David Wakeham
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wakehamamr.bsky.social
David Wakeham
@wakehamamr.bsky.social
1.7K followers 2K following 5.4K posts
Animal scientist PhD ABD. Vet micro Gram -ve bacteria, AMR, One Health, Zoonoses & Bioinformatics. MEd student. Head tutor. Multiply Disabled, cPTSD, AuDHD. Animal lover. Spoonie. Enby. Pan. Ace. Always carry dog treats.

https://linktr.ee/DavidWakeham
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wakehamamr.bsky.social
Signing off for the last time.

I am sorry.

Try to be better.
Rainbow Bridge by Paul Violano (2023). A symbolic portrayal of the journey taken by pets and their owners to the afterlife, where they are joyfully reunited.
August 7, 2025 at 12:52 PM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
If I am lucky, reunited with loved ones.
Rainbow Bridge by Paul Violano (2023). A symbolic portrayal of the journey taken by pets and their owners to the afterlife, where they are joyfully reunited.
August 5, 2025 at 10:30 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
The last two dog toys I will ever get to give to my beautiful Missy.
Two new dog toys on a cardboard box: one is a tough orange fox with enrichment chew nubs on flanks, and the other is a plush grey elephant with rope limbs and a leopard-print belly. Missy, a black and white dog, lies on a grey cushioned bed on a wooden deck, holding a bright yellow duck toy between her paws.
August 5, 2025 at 10:09 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
An aerial view of a dusty military camp features the word "GOODBYE" spelled out on the ground with white rocks. The sparse camp includes tents, empty wooden frames, and scattered equipment, evoking the final scene from the M*A*S*H series finale, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen," originally aired in 1983.
July 31, 2025 at 8:11 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
The number two, created from the intertwined form of a human figure kneeling with head bowed low towards their chest, hands clasped in their lap. The person’s profile shows sullen, wet eyes and a posture expressing deep despair, as if begging for assistance with the knowledge no one will listen. The glowing, muscular lines of their body illuminate a dark, heavy setting, with pendulous black clouds looming overhead, emphasising a sense of emotional exhaustion, emptiness, and weariness.
July 30, 2025 at 1:19 PM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
#EduSky🍎 #ActuallyAutistic #Hyperfocus
A two-panel cartoon depicts a dilemma. In the first panel, a gloved hand hovers between two red buttons: one labelled "Write 500 words" and the other "Hyperfocus 4184 words and 12 drafts." In the second panel, a person wipes sweat from their brow, with the dilemma presented below, and large text at the bottom reading "#ACTUALLYAUTISTIC." The meme highlights the experience of autistic individuals who may find it challenging to do a simple writing task without becoming intensely focused and producing much more work than intended.
July 28, 2025 at 12:17 PM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) for sentimental reasons.

We will all be together again soon ♥️
A memorial booklet featuring a formal portrait of Jo Wakeham, a smiling woman dressed in a wedding gown and veil, holding a bouquet. The top of the page reads "In Loving Memory of Jo Wakeham" in elegant script, bordered with thin lines and a ribbon tied at the top left.
July 27, 2025 at 9:31 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
So much to read, so little time.
Two books about Australian Aboriginal languages are laid out on a patterned fabric surface. One book, titled "The Dhurga Dictionary and Learner's Grammar," features an illustrated cover with Aboriginal art motifs and animals. The other book, titled "Warlpiri Encyclopaedic Dictionary," has a colourful cover with portraits arranged in a grid design A boxed set of eight "The Witcher" books by Andrzej Sapkowski is displayed upright on a wooden desk in front of a computer monitor. The book spines are visible, each with a distinct cover colour and featuring the series name, individual book titles, and the author's name.
July 23, 2025 at 1:40 PM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
It is still over a week away, but join in if you know the words…

🎼 It’s beginning to look a lot like Shark Week,
Everywhere you scroll;
Take a look at my screen, you’ll see,
A tuxedo cat strikes with glee,
Batting at the sharks on my screensaver roll.

#Caturday #TuxedoCat #SharkWeek #Predators
July 12, 2025 at 8:39 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
I will be weaving this knowledge into multiple subjects including:

Science, Maths, English, Aboriginal Language, essay writing, and public speaking.

