Matthew Appleton

@thetalkingmoose.net

208 Followers 164 Following

Neurosparkly, geeky, non-normative cis hetero husband, dad, and domesticated weirdo/misanthropic secular humanist. Also fanatical about music, MST3K, Star Trek, SF&F lit, Lego, and the Phillies.

Me, wearing a green sequin jacket with a purple sequin shirt, and holding a multicolored disco ball.
Four-pack of fireworks I purchased today at Costco to celebrate the day when you-know-who is finally bereft of life.
Trans pride garden flag with the text “every one is welcome here.”
A group of LEGO Daleks in a variety of colors, along with their creator, Davros, on the far right, to celebrate Pride Month.
Cat sitting on floor behind a pile of brown packing paper.
My wife’s toenails painted in a rainbow colors and my feet in pride-themed Converse Chuck Taylor hi-tops.
Backside of a brown denim jacket with a variety of iron-on patches placed on it in the locations I might decide to permanently adhere them. Most of the patches include text. Amongst those patches are the phrases "I'm too clumsy to be around fragile masculinity," "Capitalism is a death cult," "You're doing amazing sweetie," "The revolution will not be televised," "Radial Left Scum but make it aesthetic," "Chasing that Scholastic Book Fair high," "Women don't owe you shit," "Be yourself inspire the others," "Friend of Garak," & "nolite ti bastardes carborundorum."
Before photo of my jacket, which displays a Harry Potter inspired Hogsmead Historic District patch on the upper back.
Text reads: “I’m coming with you," said Sumi simply. "I think that's all that really matters, don't you? If I say I'm coming? I've been to more worlds than I think anyone else at this school, and sometimes waking up under the same sky two days in a row is the hardest thing I've ever done. Plus I'm pretty good at fighting stuff. If Chris gets to be your shield, I get to be your sword, and I'll cut and I'll cut and I'll cut until there's nothing left for chopping. "I've asked you not to call me that," said Christopher with surprising primness. "Just because you're happy being called by a nickname, that doesn't mean I am. My name is my name, just the way it is, not truncated to make it easier for you." Sumi huffed quietly, turning to look at Eleanor like she thought she'd find help from that quarter. Eleanor only shook her head. "Names matter, dear. If someone wants to be called something, that's what you call them, whether or not it's what you would want to be called in their place.
Mike Nelson, as Capt. Janeway from Star Trek, with the bots on the 'Laserblast' episode of MST3K.
Photo of the current left sleeve of one of my denim jackets. This Ravenclaw crest has been on it for several years.
Sign with text that reads, “I choose vodka... and Chaka Khan.”
One of my decorated burgundy denim jackets, showing the "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good" Harry Potter patch, just before it's removal.
Picture of me taken in Philadelphia, PA during summer of '25. T-shirt reads "Super Leftist Villian," and the kilt contains pink plaid pleats (described as "unicorn blood" by the maker.)
Recreating the iconic cover of Captain America Comics (1941) #1 in LEGO, with Captain America rightfully slugging Der Katzengropenfuhrer, aka Mango Mussolini, in place of Hitler from the original comic cover.
Cast of Red Dwarf: from left, Kryton, Cat, Lister, & Rimmer.
Picture of a married couple, gazing intently into the camera, in a riot of color.
Lined tan denim jacket with a few iron-on patches adhered to it.
Photo of my tri-colored, glittered-covered custom-ordered Converse hi-tops.
Text in photo reads: In an alternate universe, Chumbawamba re-recorded “Tubthumping” for the holidays, complete with forced extra syllables in the lyrics, ala Billy Mack’s “Christmas Is All Around”: He drinks an egg nog drink, He drinks a cocoa drink, He drinks a minty drink, He drinks a spiced cider drink, He sings the carols that remind him of the good times He sings the carols that remind him of the better times Oh, Santa Claus Santa Claus Santa Claus I wrap my gifts And then they open them They’re never gonna take them back…
Picture of me wearing my gothic pride kilt and decorated denim jackets, as confetti falls down around me. Photo taken at The Color Factory in NYC.
Picture of a t-shirt with an image of Garak from Star Trek: Deep Space Nince, a rainbow behind him, and text that reads "Friend of Garak."
