Aven
@avensarah.bsky.social
Roman poetry & culture | Endless Knot Podcast & YT http://alliterative.net | 🇨🇦Fed govt, former prof | She/her | circumsiliens modo huc modo illuc, pipio
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Aven
@avensarah.bsky.social
· Nov 11
What rude jibes about Caesar tell us about sex in ancient Rome | Psyche Ideas
‘Every woman’s man and every man’s woman’ was a slur Julius Caesar’s political opponents levied. What did it mean?
psyche.co
Just to give new folks something to help get to know me, and since I haven’t posted it here, this is an article I wrote back in 2020 about Roman sexuality, for an online magazine. psyche.co/ideas/what-j...
Reposted by Aven
Introducing… the 2026 Sesquiotica calendar (cover photo).
I'm making a calendar this year with a word photo each month. Mostly I'm giving it to family and friends and that tiny set of Patreon supporters who are at the $12/month level. But I've ordered a few extra, in case anyone else wants one.…
I'm making a calendar this year with a word photo each month. Mostly I'm giving it to family and friends and that tiny set of Patreon supporters who are at the $12/month level. But I've ordered a few extra, in case anyone else wants one.…
December 15, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Introducing… the 2026 Sesquiotica calendar (cover photo).
I'm making a calendar this year with a word photo each month. Mostly I'm giving it to family and friends and that tiny set of Patreon supporters who are at the $12/month level. But I've ordered a few extra, in case anyone else wants one.…
I'm making a calendar this year with a word photo each month. Mostly I'm giving it to family and friends and that tiny set of Patreon supporters who are at the $12/month level. But I've ordered a few extra, in case anyone else wants one.…
#SundayPixWings At my window bird feeder
December 14, 2025 at 6:09 PM
#SundayPixWings At my window bird feeder
Reposted by Aven
We talk about WOTYs past, present (and future yet to come), including 'rage bait', 'parasocial', 'AI slop', 'clanker', 'Kavanaugh stop', 'enshittification', 'podcast', 'selfie', 'fascism'... oh and '6-7'. Show notes are here: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Episode 78 - John Kelly and 2025's Words of the Year
Show notes for Episode 78 Welcome to episode 78 of Lexis in which Raj & Dan talk to John Kelly, former head of content at Dictionary.com, previous contributor to Merriam-Webster and Oxford Dictionari...
docs.google.com
December 13, 2025 at 9:35 AM
We talk about WOTYs past, present (and future yet to come), including 'rage bait', 'parasocial', 'AI slop', 'clanker', 'Kavanaugh stop', 'enshittification', 'podcast', 'selfie', 'fascism'... oh and '6-7'. Show notes are here: docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Aven
In 2021 I got a 5-year SSHRC insight grant to look into soldiers and civilians in Roman Arabia from Trajan to Heraclius. That same year, I got back into video games (thanks Covid). In November of 2023, I went to Jordan and Saudi Arabia to visit a bunch of sites. In October of that year…
December 6, 2025 at 3:10 AM
In 2021 I got a 5-year SSHRC insight grant to look into soldiers and civilians in Roman Arabia from Trajan to Heraclius. That same year, I got back into video games (thanks Covid). In November of 2023, I went to Jordan and Saudi Arabia to visit a bunch of sites. In October of that year…
Reposted by Aven
And the results are in! After carefully reviewing the results of a national poll the Board of Directors of the Society for Canadian English (SCE) has determined that this year’s Canadian Word of the Year (CWOTY), the first of its kind, will be “maplewashing.”
December 13, 2025 at 12:50 AM
And the results are in! After carefully reviewing the results of a national poll the Board of Directors of the Society for Canadian English (SCE) has determined that this year’s Canadian Word of the Year (CWOTY), the first of its kind, will be “maplewashing.”
Reposted by Aven
Curious how the word you voted for measured up to others? Check out the results! It was a close race; “maplewashing” just narrowly beat out the popular runner-up, “elbows up,” 33.8% to 31.3%.
December 13, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Curious how the word you voted for measured up to others? Check out the results! It was a close race; “maplewashing” just narrowly beat out the popular runner-up, “elbows up,” 33.8% to 31.3%.
So, the choir I’m in (Harmonia) was one of the backing choirs for the Canadian Tenors’ Christmas Concert at the National Arts Centre tonight. It was lots of fun to hang out in the dressing rooms and backstage and be a part of the show! #Ottawa
December 10, 2025 at 4:39 AM
So, the choir I’m in (Harmonia) was one of the backing choirs for the Canadian Tenors’ Christmas Concert at the National Arts Centre tonight. It was lots of fun to hang out in the dressing rooms and backstage and be a part of the show! #Ottawa
Of course I’m in! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ His care for all of us has made my experience of social media extraordinary, and extraordinarily positive. Plus I got to meet him and his wonderful family, and even stay with them, one of the memories I will always most treasure. #CircleOfLoveForWombie
Friends of @wombat37.bsky.social unite!
