6 months ago I was preparing for another round of PhD applications, fighting against the feeling of "why am I bothering?". After 3 years of applications, interview rounds, and the inevitable wait list/rejections I can now announce I have secured a PhD studentship.

Is it Monday already? Well I guess that means it's time to update you all on what you can expect from the Gaming Rules! YouTube channel this week. Which of these are you most looking forward to? Join Paul and friends live or watch later at: www.youtube.com/@GamingRules... -Krissie

The forgotten link between Candy Land and polio and why it still matters. The history of the classic board game holds an important lesson about disease. buff.ly/ptgyTvc via @upworthy #polio #candyland #vaccine

A little later than advertised but the How to Play video for Speakeasy is finally live on the Gaming Rules! YouTube channel. You can find it via this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xShi... -Krissie #speakeasy #VitalLacerda #EagleGryphonGames #BoardGame #HowtoPlay

There is a packed week ahead over on the Gaming Rules! Youtube channel Which of these are you most looking forward to? Watch live or later via this link: www.youtube.com/@GamingRules... - Krissie #lostruinsofarnak #speakeasy #themaliceoflightadventures #cge #eaglegryphongames #twintalestudios

This week is an exciting one over on the Gaming Rules! Youtube channel. The Earthborne Rangers campaign continues on Tuesday, Paul & friends play Uprising on Friday, and on Saturday there are 2 solo streams. Watch live on later here: www.youtube.com/@GamingRules... - Krissie

It's 8 days into 2026 and so far I have spent 8 of those days helping my neighbours dig ourselves out of our homes. I am really hoping for no more snow overnight.

I'm afraid there *is* an obvious answer: it can't.

Happy New Year one and all! After the festive break, Paul is back this week with a selection of streams for your entertainment. All of these can be watched live or later at www.youtube.com/@GamingRules... Which are you most interested in? - Krissie

There are ways and means of removing a dictator from power*, and none of them involve breaking international law to abduct them on their sovereign soil. *legal actions by the people when they decide they wish to remove them. Here's hoping the Tango'd wankstain is charged with intl crimes.

Woke up to about 4 inches of snow on the driveway which needed clearing. But at least someone is loving the current weather.

From my home to yours, Happy New Year. May 2026 be everything you want it to be. Slàinte Mhath.

stoptrump.org.uk/sign-bbc-let... I have signed this. Trump cannot continue to sue and attack the press.

I do not want your AI slop I do not want it in my mop I do not want it in my house I do not want it in my mouse I do not like brain-rotting AI spam I do not want it, Sam Alt-man

This is not what I wanted to find this morning after running a 26 hour print on my Bambu A1. We must have had a short power outage last night during the storm which led to the print being knocked off and this blob of death forming.

After a bumper packed week last week, Paul is taking things a little easier this week. There will be a triple bill of games over on the Gaming Rules! YouTube channel this week, which of these pique your interest? Watch live or later via this link: www.youtube.com/@GamingRules... - Krissie

Nigel Farage and his cronies are a broken record with an imperial hangover that won’t shift. Reform is setting a deeply racist agenda with their only real policy focused on punishing migrants and people of colour. 1/5

This week is turning out to be pretty epic. So many board game streams to watch as I complete PhD applications.

Issue 21 is out now! Including Ryan Laukat (Above and Below, Near and Far, Sleeping Gods), Villo Farkas of Mindclash Games, Mars on the tabletop, party games, Small World and more! Go to senetmagazine.com to order your copy or subscribe. #boardgamesarebeautiful

Spotted some gorgeous oyster mushrooms on the way to get my flu and covid jabs today. These were growing on some rotting wood in the gardens of our village church centre.

When people learn with ChatGPT instead of following their own searches, they end up knowing less, caring less, and producing worse advice, even when the facts are the same. Friction is an essential ingredient for learning! Convenience makes us shallow. academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/ar...

Tonight at 8pm BST (GMT+1) JP and Davey, of the Whose Turn Is It Anyway? podcast, join Paul to talk through their most anticipated games of #EssenSpiel2025. What games are top of your list to check out? Any must haves? www.youtube.com/live/xYcKA9N... -Krissie #Essen #MostAnticipated #musthaves

This is starting to look like a seasonal pattern ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/respiratory-...

