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lauren @lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com · 17h

i don't throw around the word "hero" too often,

Bushart "feels great" and "could not have anticipated this experience," he told The Post over Facebook Messenger on Thursday. (He said his first meal of freedom included chicken wings and two margaritas at a
local sports bar.)

The ordeal does not appear to have dimmed Bushart's zeal for posting.
He was back on social media Thursday, posting prolifically about baseball, candy corn and politics.

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Ollie Douglas @olliedouglas.bsky.social · 16h

The horrors! Two episodes of Absolute Units in one week. And an absolute shocker this time too, all about Halloween and folklore (with done discussion if Scooby Doo). This time, @joevaughan.net and I are joined by the amazing Mark Norman, host of @folklorepod.bsky.social. Enjoy!

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 19h

the bravest podcast listeners are about to meet their mightiest match, for our extremely nefarious bonus Halloween episode has arrived.

candles out, headphones on, & listen now — if you dare!*

(*wherever you get your podcasts)

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

"Absolute Units, Halloween Special. A podcast from The Museum of English Rural Life."

Though the podcast artwork for Absolute Units usually shows verdant green fields and a blue sky, things look awfully sinister for this Halloween bonus episode.

Three giant sheep float over fields lit a menacing purple. A dead tree stands on one hill, while another features an eerie gothic tower. A Jack-o-lantern also takes centre-stage - a pumpkin carved with a wicked grin.

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Joe Vaughan @joevaughan.net · 17h

sound design is my passion!!!

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 19h

the bravest podcast listeners are about to meet their mightiest match, for our extremely nefarious bonus Halloween episode has arrived.

candles out, headphones on, & listen now — if you dare!*

(*wherever you get your podcasts)

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

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Ollie Douglas @olliedouglas.bsky.social · 1d

Back again with the brilliant @timjerrome.bsky.social and the very finest of podcast co-presenters, @joevaughan.net. Latest episode of Absolute Units now out!

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 1d

Absolute Units is back!

We continue our conversation with @timjerrome.bsky.social (University of Brighton; formerly, The MERL) about his research into queer rural life.

Discover what Tim has found in our archives to date & the research challenges he's faced.

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

Absolute Units, a podcast from The Museum of English Rural Life. Three giant sheep float over the English countryside.

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Joe Vaughan @joevaughan.net · 1d

new pod! Tim is such a star, brilliant to have him back

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 1d

Absolute Units is back!

We continue our conversation with @timjerrome.bsky.social (University of Brighton; formerly, The MERL) about his research into queer rural life.

Discover what Tim has found in our archives to date & the research challenges he's faced.

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

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The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 1d

Absolute Units is back!

We continue our conversation with @timjerrome.bsky.social (University of Brighton; formerly, The MERL) about his research into queer rural life.

Discover what Tim has found in our archives to date & the research challenges he's faced.

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

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Joe Vaughan @joevaughan.net · 1d

<3 <3

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Joe Vaughan @joevaughan.net · 15d

<3

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Ollie Douglas @olliedouglas.bsky.social · 15d

Here is a brilliant new episode of Absolute Units with @timjerrome.bsky.social. Co-presented and very professionally produced by the inimitable @joevaughan.net, as always.

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

Absolute Units - The Museum of English Rural Life podcast

Come for the big animals. Stay for fascinating and surprising stories about England's rural past, as told by our collections.

merl.reading.ac.uk

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Tim Jerrome @timjerrome.bsky.social · 15d

Thank you to the eternally wonderful Joe and Ollie for guiding me through my first time on a podcast - if intense ramblings about finding queer snippets in rural archives is your thing, give it a listen! @themerl.bsky.social

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 15d

🐏 New Absolute Units 🐏

Same-sex relationships have always been part of rural England, but they've been underrepresented in our collections.

In the first of 2 episodes, @timjerrome.bsky.social shares his work tracing queer rural lives in The MERL archives.

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

The Absolute Units art. Three giant sheep hover over the English countryside.

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Joe Vaughan @joevaughan.net · 15d

we are live!

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 15d

🐏 New Absolute Units 🐏

Same-sex relationships have always been part of rural England, but they've been underrepresented in our collections.

In the first of 2 episodes, @timjerrome.bsky.social shares his work tracing queer rural lives in The MERL archives.

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

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Reposted by Joe Vaughan

University of Reading Special Collections @uorspeccoll.bsky.social · 18d

This bound volume of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and volume I of The Ghost Seer by Friedrich Schiller is exactly what we need at this time of year! These illustrations depict iconic moments from the stories, though Schiller's tale remains unfinished…

Spine of the book which reads Novels and Romances: Frankenstein, Ghost Seer

Frankenstein illustration of page 37 “the day of my departure at length arrived”

The Ghost-Seer illustration “he stretched his hand towards a new coffin. Suddenly the lid made a rattling noise and fell to the ground. The Greek lady instantly appeared.

