’re in your office in the garden (in slippers) and the coffee machine is in the house. (Volume up)
September 3, 2025 at 12:38 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
Leaning into the 1st September. Autumnal socks and apple crumble cake for breakfast (with protein yoghurt, for balance). #Autumn #PumpkinSeason
Cute autumnal socks with foxes and mushrooms. Wedge of apple crumble cake, spoon, and dollop of blueberry protein yoghurt.
September 1, 2025 at 9:01 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
It’s not all about the numbers but the numbers are pretty cool. I’ve lost 53% of my body weight. Or 92.4% of my excess body weight. Currently working on muscle gain but that’ll get easier once my knee surgery happens: probable bucket-handle-meniscus-tear 🪣
#GettingFit #FortiesAndFit
Screen grab from my tracker app showing starting weight at 154kg and current weight at 72.3kg. Screen grab from my tracker app showing starting weight at 339.5lb and current weight at 159.5lb. Family time at the gym earlier this month. Me (left, in pink) and our son (right, in the cap) forcing Helen (middle, in blue) to take a cringey, jazz hands photo in the gym. She’s wearing wrist straps as she was midway through her bench.
August 30, 2025 at 6:57 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
My little bookcase tracker is rapidly filling up. Either I need to slow down (unlikely) or I’m going to have to squeeze in some extra books before the year is out.
#RemarkablePro #YearOfReading
Handrawn bookcase of five shelves. The books were originally empty but four shelves’ worth of books are now coloured in. And the title and author of each book I’ve read this year is written on the spine of a book.
August 29, 2025 at 10:58 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
Finally got around to getting this big beasty printed. 🤩 Still feels unreal.
If little Jo could see middle aged Jo, I think she’d be chuffed.

#PhDone #BigBook #PublicLibraries @sheffielduni.bsky.social
Holding my bound thesis, black hardback. My bespectacled eyes and forehead poking out from behind.
August 8, 2025 at 2:36 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
The University of Sheffield & The Combined Regions are exploring how the current challenges faced by UK local authorities are impacting #PublicLibraries & their collections.

We're looking for participants (Heads of Library Service). For more info or a copy of the pamphlet, drop me a message!
These images are screenshots of our information pamphlet. Please send me a message and I’ll forward on the original file, which works with screen-readers. These images are screenshots of our information pamphlet. Please send me a message and I’ll forward on the original file, which works with screen-readers. These images are screenshots of our information pamphlet. Please send me a message and I’ll forward on the original file, which works with screen-readers.
August 8, 2025 at 10:16 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
Today’s my 2 year Bariatric birthday. I had a gastric sleeve (NHS). Turns out it was 100% the right tool for me.

Pic1: the numbers, a total loss of 178.75lb
Pic2: full body comparison
Pic3: belly comparison (still working on it)
Pic4: my wife & I, then vs now

#PersonalJourney #Health #Fitness
July 31, 2025 at 2:10 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
Absolutely wrecked but over the moon. Bring on Sunday. Although, I might watch with my eyes closed.

#Lionesses #Euro2025 #Finalists
A collage of the lionesses in various match poses taken from the tournament so far. Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang
July 22, 2025 at 10:16 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
Crikey. Nearly got a stress nosebleed in sympathy tonight. The #Lionesses worked their butts off for that. Turns out Hannah Hampton is a class act.
Photo taken of my TV - showing Hannah Hampton (in her green goalie shirt) and Chloe Kelly (number 18, white shirt) celebrating after the Lionesses’ win.
July 17, 2025 at 10:00 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
I don’t wanna appear too smug but it’s 10 a.m. on a Friday and I have emptied my inbox.
#IsItTheWeekendYet?
Screen grab of my empty work gmail inbox with the image of three bricks in yellow, red and blue, topped with a flag, and the message “all done!”
July 11, 2025 at 9:08 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
STEM lego. It moves too but I couldn’t work out a good way to film that. A very enjoyable build. #Lego #STEM
The newest Lego set in my library - “The evolution of STEM”. It’s an open book with things popping out like NASA’s Voyager Probe, a bee, Marie Curie, George Washington Carver, Isaac Newton, a chalk board and so on. Perched on the end of one of my bookshelves.
July 10, 2025 at 11:54 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
Lunch hour in the gym. Forgot my trainers 🫣🫣🫣

#Crocs #IShouldBeSupervised #PerimenopauseMakesMeForgetful
My legs and feet on the gym green carpet. Wearing fake Crocs.
June 30, 2025 at 1:54 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
Been having some personal victories recently. So celebrating #FaceToFaceFriday
Collage. Top row shows my face in 2009, 2015 and 2020. Bottom row shows three pictures captured this year (2025).
June 27, 2025 at 10:55 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
My view vs her view.

