Here we go again.

I'd be most grateful if anyone in possession of a field guide to British birds from the 1950s/1960s could provide me with a photo of the relevant page featuring the turtle dove, along with the bibliographical reference. In return, I'm happy to make a Christmas donation to a charity of your choice.

Happy holidays! Probably my favorite stop-motion from the past few years. Really enjoyed creating this one.

🎶 What can I give Him, poor as I am If I were a shepherd, I would give a lamb If I were a wise man - but then again, no Or a man who makes potions in a travellin' show 🎶

If you're feeling helpful this Christmas, pals, drop Rodney here a line. He's on the level and working miracles with literally nothing in Uganda. Forget geography. These are your neighbours.

Are you reflecting on the year that's been? Catch up on our top reads of 2025 to help make sense of it all - from politics to culture and science - featuring contributions from @jamesrball.com @shappikhorsandi.bsky.social @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social and more

Kicking back with a G&T and a cured herring.

Morning.

STOP PRETENDING TO GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THE FUCKING SOLSTICE

*cracks knuckles*

More amateur musicians should post their playing on here, but only if they are quite shit.

I often wish more amateur musicians would post their playing on here. But then they do and they're so good that all that remains is for me to smash my guitar into pieces with a hammer.

change of plan lads, the big man's in the slammer

Morning. Fffucking hell.

Still ringing.

A gentle reminder if you've received an invoice from a Freelancer/Self employed person which is due before Christmas. Be a love, and pay it today.

works do

Still shopping? BUY MY BOOKS. Buy this one for anyone who likes the world and was once a kid. www.hive.co.uk/Product/Rich...

Morning.

The absolute iron balls on Chris de Burgh lining up his chorus as the divine music of god and then going with that.

It is once again that time of year when every Books Dad gets absolutely bodied by Molesworth.

It would be Northumberland Cheviot but the cheesers discontinued it because the world does not deserve beautiful things.

Startled by how readily the Continuity FBPE sorts on here have embraced LOL-some AI slop.

My closest IRL people are all completely offline and say things like "yes but they're not really your friends, are they" THEY ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT, YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND

Tough few weeks here so my mum brought me a care package, and by care package I mean an entire shepherd's pie and a thermos flask of mince gravy.

We had a v posh male customer who would stride up to the till and bellow WHERRRE IS YOUR EROTICAAA like Matt Berry

Do you hear? You ought to be ASHAMED. YOU'RE A DISGRACE.

I ALSO EARN NOTHING ✊

Morning.

Sometimes a guy gets in after a long hard day and just has to pour himself a large neat glass of an episode of Agatha Christine's Poirot.

Unsolicited drive-by niceness.

Morning. 😐

Important I think not to get too hung up on the fact that the President is a disgusting pig and to try to hold focus on the fact that the President is completely out of his fucking mind.

Given the *the state of everything* - not least the publishing industry - it feels like a miracle that really good books still manage to sometimes make it into the world, so I’m flagging this again and demanding that you read it

This is what I'm working on next: fascism and the environment. Hoping to finish it before the world burns and/or the fascists take charge. Fingers crossed. Do ask me about it, if you're curious. www.thebookseller.com/rights/manch...

A surprise seeing this popping up in Michael Caines’ column in the latest TLS @thetls.bsky.social following his discussion of this year’s *wordoftheyear* according to the usual authorities on the matter.

I love this. Yes. Always get settled.

He looks like if David Gower was a sasquatch somehow.

Vegetarians! Vegans! Anyone who enjoys cooking! Here's a thread of recipes for the veggie / vegan dishes I cook regularly and which have helped me massively cut down on the amount of meat I eat these days. First, a cheap, easy., quick dal which *everyone* should be able to cook:

It's like if me and @derbren.bsky.social were on OnlyFans and you are all our subscribers and also everyone is a dweeb.

Morning.

Brussels sprout bhajis.

My small son just jive-walked into the room singing DA-AD, CAN YOU SO-OLVE MY PRO-OH-OH-OBLEM and I think we have the germ here of Parenting: The Musical.

I'm in the bumper Christmas @litreview.bsky.social, talking mostly about pickles. #pickles

Morning.

What actor’s facial expression in a movie will stay with you for the rest of your life?

‘A sound archivist told me he and his colleagues could earn more in the private sector but they work here for less pay because “we believe in what we do.”’ Anna Aslanyan on the picket line at the British Library, from the blog. www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/de...

Ahh.

Christmassy library.

Pub absolutely rammed to the rafters at 11.58 on a Thursday. God bless this stupid country.