Jon Dell Isola
@medievaljon.bsky.social
PhD Medieval History. I work on early medieval politics and society. I think about the meaning and purpose of history a lot. I have a blog called Among the Ruins: among-the-ruins.ghost.io
Sad to hear about Tatsuya Nakadai, phenomenal actor but especially in my (probably) favorite movie: Harakiri (1962)
November 11, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Sad to hear about Tatsuya Nakadai, phenomenal actor but especially in my (probably) favorite movie: Harakiri (1962)
One thing I really missed in Germany was my mechanical keyboard, its a Keychron V6. I really recommend getting a mechanical keyboard if you type a lot like I do. Plus it looks cool and sounds neat
November 3, 2025 at 6:29 PM
One thing I really missed in Germany was my mechanical keyboard, its a Keychron V6. I really recommend getting a mechanical keyboard if you type a lot like I do. Plus it looks cool and sounds neat
In 1855 Massachusetts passed a law, the Personal Liberties Act, which tried to circumvent the Fugitive Slave Law. (If MA was serious they could do something similar now probably). One of the authors was a state senator named O.W. Albee, who was one of the first teachers in my hometown of Marlborough
November 1, 2025 at 4:17 PM
In 1855 Massachusetts passed a law, the Personal Liberties Act, which tried to circumvent the Fugitive Slave Law. (If MA was serious they could do something similar now probably). One of the authors was a state senator named O.W. Albee, who was one of the first teachers in my hometown of Marlborough
For my desktop I kept my Linux setup pretty much the same as my laptop, but couldn't resist using a portion of Claude-Joseph Vernet's The Shipwreck as the background
October 30, 2025 at 11:58 PM
For my desktop I kept my Linux setup pretty much the same as my laptop, but couldn't resist using a portion of Claude-Joseph Vernet's The Shipwreck as the background
Next up in the subway reading series:
October 30, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Next up in the subway reading series:
The world when I rediscover the 5+ hour audio file of my friend explaining the 40k lore to someone at a party:
October 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The world when I rediscover the 5+ hour audio file of my friend explaining the 40k lore to someone at a party:
Going back for more Monday night football:
October 21, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Going back for more Monday night football:
Insert the "Don't let me leave" clip from Interstellar here
October 10, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Insert the "Don't let me leave" clip from Interstellar here
I don't think we need to "ask two people who work on escalators" about this
September 28, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I don't think we need to "ask two people who work on escalators" about this
I keep Facebook around mainly for the Seinfeld group
September 25, 2025 at 8:50 AM
I keep Facebook around mainly for the Seinfeld group
Before you start going on about how uncool Jimmy Kimmel or some other thing that not-terminally-online people enjoy is, its time to tap the sign:
September 24, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Before you start going on about how uncool Jimmy Kimmel or some other thing that not-terminally-online people enjoy is, its time to tap the sign:
I don't think hypocrisy is the correct lens for viewing the seeming incoherence of right-wing political belief (or any shifting political views)
September 18, 2025 at 1:38 PM
I don't think hypocrisy is the correct lens for viewing the seeming incoherence of right-wing political belief (or any shifting political views)
Starting with @asheeshksi.bsky.social's The Archive of Empire, which is way outside my area but looks absolutely fascinating. I am a few chapters in and it is really interesting! Really loving the emphasis on archives and documents as structuring politics, really, really, cool.
September 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Starting with @asheeshksi.bsky.social's The Archive of Empire, which is way outside my area but looks absolutely fascinating. I am a few chapters in and it is really interesting! Really loving the emphasis on archives and documents as structuring politics, really, really, cool.
Bouie is the best in the biz IMO. Really great at weaving together history and politics into intelligent readings of the current political order proposed by the right. Also drops gems like this:
September 10, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Bouie is the best in the biz IMO. Really great at weaving together history and politics into intelligent readings of the current political order proposed by the right. Also drops gems like this:
Not gonna post about the HorrorsTM, so instead: the Haribo sour-bears are awesome and potentially better than the original.
August 25, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Not gonna post about the HorrorsTM, so instead: the Haribo sour-bears are awesome and potentially better than the original.
I found it! Yes it definitely looks like it is later to me too. It is D Conrad 22
August 25, 2025 at 8:27 AM
I found it! Yes it definitely looks like it is later to me too. It is D Conrad 22
Sitting with my morning cup of coffee, the rain is pattering outside, and I'm reading a nice book. What more could one want?
August 16, 2025 at 7:51 AM
Sitting with my morning cup of coffee, the rain is pattering outside, and I'm reading a nice book. What more could one want?
Only the essentials:
August 13, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Only the essentials:
Does #medievalsky know about this board game where you build St. Gall?
August 12, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Does #medievalsky know about this board game where you build St. Gall?
Evidence for multi-stage production: the scribe evidently received a "blank" charter that had at least part of the signum already present. The scribe then wrote the text of the charter (avoiding what was there) and then the seal was added. #medievalsky
August 11, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Evidence for multi-stage production: the scribe evidently received a "blank" charter that had at least part of the signum already present. The scribe then wrote the text of the charter (avoiding what was there) and then the seal was added. #medievalsky
Interesting evidence for charter production: this charter evidently had a gap left for a scribe to fill in the name of the count where the property lay.
**I'm gonna just start posting cool stuff I find while here
**I'm gonna just start posting cool stuff I find while here
August 7, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Interesting evidence for charter production: this charter evidently had a gap left for a scribe to fill in the name of the count where the property lay.
**I'm gonna just start posting cool stuff I find while here
**I'm gonna just start posting cool stuff I find while here
Hadn't registered how wild Zwentibald's monogram is, they really had no clue what to do with his name #medievalsky
August 6, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Hadn't registered how wild Zwentibald's monogram is, they really had no clue what to do with his name #medievalsky
Niche DC post: Steak 'n Egg is closing. A true tragedy, I haven't been in years but will always fondly remember sitting at a cold table outside in the middle of December to have breakfast food at 2:30 am
July 26, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Niche DC post: Steak 'n Egg is closing. A true tragedy, I haven't been in years but will always fondly remember sitting at a cold table outside in the middle of December to have breakfast food at 2:30 am