🧪 #iTeachChem🥽 #iTeachBio🧬 #HASS #FirstNationsKnowledge #IndigenousSTEM #Science

7/8
A screenshot of slides from my educational lesson with an Aboriginal dot art border, detailing First Nations traditional medicines. This infographic is divided into three horizontal sections (excluding the transitional question/discussion slides). The top section is titled "Sandpaper Fig and Coastal PigFace." It describes their traditional use by the Yagara/Turrbal people for skin ailments and notes that modern science confirms their antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The middle section is titled "Kangaroo Apple" with the Ngarrindjeri name "Mookitch." It explains its use as a bandage for sore joints and its role in producing cortisone. It includes photos of the green fruit, purple flower, and ripe yellow fruit. The bottom section is titled "Umbrella Bush Wattle." It describes using the bark for coughs and anxiety and lists the Luritja name "watarrka" and the Kariyarra name "pakurta."
July 11, 2025 at 8:19 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
I set the standard curriculum aside & we connected through a yarn, storytelling, using my favourite #Dreamtime story of Tiddalick the Frog.

Please take a look at this wonderful #acrostic poem they created!

This was a moment where connection truly met with content.

#Tiddalick #Poetry #NAIDOC

3/8
A photo of a handwritten acrostic poem on a whiteboard. The poem uses the name "TIDDALICK." The text reads: Tiddalick Is a Good Frog Did He Really Drink All That Water? Look at the water It is Gone Cried the Kookaburra
July 11, 2025 at 8:19 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
Fur a long time, he had the greatest #WhiskersWednesday of any #TuxedoCat.

One year on, I recall the heartbreak due to that dreaded C word.

I will always love you Mr Kitty.

I hope you enjoy my terrible reading of the #poem I wrote (published) and read to him for his legacy.
July 9, 2025 at 5:45 PM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
One year on.

Reading my #poem

I am sorry for my poor reading.

Less sobbing than when I read to him.

Mr Kitty, I will never forget you.

11/09/2007 - 09/07/2024

#CatsOfBlueSky #TuxedoCat

Some graphic images of his cancer biopsy and at rest.

Link to poem: allpoetry.com/poem/1785448...
July 9, 2025 at 10:14 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
🧪 #MicroSky #EduSky

Do you remember when the other place was great for #ScienceComm?

Anyway, as it was world #Zoonoses day yesterday, the message bares repeating.

Do not kiss your dog - for both your sakes.

And please keep up to date with your vaccinations as well. So important against #AMR
A Facebook memory of five years ago of a “live” Twitter post It says not to kiss your dog on the mouth, above a photo of a lecture slide on E. coli phylogeny at an international microbiology conference, the author is presenting at. Alternative alt text: A Facebook memory of a live tweet in 2014 declares, “The answer of course is, no. Especially not on the mouth,” as a gentle warning floats above a dimly lit lecture hall, where a glowing slide on E. coli casts soft light over attentive silhouettes, blending science with humour.
July 7, 2025 at 11:56 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
Now it’s time to focus on those who have supported me whilst there is still hope for them.

They deserve much better than to be forced to return to a shelter.

If you know anyone who can love them as much as I, please let me know.

They will return your love & affection 10 fold.

#Caturday #Adopt
A collage of four animals and one person: Top left: Rīx, a fluffy black cat, stands on a tiled floor and looks up at a hand holding a small plush parrot cat toy. Top center: Badger, a tuxedo cat with striking black-and-white markings, sits on the floor and gazes upward, pleading for cuddles. Top right: Boudica, a seal point Tonkinese cat with cream and dark brown fur, is curled up comfortably inside a white laundry basket. Bottom left: Missy, an American bully cross dog with a black coat and white chest, lies on a wooden deck, mouth open in a happy, panting expression, next to a red-and-black rope toy. Bottom right: The author, though irrelevant, is a enby person standing outdoors in a colourful outfit, using a cane, with people and trees in the background. The collage is arranged on a light background with the text "Thank you for reading" and "Hello from my family" at the bottom, accompanied by a purple heart emoji.
July 5, 2025 at 10:28 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
🧪 #Poem #Poetry

If you are in Australia and you feel the need for something to tide you over, until you hear the drawn-out result...

I am pleased to offer you this #haiku (again).

