Joe Vaughan
@joevaughan.net
Content lead at The Museum of English Rural Life. Co-host & producer of Absolute Units. Person who is going to live forever and never die (he/him)
https://joevaughan.net
https://joevaughan.net
new job role just dropped
We're hiring!
Join our team on a project to share stories from our rural film archives with different audiences.
Find out more and apply today:
jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Join our team on a project to share stories from our rural film archives with different audiences.
Find out more and apply today:
jobs.reading.ac.uk/Job/JobDetai...
Engagement Officer (BFI Project) :London Road Reading, UK
Part Time / Fixed Term till 30th October 2026
jobs.reading.ac.uk
January 28, 2026 at 1:39 PM
new job role just dropped
i have launched a further iteration of the textbox update and also explained more on my instagram
www.instagram.com/p/DT7mzO_CJB...
www.instagram.com/p/DT7mzO_CJB...
January 25, 2026 at 11:20 AM
i have launched a further iteration of the textbox update and also explained more on my instagram
www.instagram.com/p/DT7mzO_CJB...
www.instagram.com/p/DT7mzO_CJB...
Happy New Episode of the Work Podcast Day to all who celebrate x
New Absolute Units episode is here!
This time, Joe and Ollie explore the early history of The MERL. What led to our founding in 1951? Why do we share a birthday with The Archers? And why aren’t all MERL staff dressed up in smocks?
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
This time, Joe and Ollie explore the early history of The MERL. What led to our founding in 1951? Why do we share a birthday with The Archers? And why aren’t all MERL staff dressed up in smocks?
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
Absolute Units podcast - The Museum of English Rural Life
Come for the big sheep. Stay for the history of rural England and its people.
merl.reading.ac.uk
January 22, 2026 at 2:52 PM
Happy New Episode of the Work Podcast Day to all who celebrate x
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
Ah we see your Blue Monday and raise you a Moo Blunday
January 19, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Ah we see your Blue Monday and raise you a Moo Blunday
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
Resharing some threads below. Apologies if it's boring for those who've seen them. When people enjoy the captions and pics I've posted in these and share them, more people read my books and it helps me repair things in the aftermath of a publishing disaster.
1. Sheep.
bsky.app/profile/dj-a...
1. Sheep.
bsky.app/profile/dj-a...
THREAD. A collection of photographs of excellent sheep I have met on walks.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
January 17, 2026 at 9:20 AM
Resharing some threads below. Apologies if it's boring for those who've seen them. When people enjoy the captions and pics I've posted in these and share them, more people read my books and it helps me repair things in the aftermath of a publishing disaster.
1. Sheep.
bsky.app/profile/dj-a...
1. Sheep.
bsky.app/profile/dj-a...
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
One out of 12 rams is uninterested in females. Deemed “non-procreative" by farmers, they're typically sent to slaughter. German farmer Michael Stücke rescues the gay rams. His company Rainbow Wool, sells fabulous wool products from his flock of gay sheep. rainbow-wool.com
January 12, 2026 at 8:26 PM
One out of 12 rams is uninterested in females. Deemed “non-procreative" by farmers, they're typically sent to slaughter. German farmer Michael Stücke rescues the gay rams. His company Rainbow Wool, sells fabulous wool products from his flock of gay sheep. rainbow-wool.com
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
Massively looking forward to my upcoming Ted Talk. This will involve me talking to anyone who will listen about my late granddad, Ted, the council house in Nottingham where lived, the allotment where he grew his vegetables, and his long-running day job in a factory where women's underwear was made.
January 18, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Massively looking forward to my upcoming Ted Talk. This will involve me talking to anyone who will listen about my late granddad, Ted, the council house in Nottingham where lived, the allotment where he grew his vegetables, and his long-running day job in a factory where women's underwear was made.
launched a new and improved version of my website today joevaughan.net. this technically superior iteration is known as the Textbox Update
Joe Vaughan
Joe Vaughan is a content creator, marketer, and museum person. He leads marketing at Museum of English Rural Life.
joevaughan.net
January 18, 2026 at 2:54 PM
launched a new and improved version of my website today joevaughan.net. this technically superior iteration is known as the Textbox Update
Dog ate my homework
Good dog! There will be more school
But never more of you
Good dog! There will be more school
But never more of you
January 18, 2026 at 10:50 AM
Dog ate my homework
Good dog! There will be more school
But never more of you
Good dog! There will be more school
But never more of you
Last week I swapped my 9-5 museum job at @themerl.bsky.social for a week of intensive clown school (this isn't a bit!) - 6 hours a day in a north London scout camp being an idiot, bombing, trying again. it was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of my life to date
January 17, 2026 at 10:56 AM
Last week I swapped my 9-5 museum job at @themerl.bsky.social for a week of intensive clown school (this isn't a bit!) - 6 hours a day in a north London scout camp being an idiot, bombing, trying again. it was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences of my life to date
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
We've just announced our new programme for the first half of 2026, celebrating the people and movements that protect England's rural landscapes.
