From Idler to Researcher: A Year in Review

Semiotic Analysis

As cofounder of the semiotics-fueled consultancy SEMIOVOX, I lend my expertise to various projects in the realm of branding, marketing, and innovation. In 2024, our semiotic inquiries included Britishness codes, multisensorial experiences, sophisticated wholesome codes, out-of-home coffee brand communications, Civil War and Old West codes, and Western Noir codes.

For more info, see: SEMIOVOX 2024.

Teaching & Speaking

I served as a guest thesis advisor for RISD MID students, taught graduate thesis mapping and narrative as an adjunct critic at RISD, and participated in the planning committee for RISD UNBOUND. I was also honored to give a talk at Semiofest Porto, presenting an analysis of liminality in fantasy narratives. Additionally, I served as a guest critic for Tony Leone's graphic design class at MassArt.

Radium Age Proto-SF

As editor of the MIT Press's Radium Age proto-sf reissue series, I worked on the publication of several new titles, including:

• "The Inhumans and Other Stories: A Selection of Bengali Science Fiction"
• "Man's World" by Charlotte Haldane
• "The People of the Ruins" by Edward Shanks
• "The Heads of Cerberus and Other Stories" by Francis Stevens

I also collaborated with the MIT Press team to move the series' 2025 titles into production and am working on exciting projects for 2026 and beyond.

For 2024 press about the series, see this post's GOOD VIBRATIONS section.

Ongoing Research

I continued to share my Radium Age-related research at HILOBROW, including the series RADIUM AGE ART and RADIUM AGE POETRY. I also published several installments in the ongoing series RADIUM AGE SCHEMATIZING and NOT TODAY, EBAY.

HILOBROW

As editor of HILOBROW, I oversaw the publication of numerous series, including REPO YOUR ENTHUSIASM, VURT YOUR ENTHUSIASM, WRITING (HILOBROW), and WRITING (ELSEWHERE). I am grateful to the contributors who donated their honoraria to support youth facing homelessness.

SEMIOVOX.COM

At SEMIOVOX, my branding consultancy's eponymous website, I edited several series, including MAKING SENSE, DECODER, and CASE FILE. SEMIOVOX.COM provides a platform for semioticians to explore their research and share their insights.

SEMIOFEST SESSIONS

As co-founder and convenor of SEMIOFEST SESSIONS, I organized a series of online gatherings to nurture collegiality and friendship within the global semio community. Sessions covered topics such as semiotics and cinema, liminality post-Porto, and color theory.

Writing (HILOBROW)

In addition to the aforementioned series, I wrote various solo HILOBROW series and posts, including:

• SCREAM YOUR ENTHUSIASM
• SEMIOPUNK
• FIRST TIME AS COMEDY
• PHOTO DUMP
• SCREENSHOTS

Writing (Elsewhere)

For the DECODER series at SEMIOVOX, I contributed an installment on LE GARAGE HERMÉTIQUE. I also collaborated with Consumer Eyes to analyze cannabis and fast food branding.

Good Vibrations

The Radium Age series received positive press in 2024, including reviews in Foreword, Locus, and Boing Boing. James Parker's collection, Get Me Through the Next Five Minutes, also featured anecdotes about me, highlighting my passion for economy and aversion to procrastination.

GO WEST

As a member of the coworking space GO WEST, I continue to support the local community and foster entrepreneurial growth.

I am incredibly grateful for the collaborations and opportunities that made 2024 a successful and fulfilling year. I look forward to continuing my multifaceted endeavors in 2025 and beyond.