Robert Dahlberg-Sears

As it's Nikolausdag, the night when De Kleeschen comes, I was putting treats in my kids shoes before bed and got curious.

For those who did St. Nicholas day observations as a kid, where did you put your shoes?

Mine went by the fireplace - a N. Am. variation!

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What's better than a footnote? An *explanatory* footnote!

I was always told to cite where you found, so citations A (1885), B (1885) cited by X (1981), C (1985). That way people who read you can know about (1981) as well and possibly reference for themselves

Every day is a new day to uffda at something

Guess the couch next in this conversation with my five year old:

Me: So you think Pikachu having no eyes could stop it from stealing teeth?

5YO: Yes.

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(5YO has a lose tooth and are eating a pikachu donut)

you heard em 🫡

Bill Ivey (1944–2025) - The American Folklore Society Bill Ivey, past president of the AFS and former chair of the NEA, died on November 7, 2025 in Nashville, TN at the age of eighty-one.

Though I never met him directly, eminent USian folklorist (among many other hats he wore) died this past week, less than a month after his final(?) academic presentation at the American Folklore Society conference in late October.

americanfolkloresociety.org/bill-ivey-19...

I could try to make moral arguments about spending your Spotify fee on one Bandcamp album a month.

But let's go simpler. It is *so easy* to just switch from Spotify to Tidal, Apple, or Qobuz! You won't barely notice the difference! You can move your playlists! The audio quality is better!

If it goes up, don’t cross the picket line. Collective action is the only way we ever get things done.

Oh that's also very possible! I spoke with two staffers at the rest spot at the shrine and they both offered commentary at the same time so there was a bit of aural overlap

Addendum: choco-tacos were where it's at!

I will confirm next time. The staffer said it was pretty normal to see any of the 4 they keep wandering around. As far as I can tell we are technically 氏子 there too, so will definitely be back again.

That's interesting! I only know of Washinomiya shrine because of its connection to Lucky Star and inspiring relatively large anime pilgrimages.

And the article is open access!

(Couldn't make the talk from Japan but it seems interesting for thinking with archives and history in the digital age)

A black chicken standing on large gravel

Forgot there was a photo!

While visiting Osaki Hachimangu shrine today, I met a chicken. One of several, its name was either "Chako" or "Taco" but either one was fitting.

This is a chicken at shrines appreciation post.

One of my MA history Profs was of the same stripe: he worked on Colonial Spain and drilled into us the broad use of "America(s)" for a long time referred to it all of the landmass

A white bicycle frame with the words "FUNGRY to gratify your curiosity" written in gold for the first word then in red

Also found the other day: FUNGRY to gratify your curiosity

Are you interested in #Kona, #coffee, #glohalhistory, #Japanese #empire? On November 6, we
@modernjapanhist.bsky.social
will invite Prof. Mariko Iijima (Sophia Univ.) to a book talk about those themes. We will be joined by Prof. Nadin Heé (Leipzig) as a discussant. I will moderate the talk.

Happening in one week!

Alicia Volk (University of Maryland) discusses her new work, "In the Shadow of Empire: Art in Occupied Japan," as part of the MJHA's New Books on Japan series.

Information and Registration:
mjha.org/event-6314068

Wow, prompting* rather

My 5-year old, without promoting whileeating dinner: I don't want to be made of flesh!

'Seeking materials' -- Japan city looks abroad for clues to restore Matsuyama Castle palace - The Mainichi MATSUYAMA -- This west Japan city is on the hunt for documents containing information on Matsuyama Castle's structures lost in the years after the end

Can you help rebuild the parts of Matsumoto Castle's palace destroyed after the Meiji restoration? Families, colleges and museums in the West may have photos and drawings made by foreign visitors to the Castle. Please share widely, deadline end March 2027. More info: mainichi.jp/english/arti...

Ope, right in the original post and I'm just here not reading. Thanks!

What a lineup! Mind if I ask the event too?

Tell me more about these punks...

Montage:

2004, Christmas morning: I open lostprophets' new CD and my Mom says 'I think they're some local band?'*

*They were from Wales not Minnesota dear reader

2025: child abuser (and singer) Ian Watkins gets stabbed in prison and dies

Me, across time: Wow.

Best not be bringing any warm weather up here with you, Sendai was barely 15C today

📣 Germany's close to reversing its opposition to mass surveillance & private message scanning, & backing the Chat Control bill. This could end private comms-& Signal-in the EU.

Time's short and they're counting on obscurity: please let German politicians know how horrifying their reversal would be.