Kit

Asked by some prospective students as I was walking home what Cambridge was like. Once they found out what I do they asked if I could say “the really long name of that place”. Nailed Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch. I am the coolest man alive

After of course Knives Out III

Testament of Ann Lee: the second best film about Shakers of the last 12 months

I hate when people use “medieval” as shorthand for ‘backwards, barbarous, unpleasant’. Evidences a deep misunderstanding of the truth of history. What they really mean is “early modern”

For those curious, they were:
1. Identifying the extinct NZ bird related to ostriches (Moa)
2. Knowing what’s unique about swifts’ mating habits (on the wing)
3. Figuring out the connection in a round via a tropical species of black fork-tailed birds (frigatebirds, connection was types of boat)

Three consecutive weeks of pub quiz where I have identified an obscure bird fact. I am officially a bore

A real treat for me to chat to Imad Ahmed about his work making the Moon meaningful for Muslims 🌙

(Almost) last call! Registration for in-person attendance closes on Monday! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

A screenshot reading “referred to a member of a people who lived, died and rode chariots on either side of the year”

RETVRN

You know it’s gonna be a Danny Bate Banger when the h₁éḱwos drops in

after exhaustive research I present to you the most Dickensian name on almost every MLB roster (*indicates non-roster)

I do this and find it makes a real difference! Can highly recommend

21 February 2026 WOMEN AND THE WEIRD Cambridge Colloquium in Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic 2026 9:00 - Registration opens 9:25 - Opening remarks 9:30 - Session 1: Female Genealogies Seren Parri: 'Family, Structure, and Family Structure in The Mabinogi Fergus Holmes-Stanley: 'Exploring the changing roles of women in the Pictish matrilineal succession narratives Mark Robert Pote: 'Gender and Genealogy: The Representation of Women in Medieval Irish Genealogy' 11:00 - Tea Break 11:30 - Session 2: The Boundaries of Womanhood Josh Mangle (Virtual): 'The Names of War: The Etymological Valkyrie and the Sounds of Trauma' Natasha Symes: Witch vs. Wife: Femininity and Narrative Expulsion in the Gesta Herewardi' Josh Coulthard: 'Women and the Regulation of Social Order in Cyfraith Hywel' 13:00 - Lunch and Poster Session 14:00 - KEYNOTE LECTURE Prof. Carolyne Larrington: '"Never Seek the Secrets of Women, But Heed them Always": Foreknowledge, Fate and Death in Old Norse Literature' 15:00 - Tea Break 15:15 - Session 3: Gifts, Giving and Devotion Mary Catherine O'Connor: 'Arthurian Women in Norse Romance: Advice-Giving, Authority, and Political Doctrine' Mary Chavez: 'Reweave the Cloth of the Psalms: Medieval Religious Women and Textiles of Devotion' 16:15 - Tea Break 16:30 - Session 4: Literary-Historical Women Cara Roberge: 'Bede's Depiction of Queen Ethelburh in the Historia Ecclesiastica' Zeynep Kirka: 'The Irish Women of Landnámabók and Ladla saga' The Colloquium will be followed by a drinks reception in the faculty building, with a dinner to followe (pre-booking required) Faculty of English University of Cambridge 9 West Road Cambridge CB3 9ĐP

Registration for the conference I have organised is now open! Message me for the link and check out this amazing programme!

A man in a blue sweater and tan chinos with dark hair stands smiling next to a large silver trophy, the Stanley Cup. Behind him is a logo that says “hockey hall of fame”, above which is a title “Grand Hall / Great Hall”

Closest a Montrealer has got to it in the 21st century mais je me souviens

Thank you Hester! 💜

If anyone at #MLA2026 would like to hear about an obscure medieval Welsh poem, I’m presenting in session 141 tonight! Come along for a good time (but possibly not better than the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, happening across the street)

Awesome! Will listen when I’m back in the UK :)

Do let me know — and good luck :))

Will there be a recording? Would love to listen!

When I fly back to the UK my suitcase rattles like a maraca because of how many of those bottles are in it

Have to launch a guaranteed zero-liker to follow up my viral post, just to keep myself humble

Opinions wanted: is it funny to sneak as many Hip song titles as possible into my first academic presentation in Canada

Watching THE GREEN KNIGHT again

While I’d normally support this on the principle of more cricket = good I was 9 years old the last time England’s men won a test in Australia so I need a week to celebrate before getting pasted again 😭😭

Why historians love (real) money YouTube video by Cambridge University

For those who want a short, sharp shock of early medieval coinage and what it can tell the historian: youtube.com/shorts/6iOzs...

Do you know about the METS editions? They’re not translations but the glosses are really good

Learned today that “Galápagos” comes from a Spanish word for tortoise, meaning that “Galápagos Tortoise” is,

in fact,

a tortology

What’s this from?

Done :)

I’m a current ASNC PhD, and did undergrad in the department — happy to try and help?