Thimbles (Caroline Collett)

Friday tune Gling Glo - Bjork We usually play this entire album at top volume on Christmas Day because it's so madly, infectiously joyous. But we forgot this year, so am treating you all to it instead! www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dUj...

This year on Bluesky I wrote 270 posts and 1,586 replies. I received 6,080 likes, whereas 170 was from my most popular post, and apparently I love saying "love" and ♥️! www.madebyolof.com/bluesky-wrap...

Wild London review – honestly, telly does not get any better than this

Final '2025 Favourites' list is FILM - in reverse order: 10. All We Imagine As Light 9= (cheating a bit here but can't choose btwn): I Swear / Steve 8. The Apprentice 7. The Life of Chuck 6. The Marching Band (like a French 'Brassed Off' - highly recommended!) www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhfC...

gladstonehellen.co.uk/blogs/news/t... Wrote this for Charlie Gladstone and the Hawarden folk earlier this year. Why we wear what we wear. Will be of interest to all #MDANT people and I suspect @collettwriter.bsky.social

My penultimate list of favourites from 2025 (films to come still tomorrow) - Favourite exhibitions seen in reverse order - a list v close to my heart these days as visual art gives me so much joy! 10. Wayne Thiebaud / The Courtauld Glorious, joyous and nostalgic still lives / pure Americana.

I hope you all had a great Christmas & that Santa served up some splendid swag? Unsurprisingly, I got a lot of books (x16 at the last count) - and also my favourite sweet thing - Norwegian brown cheese chocolate (if you've had it, you know). Talking of sweet things, here is my youngest nephew.

Merry Xmas Everybody! X

End of year list 4 (with rest after Xmas!) Split film this year into features and this list of biopics and documentaries. Felt impossible to judge otherwise - and also meant I could add in MORE! So, biopics / docus in reverse order as follows: 10. Like Tears in Rain (Biopic on Rutger Hauer) /cont'd

End of Year List 3 - Fave Books Read This Year Before I start, I'm going to mention these 3. Loved them all & their authors - magnificent @regretteruane.bsky.social, fabulous Francesca Hornak & gorgeous @kathrynsharman.bsky.social - but, w/my name in 2 acknowledgements pages, can't possibly judge!

End of year list no.2 - best shows seen in 2025. Not a v long list as I haven't seen tons! Top 5 in reverse order: 5. Who is Claude Cahun? Southwark Theatre Borough, London Not so much bcs the play was that great. More that CC has fascinated me for a long time. Look her up if you don't know her!

Naomi - You're Not My Kind [Jamaica, Reggae] (1970) https://redd.it/1h50jv1 https://youtu.be/WYth9JtxWaI

Thank you Caroline that was braw!! Looking forward to book! Cr@ss critique was harsh but fair and rings true)! I was obsessed with the punks etc when going to Glasgow with my Mum, so exotic! Free teenage therapy indeed and perfect for a provincial frightened, trans kid looking to belong somewhere.🤗

About time for some end-of-year lists! Going to start with TV / 10 faves in reverse order: 10. Riot Women (BBC) Didn't love the first episode - all felt too cliched, but Sally Wainwright is such a good writer & the depth came with time. Plus, loved the character of Kitty. 9. Wrexham S4 (Disney+)

The new @sleafordmods.bsky.social single 'No Touch' feat. Sue Tompkins, with a video by my great pal Andrea Arnold - a match made in heaven - following Jason's appearance in 'Bird'. www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1ae...

Top shit Caz, looking forward to that no end!

Tremendous CC!!!! Looking forward to the finished tome. Hopefully we'll reconnect next year .... the work/ life balance really hasn't been much of a success this year 🙄

Brilliant listen. You nailed it.

Just listened, CC, and really enjoyed it. Very similar experiences and understanding (despite being a year or two older!). Fingers crossed for the book!

Excellent. That’s something I’ve thought about over the last few years, I always have the first few pages in my head, then run out of steam. I’m sure you’ll have some wonderful anecdotes to share, Caroline. Good luck, I’ll listen to the podcast this week.

Great listen, thanks for sharing. I was a little young for the first blast of punk, but I do remember the collective freak out of middle school teachers at the end of year disco in 1980 when one young punk got the oblivious 'DJ' to play the very sweary Pistols song. Crap song, great memory.

Thanks Caroline. I just finished listening to it. I found it very enjoyable and welcome on a miserable December day. Excellent introduction followed by an interesting and informative interview. Which the interviewer deserves credit for as well. I look forward to the publication of your book.

