Cat Crossley
@catscreatechaos.bsky.social
Medievalist and musician, long-haul PhD at Liverpool on “monstrous men” and mappaemundi. Mountains, mushrooms, music, festivals and cats. 🏳️🌈🏴
It’s Wednesday, so today’s tea is Lung Ching Dragonwell, which is particularly delicious.
Had a zoom call w/my supervisor, who said there’s “nothing atrocious” (lol!!) he could see in my thesis, so I should crack on with polishing and finishing it.
Went for a micro walk in the sun. All is well.
Had a zoom call w/my supervisor, who said there’s “nothing atrocious” (lol!!) he could see in my thesis, so I should crack on with polishing and finishing it.
Went for a micro walk in the sun. All is well.
December 3, 2025 at 4:17 PM
It’s Wednesday, so today’s tea is Lung Ching Dragonwell, which is particularly delicious.
Had a zoom call w/my supervisor, who said there’s “nothing atrocious” (lol!!) he could see in my thesis, so I should crack on with polishing and finishing it.
Went for a micro walk in the sun. All is well.
Had a zoom call w/my supervisor, who said there’s “nothing atrocious” (lol!!) he could see in my thesis, so I should crack on with polishing and finishing it.
Went for a micro walk in the sun. All is well.
Love how my version of Word just occasionally randomly decides that important documents can’t be accessed right now. Yeh reckon you must have deleted it mate, it says. Can’t find it anywhere.
So I have to find them in my email outbox and re-download to read. Great use of my dwindling time.
So I have to find them in my email outbox and re-download to read. Great use of my dwindling time.
December 2, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Love how my version of Word just occasionally randomly decides that important documents can’t be accessed right now. Yeh reckon you must have deleted it mate, it says. Can’t find it anywhere.
So I have to find them in my email outbox and re-download to read. Great use of my dwindling time.
So I have to find them in my email outbox and re-download to read. Great use of my dwindling time.
Today we are fixing some of the problems I found in the Maps chapter yesterday, and we are now exactly a week out from the thesis resubmission date. Fuck.
It is Tuesday, so today’s tasty tea is Ti Kuan Yin Oolong.
It is Tuesday, so today’s tasty tea is Ti Kuan Yin Oolong.
December 2, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Today we are fixing some of the problems I found in the Maps chapter yesterday, and we are now exactly a week out from the thesis resubmission date. Fuck.
It is Tuesday, so today’s tasty tea is Ti Kuan Yin Oolong.
It is Tuesday, so today’s tasty tea is Ti Kuan Yin Oolong.
Probably too late for me to move away from medieval history to mycology proper, but I'm def gonna be trying to influence my niece and nephew to study fungi when they grow up...
Fucking fascinating things, fungi...hope for the future!
#MushroomMonday #mycology
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Fucking fascinating things, fungi...hope for the future!
#MushroomMonday #mycology
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
‘Nature’s original engineers’: scientists explore the amazing potential of fungi
Unique properties of fungi have led to groundbreaking innovations in recent years, from nappies to electronics
www.theguardian.com
December 1, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Probably too late for me to move away from medieval history to mycology proper, but I'm def gonna be trying to influence my niece and nephew to study fungi when they grow up...
Fucking fascinating things, fungi...hope for the future!
#MushroomMonday #mycology
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Fucking fascinating things, fungi...hope for the future!
#MushroomMonday #mycology
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Just over a week until my thesis resubmission deadline, and I’m back on the massive maps chapter edits.
Turns out that in the big restructuring, I skipped over f.119 of the Getty miscellany, which is why a big chunk doesn’t make sense!
Anyway, here’s today’s tea, Genmai Cha aka popcorn tea
Turns out that in the big restructuring, I skipped over f.119 of the Getty miscellany, which is why a big chunk doesn’t make sense!
Anyway, here’s today’s tea, Genmai Cha aka popcorn tea
December 1, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Just over a week until my thesis resubmission deadline, and I’m back on the massive maps chapter edits.
Turns out that in the big restructuring, I skipped over f.119 of the Getty miscellany, which is why a big chunk doesn’t make sense!
Anyway, here’s today’s tea, Genmai Cha aka popcorn tea
Turns out that in the big restructuring, I skipped over f.119 of the Getty miscellany, which is why a big chunk doesn’t make sense!
