Alison Smaalders
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vividwings.bsky.social
Alison Smaalders
@vividwings.bsky.social
420 followers 310 following 1.1K posts
Archaeology major, currently working in P&C insurance. Gamer, LARPer, general nerd, cat lover. Occasionally known as Fun Fact. She/her.
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vividwings.bsky.social
If we're going to have tradcaths going "deus vult" and misunderstanding theology in order to grift harder I would at least like some Renaissance-level Catholic political theater/shenanigans as recompense.
Stick figure if a guy with an actual stick overlaid with text saying "come on, do an excommunication please just excommunicate him already" in impact font
November 4, 2025 at 10:24 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
I know private property long preceded the enclosure acts, but they were a particularly bad point for that in UK history, and the poem about them has rung true ever since.
A green background with a white goose on it, holding a set of keys. The goose is the goose from "untitled goose game". Above the goose is a stanza from a poem: The law locks up the man or woman who steals the goose from off the common but leaves the greater villain loose who steals the common off the goose ... and geese will still a common lack until we go and steal it back
October 17, 2025 at 3:03 AM
vividwings.bsky.social
If you see this, QTP with a sword ⚔️
a white woman with dark hair stands facing the camera, her hands resting on a foam latex prop sword that is braced on the ground. She is wearing a long black cloak with white fur on the shoulders, a black tunic with silver clasps up the front, and heavyweight black thigh-high boots. She is standing in a baroque gilt ballroom with a chandelier in the background.
October 15, 2025 at 2:13 AM
vividwings.bsky.social
That is not a good sign slogan, I'll work on it (suggestions accepted!), but this is the costume for reference. It would be wildly impractical to wear on city streets AND YET I AM TEMPTED.
A dark haired white woman posted in front of an ornate baroque fireplace dressed as a byzantine empress. She is wearing a long purple brocade gown with large hanging sleeves, a jeweled collar called a superhumeral, a gold brocade tabard, and a crown with orthodox icons on it.
October 14, 2025 at 4:57 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
I always say that the Catholic Church is conservative in a *medieval* sense and it only sometimes maps onto modern American social politics, often by coincidence more than anything else. See this post:
Skeet by Maxoc Cairns @MadocCairns that says: "Will the next pope be right wing?" Wrong question. Catholicism is nine times older than the left-right paradigm. There's no way to plot conclave politics on less than twenty different axes, several of which operate on non-physical planes & three of which are about being Italian.
October 2, 2025 at 6:24 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
Bandit would like you all to have a lovely day.
A gray and white cat, with a gray patch over his face that looks like a mask, is curled up on a gray cat bed on a desk. He is looking slightly above the camera.
September 9, 2025 at 5:06 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
I am now on my computer, and have dug up my "when we planted it" and "now" pictures. First shot is October 2022, second shot is April 2025.
A suburban front yard with the lawn newly torn out and replaced with mulch and very small, young plants. The same suburban front yard three years later, barely recognizable as the same yard as all the plants are now huge. There are shrubs of all different sizes, from one nearly as tall as the house with yellow flowers to low, dense shrubs.
July 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
Here he is, contemplating how everyone has wronged him by not providing him with Human McNuggets:
A snow leopard looks out through the wire mesh of his enclosure walls. Snow leopards are medium-size cats with dense white and gray fur with black spots, big fluffy tails, and large paws. This one looks very soft, and like maybe he is contemplating murder but is too sleepy to really go for it.
July 10, 2025 at 10:45 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
He certainly things he has, by being so cute and good at murder.
An elderly man with white hair dressed in black feeding a snow leopard through a wire mesh. Snow leopards are medium-sized cats with thick white and gray fur with black spots, a large fluffy tail, and big soft paws. The snow leopard has climbed the fence a little bit and is showing off his soft, tempting belly which the photographer did not break the law to pet despite wanting to very much.
July 10, 2025 at 10:42 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
(The snow leopard thing is that apparently they have to keep him locked in the back half of the enclosure if there are kids on the tour, or he tries to get at them with such ferocity that they are concerned he will injure himself, particular if there are babies.)
A snow leopard ( a medium sized, very fluffy white and gray cat with darker gray and black spots and huge feet) looks out at the camera through a sturdy wire mesh. Behind him is part of a much larger enclosure that includes many platforms, ramps, branches, and other toys.
July 8, 2025 at 11:35 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
I saw this perfect baby boy on Sunday and can confirm, he wanted NOTHING to do with us and resented us for existing at all. Hate filled his tiny five-pound body. A perfect animal.

The snow leopard who wants only to eat babies (actual fact) was more friendly than this guy.
A sand cat (small tan wildcat with black stripes on his tail, legs, and forehead) eats a mouse and glares at the camera.
