Holly Nielsen

Halima @halomedes.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 08:09 UTC

… anyway! There’s another national march for Palestine tomorrow, Saturday 6th July here in London, with many other local demos around the country :)

palestinecampaign.org/events/natio...

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 09:10 UTC

Yes we should be appalled by the numbers voting for Reform, and we have to tackle and address that because it’s down to racism and dehumanisation. But the difference in coverage and tone is always wild between the Greens and other parties.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 08:37 UTC

That’s true and we should be appalled by that and tackle it, but the coverage on seat gains is wildly unbalanced, and the greens are consistently left out or not given decent coverage

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 08:27 UTC

The Green Party has four seats!! Fuck yes. They had my vote. Now if only we saw the same amount of news coverage given to the Green Party as is given to the awful racist Reform Party especially considering they both got four seats…

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 04, 2024 at 22:01 UTC

Coming out of 13 hours of academic conference to see the exit poll and choosing only to engage with the positives currently because ✨fuck the tories✨

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 04, 2024 at 21:28 UTC

The papers I saw today were excellent, always inspiring to see so much brilliant research being done into histories of childhood. When I’m not quite so tired I’ll maybe do a little thread of some of the ones I managed to see today

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 04, 2024 at 21:28 UTC

It was a joy to chair this panel! Thanks to the organisers for the invite, and to the speakers for such an interesting discussion Very sad that I’m not able to attend the rest of the conference. But it was brilliant to see some old friends and meet some new ones

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 04, 2024 at 11:41 UTC

I’m not exactly thrilled by a lot of our choices, but I am holding onto the hope that we will see some very upset tories. That will make me happy

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 04, 2024 at 11:40 UTC

I’m at a conference today so did a postal vote, but you all better be voting today, even if you spoil your ballot

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 16:47 UTC

I better see some mass mobilisation from all the “we can pressure Labour to be better once they’re in” people.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 16:44 UTC

“at least it’s the lesser of two evils!!” …but I don’t want there to be any evils

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 16:41 UTC

Knowing the tories are probably getting kicked out, but not even being able to be properly happy about it because of who’s most likely going to replace them

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 15:38 UTC

Teaching post-war social and economic British history was always interesting because I’d watch the students slowly realise just how far right we’ve gone in many ways.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 15:37 UTC

It is wild when you consider how far *everything* has moved to the right. What some people consider “extreme” left, really was very commonplace not that long ago.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 14:03 UTC

I’ve said it before but every bit of gaming hardware and accessory is getting called “A Nintendo”. Doesn’t matter that I develop videogames. Everything is A Nintendo and I will not apologise for it.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 14:03 UTC

Tried to refer to the band BTS and instead called them BLT. Fully embracing turning into my mum era of consistently getting names for stuff wrong and not correcting myself.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 11:42 UTC

First stop is Newcastle where I’m chairing a panel at the Children’s History Society conference. Going to be talking to curator Will Newton and senior producer Chinami Sakai about the redesign of the Young V&A and creating child-centred museum spaces

t.co/pVYTcdOOdw

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 03, 2024 at 11:26 UTC

First part of a very busy couple of weeks

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 02, 2024 at 17:18 UTC

I feel like when people say to me that I have an “interesting portfolio career” they are actually trying to say “why have you done so many weird things” in a nice way I don’t even put the weirdest stuff on my portfolio/CV, you have to get me drunk to hear that stuff

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 21:57 UTC

Yes I have been made aware he retired in the 1970s and is dead. I’m now being bullied and asked when Mozart’s next album is out.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 21:40 UTC

I sincerely asked my partner if Pelé is still playing football. The look he gave me.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 15:27 UTC

Outside of game dev I teach undergrad & masters students. I’ve worked as an expert consultant for clients including publishers like Penguin. I also do public history projects & have given talks & ran seminars for the V&A, British Museum, University of Cambridge, BFI (and more)

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 13:10 UTC

Any shares and reposts always appreciated 🙏 I’ve got some availability coming up, and contract work is helping to support me during the last part of my PhD as AHRC funding doesn’t stretch very far if you’ve had consistent health problems.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 01, 2024 at 13:08 UTC

