I am absolutely bereft now. I have no focus. I'm between passions. I am so bored my Garmin stress level is soaring. What do now? How do I find something that grips me? What is life.

Putting this here to test the waters. We're doing @accessgiven.bsky.social again! But we're looking for: 1. Sponsors: cash, skill-swap and specific things (catering, Pay-it-Forward tickets, sensory room) 2. Volunteers who might help us out on the day in exchange for a ticket. Any leads??

Someone just reminded me that I OWN a house with a FRONT GARDEN and Halloween is coming. Let the decoration shopping commence.

Was in an all-day workshop from 9:30-4:30 and left with a headache because of the overhead lighting and lack of windows. Who'd have thought that office environments aren't easy for neurodivergents????? Not meeeeeee. Although proud of me for not sniffing the Sharpies.

In classic ADHD style I've forgotten the password to the @accessgiven.bsky.social account but thank you to everyone who came and I will find the password when I am less overwhelmed!

Do you believe automated accessibility tools will ever reach the levels of accuracy they claim? And, do you think AI will change the game? I’m speaking about this topic next month at @accessgiven.bsky.social conference. If you’re interested tickets are £119: accessgiven.co.uk #accessibility #a11y

The UK Government will send a test alert to mobile phones on Sunday. This is how to switch it off: www.gov.uk/alerts/optin... Before anyone types before thinking: domestic abuse survivors may need this. If you don’t, just scroll on.

I have put out so many fires this week I am exhausted. They were all extinguished by 12noon on a Wednesday. Surely the remaining days will be calm?

It's begun. Going into central Edinburgh knowing you'll be offline for the duration. We'll have to bring back "meet me under the clock at this time" from now until September.

First day in "new house" when there's been rain and Bran has been miserable

Our co-founder Ellen Kate Boyle took a trip to Newcastle Helix today to visit our sensory room, which will be sponsored by Content Design London. @ellenkateboyle.bsky.social @contentdesign.london

Top tip from me. Don't do the following in a 28 day period: - complete on a house - start a new contract - rewire house - strip 1980s wallpaper - replaster the walls - go to Dublin and Cork - buy and build furniture - pack entire possessions - move entire possessions - do end of tenancy clean

Went to Lismore, Waterford today. Absolutely blistering sun. Can't wait for Edinburgh to destroy me on Friday.

I am in Cork and it's my second time being here in absolute peak weather. Good for me.

We're delighted to be the Sensory Room sponsor at the inaugural Access:Given (A:G) conference this September! We're excited to support a room for escape and respite which welcomes all attendees. Find out more and book your ticket for the 1 day digital accessibility conference:

Happy Goth Day to all my fellow goths.

I've never felt more old than I did while going for a run... past the rave that's happening in Murrayfield Ice Rink that's been on all day. All the weans in their little outfits, getting sunstroke. While I was off for a run at 7pm thinking "I bet I won't sleep tonight now after this". 👵🏻👵🏻👵🏻

I've read absolutely amazing books so far this year and Ocean Vuong's new novel arrived today so I'm hoping this will also be enjoyed by my brain.

From the CDL blog. 'How to make content gender inclusive' by guest author Dana Rock

Bran, my 15 month old dog, is so famous in my local area that no matter when or where Daire and I go, we are constantly bombarded by people saying OMG IS THAT BRAN? Yesterday, I tried to sit and read in the park, with Bran. We were out for 90mins and I read one page because everyone had to say hi

We're giving away this VANISHING WORLD goodie bag to a lucky winner on both Bluesky and Instagram 🍎 To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is: - Follow @grantabooks.bsky.social - Repost - Leave a comment tagging a friend (more tags = more entries) - Enter by 2 May See below for T+Cs.

Watched the London Marathon allllll morning, under a blanket with Bran on my lap, marvelling at the elites. I then went for a "fast" 30min run and solidified my thinking that I would never make it through a marathon. I didn't enjoy training for a half; I wouldn't enjoy training for a full.

This is ADHD

We're excited to announce that @rachelanne.bsky.social is speaking at @accessgiven.bsky.social inaugural event on 10 September in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Other speakers include @ettiebaileyking.bsky.social and @craigabbott.bsky.social. You can find out more here: accessgiven.co.uk/tickets/

I wrote a poem about investments today. That's right up there with the oddest things I've done and been paid for.

I spent almost two days watching no one finish the Barkley Marathons. Today, I ran up the hill from the beach to Silverknowes Road. That was my Barkley.

Our second speaker is @craigabbott.bsky.social! Craig is the former Head of Accessibility at the Department for Work and Pensions and the creator of the DWP Accessibility Manual. He is a design lead and accessibility specialist, and his focus is user-centred design. 10 September - Newcastle Helix

After months of planning, countless days of admin and a lot of behind-the-scenes work, we are absolutely delighted to announce: Tickets are now on sale! A ticket costs £119, plus booking fee. Buy tickets here: accessgiven.co.uk

From the CDL blog. 'How to make content gender inclusive' by guest author Dana Rock.

We're so excited to have @ettiebaileyking.bsky.social as our keynote speaker! We've both admired Ettie's work for many years, so having her on board is really a dream come true.

Am off to Bucharest tomorrow to annoy @ellenkateboyle.bsky.social for 4 days, go on all the slides in Thermé and survive on coffee.

I'm still here. I feel a bit like I'm shouting into a void. How do I break through from being a bluesky lurker to a bluesky poster?

This week's newsletter is inspired by @blindboyboatclub.bsky.social and explores how cringe is stopping many of us from pursuing creative projects, and it's forcing false narratives in our head. ellenforster.substack.com/p/thats-cringe

I've been working a contracted job since the middle of March and on Thursday, I finished up - FOR A MONTH. I negotiated paid and unpaid leave for a month off, and a change to my working pattern come January and it feels nice. But now I'm overwhelmed with choice for things to do.

Bran is the most sociable being who lives in this flat. He loves people. He loves being out & about. Daire & I have finite energy for outside things, and people, who aren't each other. But I think Bran has picked up on that because he is exhausted since going to the office yesterday.

Yesterday, I had a really bad customer service experience in which a service provider didn't read the *mandatory* pre-service questionnaire. It was for a spa treatment. Booked in advance. Filled in the form in advance. Travelled to the salon/spa and was refused service...

I can't believe that ALL Edinburgh buses got cancelled. Because of the snow. That we were all warned about for days.

I'm in a weird reading slump. I tore through the first 33% of the book I'm reading and now I can't seem to even focus on a sentence at a time?

I'm Michelle. On the other platforms I was known as Specky Scribbler, but I'm trying to move away from that as I rebranded my biz when I went LTD. I'm into buying books, reading books (different hobbies), my puppy Bran, horror comics and general spooky stuff.

19 million @bsky.app users? Better make sure they all know about the handy alt text reminder! 🫡 Go to Settings > Accessibility and make sure "Require alt text before posting" is toggled on. We love that accessibility is such a priority here.

Apparently I set this up ages ago but forgot. Now we're all here?