Not sure I’m ready for autumn yet but seems like it’s arriving anyway

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We had a go at the #WonderlandLeeds trail today. ‘Unforgettable adventure’ in the marketing is overselling it but we did get to parts of the city we wouldn’t otherwise see. Child wasn’t keen on the scary cat. I remember being made to read Alice in primary school and finding it absolutely terrifying!

Just another relatable National Trust sign

Finally downing tools after a very mixed week. I’ve been beaten at mini golf, comprehensively failed a maths quiz set by a friend’s 8-year-old, co-hosted a 12th birthday party, had 2 long PhD days in London, wrestled research questions, & nearly finished an evaluation report. Now need a lie down

Imagine this being your workplace 😍

Freelance arts workers are earning an average annual salary 20.5% less than the benchmark set by the Living Wage Foundation’s ‘Real Living Wage’.

Train finally arrived nearly an hour late. Must be time for a brew, but according to the announcement the buffet car “unfortunately” accepts neither cash nor cards. Time to remind myself of my 13-point guide to getting a cup of tea on a train imaginarylizzie.substack.com/p/capital-pu...

I’ve made 8 train journeys in the past two weeks & every one has been delayed or cancelled. I’ve spent about £80 on taxis and hours trying to fathom inadequate ‘delay repay’ processes. Could today be different? No, it could not. Nowt to do with Storm Floris either. Rail operators are just crap.

Massive thank you to organisers & delegates #DCDC25 for a great few days of thought-provoking & inspiring conversations, & to everyone who popped by my poster. Now to embark on my last nostalgia wander as I drag my tired self up to the station. I’m sure Durham’s hills didn’t used to be so steep

The Shakespeare’s First Folio exhibition @ducollections.bsky.social Cosin’s Library is beautifully done #DCDC25 & the story of its theft & recovery is strange and compelling. More in this 2010 documentary. Tragically the man convicted later took his own life in prison m.youtube.com/watch?v=PK6Q...

Meanwhile the Durham nostalgia ramble continues #dcdc25. Here’s a tribute to a pioneering archaeologist, and a former nightclub building that amazingly hasn’t been condemned. Imagine being a drunk 19-year-old leaning on those rickety railings with all your drunk 19-year-old friends

My four takeaways so far #dcdc25 are care, connection, stories, and love. All beautifully exemplified this morning by Paul and Nick from the National HIV Story Trust. Their archive is @thelondonarchives.bsky.social and there’s a book, and an exhibition available to borrow www.nhst.org.uk

Some excellent storytelling in the Magna Carta & the North exhibition @durhamcathedral.bsky.social. Should be reassuring for archivists & curators #DCDC25: however badly you may have messed up at work, at least you’ve never drunk 24 coffees in a row and ruined an iconic medieval document

We’ve all got archive envy after a brilliant evening’s hospitality at the Story Durham #DCDC25. Fabulous community resource, beautifully designed & with friendly knowledgeable volunteers. Pizza in the gardens was an inspired choice! www.thestorydurham.org

I’m in Durham for #DCDC25 conference. Trying to get the hang of social media again after a long break. Nothing to report on the conference yet but I’m on a massive nostalgia trip having graduated from here 30 years ago. This city is stunning

I had a random email promoting this comedy & bluegrass show about public records of all things and am intrigued enough to share! At Seven Arts in Leeds at the end of Feb and other venues www.foialove.com

The dream of technology is now under the control of men who are vain, foolish, self-centred, amoral, desperate for power, and in some cases openly fascistic. iandunt.substack.com/p/how-to-res...

Finally home from two days of seminars in London. It’s been great but hanging out at various V&A sites has really brought home how utterly impoverished regional civic museums are compared with London nationals. It’s a different world

If you know Abbey House Museum in #Leeds but don't yet know that it's under threat of closure (to save a small sum from the hard-pressed council budget) you might like to make your views known here: museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk/pQoMAtw/abbe.... Closing date for comments: 23 January

Final call-out for experiences of burnout in the cultural sector! The survey will close at midnight (GMT) Thank you to everyone who has kindly shared their experiences & thoughts. It won’t be a surprise to hear burnout is - in my view - at crisis point. I hope this research helps make a difference.

Do you work in the cultural sector & have something to say about burnout? I’m researching burnout & what can be done to prevent it under the supervision of @benwalmsley.bsky.social Please complete this anonymous survey if you’d like to share your thoughts: www.surveymonkey.com/r/culturalse...

Travelling to London always puts me in mind of this

Heading to London for PhD related shenanigans. There’s a group of women in my carriage getting started on the Prosecco. Two hours to KX… I shall be transcribing audio interviews and pretending I’m not envious

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I haven’t managed to string a sentence together here yet because I’ve been working on my first piece of academic writing in 25 years which means that today I’ve spent 2 hours trawling my notes to find a single reference for a quote. Tomorrow I might try to leave the house