Interrupted Rations

Death cap's pale allure
Whispers promises, then chokes
Amanita's kiss
A photo by Justin Pierce (via www.MushroomObserver.org) shows a cluster of wild death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides) growing on a forest floor. There are several white mushrooms in different stages of growth, ranging from small button-like forms to larger ones with open caps. Among these white mushrooms are a few taller specimens with long stems and flat, pale caps. The mushrooms emerge from a background of green moss, brown fallen leaves, and dark soil. This creates a natural, woodland setting that captures the feeling of a damp, shaded forest where fungi thrive. The composition offers a close-up view of the mushrooms, enabling viewers to appreciate their shapes and textures against the backdrop of forest debris. The contrast between the white mushrooms and the darker surroundings makes them stand out clearly in the image.
July 5, 2025 at 8:41 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
T.S. Eliot's Prufrock isn't just about modernist angst.

For many of us, it's a devastatingly accurate portrait of neurodivergent paralysis and the exhaustion of masking.

Well at least, since finally getting my own late diagnosis anyway and then revisiting this poem, here’s my revised critique.
A moody, impressionistic painting of a foggy, industrial city street with smoke stacks, symbolising the themes of urban decay and anxiety in T.S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,' analysed by Sonnet Sleuths' founder and editor David Wakeham.
July 4, 2025 at 10:44 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
It didn't start well either.

When I left for the interview (67 mins away) there was a police car sitting out front of next door neighbours’ house.

Plagued the whole drive thinking I am sure I have a few weeks until forcibly evicted.

Then see this memory on FB from 3 years ago
July 3, 2025 at 4:51 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
Four years ago today I returned to Adelaide, to Millie’s favourite place. The mangroves and shoreline of Middle Beach.

We came here at least once a week to play.

She rarely wanted to leave so here I scattered her ashes.

I am so sorry we moved to QLD.

#Millie #BullTerrier #Dogs #RainbowBridge
A four-part photo collage, a deep and sorrowful tribute to a beloved dog named Millie at her favourite place, Middle Beach. The top image is an intimate memorial: a lit candle and a burning stick of jasmine incense, her chosen farewell scent, their small flames and smoke rising into the cold air from the sand where her ashes were scattered. The three lower images capture the beach's stark, beautiful grief. Dark storm clouds amass in the distance, a powerful reflection of profound sorrow and the injustice of her loss. The tide is out, exposing a wide, vulnerable expanse of mudflats that echoes the vast emptiness she has left behind. It's a tribute on the shore she loved, now achingly silent and empty of the swans she would have joyfully greeted. One photo shows the water at high tide, a painful memory of life's fullness and joy before the hardest goodbye. This is a memorial to a rescue dog, a cherished baby girl, taken by a cruel murder, never to be forgotten. A profoundly tender and loving tribute to Millie, captured in a close-up photo of her memorial box containing her ashes. The image shows a polished, reddish-brown wooden box, a final, beautiful resting place for a cherished soul. In the lid, a precious photo preserves her memory: Millie is resting, a beautiful white dog with soft black patches and a gentle, soulful expression, a forever-loved baby girl. Below her beloved image, a silver-coloured plaque holds the words that speak for a broken heart. It is engraved with her name, "Millie," and the heartbreaking tribute that defines this journey of love and loss: "My favourite hello. My hardest goodbye." The inscription is a permanent testament to a bond cruelly broken by a cruel malicious murder, a life that was the brightest of greetings, and a loss that is the most painful of all farewells. A promise that justice will be sought and she will never, ever be forgotten.
June 19, 2025 at 10:15 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
The brains trust at “work” helping me with my emails.