Games made for exhibitions, experimental world building academically funded projects, art installations, live ARGs, games exploring academic research, as well as interesting indies and other commercial games… Just some of the stuff I’ve worked on/I am currently working on

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 30, 2024 at 16:27 UTC

I originally wanted to say “cunty Jedi”, but I chickened out. I’m sorry that wasn’t very pride of me

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 29, 2024 at 22:54 UTC

I like this top, it makes me look a bit like a saucy Jedi or something

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 29, 2024 at 20:41 UTC

I still do occasionally make an effort though Happy pride everyone 🏳️‍🌈

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 29, 2024 at 16:05 UTC

Lady Maria done on my first attempt, Orphan of Kos done on fifth attempt. Ngl I am on fire this Bloodborne run

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 29, 2024 at 15:41 UTC

My first pride when I was 18 (the skinniest jeans and cheap alcohol), compared to pride now (comfy baggy clothes and snacks)

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 29, 2024 at 12:55 UTC

I cancelled my membership to Labour a while ago now because of their lack of support for trans people. So on Pride today I’m going to celebrate by having a cup of tea, and donating the money that would have gone on party membership to trans causes and Palestinian aid✌️

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 29, 2024 at 12:55 UTC

On a serious note… the treatment of trans people in this country is horrific and getting worse because of loud bigots and reprehensible politicians. As a cis queer woman and SA survivor, I find it disgusting that people try to use me in their arguments to justify their hatred.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 29, 2024 at 12:45 UTC

It’s Pride in London today, and I’m a bisexual in London and no one has yet given me a treat or told me how wonderful I am. Rude.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 21:02 UTC

This is the best excuse I’m probably going to have to meet him. Yes my episodes are about the intersection of game development and history, but I’m sure he can say something

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 21:02 UTC

Since I’m one of the hosts of the Assassin’s Creed podcast does that mean I can get Will Ospreay on

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 17:45 UTC

Less so with religious observance, but propriety & play is still very much ongoing. Whenever people ask me about why I think things are the way they are in regard to play & British society; the first answer is capitalism, & the second is usually the Victorian middle classes.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 17:30 UTC

Today I’ve been writing about play, propriety culture, and religious observance in late 19th and early 20th century Britain. Aka “the Victorian evangelical middle classes are at it again”

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 17:03 UTC

Thanks for sharing! Will give it a go

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 16:22 UTC

I’m only taking on contract work atm because of the PhD, but I’m going to have some availability coming up- so if you need a historian/writer/narrative designer, get in touch

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 13:36 UTC

Huh! I was just talking to some academic friends about how we struggled and continue to struggle with it, I use software for note taking but never found anything that can do footnotes reliably without spending just as long checking and correcting stuff (particularly for material culture)

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 13:32 UTC

Maybe it’s really improved in those areas since I last used it- I would love that to be the case 🙏

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 13:06 UTC

I’ve found it pretty useless for footnoting things like manuscripts and primary sources, in the end I’ve found it quicker doing my own footnotes and bibliography as I go

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 12:58 UTC

It’s not exactly reliable…

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 12:55 UTC

I don’t want AI to produce shitty art, I want it to correctly and accurately do my footnotes and compile my bibliography

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 28, 2024 at 11:39 UTC

Going to be at Develop Tuesday late afternoon and all day Wednesday. I will mostly be chatting and eating ice cream, but I’m taking some meetings about narrative and consulting work/collaboration while I’m there- get in touch if you’d like to chat

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 16:00 UTC

Speaking at a university later in the year and they’ve booked me into a (very nice) hotel that describes itself as “hosting scoundrels and scholars since 1879.” Scared to ask which I’m considered.

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 15:30 UTC

Battling the habitual dread with sunshine and iced tea 😌

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Holly Nielsen @hollynielsen.bsky.social [ View ] Jun 27, 2024 at 12:32 UTC

Although I did enjoy the group I just had asking me questions. One kid asked how old I was, and another just went “OH MY GOD YOU CAN’T ASK HER THAT” So I know I now officially look old enough where it’s considered rude to ask me my age.

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