Nostr notes by instantiatethis

My queen #caturday ...

2026-08-15T23:01:53+02:00

My queen #caturday

I bought a few books while visiting Hay-on-Wye this week. No, I ...

2026-08-06T21:11:08+02:00

I bought a few books while visiting Hay-on-Wye this week. No, I don't have a problem. #books

damn they are dropping bars "We argue that MBFC's data is ...

2026-07-24T00:19:55+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…ssv5
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damn they are dropping bars

"We argue that MBFC's data is not neutral or accurate, but a computationally legible account of hegemony, a specious dataset for uncritical research that mistakes the familiarity of the concepts it quantifies with accuracy."

Me holding a kitten earlier: you have a stinky butt

2026-07-12T05:48:19+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…xf57
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Me holding a kitten earlier: you have a stinky butt

Don't know if I should be, but very pleased that a recent ...

2026-04-17T22:34:05+02:00

Don't know if I should be, but very pleased that a recent graduate reached out to talk to me about what being a librarian is like and woops we spent 3 hours talking.

Azalea bonsai are going hard at Longwood Gardens #bloomscrolling ...

2026-04-11T19:01:03+02:00

Azalea bonsai are going hard at Longwood Gardens #bloomscrolling

I get to sleep with someone impossibly cute #CatsOfMastodon ...

2026-04-11T06:36:41+02:00

I get to sleep with someone impossibly cute #CatsOfMastodon

I should be trying to sleep but Nissa said I should worship her ...

2026-03-18T05:30:23+01:00

I should be trying to sleep but Nissa said I should worship her leggies before I do and maybe you should too. #CatsOfMastodon

Does anyone else have little songs and sayings they sing/say to ...

2026-01-27T06:13:13+01:00

Does anyone else have little songs and sayings they sing/say to their animals that they want to share?

My latest is:
It's drys time. It's the very best time.
The boys love their dries and know only one thing
It's drys time. It's the very best time... Etc.

ohhhh crying in the libraryyyyyyyy A student in their final ...

2026-01-14T23:42:02+01:00

ohhhh crying in the libraryyyyyyyy

A student in their final semester who has been checking out a laptop from us every week their whole time here just came up to return, not renew, one because they could finally afford their own and they wrote up a testimonial to talk about the positive impact it had for them.

There is a lot, way too much, bullshit at my institution, but these little moments where we get to really see what the library can do for a person is what keeps me in the fight.

Please enjoy Whisper being excited about the ribbon ...

2026-01-12T14:54:44+01:00

Please enjoy Whisper being excited about the ribbon #CatsOfMastodon #FosterCat

yes, worse I have had for a while. Today is gonna be rough 😞

2025-12-04T13:17:53+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…f73s
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yes, worse I have had for a while. Today is gonna be rough 😞

Insomnia musings. What are some things you do and don't do? ...

2025-12-04T08:47:12+01:00

Insomnia musings. What are some things you do and don't do? https://instantiatethis.me/2025/12/4/things-i-do-and-dont-do

somehow the elseviers and T&Fs and Wileys all were like you ...

2025-10-29T01:55:04+01:00

In reply to nevent1q…0a7v
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somehow the elseviers and T&Fs and Wileys all were like you write the articles you review the articles you edit the journals and we profit. You thank us for the opportunity.

and I thought my 85% was bad :blobcatsweat:

2025-10-07T16:48:25+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…yuxw
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and I thought my 85% was bad :blobcatsweat:

If you drive an F250 or other massive truck you shouldn't be ...

2025-10-04T16:29:55+02:00

If you drive an F250 or other massive truck you shouldn't be allowed in regular parking lots. Taking up two spots and hanging into the aisle. You chose this now you got a just go where truckers go

Nostr event nevent1qqsvqv3q8au9u8dmnaep00mrkyyetvvd4vmuy2440y0g9z2tcfjm39qzyp789l4fcnld9xcezwj2ca35l4vg4zdq8qsgn3aj8vgsgr496xw7yml8meh

2025-09-29T18:45:31+02:00

a lot of thai food will help me right?

as long as you have them in different cup types absolutely

2025-09-14T19:43:32+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…g6q6
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as long as you have them in different cup types absolutely

Brimley had a kinda rough day but he's the cutest #FosterCat ...

2025-09-14T05:17:37+02:00

Brimley had a kinda rough day but he's the cutest #FosterCat #caturday

This meme made me laugh, so you can have it as a little treat ...

2025-09-10T18:31:27+02:00

This meme made me laugh, so you can have it as a little treat

If I was a math nerd The Mathematicians' Library: The Books ...

2025-09-08T18:39:34+02:00

If I was a math nerd The Mathematicians' Library: The Books That Unlocked The Power Of Numbers seems like a pretty cool book

AHHHHH having a #librarian heart explosion from looking at ...