Also, I want it noted that I got dressed first and chose pink. She soooo copied me. After 25 years together, are we finally morphing our styles?!

#Gym #Spotter #PrettyInPink #CopyCat
My wife, stood over me ready to spot my bench press efforts in the gym. From my view on the bench, I can see my wife smiling at me, her pink gym vest and the industrial looking ceiling. Me on the gym bench in my pink vest (which I chose first!) smiling up at my wife, before I start my working sets on bench press. My hair is splayed and you can definitely see my greys from this angle.
June 26, 2025 at 5:13 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
Engagement and impact through “The Lord of the Rings”? Considered me engaged! This is off to a great start.

@jamiebgall.co.uk
@sheffielduni.bsky.social
#Hobbits #TheLordOfTheRings
Screen grab of Jamie presenting on impact and engagement through the lens of Lord of the Rings. Screen shows the fellowship walking up a hill and Jamie chatting on Zoom.
June 24, 2025 at 8:58 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
Oh, bugger off, Monday.

#BackToBed ?
Screen grab of computer showing I cannot log into work this morning. Dammit.
June 23, 2025 at 8:43 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
And this is even more impressive as it’s a macchiato, so it’s a tiny espresso cup! #Coffee #CoffeeArt
Double macchiato in an earthenware espresso cup and saucer. With my name (Jo) written into the milk foam.
June 21, 2025 at 1:13 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
I was gone so long wandering around the freezer aisles, my wife thought I was stuck in traffic. 😆
A screen grab of the text messages between my wife and I. She thinks I’m stuck in traffic but eventually works out I’m actually have a lie down in the freezer aisle of our local Sainsbury’s.
June 20, 2025 at 9:04 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
My “I’m pretty clever” moment of the day* was hanging a resistance band on the washing line so I could wedge in more socks.

*I’ve probably peaked for June, to be honest.
Washing on line outside. I hung a yellow resistance band (portrait direction) which allowed me to peg up 5 pairs of socks in the same spaced I’d use for one.
June 18, 2025 at 11:34 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
Session on communicating research data for non-research audiences. Very helpful and loads of great examples… thanks, @researchretold.bsky.social

Supported with a coffee and a cookie from my local vegan coffee shop: Kind in Selsey.

@sheffielduni.bsky.social
My desk with a takeout mocha, a cardboard box that’s hiding a cookie with a personalised message on it (says, “Jo, have a Kind day 🩷”). And notes written on my Remarkable.
June 10, 2025 at 11:00 AM
mckasp.bsky.social
Bit of a different Sunday… supporting the #DedicatedByDesign kings at the British Powerlifting Union comp. Absolutely smashed their goals. I have lost my voice though. #MightHaveScreamedABit #PowerLifting #BigWeights
My wife and I trying to take a selfie but we’re not very good at it. I made a friend called Bruce. Possibly a Frenchie but he’s a rescue so not much is known about him. Except the fact he loves people and I was happy to oblige. He’s up on his hind legs in this photo, demanding scritches. Holding my third coffee of the day in a greyish takeout cup. My wife said I had “demented raccoon eyes” and cut off my caffeine supply after this one. Left: Josh. Middle: Rahim. Right: Scot. All successfully pulling the second lift for their deadlifts. Absolute machines.
June 8, 2025 at 5:50 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
It’s my one hundred and eleventh* birthday today. Celebrating by building more #Lego.

*44 but I do feel 111 most mornings (pre-espresso).
Lego Rivendell set. Bilbo minifigure in the foreground holding a cane and a candle.
June 1, 2025 at 3:14 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
Early birthday gift to myself. Coz having adult money means I have a #Lego problem.

49 bags in this set 😍😍😍
The three building manuals for the Rivendell Lego set Lego Frodo holding The One Ring
May 29, 2025 at 5:51 PM
mckasp.bsky.social
New addition the Lego in my library.

I love the colour combinations in this set. #HeiHei #Moana
HeiHei from Moana built in Lego. Bright blue, red, green, yellow, orange, turquoise. On a shelf in front of my Lego heart. HeiHei (posed sideways) from Moana built in Lego. Bright blue, red, green, yellow, orange, turquoise. On a shelf in front of my Lego heart.
May 22, 2025 at 8:20 PM