It's well documented that local corruption is inversely correlated with the strength of local journalism. It's the tireless work of people like @jim.londoncentric.media, @edinburghminute.bsky.social and the broader work of the @bylinesnetwork.co.uk which gives me some hope for the future in the UK.

Back from a work trip (with a photographer) and I've just found out what my 'resting work face' actually looks like 😬 Thoughts and prayers for colleagues and clients who have to be around my furious demeanor.

New kind of guy just dropped

Asbestos may kill a lot of people, but its also got a big Helvetica warning sign which slaps, so, it;s impossible to say if its bad or not,

Broke my nose colliding with this venue in Newcastle. Absolutely baffled by their inscrutable heading and velocity.

Great thoughts from @gilestur.bsky.social this morning. See also: almost every business strategy

September evenings ✨🤌

so do I still need to delete my old family photos to save water or what

Was gutted to miss this session, but good to read the updates. Especially @thebikestation.bsky.social's continuation of @cargobikemovement.bsky.social's mission. Lovely to see our work in safe hands 🚲

Tonight, we're mostly out corrupting the local youth with ideas like 'what if bikes were longer?'

I'm at the 'listening to calming music for dogs' stage of my current project

Did you know your MacBook has a sensor that knows the exact angle of the screen hinge? It’s not exposed as a public API, but I figured out a way to read it and make it sound like an old wooden door.

Incredibly pleased to see that the council has officially made the East Area segregated cycle lanes permanent! 🎉 Thank you to @edi.bike, @spokes.org.uk and everybody who spoke up and pushed hard when this crucial infrastructure was under threat.

Made it. Didn't drown.

After weeks of droughts and heatwaves, the one day I *need* to ride a motorcycle 100 miles across lowland Scotland this happens

Messages you don't want to pop up on a screen share during a teams call. Subsequently had to explain the dog's ongoing beef with my neighbour's robot lawnmower. She HATES that thing.

A friend received a terminal diagnosis the other day. Talking it over with Becca, I said; "It must be weird knowing you're going to die." And then: "Oh. Hang on..."

UK folks; the inaugural @accessgiven.bsky.social digital accessibility conference is happening on 10th sept in Newcastle! accessgiven.co.uk/pif/ @mocogam.bsky.social tells me there's a few Pay-It-fwd tickets still available (i.e. free for those in need) - so share / apply quick if you can make it.

Child seat, heavily soiled

Oooh so close! Aiming for #100. I'll take it. Thanks for the sticker too @sonnyross.bsky.social, definitely one for the laptop...

Keys found on Granton Road - they look like they belong to a cyclist. Please retweet and let's see if we can find the owner. #lostkey #Edinburgh #cycling #Edinburghcycling

Some real narrowcasting here... But this is a #motorcycle restorer's dream. 40yo machine, 40k miles, and compression in both cylinders still at factory spec. Kinda amazing. Good work Honda.

I don't have an international dog, but here's a nice pic of my normal domestic dog for international dog day

Becca: Hun... I think you might be bottling stuff up again Me: *weeping uncontrollably on my fifth @weratedogs.com video of a Sunday evening* wat I'm fine what do you even mean ha ha

⏰Helpful reminder: The last days of August are the perfect time to re-listen to R.E.M's masterpiece of bittersweet nostalgia, 'Nightswimming'. You certainly will not regret listening to R.E.M's 'Nightswimming' at this time. youtu.be/ahJ6Kh8klM4...

"The legal definition of a flapjack is whether the item is “of a standard to be served to guests as a treat with afternoon tea”. You literally couldn’t make it up, and I didn’t." I did not think reading about VAT would be interesting, but @timleunig.bsky.social managed it, somehow.

"Willy Wonka is not a robust scholar... He's more of an acquisitions specialist" I'm enjoying Radha Mistry and Tobias Revell's first steps into their own podcast. Only a 2 episodes in (and I'm biased) but I reckon their 20 min chats are worth a listen. creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/...

Hot damn check out the legendary ratio on that single speed. His quads must be monstrous.

did you know you can log off and just print cyanotypes of your dog?? big if true

I've spent the week down in Hertfordshire working with a client, and got out on a couple of trail runs. Damn, this bit of England can be pretty.

Did... did a car write this?

New approach to wicked complex projects: "local maximum planning" Sounds hard, but is just: climb the slope towards the goal on the highest gradient we can find. When we can’t go further, take stock and see if there’s another direction we couldn’t see from where we were before. And repeat.

Don’t Honk If You Love John Cage

"when I think about all the folks I used to work on web shit with... the majority are now woodworkers, ceramicists, knitters, painters, writers, etc. People who make things move on when there’s nothing left to make. Nothing to make but the Torment Nexus." Good words from @monteiro.bsky.social today

Signs at a local zoo which give bad vibes, exhibit 1:

August is here, so here's the annual Wisteria pruning journal. Good news: as of today, Scruffy McStraggles the Wisteria Demon is no longer ticking visitors with his wandering vines. 🌱 Bad news: he's definitely eating the turnbuckles now. Not much we can do about that.

@tommchenry.bsky.social has a brain that does not work like my brain works and so every comic leaves me surprised and delighted and slightly off-balance

Editing a colleagues blog. I added a pithy final line. It summed up everything and wrapped up the post beautifully. It was catchy. Snappy. Memorable. I was proud of it. The colleague thanked me for looking at the blog, and particularly loved "that last bit from ChatGPT". Folks,

13 years ago, @nightvaleradio.bsky.social's @cecilbaldwiniii.bsky.social read this traffic report poem by Katherine Ciel. I have thought about the phrase 'lambent crevice' about once a month since. Listen - youtu.be/Xo1-iiefC24...

This is a fundamental realisation that it took me years to come to. The enjoyment of art comes from the countless hidden decisions that were made slowly, which you as an audience enjoy quickly. The speed of consumption renders the craft invisible, magical. Creation at speed can’t do this.

I *adore* what Kieran and the @neheritagelib.bsky.social are doing right now. Watching him explore and explain the places I grew up is amazing. I'm north of the border these days, but if you're in the north east get yourself along to the social. Bet it'll be a good night.

Everyone in the UK rn

Previously on Aldwych, if the cars didn't kill you the carbon monoxide poisoning would. As someone who moved out of the city in 2019, my jaw hit the floor when I stumbled across this a few years later. It is *wild* how lovely this part of the city is now.

Nearly twenty years in, @austinkleon.bsky.social's newsletter continues to be one of my favourite things to land in my inbox austinkleon.substack.com/p/10-things-...

Sorry I missed the team call this morning. I was re-reading all the emails I sent yesterday to make sure I sounded cool and easygoing.

"The burnout of our age, Han writes, doesn’t come from external repression but from internal overproduction. We are not crushed by the lash; we are fried by the light..." Good words from Miski Omar via Kai @densediscovery.bsky.social this morning, looking at everyone's common affliction right now.

Uncharacteristically professional post: I'm looking for experienced, freelancing designers & researchers for a swath of FTC roles my team is trying to fill. You'd be joining our Trusted Talent contracting network, with immediate roles in UX, Content, or Service design, and design research. 🧵 1/3

Many historians agree: a sultry tinderbox is one of the worst things a city can be

Kids are off with the grandparents this week. Without bath & bedtime to referee, after 5.30pm I'm just wandering around the house like an abandoned horse.