2025-08-29T23:22:11+02:00

AHHHHH having a #librarian heart explosion from looking at pictures of our students using our space this week and this quote that one of my team just got from a student as we were getting ready to close: "That sensory room was really great actually. We put on those headphones and sat in the egg chairs. I was tired but now I feel completely rewired. That was amazing." 😭

OH OH OH and I maybe won't even get the files. The form I am ...

2025-08-19T18:10:07+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…3t2v
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OH OH OH and I maybe won't even get the files. The form I am sending in says HR will schedule a time with me to review the files and I am so angry at the idea that this might go oh here is a zoom where I share my screen instead of just forwarding me the thing.

Oh other thing... its a fillable form but the "signature" ...

2025-08-19T18:07:09+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…2qa5
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Oh other thing... its a fillable form but the "signature" line is just a textbox. I don't know why my institution is so fucking behind on this but PDFs with electronic signatures have existed for like 20 years at this point, maybe longer? Just grumble grumble grumble

Their argument is that those letters aren't really meant to ...

2025-08-19T18:04:22+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…q2kx
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Their argument is that those letters aren't really meant to help you but meant to help the other levels of committees and administrators decide whether you get the thumbs up and down and I am just like what??

How the fuck are they writing these letters if there is NOTHING you think a person could glean regarding where they were successful or not.

Follow up on this. HR requires me to fill out a form which is a ...

2025-08-19T18:01:37+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…xyae
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Follow up on this. HR requires me to fill out a form which is a PDF that at least has fillable section BUT whoever formatted the form elements instead of doing a text block did a series of lines so you have to manually move to the next line if your explanation for what and why you deserve access to things about you takes more than one line.

It is 2025 and I have to download a pdf to then email for them to be like oh here is a digital file

Just imagine: you work 6+ years (mostly not including previous ...

2025-08-19T00:18:07+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…s8r8
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Just imagine: you work 6+ years (mostly not including previous experience and schooling) for the biggest promotion of your career without applying for or being given a new job and you don't automatically get the feedback of what multiple rounds of peers and managers wrote for/against/mixed about how you did in those 6 years.

In this moment it makes me a little like uh why have ambition at all? Clearly yall don't care whether I incrementally improve my practices and research.

Oh yeah and the only place this practice is documented is page 70 ...

2025-08-18T23:57:13+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…nahp
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Oh yeah and the only place this practice is documented is page 70 of the administrative guidelines for promotion and tenure procedures.

Yes non-academics, we need over 70 pages to just explain the bureaucracy of do I get to have a job or not. This document does not include any training/guidance/best practices on the software that we have to use to prepare our materials

Like why are my colleagues spending hours and hours putting ...

2025-08-18T23:52:36+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…850g
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Like why are my colleagues spending hours and hours putting together thoughtful reviews for them to go in an HR hole when HR is not involved in any part of the process except changing my title and pay in WorkDay?

Wow another way University is weird af: officially you aren't ...

2025-08-18T23:51:26+02:00

Wow another way University is weird af: officially you aren't auto-provided copies of the evaluations that decided whether or not you got tenure and promotion and have to make an official request to HR to see what people said?! Our college apparently has been against norms by letting people see what people said without doing a formal HR60 request.

I really don't want to be in charge of things but please let me fix all the bullshitery we have from no one overhauling policy since the internet

#Caturday throwback to August 2020 when Nissa was the new baby ...

2025-08-17T03:46:13+02:00

#Caturday throwback to August 2020 when Nissa was the new baby

I think about it every now and then and wish I had dug more. I ...

2025-07-26T22:58:00+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…ndvx
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I think about it every now and then and wish I had dug more. I couldn't tell if he believed the Soviet union was run by aliens or it just didn't exist and it was a cover up of the alien activity. I just am so curious about the revisionist version of the twentieth century he had in his brain

my wildest one is the question about writings by a former time ...

2025-07-26T22:55:10+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…9cgh
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my wildest one is the question about writings by a former time magazine writer that turned into a Soviet/Alien conspiracy theory and he was chasing down all the cold war era reporters because they either disappeared or were aliens or were aliens that left and that's why they disappeared. We had something by that writer on the 6th floor as I recall and he was very thankful for my help.

Cough cough #librarians coming to Philly for ALA in a month. ...

2025-05-30T05:05:42+02:00

Cough cough #librarians coming to Philly for ALA in a month. I've been peeping on Iffy for a while but already being in the city will make me actually go there because libraries and independent bookstores are both amazing https://recurse.social/@jleigh/114594271595895185

I've gathered you all here today to present a new technology ...

2025-05-28T02:07:59+02:00

I've gathered you all here today to present a new technology I have been playing around with and think is pretty cool.

It's called holding your phone upside down when you take pictures of animals and I think it's going to revolutionize the visual landscape as we know it.

Behold the future!
#CatsOfMastodon

I did really important work for #caturday Please enjoy #FosterCat ...