Anyway, here’s today’s tea, Genmai Cha aka popcorn tea
My sister is currently editing my bibliography from Brisbane, and I threw some notes in the document for extra texts to add in. But they were more “notes to self” than actual useful biblio info…
She managed to identify the “world map, 1400-thingy” because I put the author in (Evelyn Edson, obvs)
She managed to identify the “world map, 1400-thingy” because I put the author in (Evelyn Edson, obvs)
November 27, 2025 at 11:40 AM
My sister is currently editing my bibliography from Brisbane, and I threw some notes in the document for extra texts to add in. But they were more “notes to self” than actual useful biblio info…
She managed to identify the “world map, 1400-thingy” because I put the author in (Evelyn Edson, obvs)
She managed to identify the “world map, 1400-thingy” because I put the author in (Evelyn Edson, obvs)
Was absolutely convinced it was Wednesday when I woke up this morning, no idea why. Apologies to my cat, who should not have had her meds today because she had them yesterday.
(Partly writing this to remind me not to give her meds on her usual day tomorrow as well!!)
(Partly writing this to remind me not to give her meds on her usual day tomorrow as well!!)
November 4, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Was absolutely convinced it was Wednesday when I woke up this morning, no idea why. Apologies to my cat, who should not have had her meds today because she had them yesterday.
(Partly writing this to remind me not to give her meds on her usual day tomorrow as well!!)
(Partly writing this to remind me not to give her meds on her usual day tomorrow as well!!)
Orangina was Very Brave last night as various people nearby decided to let off ALL their fireworks over several hours. She only hid under the bed for a little bit, after trying to sleep through the noise on the windowsill. She even ate some snacks and had some playtime whilst the bangs went off!
November 3, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Orangina was Very Brave last night as various people nearby decided to let off ALL their fireworks over several hours. She only hid under the bed for a little bit, after trying to sleep through the noise on the windowsill. She even ate some snacks and had some playtime whilst the bangs went off!
I actually had quite a productive day today, added lots of relevant info and references to the maps chapter. I’m crediting this breakthrough to these skeets about my brain’s obsession with Puppet Band Planning, and which by externalising it managed to get it out of my head (a bit, enough anyway :)
Me: please, shut the fuck up and do some work
My brain: okay
Me: so let’s focus on the maps chapter today, we can…
My brain: we could argue with the puppets onstage.
Me: what
My brain: we could have speech bubbles printed out. The puppets could slag me off behind my back.
My brain: okay
Me: so let’s focus on the maps chapter today, we can…
My brain: we could argue with the puppets onstage.
Me: what
My brain: we could have speech bubbles printed out. The puppets could slag me off behind my back.
November 3, 2025 at 3:53 PM
I actually had quite a productive day today, added lots of relevant info and references to the maps chapter. I’m crediting this breakthrough to these skeets about my brain’s obsession with Puppet Band Planning, and which by externalising it managed to get it out of my head (a bit, enough anyway :)
Me: okay, we only have a month to finish the thesis, we’re apparently binning an entire chapter, have tonnes of work to do and really need to fully focus on writing and editing, can we crack on please?
My brain: okay so here’s how I think we could make a puppet band performance work on stage…
My brain: okay so here’s how I think we could make a puppet band performance work on stage…
November 2, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Me: okay, we only have a month to finish the thesis, we’re apparently binning an entire chapter, have tonnes of work to do and really need to fully focus on writing and editing, can we crack on please?
My brain: okay so here’s how I think we could make a puppet band performance work on stage…
My brain: okay so here’s how I think we could make a puppet band performance work on stage…
Reposted by Cat Crossley
My blog post with the ADAM network has now been published. It's about precarity, the future of small subjects, and communal approaches to academic work. I hope it will resonate with some. #IchBinHanna #KleineFaecher #SkandiRetten
difficultmedieval.com/2025/10/23/h...
difficultmedieval.com/2025/10/23/h...
Hard Times and Trial Approaches: Old Norse-Icelandic Studies Between Precarity and the Future
Dr Rebecca Merkelbach reflects on her keynote speech at the most recent Saga Conference. Held every three years, Saga Con is the most important meeting of Old Norse scholars, bringing together acad…
difficultmedieval.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:56 AM
My blog post with the ADAM network has now been published. It's about precarity, the future of small subjects, and communal approaches to academic work. I hope it will resonate with some. #IchBinHanna #KleineFaecher #SkandiRetten
difficultmedieval.com/2025/10/23/h...
difficultmedieval.com/2025/10/23/h...
Anywho, as usual, everything is awful but there are cute stripy Scottish Wildcat kittens thriving in the wild, and you can see a short video of them here:
www.wildcathaven.com/news/eve-and...
www.wildcathaven.com/news/eve-and...
EVE AND HER KITTENS — Wildcat Haven
Hi All There is so much going on but we wanted to update you on the kittens. We are very pleased to tell you that they are thriving. They are growing rapidly and are clearly enjoying their forest hom...
www.wildcathaven.com
October 21, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Anywho, as usual, everything is awful but there are cute stripy Scottish Wildcat kittens thriving in the wild, and you can see a short video of them here:
www.wildcathaven.com/news/eve-and...
www.wildcathaven.com/news/eve-and...
