And this one from @austintownhall.bsky.social 🥹 "I get a lot of tunes across my desk every day, and some are easy to turn off. But, I couldn’t turn off this Brutalligators single, and in fact, kept coming back to it more than I’d like to admit." austintownhall.com/2025/09/18/b...

So cool to have a couple of reviews come in about Hold Fast. This one just made our hearts feel all warm and fuzzy "Brutalligators remain as direct and noisy as ever, but with “Hold Fast,” they’re showing how resilience can sound like both a shout and a chorus." amplifythenoise.com/listen-hold-...

We've rounded up almost all the talk details and have updated the site! We're looking forward to seeing you in October! webdevconf.com

NEW @brutalligators.bsky.social SINGLE DAY! open.spotify.com/album/2kBBV9... This one is about grief and gardens and starting to feel ok despite everything being utterly shit.

🏆🏆 THE SHORTLIST IS NOW LIVE! 🏆🏆 We've finally announced the finalists and opened up public voting for the Design System Awards. Check it out here: zeroheight.com/blog/design-...

T-minus 2 days until we share with you the rebrand we've been working on for almost 12 months. Been a heck of along journey but we're ALMOST THERE

Just a reminder that Side Quest is happening NEXT WEEK! Make sure you bag a free ticket! www.eventbrite.com/e/side-quest...

It's two weeks to go until this absolute banger of a lineup! Feel like I've pulled together some of the best bands in the UK right now for this one... dice.fm/partner/dice...

I never ever thought I’d say this but I think I’ve fallen in love with the idea of all inclusive holidays in lanzarote.

Yo design system losers - there's under 40 tickets left for Converge. You heard it here first. Get in before it sells out. And yes, agenda is out next week. converge.zeroheight.com

Scott has an important message about Mindful Design (piccalil.li/mindful-design ) for you www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ik0a...

10 Days 👁️👄👁️

No one connects like Gaston Adds you next like Gaston No one optimises their network effect like Gaston

As part of every month's delivery, we do an exclusive art print for each one. Basically, I (Luke) find something to do with the record, whether it's a lyric, a song title, or the album name, and create something bespoke for it. Absolutely love doing it every month! Here's the first three...

Alright, who signed the brutalligators email up for supermarket jobs in Leeds? We know we're not very good, but suggesting we need to pack it in and leave town is a bit much...

Two weeks 👀

that lucrative mix of feeling like you're above others even though you're a sentient fuckin tea cosy who peaked in junior school, the perceived ability to eschew accountability or any need to grow and learn, and the capitalistic need to have the slightly-less-oppressed perpetuate their oppression.

TERFdom is the 4chan/Qanon of the middle-class village folk. rather than reckon with the fact your views are blinkered and harmful, you get to join the willy-watcher book club; where the main goal is to froth over schroedinger's genitals and spew vitriol and hate toward folks just trying to survive.

TERFdom is a death cult not a political stance. we should not be treating these people with respect or decency. there is no good faith debate with people who are devoid of good faith. you cannot 'two sides' when one side is just 'i use made-up science to justify a crusade against vulnerable people'.

We're a month away from WDC and already it's shaping up to be one of the biggest in a while. There's still some tickets though so get them while you can!

There's a guy on tiktok who sells pokemon cards and I am in no way interested in pokemon cards but I will watch it every time because he's so wholesome and makes my eyes water. www.tiktok.com/discover/the...

Right, you beautiful people - Side Quest #002 is open for business. Sep 25 in Kings X. Limited tickets so sign up now. www.eventbrite.com/e/side-quest...

After the gig last week and rehearsal last night I am firmly in the 'in ear monitors wanker' group now. How did I survive before this?

Just announced the final lineup for the How To Make Friends all dayer and it is STACKED. SUDS, Soot Sprite, Buds, @brutalligators.bsky.social, @palesailorband.bsky.social Prom and @wearetheweirdos.bsky.social. Also more bands need to be on Bluesky. dice.fm/event/v3kve6...

I just read 40 articles about design systems ama First question: Do I want to gouge my eyes out? A: Yes.