2025-05-24T20:36:16+02:00

I did really important work for #caturday
Please enjoy #FosterCat Bertha in all her glory

Maybe the peony will heal my biochemistry #bloomscrolling ...

2025-05-15T01:45:51+02:00

Maybe the peony will heal my biochemistry #bloomscrolling

Therapy Dogs are in the library and I am so happy! #libraries ...

2025-05-06T17:06:58+02:00

Therapy Dogs are in the library and I am so happy!
#libraries #DogsOfMastodon

A very merry seeing a bird #caturday to all who celebrate ...

2025-05-03T19:27:57+02:00

A very merry seeing a bird #caturday to all who celebrate #fosterCat

First Iris of the year 🎉 I love Irises and this one is a baby ...

2025-05-01T17:54:29+02:00

First Iris of the year 🎉
I love Irises and this one is a baby of ones my nana grew since at least the 80s and that's just so cool to me. #bloomscrolling

it's been a while but can say that the Mango reps were super ...

2025-04-29T17:01:38+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…mlq4
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it's been a while but can say that the Mango reps were super fun when I worked with them 2013-2016 and they also threw some decent parties for a lot of librarians.

Another Mango bonus is they have lots of specialized courses like business or food to suit your immediate needs that they are always growing. Some examples: soccer in Brazilian Portuguese, wine and cheese in French, and Shakespearean English. The last one had a fun insults section as I recall

If you happen to be or know people around #philly or #wilmington ...

2025-04-28T16:08:21+02:00

If you happen to be or know people around #philly or #wilmington who are looking for a #cat please consider my #fosterCat Bertha (adoptable through Forgotten Cats). She has hissed and tried to scratch everyone who wants to meet her but she is just afraid of new things (Girl Same) and is the sweetest baby if you give her time.

I love her so much #cats #FosterCat #catsOfMastodon ...

2025-04-17T01:36:54+02:00

I love her so much #cats #FosterCat #catsOfMastodon

Extra special #caturday to my now former #fosterCat Sanford who ...

2025-04-12T17:42:40+02:00

Extra special #caturday to my now former #fosterCat Sanford who was just adopted! 🎉

I always miss them when they go but it's so exciting when there is a new family to shower them with love

What I am about to say may shock you. People who are full blown ...

2025-04-09T18:18:20+02:00

What I am about to say may shock you.

People who are full blown adults never had to rewind a VHS before bringing it back to blockbuster. Worse still, I have taught multiple 'adults' how you use a dvd in the last few years.

Time is a cruel mistress

yesterday I was writing up a list of complaints about my interim ...

2025-04-08T16:45:25+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…ld4r
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yesterday I was writing up a list of complaints about my interim manager and a bunch boils down to he is not curious about the department's work. It is something that I didn't realize was such a huge part of feeling supported until I didn't have it. If I am going to lead an understaffed team of underpaid library employees and I say something was really successful at least feign interest and ask me why it was or how we might reiterate on it or literally anything else about it

"ADHD is a super power" "We are all a little ...

2025-03-27T18:46:21+01:00

"ADHD is a super power" "We are all a little ADHD" "Just make a list"

Yeah except I was 100% sure I ate my lunch yesterday until I saw it was still in the microwave today a few minutes ago. Literally no idea what made me walk away from the microwave.

He's so sad in this photo But I feel like more people should ...

2025-02-20T06:02:54+01:00

He's so sad in this photo But I feel like more people should witness Barney burrito face while I attempt to give him medication today. #CatsOfMastodon #FosterCat

Sleepy #WhiskerWednesday from Katherine #CatsOfMastodon ...

2025-02-20T02:40:34+01:00

Sleepy #WhiskerWednesday from Katherine #CatsOfMastodon

My body collapsed on me today but Annushka has been good ...

2025-02-17T00:20:40+01:00

My body collapsed on me today but Annushka has been good companion while I've been mostly dead #CatsOfMastodon

Happy #caturday from Bertha the #FosterCat and me! ...

2025-02-02T05:34:05+01:00

Happy #caturday from Bertha the #FosterCat and me!

Is there anything that people do that hasn't been made into a ...

2025-01-24T03:19:59+01:00

Is there anything that people do that hasn't been made into a competition of some kind?

Eating, puzzles, games, moving heavy things, and I just learned there are indoor sky dancing competitions.

Maybe cat petting? If there was a cat petting competition I would try to go pro.

Going to try to keep up #WhiskerWednesday since #cats are the ...

2025-01-23T03:46:21+01:00

Going to try to keep up #WhiskerWednesday since #cats are the best. Today we have the very good #fostercat Barney with his unique and charming purrs

Nostr event nevent1qqs0edmu9tkt8q6zv2nzrpvl9yal4yeea9lkxattyt89df4me6mq9dczyp789l4fcnld9xcezwj2ca35l4vg4zdq8qsgn3aj8vgsgr496xw7yt7yjqf

2024-10-10T04:44:38+02:00

In reply to nevent1q…2c32
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