Gary OIdman as Zorg in the movie Fifth Element.
Custom-made Krampus LEGO-compatible minifigure Christmas caroling with Spike from the movie Gremlins.
Me leaning against the wall, below the “21 Street Queensbridge” sign in said subway station. Wearing my Gothic pride, kilt, and my most recent decorated denim jacket creation.
Photo of myself kneeling on the ground, in full supplication, at the base of the pigeon statue/artwork currently at the north end of the High Line park in NYC.
Photo of the back of my Kia Soul, tricked out with awesome nerdy and sociopolitical magnets, stickers, window clings, and license plate holder.
Minifigure is actually of Cruella De Vil, or course, and comes from the Cruella De Vil’s Car set that LEGO released last month.
Text in photo: “How long have you known each other?” Well, we were burned at the stake together in 1692 and promised to reunite in every lifetime. Appreciate you asking.
Photo my wife took of me in one of my Versatta gothic utility kilts and custom ice dyed denim jackets. Happier with how I present myself now, at the age of 53, than at any other time in my life.
Homage to the cover of Captain America Comics #1, where Capt. America famously punched Hitler.
Ransom and Shaxs, from Star Trek: Lower Decks, working out just before declaring the rest of the day "Cheat Day." The scene is otherwise almost identical to one in ST:TNG featuring Troi and Dr. Crusher.
Image Description: A page from a children's book with an illustration of a crying child, the character Little Critter. It originally said: I wanted to cry, but I didn't. I was brave instead. A person has made handwritten changes, so now it reads as follows: I wanted to cry, so I did! I was brave and sad.
Text in screenshot, from my Facebook page: “This is purely a self-motivational post for tomorrow… I really need to write a long-ass post to my personal blog (and link to it here) about where I was at this time in my life 30 years ago today, give or take a few days.”
Caricature of me starting to burn an American flag. Free speech for the win.
A right-this-moment picture of the party lighting my wife and I keep setup year-round — which we currently have lit because we need the feel-good vibes tonight.
Photo of the back of my Kia Soul, covered with various progressive/leftist stickers and car magnets.
Sign reads “I choose vodka… and Chaka Khan” (quote from Bridget Jones’s Diary film.)
Selfie with the concert stage behind me before the start of last night’s “Weird Al” Bigger & Weirder show at Wild Trap.
Moopsy, the most terrifying creature in the Star Trek universe. Introduced in the Lower Decks series, he’ll drink your bones.
Party lighting (complete with our year-round lit trees) in our otherwise boring, middle class townhouse in Northern Virginia.
The incredibly ugly and overly expensive Tesla Cybertruck, a.k.a. the Swastikar, parked & charging in the driveway.
Picture of myself wearing a pride kilt, an olive green denim jacket with various pins and patches on it, and a Marvin the Paranoid Android t-shirt that states “Sad Robot.”
Awesome party lighting on the ceiling of a living room.
An array of Lego Daleks in a number of different colors for pride month.
Picture of the interior of the Daniel Patrick Monahan Train Hall.
Picture of me, looking back over my right shoulder, dressed as described in the post, and resting an aluminum bat on my left shoulder.
Official patch sold by the Lucy the Elephant gift shop. Patch states “A National Historic Landmark Margate, NJ Born in 1881.” Patch also depicts Lucy.
Custom-made sign that reads, “I choose vodka… and Chaka Khan”.
Sign reads “So much wrong so little cardboard”
Attendees at Hands Off! rally in Leesburg, VA.
“Your mental health journey is a testament to your resilience.”
Welp a first just happened during a discussion I had for one of my classes: Someone showed up to a closed discussion who doesn't even go to school here. Dude just sat in the back and during a group discussion session the TA approached the guy and asked what he was doing in the class and asked for his student ID. Dude didn't have one and was told to leave. She emailed security about the incident.
Me wearing a war metal kilt from Versatta Kilts, purple dyed vintage denim jacket decorated with pins and patches (yellow rectangular pin states “No one’s treading on you, sweetie,”) a disco planet tee shirt, and leather Converse Chuck Taylor boots.