#writerscoffeeclub Day 4 — What's a sure sign an author is a master of their craft? They write with passion, engage me with their style. When I read a page, I want to read more - even if I have no idea why yet.

Apparently #strictly has caused a national shortage of spotlights.

#strictly - I love Vicky. I think I really appreciate it when people become famous but still retain their accept and their sense of home and where they are. I think that always says something to me about them. I don't know Vicky from anywhere except Pilgramage. But that was also a great insight […]

#strictly - Ross did well. But I bet he wasn't a "real Scotsman", because I bet he has something under that kilt.

#scribesandmakers Oct 4: Do you think you are a typical reader? Oh, I hope not. I read such a range - fiction and non-fiction, SF, weird fiction, political-related material, and faith-related matters. So I hope I have the ability to draw from a range of material into what I write, so others […]

#strictly - the Apprentice guy is terrible. I mean, all he needs to do it learn to actually dance. He can lift people. he can dance like a dad. But please get rid of him.

#strictly - the problem with Jojo is that he would show up anyone. He would show up the judges with a Latin. Alex did well, I think. But obviously, Jojo has no joints. He is unbelievable in these sorts of dances. Against this, Alex was brilliant. But totally shown up, which doesn't mean it […]

My wife said "I think you have had enough to drink for #strictly" I mean, there are definitely some contestants for whom a single glass is enough to relax into it. But this early on, there are definitely far too many for whom being still conscious is too sober.

#strictly - Jimmy, those trousers are bulging in a disconcerting way. It is not helping.

[Very personal] So, I watch Trump occasionally, and his struggle with getting some words, struggling to be comprehensible (usually failing). I feel this - because I have found I am losing words, struggling to make comprehensible sentences. I think, in my case, it is jsut an age thing, but I am […]

OK, #strictly related question - La Voix (who I thought did really well). In character, they are definitely "she", and i have no problems there. But in practice, they are out of character, and more obviously male. Now, as far as I know, they are a drag queen, rather than trans, so would it be […]

"Well I'm not the world's most masculine man But I know what I am and I'm glad I'm a man And so is Lola" Getting this song past the censors, to have it regularly played, is amazing.

I don't think anything has made me want to avoid small, middle class communities more than TV dramas set in such places. They are all cesspits of hate and anger and bitch.

I know some people (like me) like to have words while napping - I found this, which seem to be perfect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BggrpKfqh1c

When you watch Game of Thrones and King and Conqueror you realise how accurate the fantasy is and how fucked up our concept of nation and rule is. It is always about power, strength, who can bully others into submission. It is not a good reason for power.

"And the final version was called Homo Blancos. They were not any good in the usual evolutionaly terms, but they put their minds to killing and death - in particular to making tools of death. But their main advantage over others is that they didn't give a fuck about them. And in the end, they […]

Itsy Bitsy spider climbed up the water spout Along came the rain and washed poor Itsy out Along came the sun and dried up all the rain But Itsy had already drowned Itsy Bitsy spider climbed up the water spout Along came the rain and washed poor Itsy out Along came the sun and dried up all the […]

The wraith tried to feed on me once. But apparently my life-force was poisonous to them. As it is to me, in fairness.

#writerscoffeeclub day 3: How do you transition into writing mode? I think I am always there. One day, I might transition out.

You know they can replace knees? And hips? And they can provide titanium support for the long bones in the legs, if you break them? Can I just get this all put together and have my legs bones replaced - hip to ankle? I think that would be nice. They might hurt less.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czdjegvjz3do RIP. She was so talented.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/03/sarah-mullally--named-first-female-archbishop-of-canterbury Oh wow - this will irritate some of the right people. Excellent news.

So in Doppelganger Klein covers the story of Hans Asperger. I know the basics, but not the details. What an utter piece of wank. RFK Jr would have loved him. But the interesting observation Klein made was that, essentially, Asperger defined autism as being anti-fascist. Not in those words, but […]

#scribesandmakers 2, Are you harder on yourself or others when critiquing creative work? Definitely myself. Because I understand how hard creating is so I get the effort that has gone in, even if it is not entirely working for me. Myself, I have to be completely perfect.

So seen a little about what happened in Manchester. And it seems like more examples of racist hatred, and two tragic deaths. On the back of the racist tensions that are encouraged by some people. For anyone in Manchester - I feel for you. It must be so hard knowing this has happened in your […]

So a though on why some people move from left-wing ideas to Reform (and they do. More than we would like). I think the left-right axis - which is primarily economic - is no longer the one that most people use. If they ever did. I suspect more use the "do they promise radical change?" - The […]

This year for halloween, I am dressing up as: Myself. That is scary enough for anyone, I think.