#Cats #CatsOfBluesky
Plain alt text: Three cats relax on a bed with a person wearing blue pants. In the foreground, Badger, a long-haired black and white tuxedo cat, lies on his side. Behind him rests Rīx, a fluffy black cat, and Boudica, a seal point Tonkinese cat, curled up on the person's lap. A little extra: In a serene bedroom, a tranquil scene unfolds as three cats bask in a shared moment of warmth atop a cozy, intricately patterned doona. In the foreground, Badger—a dashing tuxedo cat with striking white whiskers that frame his charming face—lies contentedly, exuding an air of feline elegance and poise. His glossy coat gleams softly in the gentle light, accentuating the contrast between the inky black of his fur and the pristine white of his chest. Further back, Rīx, with his deep midnight-black fur that seems to absorb the shadows around him, reclines languidly, nearly disappearing into the darkened corners of the room. His luxuriously plumed tail arcs behind him like a graceful flourish, adding a touch of drama to his relaxed pose. Nestled in the comforting lap of a person, Boudica the Tonkinese curls up like a plush little bundle of joy. Her sleek, warm fur is a rich blend of honey and cream, creating a striking contrast against the vibrant blue fabric of the person's pants. With her delicate features softened in slumber, Boudica drifts peacefully, embodying the essence of tranquillity. This perfect tableau captures the warmth of companionship and the bliss of a lazy afternoon, inviting all who enter to pause and soak in the simple beauty of the moment.
June 18, 2025 at 10:11 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
Thinking of you, as always, Mum.

I believe it would have been your 92nd birthday today.

I will always be thankful for my privilege, being with you, those last few weeks, and having you pass in my arms.

As always #FuckCancer

#InMemoriam
A collage of five images showing Mum's life. Clockwise from top left: a black-and-white photo of her as a young woman in a nun's habit (technically a sister); a colour photo of her as an older woman in a sun hat; a colour photo of her in frail in respite from breast cancer lying in bed; a partially recoloured/restored black-and-white photo as a young bride. At the centre is a black-and-white photo of her as a student. A kaleidoscope of my Mum's life, arranged in a loving collage. It begins with the black-and-white crispness of her youth: a gentle smile in a veil, then her radiant joy as a bride. The collage warms into colour, showing her adventurous spirit under a wide-brimmed sun hat, a happy traveller on the Ghan (her bucket list trip). It settles on a tender, recent photo of her in bed, her grace still present in her soft smile. At the heart of it all, a rare photo of her as a girl (many siblings, so only the eldest sister was photographed) as a school student. Vintage, soft-focus studio portrait of my Mum and me as a youngster from the early 80s. Mum is wearing glasses and a dark, knitted cardigan over a patterned shirt, and smiles warmly at the camera. Standing beside her, arm tightly wrapped around her chair, is me, with blond hair and a plaid shirt. I am looking forward, almost directly at the camera with a gentle, shy expression. A treasured portrait from the past, holding the warmth of a memory. That's me, a small kid in plaid, sitting beside my Mum. I still recall my nervousness, the scratchy feel of my shirt, and the photo studio's formal quiet. But all I see now is her smile—the kind, reassuring smile that lit up her whole face behind her classic 70s glasses. Also, I see with the incredulous clarity in the realisation that only occurs in moments of retrospection, how obvious all of the signs about my autism were. Regardless, I still wish she were sitting beside me again, for the comfort that thought can enable.
June 12, 2025 at 8:45 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
Back to Cat's Eye for the nth time.

Atwood's exploration of #trauma, institutional failure, and using art to process the unprocessable feels more relevant each time I read.

As a disabled scholar navigating systems that claim to help while harming, Elaine's insights cut deep.

#Atwood #Rereading
Alt-text: Paperback copy of Margaret Atwood's "Cat's Eye" resting on layered vintage lace and patterned fabrics. The yellow book cover features two girls in summer dresses sitting close together, with "Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize" noted below the title. Secondary Description: Like an archaeological discovery, Atwood's Cat's Eye emerges from layers of intricate lace—delicate paisley spirals and floral motifs creating a textile palimpsest beneath the book's weathered spine. The cover's two girls, frozen in their childhood intimacy, seem to whisper secrets across the ornate fabrics that cradle them. One blonde, one brunette, they sit in eternal summer yellow, their small bodies pressed together in that particular closeness that precedes betrayal or transcendence. The decorative patterns beneath—swirling paisleys like fossilised tears, geometric flowers blooming in black and white—create a mandala of memory, each thread a story within the story. The book rests here not merely as an object but as a portal; its Man Booker Prize notation is a quiet testament to the power of bearing witness. In this tableau, domestic beauty and literary weight converge, the delicate lacework beneath echoing the novel's intricate exploration of girlhood's sharp-edged beauty—all surfaces and hidden depths, patterns that conceal and reveal the truths we carry.
June 9, 2025 at 11:55 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
Response from another platform.

The answer is, sadly, no.

As much as this person has tried to support & aid us, there is only so much they can do alone.