Okay, I’m starting to get really sick of writing this thesis. 8 years into the PhD, c.10 years since I came up with the topic, and with only a few weeks until I resubmit my massively revised version, and it feels like I’ve hit a huge wall. I can’t possibly give up at this point, but it’s tempting…
October 21, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Okay, I’m starting to get really sick of writing this thesis. 8 years into the PhD, c.10 years since I came up with the topic, and with only a few weeks until I resubmit my massively revised version, and it feels like I’ve hit a huge wall. I can’t possibly give up at this point, but it’s tempting…
It did, in fact, topple over again.
Anyway, the rainwater butt is now reattached to the shed’s gutter and downspout, sitting on a raised granite paving slab with a newly flat bottom, and hopefully won’t topple over again.
October 20, 2025 at 1:06 PM
It did, in fact, topple over again.
Yeh I can think of a few options, but they might get you fired...
October 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Yeh I can think of a few options, but they might get you fired...
Okay so this is on me for not realising I was using the 'library books search' bar when I was trying to find out the library address for me to post a late book back to, but this single result had me in absolute hysterics, top tier trolling from the library!!
![Screenshot of the single result that came up on the University of Liverpool library search when I put in 'Sydney Jones [Library] postal address':
'A Longitudinal Examination of the Hopelessness Theory of Depression in People Who Have Multiple Sclerosis'
In case it isn't clear why I found this so fucking funny, it's because I have Multiple Sclerosis, after eight years on the same goddamn PhD we can certainly identify with a certain level of Hopelessness and (see points A and B) of course I'm fucking depressed!!
But how and why was this the only result returned from the mistaken query?? 'Jones' and 'postal' are highlighted in the search, so yes there is some rationale behind it but really...? Targeted trolling, in my book.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:pvygffdcpoi4k6ocpt2tzhuz/bafkreifrkmsy2mokm5iznj6znzmhlkrok3arsny7tyevoqb5dwk2ocvstm@jpeg)
October 16, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Okay so this is on me for not realising I was using the 'library books search' bar when I was trying to find out the library address for me to post a late book back to, but this single result had me in absolute hysterics, top tier trolling from the library!!
Another early wake up call from my rascal cat today. No mice involved, just her yelling in the hall at 5am.
When she does this it seems she’s had a nightmare or scary garden encounter and needs me to tell her she’s safe. I miaow back, give her a cuddle and fall asleep again. The light stays off.
When she does this it seems she’s had a nightmare or scary garden encounter and needs me to tell her she’s safe. I miaow back, give her a cuddle and fall asleep again. The light stays off.
October 16, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Another early wake up call from my rascal cat today. No mice involved, just her yelling in the hall at 5am.
When she does this it seems she’s had a nightmare or scary garden encounter and needs me to tell her she’s safe. I miaow back, give her a cuddle and fall asleep again. The light stays off.
When she does this it seems she’s had a nightmare or scary garden encounter and needs me to tell her she’s safe. I miaow back, give her a cuddle and fall asleep again. The light stays off.
Three guesses who brought a mouse into the house c.11pm, lost it in the kitchen, then tracked it down at 4am and woke me up with the unmistakable scuffling sounds of a cat chasing a mouse on laminate flooring.
Today’s Gladiator Mouse was incredibly lively, and lives to fight another day.
Today’s Gladiator Mouse was incredibly lively, and lives to fight another day.
October 14, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Three guesses who brought a mouse into the house c.11pm, lost it in the kitchen, then tracked it down at 4am and woke me up with the unmistakable scuffling sounds of a cat chasing a mouse on laminate flooring.
Today’s Gladiator Mouse was incredibly lively, and lives to fight another day.
Today’s Gladiator Mouse was incredibly lively, and lives to fight another day.
My spellchecker is having a crisis in my footnote, and is trying to spellcheck in Italian, I think??
That’s kinda funny, but also WTF and why and please stop, I don’t have time for you being belligerently bilingual today
That’s kinda funny, but also WTF and why and please stop, I don’t have time for you being belligerently bilingual today
October 13, 2025 at 12:33 PM
My spellchecker is having a crisis in my footnote, and is trying to spellcheck in Italian, I think??
That’s kinda funny, but also WTF and why and please stop, I don’t have time for you being belligerently bilingual today
That’s kinda funny, but also WTF and why and please stop, I don’t have time for you being belligerently bilingual today
Don Leisure killed my iPod 😹
Bought his WMP-winning album, put it on my iPod and listened during my usual walk in the meadows. Last track ended with Dafydd Iwan and then…nothing. Screen black.
