There will definitely be a short term boost in alcohol and liquor sales.

Passed my first year thesis panel, which means I'm no longer a provisional student and I'm allowed to stay in Orkney. 😁

Lit Review revisions (third draft) done. I wish I could get lit but I AM GOING TO BED BECAUSE MY BRAIN NO WORKY NO MORE.

I'm sorry about all the political posting lately. Like you, I'm distressed about the bullshit happening in the USA and I'm not even there.

I did give my senators a piece of my mind over the SAVE America Act, so I feel slightly better. But then, my senators (Cornyn and Cruz) are Trump bootlickers.

Hey #ICE. 2nd Amendment, assholes. I'll call you what you are.

Gestapo.

Murderers.

Kidnappers.

Domestic Terrorists.

I can think of a ton more. You are going down and Nuremberg 2.0 will be sweet to watch.

I try not to be political on this platform because it's what drove me away from Twitter in the first place.

But after a second murder in Minneapolis by federal officers, I'm done.

FUCK ICE.

I hope those agents are charged with murder and rot in prison for the rest of their days.

I am studying graveyard archaeology for a PhD. Thank you for showing the love and consideration and respect that these individuals deserve. ❤️

LIT REVIEW DRAFT SUBMITTED! Saw this beautiful sunset rainbow as I left the college. ❤️ Even nature is smiling!

It's a winter wonderland out there, so I turned into a faerie. 🤷

Old St. Andrews Burial Ground under Orkney snow. I braved the cold and walked across the road from the cottage to get these photos. 🥶 Thought you might enjoy these, @sarahtarlow1.bsky.social!

A shy Lynx Point Siamese cat peeks around the corner of a laptop.

I had a friend helping me to plan meals early this morning.

Cemetery Research Group conference in York in May might be a good place to promote it.

My literature review draft is done and I kind of want to drop some dynamite on it. Are these normal feelings?

Ordered it a few weeks ago and still waiting for it to arrive, but will have a look-see for anything I could include in my dissertation. ❤️

DEATH, COMMEMORATION, AND CULTURAL MEANING: Past and Present, edited by Robert Spinelli @librarianchef.bsky.social and Robyn S. Lacy @graveyardarch.bsky.social has now been published!

Find out more here: bit.ly/4oq7xqO

#CulturalStudies #History #Archaeology

*wolf whistle*

First draft my literature review is done! It still needs a ton of revision, but it's out of my head on to paper. 🎉

First ever PhD research poster and presentation! It was so much fun!

Who said archaeologists aren't silly sometimes? Saw a bunch of mushroom fairy rings in the kirkyards today while out taking photos and kept jumping into them because I felt like tempting fate. Sadly, was not kidnapped by a hot fairy high lord. 🤷 Husband was not so amused. 😆

I climbed a medieval tower in an ankle length dress and nearly died on the stairs for this dumb photo. But it turned out pretty good.

At the Viking Festival a few weeks ago here in Orkney. I had to take 6 inches off that costume because I've lost so much weight!

Playing hooky from Lit Review writing tomorrow to check out Tomb of the Eagles. I hear there's a trolley you can use instead of crawling in on hands and knees. Whee!

@kfed-archaeology.bsky.social Have not seen the Stronsay Beast while living in Orkney. I did visit the Devil's Claw Marks in Sanday, though, while digging a Neolithic site. The story goes that he chased a minister who was committing adultery and got locked out of the church, so he clawed the stone.

Lit Review Outline is almost 17,000 words and it needs to be 10,000. 😅I think I'm going to have to split this up and make some of this my Introduction chapter. On the other hand...I have a rough outline of two chapters only 6 months in? 🤷

This lit review outline went from one page to twelve in ten days and I'm not even half way through my sources yet. This is going to be a beast. It's due August 21 and I'm pushing to get through it all!

Back in the field!

@sarahtarlow1.bsky.social It just struck me how weird it feels to be reading your thesis literally across the road from St. Andrews. I still think it's hilarious that I wound up here. Only place available! I didn't know about the step that's a reused stone, so I just went over and found it.

Two Camp Mystic girls found alive!!!! THANK GOD!

I didn't go to Camp Mystic as a kid, but I went to Camp Flaming Arrow two camps downriver from Mystic. I also excavated in the area for 2 years for field schools. I know Kerrville and Hunt well and my heart is breaking for the parents of the missing girls. ☹️

I'm not going too much into emotions in archaeology in my dissertation, just a brief lit review and acknowledging that memorials are emotional objects. Prime example: my late sister LOVED cookies. I didn't know what was on her stone, but I sure laughed my butt off when I first saw it. 😆❤️🍪