Can't believe nobody nominated Design Systems WTF for Best Podcast at the DSAs. What am I even running an awards for now? It was all a ruse to feed my narcissism and instead I've been HUMBLED. (cc @soysaucechin.bsky.social)

Still thinking about Amy's talk about jargon from a few weeks ago (webinars.zeroheight.com/register/zer...) Reading something about how a design system team is making their docs completely 'inclusive' by removing any reference to what's for designers and what's for devs...

I’ve just read the blog post about it from blind content designer it makes no sense to me www.contentdesignireland.ie/blog/gatekee...

If you're a design system team who shout about everything you do being extremely accessible and host all of your documentation in Figma... You do realise Figma is possibly one of the least accessible places you could do that, right?

Look ma I did a new ebook - zeroheight.com/resources/co... This is a one-stop-shop for what design system value looks like, how to talk to leadership, common objections and a cheeky section on how @zeroheight.com helps with all this. Go download it. I think it's pretty good.

Off to my first Reading Festival today (only a day ticket)! Anyone got any tips for not punching 16 year olds in the face?

Two days until we have the awesome @tpitre.bsky.social on DS Live. I can't wait to hear all about context-based design systems. The work that TJ and the team at Southleft have been doing combining AI and DS is pretty mind blowing. Still time to sign up! webinars.zeroheight.com/register/zer...

Also, don't want to commit to a full subscription but want to see what NSG is all about? We have a very limited number of zines that we're selling as well. Check it out here: nothingsoundsgood.club/products/zin...

Now Issue 2 is out, here's my writeup of the Press Club gig at @bedfordesquires.bsky.social last month. What an absolute blinder of a gig! nothingsoundsgood.club/blogs/news/g...

One request on brush settings for @figma.com - have the ability to lock the rotation on a custom brush. Trying to create a pixel brush, and it's rotating the square, but I want it to always be the same shape instead of rotating as the line curves.

A11y friends - I know I've read a bunch of stuff about colour contrast not being cut and dry, and it depends on font weight, spacing etc. Is there a tool that takes all of that into consideration? Or do we just need to rely on the WCAG > 14pt and bold is considered large?

Found a venue for the next Side Quest! Now I just need speakers... Anybody got a Side Project/Quest they want to talk about for 20 minutes on Sep 24 in London? Also, anyone fancy throwing £500 to sponsor and provide some drinks for the attendees?

DS Folks - Do you have a separate DS for your product and your marketing website? What was the thinking behind splitting them out, combining them, or creating a child system, depending which route you took?

Just watched Stand By Me for the first time and goddamn how have I not watched that film before 🙃

Reminder that DS awards submissions finish in 11 DAYS 😱😱😱 awards.zeroheight.com Also, if you're thinking of submitting I created a little custom GPT that will ask you a bunch of questions to make entering a little bit easier: chatgpt.com/g/g-688c8420...

Because of a conversation I was having in a group about it over the last couple of days, I've been thinking a lot about the whole 'separate the art from the artist' concept, and why it irks me so damn much.... 🧵

How does one put a hit out on the Vanta llama?

The first article I commissioned and edited on behalf of @zeroheight.com is now live! And what a start: In this post, the one and only @gerireid.com explains (in simple terms!) how the European Accessibility Act impacts your design system:

A reminder that we're kicking off @amyhupe.bsky.social's amazing talk about jargon on DS Live in TWENTY MINUTES webinars.zeroheight.com/register/zer...

I just want to own a bar that has a stage so I can run musical theatre karaoke evenings, is that too much to ask?

Love waking up on a Monday and feeling like my head is full of bubbles, but not in a good way

<3 <3 <3

We're looking for folks who are interested in contributing to the zeroheight blog (paid of course). Looking for folks who want to write about the future of design systems, how to navigate design systems in the enterprise world, and how-tos on everything DS. Let me know if you're interested!

Things I want/need to do this week: * Finish the zine for the next issue of @nothingsoundsgood.bsky.social * Find a venue for the next Side Quest * Finish the album artwork for the new @brutalligators.bsky.social album 🥳 * Maybe start a newsletter? Can someone gift me more time pls

Issue #2 of my silly little vinyl subscription box @nothingsoundsgood.bsky.social is going out in a couple of weeks, and if you want a perfect slice of UK garage punk, then you should sign up before 31 July.... #justsaying nothingsoundsgood.club