@olliedouglas.bsky.social shares what's coming up in our new blogpost.
merl.reading.ac.uk/news-and-vie...
@olliedouglas.bsky.social shares what's coming up in our new blogpost.
merl.reading.ac.uk/news-and-vie...
Come and join our big rural party
This year we're celebrating the organisations, artists and activists who defend the voices and soul of rural England.
merl.reading.ac.uk
January 8, 2026 at 12:12 PM
We've just announced our new programme for the first half of 2026, celebrating the people and movements that protect England's rural landscapes.
@olliedouglas.bsky.social shares what's coming up in our new blogpost.
merl.reading.ac.uk/news-and-vie...
@olliedouglas.bsky.social shares what's coming up in our new blogpost.
merl.reading.ac.uk/news-and-vie...
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
little-flying-robots.ghost.io/rejecting-re...
We live in an age where the Internet and LLMs are encouraging ever more people to reject reality entirely.
Here's my thoughts on why this is happening, and why the Terminally Online turn amongst the powerful is so dangerous.
We live in an age where the Internet and LLMs are encouraging ever more people to reject reality entirely.
Here's my thoughts on why this is happening, and why the Terminally Online turn amongst the powerful is so dangerous.
Rejecting Reality in the Age of AI
The Internet and AI are encouraging more and more people to deny reality itself. Here's why that's bad.
little-flying-robots.ghost.io
January 6, 2026 at 6:52 PM
little-flying-robots.ghost.io/rejecting-re...
We live in an age where the Internet and LLMs are encouraging ever more people to reject reality entirely.
Here's my thoughts on why this is happening, and why the Terminally Online turn amongst the powerful is so dangerous.
We live in an age where the Internet and LLMs are encouraging ever more people to reject reality entirely.
Here's my thoughts on why this is happening, and why the Terminally Online turn amongst the powerful is so dangerous.
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
Are you a PhD student interested in using museum collections in your research?
Our next free doctoral training webinar takes place next Wednesday. Join us for guidance and examples of uncovering marginalised and minoritised stories in collections.
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/doc...
Our next free doctoral training webinar takes place next Wednesday. Join us for guidance and examples of uncovering marginalised and minoritised stories in collections.
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/doc...
Doctoral Training Programme: What's Not There? Absences in Collections | Museums and Collections
Explore techniques to research 'against the grain' and uncover marginalised stories.
collections.reading.ac.uk
January 7, 2026 at 12:51 PM
Are you a PhD student interested in using museum collections in your research?
Our next free doctoral training webinar takes place next Wednesday. Join us for guidance and examples of uncovering marginalised and minoritised stories in collections.
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/doc...
Our next free doctoral training webinar takes place next Wednesday. Join us for guidance and examples of uncovering marginalised and minoritised stories in collections.
collections.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/doc...
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
Doing some cute calligraphy
December 12, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Doing some cute calligraphy
Beginning 2026 as I mean to continue: by turning off all notifications on all electronic devices. If you notified me, no you didn't
January 5, 2026 at 9:33 AM
Beginning 2026 as I mean to continue: by turning off all notifications on all electronic devices. If you notified me, no you didn't
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
Not one word of condemnation by our government of Trump's illegal act of war in Venezuela.
Not one word.
Not one word.
January 5, 2026 at 8:17 AM
Not one word of condemnation by our government of Trump's illegal act of war in Venezuela.
Not one word.
Not one word.
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
Tell me we should trust AI to give us the facts. Tell me it's a future we can put our faith in. Come at me. I'm right here, waiting.
January 4, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Tell me we should trust AI to give us the facts. Tell me it's a future we can put our faith in. Come at me. I'm right here, waiting.
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
Ban this sick filth.
also, as is tradition, we will be soliciting some unsolicited solicited duck pics on Tues 6 Jan for next year's #InternationalUnsolicitedDuckPicDay. so, see you then. if you give a duck
December 20, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Ban this sick filth.
