Here's the next episode of my podcast, ready for you to enjoy. It's Part One of an overview of my recent Caribbean trip, looking at why I went, & what I did in Saint Lucia and Martinique. Part Two follows later in the month. traveltalesfrombeyondthebrochure.libsyn.com/caribbean-on...

Actual photo of the snail that powers EMR WiFi 🐌

When I climb mountains, I trudge, stop, trudge some more, and then stop for a really really long time before finally getting to the peak. This person is more than impressive! #mountains #trekking www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adve...

Welcome back to the 'don't look now but the sky's doing weird shit' part of the year

Also of note is this single-second exposure. When the lights are bright enough to shoot that fast, you get to see how complex and delicate Lady Aurora's ball gowns really are. (All of these are processed in Snapseed directly from the jpeg because I am horribly sleepy deprived after last night 😂)

Today marks 5 years since I came out publicly as asexual. It was a bit scary at first, and it's incredible to see how much my personal and professional life has changed since then. I'm still learning about my queer self and peeling away the layers created by the societal norms that I grew up with.

In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand. 'There's been another update...'

Today I booked a course, starting next year, that's a brief overview and introduction to stand-up comedy. It might be good for me, might improve my podcasts and my storytelling. Or it might leave me with a whole host of new traumas. I guess we'll find out.

I've reached the point where I now realise that I am sympathetic to the villains in movies that want to destroy a large percentage of the human population because we are a scourge, a virus on the planet. Examples: The Kingsmen, Moonraker, Inferno, Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Great work Matt! 😂🤣

Are you looking for a sign to run away and live in the Arctic wilderness? Because it's that time of year again where there are so, so many signs.

In today's episode of This is Totally a Normal Town: I have been outside stringing fairy lights on my balcony, ready for several months of darkness. Next door has also been out, hanging out ptarmigan carcasses to dry on hers.

For almost 25 years, AVEN has been working to help ace and aro people across the globe understand themselves and promote open, honest public understanding of our experience. In that time we've had a tremendous impact, and we're asking for your support to fund the next two years of our work.

The original chat covered three Zoom calls, and her experience of editing it down to less than one is why i podcast and don't vlog. Anyway, go have a watch and ponder if my daisy top was 'too loud for radio'.

That @barefoot-backpacker.com has visited 100 countries, and asked me to ask them some questions about it for their podcast. I'm not sure these are entirely what they had in mind youtu.be/kwrzcJWGB2A?...

🎶🤦😂

I’m so sick of people excusing violence against Jews, especially on Yom Kippur, because of anger toward Israel. Would it be ok if people attacked people praying at a Russian Orthodox Church because they are angry at Russia and Putin? No? Exactly.

I have a new podcast episode out! @vspearson85.bsky.social asked me questions about having reached 100 countries in 50 years, including ones on topics as wildly different as colonialism and toilets. Go have a listen! traveltalesfrombeyondthebrochure.libsyn.com/100-countrie...

I saw this ad on a website this morning. I’ve resisted clicking on it but I can’t work out how this “portable stairlift” would work, unless the objective was to wobble a lot followed by injury or death. #shitads

Honestly, I don't know why nobody just tried asking nicely before now. Certainly less politically contentious than advocating for gun control.

Some of us need supervision with matches anyway. Definitely a two person job.

That church in the middle of Edinburgh, whatsisname, er ... #SundayPixWorship

I fully expected the second part of that statement to be '...and Labour feels that the policy doesn't go far enough. We will implement it faster and better and more cruelly than they could!' like they did every time the Tory government announced some illiberal bullshit policy.

I don't hate poetry. I just hate bad poetry. But since 99% of all poetry is utterly dreadful, I end up thinking I hate poetry. **Dons flame retardant suit. Seriously though, most of it is ... dire!!

As a migrant, every company I have worked for has vastly benefitted from my expertise. A company I worked for was pan-European: my knowledge of the continent meant that I was able to work with colleagues all over Europe effectively. Kicking out migrants means lowering the country's productivity.

Contrast this with Iron Maiden, who'll give you a history lecture about one of the greatest military leaders who ever lived, and a lesson about a Coleridge poem from 1798.

when you call yourself an expat, i hear "i'm too good / too rich / too white to call myself an immigrant," and it tells me everything i need to know about you i'm an immigrant, periodddd

Please if you can help. My friends family survived the escape from gaza city, but are now sitting in the open in the south. In order for each family to provide a tent and a bathroom, they need at least 1500 US dollars. Let me know if you have anything spare to give.

I think all dentists tell you that. Maybe they all have shares in a dental floss company?

Today my dentist told me i should be flossing more. Well no, she actually said *Brits* should be flossing more. In my specific case, the 'more' was entirely superfluous. As an aside, getting a 'hygiene' teeth cheaning is a marginally uncomfortable activity.

People on Reddit have very strong and correct opinions on knives. People on Reddit have very strong on correct opinions on *everything".

A very long time ago during a fever dream this "joke"🙃 wrote itself Woman in pharmacy "Can I have some aspirin? " Pharmacist "Do you want real aspirin or chalk placebos, they are cheaper" Woman "I'll take the chalk. They're for my aunt and she needs them more than I do"... It was some fever I had..

Today is #HobbitDay because both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins were born on September 22nd. Normally we'd shire a hobbit pun or two but it might just feel like a tolkien gesture and we don't want to embarrass our elves. Anyway come and boromir #Tolkien books.

Whatever the distance, the last ten to twenty percent is always a bastard.

Today I ran an ultramarathon. And this time finished it, & within the allotted time, tho my last few miles were painfully slow. And muddy. And quite damp. 30 miles / 50km this time, and not much altitude gain. I can now barely move, but that's Tomorrow Me's problem. Am in bed!

I'm walking the Ridgeway next week, 87 miles of trail used by traders & travellers for up to 6,000 years. They've left tombs, hill forts, chalk horses in the turf, mounds and – I hope – ghosts walk with me along the way. (My alive brother is coming too.) Can't wait. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rid...

Congratulations, Brighton and Hove! Let's do this. 💚

Cheers to the passenger on Amtrak drinking prosecco before 8am.

I would go.

I've been so despondent about the inability of politicians to answer questions with integrity and clarity, and then I watch this and, be still my heart, there's hope again. @zackpolanski.bsky.social nailing it. This is the future I want. Go Green.💚 www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ksg...

Every cabin on this river cruise ship will be intended for one guest only. "No sharing. No supplements." www.frommers.com/tips/cruise/...

As noted, here is my next podcast! It's a travelogue about a recent trip to India with my good friend Laura, & 75% it is made up of daily summary conversations we had on each day. Much more 'in-the-moment' rather than 'facts & figures'! traveltalesfrombeyondthebrochure.libsyn.com/five-days-in...

Surprisingly, there will be a podcast episode released on schedule this fortnight. Well, almost. Right day, just a few hours later than usual. It's much longer than usual and took a lot of editing. It needs sense-checking but that's tomorrow's job; i need to bed!

When it comes to raising milk goats we've herd this book is the G.O.A.T we're not even Kidding.

Some throwbacks to my very first dark season up here. We're a couple of weeks out from aurora season now and I am so excited I am basically vibrating

Carry On Doctor.

My ICQ number was 7 digits long.

Age verification: I had dial-up Internet as a teenager.