By quote reposting this, I’m hoping to make a virtual chain of people around Wombie. Full of love and happy memories of this great friend of ours, so he can feel us making a huge circle of love and care around him.
Are you in?
#CirleofLoveForWombie
By quote reposting this, I’m hoping to make a virtual chain of people around Wombie. Full of love and happy memories of this great friend of ours, so he can feel us making a huge circle of love and care around him.
Are you in?
#CirleofLoveForWombie
a black and white photo of a couple holding hands .
ALT: a black and white photo of a couple holding hands .
media.tenor.com
December 7, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Of course I’m in! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ His care for all of us has made my experience of social media extraordinary, and extraordinarily positive. Plus I got to meet him and his wonderful family, and even stay with them, one of the memories I will always most treasure. #CircleOfLoveForWombie
Choosing pics for #SundayPixMemorableFood is hard when your family centres all major (and minor!) events around food. But looking through my camera roll a few stood out. This was the Beef Wellington we made for Xmas dinner in 2020, the only year we four stayed in Sudbury alone over the holidays.
December 7, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Choosing pics for #SundayPixMemorableFood is hard when your family centres all major (and minor!) events around food. But looking through my camera roll a few stood out. This was the Beef Wellington we made for Xmas dinner in 2020, the only year we four stayed in Sudbury alone over the holidays.
Last night we celebrated our annual Hors-d’ouevre-a-paloosa, which originally marked the end of term and beginning of exams, but in the last few years has become just the kickoff of the holiday season (though still about university term end). It may not look it, but this is relatively restrained!
December 6, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Last night we celebrated our annual Hors-d’ouevre-a-paloosa, which originally marked the end of term and beginning of exams, but in the last few years has become just the kickoff of the holiday season (though still about university term end). It may not look it, but this is relatively restrained!
Reposted by Aven
I think some of the greatest delights in the business of etymology are words—especially everyday words—whose origins we just don’t know.
So, this year, I’ll do an etymological Advent calendar on this theme: words with origins that are obscure, uncertain, or otherwise unknown.
So, this year, I’ll do an etymological Advent calendar on this theme: words with origins that are obscure, uncertain, or otherwise unknown.
December 1, 2025 at 1:24 AM
I think some of the greatest delights in the business of etymology are words—especially everyday words—whose origins we just don’t know.
So, this year, I’ll do an etymological Advent calendar on this theme: words with origins that are obscure, uncertain, or otherwise unknown.
So, this year, I’ll do an etymological Advent calendar on this theme: words with origins that are obscure, uncertain, or otherwise unknown.
Reposted by Aven
idk if it's just for me, but it looks like Amazon's offering a 19% discount on my book Shifting Currents: A World History of Swimming, so this might be the time to give someone a copy?
*If it's still too much, you can get cheaper copies on Amazon used, still delivering before xmas!
*If it's still too much, you can get cheaper copies on Amazon used, still delivering before xmas!
December 6, 2025 at 1:56 AM
idk if it's just for me, but it looks like Amazon's offering a 19% discount on my book Shifting Currents: A World History of Swimming, so this might be the time to give someone a copy?
*If it's still too much, you can get cheaper copies on Amazon used, still delivering before xmas!
*If it's still too much, you can get cheaper copies on Amazon used, still delivering before xmas!
Due to some strategic blocking and choices about my feed I am once again piecing together information about my field from subtweets and exhausted/outraged reactions.
To be clear, I am fine with this. I see enough to know approximately what’s going on, but not enough to fully infuriate me. #Classics
To be clear, I am fine with this. I see enough to know approximately what’s going on, but not enough to fully infuriate me. #Classics
December 2, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Due to some strategic blocking and choices about my feed I am once again piecing together information about my field from subtweets and exhausted/outraged reactions.
To be clear, I am fine with this. I see enough to know approximately what’s going on, but not enough to fully infuriate me. #Classics
To be clear, I am fine with this. I see enough to know approximately what’s going on, but not enough to fully infuriate me. #Classics
It’s been snowing all day, looking very appropriate for tree decorating . :)
November 30, 2025 at 8:48 PM
It’s been snowing all day, looking very appropriate for tree decorating . :)
Some colours for @wombat37.bsky.social and @littlemavis.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Some colours for @wombat37.bsky.social and @littlemavis.bsky.social
Reposted by Aven
As @wombat37.bsky.social (and @littlemavis.bsky.social ) have had to go back into the hospital, let’s send them a scenic view from 2025 from your camera roll, to lift their spirits with prettiness. 🫶🏻
Here’s mine: Polperro in July. Exploring a cliff path that took us to beautiful views of the coast.