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The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 18d

Our next free monthly gallery tour takes place tomorrow (14 October, 11.30 am)!

Join our very own Dr Ollie Douglas with @uniofreading.bsky.social's Associate Professor Jeremy Burchardt to learn about the history of fences, and why we divide and enclose the countryside.

No booking required!

Dr Ollie Douglas presents a tour of The MERL galleries with author Guy Shrubsole. The two men are surrounded by rural objects and displays, including a wicker basket and a photograph of a hunt.

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University of Reading Special Collections @uorspeccoll.bsky.social · 24d

🥳 Now open 🎉

Discover rarely-seen letters and artefacts from the personal archive of beloved author James Joyce in James Joyce: Enigmas & Puzzles.

Explore Joyce's social network of friends and artists, his family life, his inspirations, and the adjustments he made to work despite ill-health.

James Joyce: Enigmas and Puzzles. 7 October - 9 February 2026. Uni of Reading Special Collections.

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What's On Reading @rdgwhatson.bsky.social · 28d

Never-before-seen papers from beloved author James Joyce, part of @uorspeccoll.bsky.social's remarkable new Solange and Stephen James Joyce Collection, will form the free exhibition, James Joyce: Enigmas and Puzzles.

Opens 7 Oct at @themerl.bsky.social

whatsonreading.com/venues/museu...

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Ollie Douglas @olliedouglas.bsky.social · 29d

Latest episode folks. With thanks to @katrinanavickas.bsky.social and @joevaughan.net for general awesomeness!

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 29d

New Absolute Units is live!

Join us and @katrinanavickas.bsky.social as we explore resistance to enclosure in the modern era: from riots, to raves, to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Listen below, or search 'Absolute Units' wherever you get your podcasts!

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

Absolute Units - a podcast from The Museum of English Rural Life.

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Reposted by Joe Vaughan

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · 29d

New Absolute Units is live!

Join us and @katrinanavickas.bsky.social as we explore resistance to enclosure in the modern era: from riots, to raves, to Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Listen below, or search 'Absolute Units' wherever you get your podcasts!

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

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Reposted by Joe Vaughan

Reading Museum @readingmuseum.bsky.social · Sep 26

This aircraft worker from WW2 was photographed for the Ministry of Information at Miles Factory in Woodley. The factory made 5000 new aircraft during the war and repaired damaged fighter planes. Thousands of women were employed in this industry in Reading.

1946.52.63 🖼️
Reading Museum 📷
#FridayFinds

Black and white photograph of a woman riveting metal in a factory. Image from Reading Museum's collection.

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Adam Koszary @adamkoszary.bsky.social · Sep 19

some good content wot I saw in the last couple of weeks which is in my newsletter

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Ollie Douglas @olliedouglas.bsky.social · Sep 18

This one’s a good one. I would say that, of course, but @katrinanavickas.bsky.social is brilliant and her new book is a must read! Thanks as always to the brilliant @joevaughan.net.

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · Sep 18

New Absolute Units is live!

Join special guest @katrinanavickas.bsky.social as we delve into the commons: the history of shared resources, the historical forces that encroached upon them, and the fight to get them back.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

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Joe Vaughan @joevaughan.net · Sep 18

thrilled to combine my 2 greatest research interests - UK rural history and Goose

The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · Sep 18

New Absolute Units is live!

Join special guest @katrinanavickas.bsky.social as we delve into the commons: the history of shared resources, the historical forces that encroached upon them, and the fight to get them back.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

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The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · Sep 18

Topics include: Handforth Parish Council ("you have no authority here, Jackie Weaver!"), @househouse.bsky.social's Untitled Goose Game, geese more generally, John Clare, lantern slides, and much, much more.

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The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · Sep 18

New Absolute Units is live!

Join special guest @katrinanavickas.bsky.social as we delve into the commons: the history of shared resources, the historical forces that encroached upon them, and the fight to get them back.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

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Joe Vaughan @joevaughan.net · Sep 12

Facebook just shared a memory with me of this amazingly cool MERL Twitter crossover from 6 years ago, lol

David Hayter, the voice actor of Solid Snake, liking a tweet that says 'colonel....this is The MERL'

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The Boo-seum of English Rural Life @themerl.bsky.social · Sep 10

All our Oct-Dec events are now live on our website!

We've got James Joyce. We've got Jane Austen. We've got an 18+ LATE. And many more reasons why you should make the trip to Reading.

merl.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/aut...

Autumn 2025 at The Museum of English Rural Life.

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