So secret filming in the met has revealed them to be misogynist and racist? Whats new? We knew this years ago. We have known this for years. Stop acting as if it is a shock and you only now have to consider planning to do something about it.

They are talking about Lidar, and I keep thinking it is like gaydar - a natural abillity to spot liars.

Just watched this weeks episode of King and Conqueror, and am now watching Digging for Britain. They are digging up items that are centuries before the Norman Conquest. Things that would have been ancient when James Norton was rushing around Britain.

Oh no! #RIP Dr. Jane Goodall BREAKING: Dr. Jane Goodall, an animal rights advocate, has died of natural causes at age 91, the Jane Goodall Institute says in a statement. https://nbcnews.to/42ZXPCN

Just watched Atlantis "The Shrine" - where Rodney has a space version of Alzheimers. It is scary. I see myself in this. And the deterioration you see in such a short time - and the sense that Rodney has of what is happening. Just kill me rather than that.

"Dear HR, I would like to complain about comments from various members of my team suggesting that I am a 'space filler' - something which has come up several times. I was taken into the team on the basic of this being a permament position, to take this role long-term. For your clarification, I […]

Thank you Sky. They have advertised that "every episode of every series of GoT is available". But this, like the Sopranos series, they only broadcast one series, then I have to find the rest on their stream service. And so deal with their adverts and having to find hem somewhere. Which is a pain.

#writing - so one of my WiPs, I realised that I had to add some new aspect and feature to one of the threads in it. So I had to stop my first draft and do an initial edit to include what I needed. Bear in mind, I am usually a pantser, and this was rather more like plotting and planning process […]

#writerscoffeeclub - Have you ever written in an epistolary format? No - I have occasionally toyed with alternative formats, but they are hard, and they don't work with my thought processes.

TEMU: Shop like a billionaire. So I rang them up, insisted that they send me their products for free, because that would look good for them. And if I like them, I will probably buy 1000. They were not impressed.

Over 40 years, we were collectively told to give tax cuts to rich people. And we were told that if we did that, wealth would trickle down and everyone would be better off. Over 40 years, pretty much everything got cut to fund these tax cuts. Schools. Hospitals. Public housing. Public […]

Just wanted to say - I am listening to the Grounded series on BBC Sounds. Various artists talking about being neurodivergent in the music business. It is good - insightful. Hearing the problems of people like Emma Jean Thackery - who is neuro-twisted in every possible way, and why music is […]

[The froggy one.] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4ypey88kdo Good. Maybe the opportunity is presenting itself. [Note I am not suggesting anything here. Just that this hateful frog deserves another milkshake or six.]

Mushrooms have by far and away the most metal names of any group of organisms. It's hard to beat Destroying Angel, but I also appreciate Amethyst Deceiver and The Sickener. https://pagan.plus/@Cat_LeFey/115288288189078171

[Trump/Gaza plan] So, I haven't seen much detail, but I heard somewhere that the plan includes Trump and Blair taking over control of Gaza? Not a good solution. They are both fascist scum.

#writerscoffeeclub - Were you able to accomplish your goals this month? Well sort of. I don't really do goals. But I had a good month of writing.

"Margaret Thatcher slept for 4 hours a night, and I think it showed". Leena Norms - explaining that those people who sleep very little and are ever so active are not generally good people to follow.

So I keep seeing these "Autism is new but ...." memes - which are fun. But they remind me that, in the past, there were always positions for autistic people. Wealthy ones went into academia or the church. In agricultural societies, there is always something for them to focus on. |there is such […]

[Disgusting imagery: UK Politics.] The political situation in the UK is like when you have completely shit yourself - you know, half your body weight in liquid crap, all down your legs, up your back, everywhere. Then, because you are not at home, someone hoses you down, cleaning the worst of […]

#educatingyorkshire Wow - Falak, who had a fall and was pronounced dead (at the age of 8), but recovered, now has anxiety. Wow - she is amazing to be as functional as she is! But also, the absolute stress of the preparation for exams makes me anxious. And the addiction to phones is scary. I […]

#writerscoffeeclub 29.Speaking for yourself, what would make a work ‘obscene’? Tricky one, but gratuitousness - in sex or violence or abuse (which would include gratuitous revelling on someone elses misfortune). In the sense of "morally repulsive". I don't need to read this. I don't want to […]

The good news is that they are on the outside of the window. But there are two large spiders outside a couple of windows. One is the window I look out of while working (the one I face - I don't look out of it all the time). Bird food.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crrjne81pylo T|his will make fly-tipping much less of a problem, I am sure.