Here’s mine: Polperro in July. Exploring a cliff path that took us to beautiful views of the coast.
November 28, 2025 at 12:46 PM
As @wombat37.bsky.social (and @littlemavis.bsky.social ) have had to go back into the hospital, let’s send them a scenic view from 2025 from your camera roll, to lift their spirits with prettiness. 🫶🏻
Here’s mine: Polperro in July. Exploring a cliff path that took us to beautiful views of the coast.
Here’s mine: Polperro in July. Exploring a cliff path that took us to beautiful views of the coast.
Reposted by Aven
📣 New Podcast! "159 The Roots of Grocery Store Culture Lie in a Big Country" on @Spreaker #19th #american #century #food #grocery #history
159 The Roots of Grocery Store Culture Lie in a Big Country
It's the last Episode of Season 4!
And I think I've finally answered one of my opening questions - why did America make our grocery stores the way we did?
As soon as Americans could, we ignored the food on the ground (unless it was familiar like deer or duck or pigeon) and instead brought our own provisions.
But when you do that, and don't develop local talent - the selection end up terribly limited.
So now in modern America - we seem to be attempting to make up for lost time... by making our grocery store selection even larger.
Check out this last episode before I go study the terrible food of war.
www.spreaker.com
November 26, 2025 at 11:00 AM
The mysteries of shrinkflation. The new “redesigned” box on the right is smaller in several dimensions and holds 210 teabags, not 216. But the bags themselves are larger—though it’s hard to say if the actual amount of tea has changed, or just the bag. #RedRoseTea #PreTeaMusings
November 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
The mysteries of shrinkflation. The new “redesigned” box on the right is smaller in several dimensions and holds 210 teabags, not 216. But the bags themselves are larger—though it’s hard to say if the actual amount of tea has changed, or just the bag. #RedRoseTea #PreTeaMusings
Hey #Ottawa — looking for something fun to do on Wednesday night? How about going to see the Ottawa Premiere of “A Million Days” at SAW? www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-million-...
A Million Days (Ottawa Premiere)
Set in the near future, A Million Days is a cautionary sci-fi about humanity’s survival in a post-AI world.
www.eventbrite.ca
November 25, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Hey #Ottawa — looking for something fun to do on Wednesday night? How about going to see the Ottawa Premiere of “A Million Days” at SAW? www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-million-...
Reposted by Aven
Great opportunity! Check out our full post about a PhD position at York University in Toronto in the History of Authoritarian Politics in Ancient Rome with Professor Benjamin Kelly.
Deadline is January 15th. Share with Master's students in your networks!
www.cac-scec.ca/2025/11/york...
Deadline is January 15th. Share with Master's students in your networks!
www.cac-scec.ca/2025/11/york...
PhD Position at York University (Toronto) in the History of Authoritarian Politics in Ancient Rome (Deadline January 15) - The Classical Association of Canada
Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates! Nous vous invitons à vous inscrire à notre newsletter afin de recevoir les mises à jour! First name Last name Email Institution/ Organization All subscri...
www.cac-scec.ca
November 24, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Great opportunity! Check out our full post about a PhD position at York University in Toronto in the History of Authoritarian Politics in Ancient Rome with Professor Benjamin Kelly.
Deadline is January 15th. Share with Master's students in your networks!
www.cac-scec.ca/2025/11/york...
Deadline is January 15th. Share with Master's students in your networks!
www.cac-scec.ca/2025/11/york...
I have a problem, which is that I can’t bear to throw out pretty flowers. So I’ve gone through the bouquets from last weekend and rearranged the flowers that were still going strong into smaller bunches, and now I’m drying a bunch of rose petals. For what? I have no idea!
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 PM
I have a problem, which is that I can’t bear to throw out pretty flowers. So I’ve gone through the bouquets from last weekend and rearranged the flowers that were still going strong into smaller bunches, and now I’m drying a bunch of rose petals. For what? I have no idea!
My Christmas cactus is getting a jump on the season. 😍
November 22, 2025 at 6:44 PM
My Christmas cactus is getting a jump on the season. 😍
Reposted by Aven
Now available on your favorite platform: “If This Is Love”. Check it out! distrokid.com/hyperfollow/...
November 22, 2025 at 3:45 AM
Now available on your favorite platform: “If This Is Love”. Check it out! distrokid.com/hyperfollow/...