October 14th is Ada Lovelace Day! A day of blogging, podcasting, posting and hosting events worldwide to celebrate Women in STEM fields, and to encourage and support girls and women to STEM roles and leadership findingada.com #WomenInSTEM #GirlsInSTEM #ALD25 #AdaLovelaceDay

Labour, Reform, Tories... what's the difference? Be part of the people-led movement to build a better Scotland. greens.scot/join

This week over on the Gaming Rules! YouTube channel, Paul has not 4, not 5, but 6 streams planned, starting with a triple bill on Tuesday. Which of these are you most looking forward to? Watch live or later via this link: www.youtube.com/@GamingRules... -Krissie

'Tylenol' is known in the civilised world as Paracetamol 2.4 million children born in Sweden between 1995 and 2019. Studied 186,000 children whose mothers were treated with paracetamol during pregnancy. news.ki.se/no-link-betw...

It's Monday, which can only mean it's time for the Gaming Rules! plans for the week. It's all kicking off today with a live unboxing of the new Vital Lacerda game, Speakeasy and there are streams every day this week. Which are you most interested in? www.youtube.com/@GamingRulesVideos -Krissie

As a new university year begins, I find myself signing up for a number of postgraduate open events (mostly online). Will this be the year I finally find myself a PhD programme? Always grateful to be sent links to Fungal PhD vacancies in the UK, particularly C. auris, or N. glabratus AMR.

Always a good sign when the newspaper of the far-right is raging. I think one of the richest families on the planet should pay their taxes. What about you?

The other one on how the misregulation of a key meiotic factor might affect genome stability tinyurl.com/pjxrvur9

I am offering two MSc by Research opportunities in my laboratory (self-funded!), one on the human-pathogenic yeast Candidazyma auris tinyurl.com/ys8zexbv

Another Monday and another look at the week ahead for Gaming Rules! Here is the list of streams planned for this week over on the YouTube channel, which are you looking forward to? Catch the streams live or later on this link: www.youtube.com/@GamingRulesVideos - Krissie

Oh My Word! What an amazing and packed week this week will be on the Gaming Rules! YouTube channel. There are streams scheduled from Tuesday through to Saturday (Don't Starve Tutorial and playthrough not pictured). Which are you looking forward to? www.youtube.com/@GamingRulesVideos -Krissie

Honestly, the only thing even in the same league as vaccines is sanitation. Antibiotics are the next level down.

Duolingo's CEO has been vocal about replacing human staff with trash AI that's more likely to get translations wrong and make your learning subpar. Stop using Duolingo. Uninstall it. Leave comments and reviews that you'll come back once they put people first again.

Now that the summer is coming to an end, I am hopeful that there will be new PhD vacancies being listed soon. Year 3 of the search for a funded project and almost at the point of giving up.

I spent a few hours yesterday building my first Gunpla model. Opted to take advice and start with a high-grade model and found it simple and quite pleasant to build. I fear I will be heading down yet another hobby rabbithole. My model is the one on the right.

What gif pops up when you type your name?

Quote this with a book you read way too young that explains why you are the way you are.

Tuesday is going to be a bumper day over on the Gaming Rules! YouTube channel this week, with not 1, not 2, but 3 live streams for your viewing pleasure. Then there is another live stream on Friday, and the VLOG on Thursday. www.youtube.com/@GamingRulesVideos -Krissie

Recognition of Palestine is decades overdue, and should not be conditional. Keir Starmer must immediately recognised the state of Palestine, call out the ongoing genocide, and stop aiding the Israeli military with training, weapons and intelligence.

"John Swinney has to think this weekend. What are the history books going to write about this chapter for Scotland?" The First Minister is meeting Donald Trump for dinner this evening.

Forest #fungi on my early morning walk with the Husky. She was very interested in these, but was easily distracted by the raspberry bush covered in fruit that she spotted.

Donald Trump is not welcome in Scotland.

Say it loud, say it clear: Donald Trump's not welcome here.

A convicted criminal who works to destroy democracy and human rights is about to land in Scotland. Join the protests tomorrow and tell Donald Trump that he and his destructive political project are not welcome here.

Tomorrow's front page 📰 Convicted US felon to arrive in Scotland

"i asked grok" "i asked chatgpt" yeah well i asked carl sagan and he said the greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance but the illusion of knowledge 🧪