It breaks my heart trying to respond. Knowing that they cared, followed up like no one else.

Just for me to say I'm sorry, I failed you.
Screenshot of a reply on another platform. It reads: @wakehamAMR David, I am humbled by how you manage to put your state of living on the verge of 'breaking point' into words that are touching, aching yet powerful. Future ... grim, obviously ... But is there still hope? Of finding a place to stay, together with your companion pets? #poetry #homelessness #housingCrisis
June 2, 2025 at 4:55 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
Again, friends, it is the greatest of all days: #Caturday.

Though I prefer to think every day is.

Rīx is pictured here, perhaps in an act to maim himself for the amusement of @drlatigo.bsky.social and the currently poorly "The Zelda".

We all hope you and your teef feel better soon.

#AltText
The first alt text is for the blind/visually impaired. Second for everyone - but more "me". First: Rīx, A glossy medium-ling hair black kitten/cat with wide, bright yellow-green eyes, lies playfully on his back on a dark, textured carpet, positioned near a white baseboard. A black plastic clothes hanger is draped casually over his neck and chest. The photograph is framed within a soft-edged white heart shape. His left eye looks warped and blurred due to the photo taken during the infamous zoomies. Second: Encased in a loving heart-shaped view, Rīx, a sleek black medium-long hair cat, has succumbed to a moment of delightful absurdity. His luminous, wide eyes gaze upwards as he lies supine, ever so briefly, an ordinary black clothes hanger resting jauntily upon his chest like an ill-fitting yoke or a peculiar prize for the kwaziest kat. It's a snapshot of pure feline abandon, where even whilst hooman is packing their belongings and avoiding finishing an assignment, even basic yet dangerous household objects become props in their quiet, carpeted kingdom. One would be correct in questioning whether this stunt is a brave act of solidarity for poor "The Zelda" during their discomfort? The answer, dear viewers, I shall leave to you. The first alt text is for the blind/visually impaired. Second for everyone - but more "me". First: Again, we see Rīx, the black kitten/cat from the first photograph, who has been inadvertently transformed by an AI feature in a mobile Photoshop application during an attempt by the user to fix his blurry, out-of-focus, malformed left eye. In his transformed state, Rīx appears as a plush, round, grey, cat-shaped figure equipped with small, stiff, light-grey wings, prominent yellow eyes, and the coathanger now jutting out like a black V-shaped plastic handle on his front. It depicts this transformed Rīx appearing to float or leap into mid-air, set against a dramatic background of sharp red and black lines radiating outwards from a central point. This creates a strong visual effect of speed, impact, or a comic book-style action sequence for the transformed cat. Second: Witness the unexpected and comical digital metamorphosis of Rīx, the same black cat you met earlier! Thanks to an errant button press while his hooman attempted a simple eye correction in mobile Photoshop, an AI has hilariously reimagined Rīx as a plush, grey, winged adventurer. In one frame of his new life, this transformed Rīx—now a soft, portly, cat-shaped bag with tiny, hopeful wings and startled yellow eyes, is captured, or instead thrust, "KA-POW!", into a dynamic vortex of red and black comic-book speed lines, a furry protagonist could be in a high-octane escape or maybe a dramatic arrival? It's a testament to how a quest to fix one little eye can accidentally catapult a beloved pet into a brand new, fantastically illustrated dimension! Methinks some clients may like this to inspire and start our next story together! Trying to be better, but still me, warts and all
May 31, 2025 at 9:50 AM
wakehamamr.bsky.social
As it turns out, it matches one of my favourite old t-shirts I randomly picked to wear today.

So, as it IS #caturday, I decided to include it.
In a timeless, whimsically illustrated arena of scientific wit, Schrödinger's Cat—its very state of being a cascade of vibrant question marks on its health bar—explodes from its conceptual wooden prison. It exists as a paradoxical marvel: one moment, a curious orange tabby scrambling to freedom; the next, an ethereal, winged spirit soaring above. Facing this quantum conundrum is Pavlov's Dog, a comically distressed yellow Labrador, a veritable waterfall of drool testifying to the inescapable, ringing summons of a brazen alarm bell. An infinite, humorous duel is captured: the profound mystery of superposition versus the unyielding power of conditioned reflex, forever locked in a playful, visual standoff.
May 31, 2025 at 6:26 AM