Tanti auguri a Johnny Dorelli! 89 today 🎉 And yes, in case you were wondering, there is indeed an episode of the TV Italian Style podcast on Johnny Dorelli if you want to learn more!

This is certainly my experience of 2026

Wasn’t aware of this. Solidarity to colleagues affected.

Here we go!

Made lasagna for lunch. Can’t wait to eat it 😋

Yes please fuss

What am I doing? Just resting my paws

Fuss?

What am I actually doing today? marking PG Certificate in Academic Practice assignments. What do I wish I was doing today? Watching La Biblioteca di Studio Uno (1964) and writing about these four

Looking for biscuits

The #Beatles in Italy, Genoa, 26 June 1965.

Spent some time today writing 2 abstracts: a conference paper on La Biblioteca di Studio Uno and the unseen labour of bringing music & literature to the small screen & a book chapter on the reframing of Marcello Mastroianni’s star image on Italian variety TV 59-76. Excited to get writing!

So obviously the most important thing when writing a book is to procrastinate with the writing by thinking about a cover image. Option 1: this AI-generated interpretation of the prompt ‘Italian variety television 1950s, 60s, 70s’

Looking back at photos of better weather given all this rain

Back to work and the joys of marking!

The UCFL Small Grants call is out. ❗ Deadline: 20 Febrary 2026 ❗ More information here: university-council-for-languages.org/our-research...

Maximum relaxation

Is it time for fuss?

Thank you to everyone who keeps listening to the TV Italian Style podcast! I’m really pleased that the episodes are of interest and strike a chord. You can listen online via tvitalianstyle.wordpress.com - I recommend the less-listened to episodes, too (episodes H, P, Q, U and W!)

Been having a bit of an identity wobble of late - so have had a read of Stephen Gundle’s review of The Many Meanings of Mina. Not sure I feel like the pioneer and leading expert but if Stephen says it, then it bears thinking about!

Urlatore Tony Dallara has passed away - RIP www.corriere.it/spettacoli/2...

What a week

What?

The Open Library of Humanities Open Access Award 2026. Applications for OLH funding of up to £500 are welcomed from individuals or organisations and may be used to help fund events, projects or activities on #OA or with an #openaccess component. 📅 Deadline 30/06: www.openlibhums.org/news/882/

Home from hospital. Staff were brilliant. I feel tired. What a start to 2026!

Something from five years ago and the other place but I’m resharing here as a way of bookmarking and reminding myself that this goldmine exists: Explore more than 51M of artworks, artefacts, books, videos and sounds from across Europe t.co/vd94xJipJk

Long day in hospital today so a flashback to a walk the other week and photos my husband captured of our local sparrow hawk on the hunt!

Well that escalated quickly

Poorly six and dreaming of better times

The TV Italian Style podcast is coming up to its two year anniversary so here are the top five episodes, all of which you can still listen to via the podcast website: tvitalianstyle.wordpress.com

Cold in Yorkshire at the moment

Nothing like a CFP to make you feel old. CFP - Turning Points in Media Studies: The Long 1990s in Global Internet Histories edited volume Nothing wrong with this one I know. And yet, I work on the long 1960s and that’s clearly history. The long 1990s were yesterday, no?

Why hello there!

Tanti auguri al Molleggiato che festeggia gli 88 anni oggi! Perfect reason to share this banger again: youtu.be/fU-wH8SrFro?...

Cold and crisp walk along the canal

Chilling whilst listening for snacks (asleep and snoring with one ear open)

It was 72 years ago today - 3 January 1954 saw the inauguration of national television broadcasting in Italy

2026: could be the year of the ice cream

Happy New Year! Washing off 2025 🐰

The #Beatles with Patrizia Wachter, daughter of Leo Vatcher the impresario who brought them to Italy, in Rome June 27, 1965.

👀👀 (Yes this - I feel seen!)

RIP to the Kessler twins

Language cold spots are emerging: the East Midlands provision is vulnerable if threats of closure at Leicester and Nottingham are carried out. Please sign their petitions! Links in comments.

Deadline extended: 28 November Apply now! bsr.ac.uk/research-pra...

Happening everywhere - not just Nottingham but also Leicester now. On the horizon: more cold spots in languages provision and (crucially) access to HE language teaching for those who need to study close to home. We should be widening access, not narrowing it. Solidarity to colleagues affected ✊

Pinched from another site and I’d love to know if this is accurate. Please let it be accurate!

Our students get it. Why doesn't the administration? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

You might have heard that the University of Nottingham plans to suspend all languages courses. This is very disappointing and heartbreaking. Here you can find their petition aimed at protecting Modern Languages at Nottingham. You can show your support by signing it. www.change.org/p/stop-the-r...

Happening everywhere: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... News like this makes me even more determined to carry on writing about Italian popular music as an act of defiance against a sector that seems less and less interested in languages and music. Solidarity to all affected at Nottingham.

Applications are now open for BSR Humanities Awards 2026–27! Fellowships and awards for scholars at all career stages. Deadline: 14 Nov 2025. Apply: bsrome.slideroom.com More info: bsr.ac.uk/awards-resid...