Love love love everything about this. Adrian and the Marshians are doing absolutely extraordinary work, and would highly recommend anyone going along for some wonderful stomping and community (does it get better than that?)
Near Reading? Celebrate the winter solstice this Sunday morning by joining the Fobney Marshians on a massive marsh stomp, improving the habitat for local wildlife!
Wear wellies, dress warm, and find out more on the Fobney Marshians' website:
ruralreading.com
Wear wellies, dress warm, and find out more on the Fobney Marshians' website:
ruralreading.com
December 19, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Love love love everything about this. Adrian and the Marshians are doing absolutely extraordinary work, and would highly recommend anyone going along for some wonderful stomping and community (does it get better than that?)
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
New Absolute Units episode is here!
We’re back with Professor Paddy Bullard (University of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL), with a bonus episode marking 250 years since Jane Austen’s birth.
Listen below or wherever you get your podcasts:
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
We’re back with Professor Paddy Bullard (University of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL), with a bonus episode marking 250 years since Jane Austen’s birth.
Listen below or wherever you get your podcasts:
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
Absolute Units podcast - The Museum of English Rural Life
Come for the big sheep. Stay for the history of rural England and its people.
merl.reading.ac.uk
December 16, 2025 at 12:27 PM
New Absolute Units episode is here!
We’re back with Professor Paddy Bullard (University of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL), with a bonus episode marking 250 years since Jane Austen’s birth.
Listen below or wherever you get your podcasts:
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
We’re back with Professor Paddy Bullard (University of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL), with a bonus episode marking 250 years since Jane Austen’s birth.
Listen below or wherever you get your podcasts:
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
Our last podcast of 2025! Enjoy <3 <3
New Absolute Units episode is here!
We’re back with Professor Paddy Bullard (University of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL), with a bonus episode marking 250 years since Jane Austen’s birth.
Listen below or wherever you get your podcasts:
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
We’re back with Professor Paddy Bullard (University of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL), with a bonus episode marking 250 years since Jane Austen’s birth.
Listen below or wherever you get your podcasts:
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
Absolute Units podcast - The Museum of English Rural Life
Come for the big sheep. Stay for the history of rural England and its people.
merl.reading.ac.uk
December 16, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Our last podcast of 2025! Enjoy <3 <3
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
remember when AI slop was good
"mr blobby undertaking a psychogeographic drift through the liminal spaces of east london" (@entschwindet.bsky.social, 2022)
December 12, 2025 at 11:33 AM
remember when AI slop was good
Reposted by Joe Vaughan
An episode of our @themerl.bsky.social pod in which I confess to not having read much Austen. Then, for some utterly harebrained reason, I recite my own poetry after discussing one of the world’s most celebrated writers! Thankfully @joevaughan.net edits me to sound less stupid than I clearly am!
Our newest episode of Absolute Units is here!
Join us and special guests Prof Paddy Bullard (Uni of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL) as we explore Jane Austen, farming, breeding, and wrong'uns.
Also, not one but two poems get read in this episode!
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
Join us and special guests Prof Paddy Bullard (Uni of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL) as we explore Jane Austen, farming, breeding, and wrong'uns.
Also, not one but two poems get read in this episode!
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
Absolute Units podcast - The Museum of English Rural Life
Come for the big sheep. Stay for the history of rural England and its people.
merl.reading.ac.uk
December 11, 2025 at 7:32 PM
An episode of our @themerl.bsky.social pod in which I confess to not having read much Austen. Then, for some utterly harebrained reason, I recite my own poetry after discussing one of the world’s most celebrated writers! Thankfully @joevaughan.net edits me to sound less stupid than I clearly am!
new pod, with lots of sound design
Our newest episode of Absolute Units is here!
Join us and special guests Prof Paddy Bullard (Uni of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL) as we explore Jane Austen, farming, breeding, and wrong'uns.
Also, not one but two poems get read in this episode!
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
Join us and special guests Prof Paddy Bullard (Uni of Reading) and Isabel Hughes (The MERL) as we explore Jane Austen, farming, breeding, and wrong'uns.
Also, not one but two poems get read in this episode!
merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...
Absolute Units podcast - The Museum of English Rural Life
Come for the big sheep. Stay for the history of rural England and its people.
merl.reading.ac.uk
December 11, 2025 at 12:02 PM
new pod, with lots of sound design