Tried to charge it when I got home, no luck, still Very Off. We’ll see if it EVER turns on again…
Bought his WMP-winning album, put it on my iPod and listened during my usual walk in the meadows. Last track ended with Dafydd Iwan and then…nothing. Screen black.
Tried to charge it when I got home, no luck, still Very Off. We’ll see if it EVER turns on again…
Can’t entirely believe that Adwaith didn’t win with Solas this year, but huge congrats to Don Leisure! That album sounds right up my street so will be buying and listening soon :)
I judged this year’s Welsh music prize – and Don Leisure’s winning album sums up the nation’s eclectic spirit
October 12, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Don Leisure killed my iPod 😹
Bought his WMP-winning album, put it on my iPod and listened during my usual walk in the meadows. Last track ended with Dafydd Iwan and then…nothing. Screen black.
Tried to charge it when I got home, no luck, still Very Off. We’ll see if it EVER turns on again…
Bought his WMP-winning album, put it on my iPod and listened during my usual walk in the meadows. Last track ended with Dafydd Iwan and then…nothing. Screen black.
Tried to charge it when I got home, no luck, still Very Off. We’ll see if it EVER turns on again…
Reposted by Cat Crossley
#Medievalsky At some point I remember having a handlist of early English / general European medical manuscripts and editions - but I cannot remember for the life of me if I found it somewhere or compiled it myself. (It was c.2022 - so my memory is a bit vague due to PhD stress) Any ideas? #medicine
October 10, 2025 at 11:31 PM
#Medievalsky At some point I remember having a handlist of early English / general European medical manuscripts and editions - but I cannot remember for the life of me if I found it somewhere or compiled it myself. (It was c.2022 - so my memory is a bit vague due to PhD stress) Any ideas? #medicine
I had my first contact with Pretty for ages yesterday, the first time in years! We’ve been friends for a while (she’s on my usual daily walk route) but she’s been a bit scared to come out to see me. Had to trespass a bit to stroke her, but totally worth it. Lovely puss.
@thecatreviewer.bsky.social
@thecatreviewer.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I had my first contact with Pretty for ages yesterday, the first time in years! We’ve been friends for a while (she’s on my usual daily walk route) but she’s been a bit scared to come out to see me. Had to trespass a bit to stroke her, but totally worth it. Lovely puss.
@thecatreviewer.bsky.social
@thecatreviewer.bsky.social
Can’t entirely believe that Adwaith didn’t win with Solas this year, but huge congrats to Don Leisure! That album sounds right up my street so will be buying and listening soon :)
I judged this year’s Welsh music prize – and Don Leisure’s winning album sums up the nation’s eclectic spirit
I judged this year’s Welsh music prize – and Don Leisure’s winning album sums up the nation’s eclectic spirit
Desert blues, transcendental electronica and a concept album about a mill powered by music – this year’s shortlisted albums were stunningly diverse, none more so than the crate-digging on the triumphant Tyrchu Sain
www.theguardian.com
October 7, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Can’t entirely believe that Adwaith didn’t win with Solas this year, but huge congrats to Don Leisure! That album sounds right up my street so will be buying and listening soon :)
SFA OK!! 🏴
Another fun thing for post-PhD life lined up, can’t wait to see them again, back where I saw them play the very first time a lifetime ago 😺
Another fun thing for post-PhD life lined up, can’t wait to see them again, back where I saw them play the very first time a lifetime ago 😺
October 3, 2025 at 9:17 AM
SFA OK!! 🏴
Another fun thing for post-PhD life lined up, can’t wait to see them again, back where I saw them play the very first time a lifetime ago 😺
Another fun thing for post-PhD life lined up, can’t wait to see them again, back where I saw them play the very first time a lifetime ago 😺
Cooked a few of these various foraged mushrooms up with a tonne of garlic last night, made a delicious meal and didn’t die!
I was pretty sure they were all fully fine to eat, but I nearly never pick and eat edible mushrooms so this was a bit out of my comfort zone. Will do it all again tonight…
I was pretty sure they were all fully fine to eat, but I nearly never pick and eat edible mushrooms so this was a bit out of my comfort zone. Will do it all again tonight…
September 30, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Cooked a few of these various foraged mushrooms up with a tonne of garlic last night, made a delicious meal and didn’t die!
I was pretty sure they were all fully fine to eat, but I nearly never pick and eat edible mushrooms so this was a bit out of my comfort zone. Will do it all again tonight…
I was pretty sure they were all fully fine to eat, but I nearly never pick and eat edible mushrooms so this was a bit out of my comfort zone. Will do it all again tonight…