Really enjoyed that Caroline! You knew Kim Tate off of "Emmerdale"😱

Terrific listen pal. Your infectious enthusiasm for the period really shined through. Wishing you every success with this venture😎

30 minutes in and I’m right back in suburban Aberdeen in 1977. 14 yo me watching Pretty Vacant on the TV with my douce, Edinburgh born mother audibly disapproving. Marvellous! 😎

A vintage 1976 provincial punk here so I’m looking forward to this Caroline. There was a great network of small punk friendly venues around the country (Doncaster in my case) where all the now classic bands turned up at some point. It was a fantastic time to be a teenager.

That was great. Look forward to reading the book . The perspective of the provinces hasn’t been properly written. I explained to my kids that the reason I didn’t see the Pistols in Caerphilly was it involved 3 changes of bus and the last bus home was the one you just stepped off.

Bravo, loved this! So interesting and articulate, with even more resonance than anticipated. I grew up in a very small town, in a family dominated by older relations, music provided that essential escape hatch.

A fascinating listen, Caroline. Punk was a defining moment in my life and shaped my attitude and socio/political views. As a fellow provincial punk your experience of finding like minded folk resonates. Looking forward to the book now!

This was wonderful Caroline. Amazing listening to your thoughts and reflections and very much looking forward to the book! Having grown up somewhere even further away from the action and equally Conservative albeit later a lot of the reflections felt v v familiar

“Punks were more fucked up than loved up. And perversely proud of it too”. @collettwriter.bsky.social excellent on this Punk Scholars podcast. Includes her reading an extract from her pending book. A fine account and description of experiencing the baptism of punk. open.spotify.com/episode/3LpY...

As some of you will know, I've been working on book about punk - part teenage diary, part serious reflections on the times, from the NF to Peter Sutcliffe. Here's a podcast interview about it, which you may like to listen to / like / share / whatever... CC x open.spotify.com/episode/3LpY...

Some of the strange items on my desk, from a miniature Steve McQueen to a Corgi Citroen DS and a thimble in the shape of a fingernail. What do they tell you? I probably shouldn't ask...

December drift

Have been thinking for a few days that I wanted to write something about #martinparr - but didn't really want to do it on social media. There's now a wonderful public condolences book, which is such a lovely way to do it. www.online-tribute.com/martinparr

I have a beautiful new dark blue raincoat. A proper one. Big hood I can pull down over my face. Open or closed neck to cover my chin when it's blustery. Long fishtail. Long arms. Press studs or zip. Waterproof. It's one of the most grown-up things I've ever done & I'm SO pleased with myself.

My mate Tyrone's poetry album inna musical collaboration. ODES FOR THE OUTCASTS! wargly.bandcamp.com/album/odes-f...

Here is Switch as Charlie Higson was known back then in The Old Woolpack which was the punk pub in Norwich in 1978. Top picture in the middle. punkintheeast.co.uk?s=Woolpack

One for you @helenbarrett.bsky.social ! the-modernist.org/products/out...

I'm getting a bit above - and beyond - myself in The Modernist's shop pages. So many lovely things... the-modernist.org/collections/...

There is even a book @urbankisses.bsky.social !! the-modernist.org/products/han...

When you feel compelled to do something even though it makes no sense... www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Imd...

Thread 1/ Recently at a Q&A, the chair asked me an excellent question: Why do you push so hard against the idea of a ‘nature cure’ when moments in your book Drystone - A Life Rebuilt might look like exactly that? The answer is simple. #Reading #Writing #NatureWriting #Nature #Scotland #Books

Loved Senna, Amy & Maradona, so I thought I should give this one a go. An incredible life story & SO much nostalgia for the 70s watching it, but not sure I really know anything more about him at the end. We know the measure of him tho' - & that's enough. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBH2...

Friday tune There was Bob. There was Earl. There was this. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bZy...

“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” - W.T. Ellis. Photographer Paul Trevor, Christmas Day, Petrus Community Hostel, Everton, Liverpool, 1974.

Sunset over Plymouth Sound (Caroline Collett)

"american icon : property from th collection of joan didion" www.bidsquare.com/auctions/sta... everything seems to have sold well above estimate includes works by patti s, e ruscha + some books about california cc : @collettwriter.bsky.social @urbankisses.bsky.social @leabysea.bsky.social