July 8, 2025 at 11:35 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
THERE WERE SO MANY GOOD MURDERBOYS AND MURDERGIRLS and I kept my hands in my pockets the whole time like a child in a fancy store, because guests are not allowed to pet wild cats over six months old in CA. But like, look at this boy. He would not mind, right? Surely a little scritch would not hurt?
A mountain lion lounging in the shade in a large enclosure full of big, sturdy logs and platforms for climbing. He is a tan cat the size of a large dog with a darker muzzle and tail, and a flecked coat. He is licking his lips, showing off big teeth. He is not for petting. The author wants to pet him anyway but did not, because it would be unwise and illegal.
July 7, 2025 at 9:31 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
HE DOES just look at his scrunched up angry face for us daring to perceive him and his precious snack.
A sand cat perched on a wooden cat tree in a large, secure enclosure. Sand cats are very small wild cats with tan fur and black stripes. This one has his nose all scrunched up as he is eating a treat (a mouse).
July 7, 2025 at 8:26 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
I went to a wildcat sanctuary yesterday and the sand cat was incredibly cute and also the most hissy and fierce of all the cats. Can confirm boop desire still present even when he was hissing at me for having the audacity to be near his treat. Billion/10, perfect animal.
A sand cat perched on top of a tall wooden cat tree structure inside a large, study enclosure. Sand cats are small, adorable, very much wild cats that look like kittens. They are tan with some black stripes on their tails.
July 7, 2025 at 8:13 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
Black image with white text saying "Butlerian Jihad Now"
June 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
This is a fun project! Now, Rubbermade (or greenmade, or whatever brand) lids aren't the only sources of sturdy, flexible plastic. You can sometimes buy it in sheets from specialty stores (shoutout to TAP plastics in the Bay Area), but you can also find it in old garbage cans!
Screenshot of a twitter post by @codemarvelous that says: I see a lot of people posting heavy plywood shields for protecting yourself. Listen to an old LARPer if you take a rubbermaid lid and blue camping pad and use 3M spray adhesive you can make a huge, lightweight, and durable shield for blocking rubber bullets and cannisters. (mispelling and typos were corrected)
June 12, 2025 at 11:11 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
Everything is on fire but I am planning ridiculous costumes because I can't not do that. Behold: Italian Renaissance necromancer.
A pencil sketch of a high waisted Italian Renaissance gown with a hooded over gown decorated with magical symbols at the hem and front. It has a train and very long sleeves.
May 30, 2025 at 9:50 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
Yeah, we were originally just going to foster, but we failed within a week. We were living with my parents for a bit, we already had two cats, but who could say no to this face?
A gray smoke point kitten with white paws and lower face lays on his side on a couch, looking up at the camera with big blue eyes and violence in his heart.
May 20, 2025 at 5:58 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
Bandit showed up yelling on a friend's porch. One of them was allergic, so he ended up with us. People ask me sometimes if he's purebred and I say "he's 100% American Porch Cat, it's a close relative of the American Dumpster Cat."
A short-haired gray smoke point cat with white markings sleeps peacefully on a pillow. His white markings cover the lower half of his face, so he looks like he has a gray mask on. A gray smoke point kitten with very light blue eyes is curled up in his back in someone's crossed legs, holding his own back feet and tail with one of his front paws. He is very cute and tiny.
May 20, 2025 at 5:52 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
11. I used to climb up this tree house (the cargo netting was not there at the time) nearly every day at lunch when I was in middle school.
A tree house about 20 feet up in a huge old oak tree, with a cargo net strung sort of beneath it.
May 5, 2025 at 6:15 AM
vividwings.bsky.social
What a big cutie! Not the best picture, but I had one not as big girl sniffing around my lupines.
A picture of a green garden with a purple lupine bloom in the foreground, attended by a large bumblebee.
April 20, 2025 at 4:28 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
San Jose, CA Hands Off protest!
A white woman with brown pigtails, a wide-brimmed white hat, red shirt, and rainbow sunglasses holds a white sign with black painted text spelling out "dethrone king Elon and his little trump too".
April 6, 2025 at 12:02 AM
vividwings.bsky.social
My long haired black cat also does little cute paws like that!
a longhaired black cat sleeping on her side with her paws tucked up all cute against her chest.
March 26, 2025 at 9:13 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
Good question, not sure! I found this article, which assesses family income and ideological leanings. I do find it interesting that non-college wealthy people skew the hardest right. www.pewresearch.org/politics/202...
March 19, 2025 at 10:43 PM
vividwings.bsky.social
Post a picture of when your pet was little.
A tiny gray and white kitten in someone's lap, curled up on his back holding his back feet and tail with one front paw, looking up at the camera with pale blue eyes.
March 10, 2025 at 7:43 PM